Bachelor of Science: Economics
University Requirements
General Education
UMKC Essentials is the university-wide curriculum that is designed for incoming first-time college students. The 31-credit hour program includes a First Year Experience course; three critical thinking courses in the areas of Arts & Humanities, Natural & Physical Sciences, and Social & Behavioral Sciences; a course in Culture and Diverse Perspectives; a course in Civic & Urban Engagement; two courses in Written Composition and one course in Oral Communication; a Math Pathway course; and a Constitution Course that meets the Missouri state requirement. Students with prior credit entering UMKC should meet with their academic advisor to select which General Education curriculum best suits their needs. Transfer students entering UMKC will elect from the UMKC Essentials General Education Program or the Missouri Core 42 General Education Curriculum. Academic advisors will meet with incoming transfer students to determine which option best serves the student’s educational needs. More information about General Education may be found on the General Education Requirements page.
Exit Examinations
Information on exit examinations is available in the Undergraduate Academic Regulations and Information section of the catalog.
Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination
In accordance with Missouri Senate Bill 807 (section 170.013.1), 'any student entering a public institution of higher education for the first time after July 2019 who is pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree from such institution shall successfully pass an examination on the provisions and principles of American civics with a score of seventy percent or greater as a condition of graduation from such institution'. To satisfy this requirement at UMKC, students access the exam through the Canvas site. This requirement will be listed in the degree audit system as, 'Take State Mandated Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement Examination', and listed on the transcript as 'Missouri Civics Examination'.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from this program will:
- Analyze the theory and methods of the ‘standard’ approaches in both micro and macroeconomics given a variety of social and economic issues.
- Compare the ‘standard’ approach to economic problems with heterodox alternatives to the ‘standard’ approach.
- Demonstrate well-developed written and verbal communication skills.
- Analyze data using quantitative methods used in applied economics and research.
- Demonstrate competency in 1) graphical and mathematical modeling techniques, 2) descriptive and inferential statistical methods, 3) methods of qualitative and narrative analysis, and 4) the use of relevant computing applications.
Special Awards and Scholarships
The Department of Economics has five endowed scholarship funds (Hodges, Greene, Wagner, Crew, and Vorst and Horrell Scholarships) and awards almost $60,000 in scholarships to Economics majors each year. Economics majors can apply for these scholarships by completing the Competitive Scholarship Application at University of Missouri – Kansas City Scholarship Opportunities homepage. Several of the Economics scholarships require demonstrated financial need, which requires students to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority deadline (typically February 1). The Joe E. Brown Institutional Economics Award is given each year to an undergraduate or graduate student for outstanding academic performance in the study of institutional theory.
Program Requirements
UMKC Essentials
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEFSE 101 | First Semester Experience | 1 |
| Written Communication: | ||
| ENGLISH 110 | Introduction to Academic Prose | 3 |
| ENGLISH 225 | English II: Intermediate Academic Prose | 3 |
| Oral Communication (choose one of the following): | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Effective Speaking and Listening | ||
| Introduction to Communication | ||
| Argumentation And Debate | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Math Pathway (satisfied in major requirements below) | ||
| Critical Thinking in Arts & Humanities (GECRT-AH) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Natural & Physical Sciences (GECRT-SC) | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking in Social & Behavioral Sciences (GECRT-SS) | 3 | |
| Culture & Diverse Perspectives (GECDV) | 3 | |
| Civic & Urban Engagement (GECUE) | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 25 | |
Constitution Course Requirement
Section 170.011.1 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, 2015, states that all candidates for a degree issued by a college or university in the state of Missouri must have “satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Missouri, and in American history and American institutions.”
Courses at UMKC that satisfy this state requirement are:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Supreme Court And The Criminal Process | ||
| U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| U.S. History Since 1877 | ||
| Honors American Government | ||
| American Government | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
There are a few other ways this requirement can be satisfied for students transferring to UMKC:
- Take an equivalent course from the list above at a regionally accredited institution.
- Earn credit for one of the above courses through AP, IB, or CLEP.
- Take a course that directly satisfies the Missouri Constitution Requirement at another Missouri institution.
- Have a previous bachelor's degree (or higher) from a regionally accredited institution.
- Have an Associate of Arts degree from a regionally accredited institution.
- Complete the 42 Hour Core at a Missouri institution and have it listed on the official transcript.
School of Humanities and Social Sciences Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Writing Intensive Course (300-level or above): | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Major Requirements
Students must successfully complete the major requirements below with at least 12 hours of the noted upper division (300+) course requirements completed at UMKC.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Prerequisites | ||
| MATH 110 | Precalculus Algebra (satisfies Math Pathway) | 3 |
| STAT 235 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| Major Requirements | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 301 | Macroeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 302 | Microeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 425 | Econometrics | 3 |
| ECON 451 | Institutional Economic Theory | 3 |
| MATH 206 | Brief Calculus And Matrix Algebra (recommended) | 3 |
| or MATH 210 | Calculus I | |
| or ECON 421 | Mathematical Economics | |
| Major Electives | ||
| Any 300 or 400-level ECON course not included in Major Requirements is a major elective. 5500-level courses may be taken as a B.S. major elective with permission of department. | 15 | |
| Political Economy of Race, Class And Gender: Theory, History, And Policy | ||
| Money And Banking | ||
| Collective Bargaining | ||
| Labor and Community Leadership | ||
| Labor and the Global Political Economy | ||
| American Labor History | ||
| History Of Economic Thought | ||
| International Trade And Development | ||
| Law And Economics | ||
| Environment, Resources And Economic Growth | ||
| Monetary Theory And Policy | ||
| Public Finance | ||
| Internship | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
B.S. Degree Requirements
The Bachelor of Science degree requires additional elective hours in any of the following: Social Science (Economics, Sociology and Anthropology, Political Science, Communication, Criminal Justice and Criminology, Race, Ethnic and Gender Studies), Psychology, or any course in the Bloch School of Management* and the School of Science and Engineering* and the School of Medicine.* The number of credit hours needed to meet this requirement are listed below.
- *
Permission may be required to enroll in courses outside of your major or minor program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Coursework | 12 | |
General Electives
Students must take elective credit hours to meet the minimum credit hour requirement for their degree, including at least 36 credit hours of coursework at the 300-level or above. The minimum required by the university is 120 credit hours, of which at least 30 credit hours must be taken at UMKC, but some degree programs require more. Students may choose either general electives or options available within their major to fulfill the general elective requirement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Electives | 35 | |
Total Credit Hours: 120
Minimum GPA: 2.0
Tools for Planning and Fulfilling Academic Requirements
UMKC's Major Maps are detailed, semester by semester plans that lead a student to complete all degree requirements within four years. Plans include benchmarks and critical courses by term that assist a student’s evaluation of progress and major “fit”. In order to ensure that the appropriate courses are taken, students are encouraged to consult with the undergraduate advisor for this major. Please see the tab above to view the major map for this program.
UMKC’s Transfer Guides provide detailed guidance on recommended transfer coursework, plans of study, transfer timelines, and transfer contact information. To ensure a seamless transfer experience, students are encouraged to work with both their community college advisor and a UMKC advisor when planning their coursework.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Audit’ degree audit system provides an individual evaluation of all degree requirements (General Education, Degree Specific, Major Specific, etc.) for students' officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. This evaluation is used to certify all graduation requirements.
UMKC’s PlanMyDegree ‘Plans’ degree planning tool enables students to develop a personalized semester by semester plan of study towards completion of degree requirements for student’s officially recorded (Office of the Registrar) and “what if” exploratory plans of study. Update and edit your full plan to degree completion each term and confirm accuracy each semester with your Academic Advisor(s).
Year 1