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International Studies – Economics

Economics is a division of the social sciences that studies the activity that drives production, distribution and consumption of goods and services of economic agents such as individuals, governments, firms and nations. With a Disciplinary Focus in Economics, International Studies Program students will be able to apply tools of economics analysis and quantitative techniques to the dynamics of both microeconomics and macroeconomics with a globalized perspective. 

Program Overview

Lower Division Requirements

  • Fourth Quarter Language Proficiency
  • Lower Division Prerequisites (6 courses)

Upper Division Requirements

  • International Studies Core (3 courses)
  • Economics Disciplinary Focus (8 courses)
  • Interdisciplinary Electives (3 courses)
  • International Studies Regional Requirement

Major Requirements

Language course may be taken for a letter grade or Pass/No Pass, students must earn either a C- or better or a Pass. All other courses for major requirements must be taken for a letter grade of C- or above.

Language Requirement

International Studies majors are required to demonstrate basic proficiency in a modern foreign language.  This can be accomplished in one of the following ways:

Lower Division Prerequisites

All lower division pre-requisite courses must be taken for a letter grade of C- or better.

Calculus

  • MATH 10A-B-C or MATH 20A-B-C

Economics

  • ECON 1. Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECON 2. Market Imperfections & Policy
  • ECON 3. Principles of Macroeconomics

International Studies Core

All courses are 4-units, upper division and must be taken for a letter grade of C- or better.

International Studies Core Courses (3 courses)

INTL 102 may be taken before INTL 101. Both INTL 101 and INTL 102 must be completed before INTL 190. The INTL core courses must be taken at UC San Diego. 

Economics Disciplinary Focus

Disclaimer: For IS-Economics majors whose first quarter at UCSD was prior to Fall 2023, please refer to the archived Fall 2018 - Summer 2023 Disciplinary Focus course list (see below) in addition to the following list. Courses accepted for the major on the archived list and the current list will be accepted for majors whose first quarter was before Fall 2023. 

All eight (8) courses must be 4 units, upper-division and taken for a letter grade of C- or better.

Economics Department Annual Tentative Course Offerings

Disciplinary Focus – Economics (8 courses)

At least one (1) of the eight (8) upper division courses must be selected from the following:

  • ECON 101. International Trade
  • ECON 102. Globalization
  • ECON 103. International Monetary Relations
  • ECON 106. International Economic Agreements
  • ECON 116. Economic Development

At least one (1) of the remaining seven (7) upper division courses must be selected from the following:

  • ECON 101. International Trade
  • ECON 102. Globalization
  • ECON 103. International Monetary Relations
  • ECON 106. International Economic Agreements
  • ECON 116. Economic Development
  • ECON 117. Economic Growth
  • ECON 125. Demographic Analysis and Forecasting
  • ECON 129. Cities, Inequality, Innovation*
  • ECON 130. Public Policy*
  • ECON 131. Economics of the Environment
  • ECON 132. Energy Economics
  • ECON 138. Economics of Discrimination*
  • ECON 140. Economics of Health Producers*
  • ECON 144. Economics of Conservation
  • ECON 145. Economics of Ocean Resources
  • ECON 164. The Indian Economy
  • ECON 165. Middle East Economics
  • ECON 168. Economics of Modern Israel*

The remaining six (6) upper division courses must be selected from the following:

  • ECON 100A-B-C. Microeconomics
  • ECON 110A-B. Macroeconomics
  • ECON 120A-B-C. Econometrics
  • ECON 101. International Trade
  • ECON 102. Globalization
  • ECON 103. International Monetary Relations
  • ECON 106. International Economic Agreements
  • ECON 116. Economic Development
  • ECON 117. Economic Growth
  • ECON 125. Demographic Analysis and Forecasting
  • ECON 129. Cities, Inequality, Innovation*
  • ECON 130. Public Policy*
  • ECON 131. Economics of the Environment
  • ECON 132. Energy Economics
  • ECON 138. Economics of Discrimination*
  • ECON 140. Economics of Health Producers*
  • ECON 144. Economics of Conservation
  • ECON 145. Economics of Ocean Resources
  • ECON 164. The Indian Economy
  • ECON 165. Middle East Economics
  • ECON 168. Economics of Modern Israel*

* Newly added course. Please send VAC message to ISP for degree audit update

Interdisciplinary Electives

All three (3) courses must be upper-division, 4 units and taken for a letter grade of C- or better.

Interdisciplinary Electives (3 Courses)

  • Three (3) courses from approved Interdisciplinary Elective Course List.
  • Courses must be from outside the Economics Department
  • Students are responsible for meeting all departmental pre-requisite courses.  Please refer to the General Catalog for additional information.

Regional Requirement

Regional Requirement

  • Of the eight (8) upper-division Economics courses and three (3) Interdisciplinary Electives courses, three (3) of those courses must focus on one (1) region.
    • Possible regions include:
      • Africa
      • East Asia
      • Europe
      • Latin America
      • Middle East

Course Offerings

Academic Advising Resources

Archived Economics Course Offerings

2022-2023 Academic Year

2021-2022 Academic Year

2020-2021 Academic Year

2019-2020 Academic Year

2018-2019 Academic Year

Archived International Studies - Economics Course List (Fall 2018 - Summer 2023)

Courses in bold that were taken prior to Fall 2023 will be honored as Disciplinary Focus coursework.

At least one (1) of the eight (8) upper division courses must be selected from the following:

  • ECON 101. International Trade
  • ECON 102. Globalization
  • ECON 103. International Monetary Relations
  • ECON 106. International Economic Agreements
  • ECON 116. Economic Development

At least one (1) of the remaining seven (7) upper division courses must be selected from the following:

  • ECON 101. International Trade
  • ECON 102. Globalization
  • ECON 103. International Monetary Relations
  • ECON 106. International Economic Agreements
  • ECON 116. Economic Development
  • ECON 117. Economic Growth
  • ECON 125. Demographic Analysis and Forecasting
  • ECON 131. Economics of the Environment
  • ECON 132. Energy Economics
  • ECON 144. Economics of Conservation
  • ECON 145. Economics of Ocean Resources
  • ECON 162. Economics of Mexico
  • ECON 164. The Indian Economy
  • ECON 165. Middle East Economics
  • ECON 167. Economics of China
  • ECON 169. Economics of Korea

The remaining six (6) upper division courses must be selected from the following:

  • ECON 100A-B-C. Microeconomics
  • ECON 110A-B. Macroeconomics
  • ECON 120A-B-C. Econometrics
  • ECON 101. International Trade
  • ECON 102. Globalization
  • ECON 103. International Monetary Relations
  • ECON 106. International Economic Agreements
  • ECON 116. Economic Development
  • ECON 117. Economic Growth
  • ECON 125. Demographic Analysis and Forecasting
  • ECON 131. Economics of the Environment
  • ECON 132. Energy Economics
  • ECON 144. Economics of Conservation
  • ECON 145. Economics of Ocean Resources
  • ECON 162. Economics of Mexico
  • ECON 164. The Indian Economy
  • ECON 165. Middle East Economics
  • ECON 167. Economics of China
  • ECON 169. Economics of Korea 

As an International Studies - Economics major, can I declare an economics minor?

There are several minors that complement the International Studies - Economics major.  Due to large course content overlap, International Studies - Economics majors cannot declare the following minors:

  • Economics Minor
  • Business Economics Minor
  • Management Science Minor

As an International Studies - Economics major, can I double major in...?

International Studies - Economics majors can double major in most majors on campus including:

  • Business Economics

Due to large amounts of overlap, International Studies - Economics majors cannot double major in the following:

  • Any other International Studies major
  • Economics
  • Management Science