Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Fairfax, USA
BA
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Jun 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
USD 4,897 / per semester **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* International student deadline is 1st of June of every year | Domestic student deadline is 1st of February
** in-state tuition full-time (12-15 credits); USD 16,980 - out-of-state tuition full-time (12-15 credits); USD 1,803 - mandatory student fee
Fast-track counseling
By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
As an economics major at Mason, you will be studying in one of the top economics programs in the world. You will be taking classes from professors well-known for their scholarship, their regular contributions to major national media such as the New York Times and the Washington Post, and their engaging blogs such as Café Hayek and Marginal Revolution. Two Nobel Prize winners, who were members of our department, set in place our strong foundation in free market economics, public choice, and experimental economics.
You will join bright and energetic students from all over the world who are active in organizations like our own Economics Society. You will have opportunities to pursue your own original research or an accelerated master’s degree, study abroad, or reach your career goals through internships. Students have interned at small entrepreneurial companies to large financial institutions such as the Bank of America. They also find internships in government, including the US Department of the Treasury, the Department of Commerce, and in congressional offices and Washington DC think tanks.
The BA in Economics is designed for students with a strong interest in a broad education in the liberal arts tradition. You will develop critical thinking skills particularly valuable for law school or graduate programs in business or public administration.
Our department offers two optional concentrations within the major: Managerial Economics and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE).
Opportunities
All students have opportunities for research, global engagement, public service, and career preparation.
- Highly motivated students can do an independent research project with a faculty member. They are encouraged to apply to the accelerated master’s program in economics.
- Gain valuable work-related experience by interning at places such as Smith Barney, the International Monetary Fund, ExxonMobile, Merrill Lynch, or BB&T Bank.
- Join the GMU Econ Society, a club for students passionate about economics.
- Understand the key concepts and theoretical models of microeconomics.
- Understand the key concepts and the different schools of thought in macroeconomics.
- Apply insights from field-specific knowledge in economics to analyze economic problems
- Interpret bivariate relationships as presented in empirical research.
- Demonstrate effective writing in the discipline.
Our majors achieve success in a range of careers. They are financial analysts and economic forecasters, lawyers, managers, researchers in government, think tanks, and non-profits, entrepreneurs—even medical professionals and musicians. The great benefit of an economics degree is its versatility.
Degree Requirements
Total credits: minimum 120
Some economics courses may fulfill the Mason Core requirement in global understanding or the college requirement in non-Western culture.
Core Courses without Concentration
Required Courses
- ECON 103 Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core) 3
- ECON 104 Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core) 3
- ECON 306 Intermediate Microeconomics 3
- ECON 311 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3
- ECON 309 Economic Problems and Public Policies 3
Select one from the following: 3
- MATH 108 Introductory Calculus with Business Applications (Mason Core)
- HNRT 225 Applied Calculus
- MATH 113 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (Mason Core)
Total Credits 18
Statistics
Select 6 credits from the following: 6
- BUS 210 & BUS 310 Business Analytics I (Mason Core) and Business Analytics II
- STAT 250 & STAT 350 Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core) and Introductory Statistics II
- STAT 344 & STAT 354 Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I and Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists II
Total Credits 6
Electives without Concentration
- Select 18 credits of electives from courses in economics at the 300 or 400 level 18
- Select 6 credits of electives from courses in economics at the 400 level or higher. 6
Total Credits 24
Core Courses with Concentration in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)
The 70-73 credit concentration in philosophy, politics, and economics offers students a program that explores the interdisciplinary connections between philosophy, political science, and economics.
Economics
- ECON 103 Contemporary Microeconomic Principles (Mason Core) 3
- ECON 104 Contemporary Macroeconomic Principles (Mason Core) 3
- ECON 306 Intermediate Microeconomics 3
- ECON 311 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3
Choose one of the following: 3
- ECON 412 Game Theory and Economics of Institutions
- ECON 403 Austrian Economics
- ECON 410 Public Choice
- ECON 415 Law and Economics
Select one from the following: 3
- MATH 108 Introductory Calculus with Business Applications (Mason Core)
- HNRT 225 Applied Calculus
- MATH 113 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (Mason Core)
Total Credits 18
Statistics
Select one from the following: 4-6
- BUS 210 & BUS 310 Business Analytics I (Mason Core) and Business Analytics II
- STAT 250 & STAT 350 Introductory Statistics I (Mason Core) and Introductory Statistics II
- STAT 344 & STAT 354 Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists I and Probability and Statistics for Engineers and Scientists II
Total Credits 4-6
Electives with Concentration
- Select 18 credits of electives in economics at the 300 and 400 levels or higher. 18
Total Credits 18
Philosophy
- PHIL/GOVT 324 Modern Western Political Theory 3 or PHIL/GOVT 327 Contemporary Western Political Theory
- PHIL 357 Philosophy of the Social Sciences 3 or PHIL 371 Philosophy of the Natural Sciences
- PHIL 358 Ethics and Economics 3 or PHIL 311 Philosophy of Law
- PHIL 429 Advanced Topics in Social and Political Philosophy 3
Total Credits 12
Public and International Affairs
- GOVT 103 Introduction to American Government (Mason Core) 3
- GOVT/PHIL 323 Classical Western Political Theory 3
- GOVT 422 Constitutional Interpretation 3
- GOVT 467 Current Issues in Economic Policy 3
Total Credits 12
Capstone Experience Course
- GOVT 469 Philosophy, Politics, and Economics 3 or PHIL/ECON 460 Senior Seminar in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Total Credits 3
Writing-Intensive Requirement
The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated as "writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in economics fulfill this requirement by successfully completing one of the following courses:
- ECON 355 The Political Economy of Nonprofit Institutions
- ECON 365 Topics in Economic History
- ECON 395 Effective Writing in Economics
- ECON 435 Economics of Energy
- ECON 470 Economics of Regulation
- ECON 485 Smithian Political Economy I
Upper-Level Requirements
Students seeking a bachelor’s degree must apply at least 45 credits of upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above) toward graduation requirements.
Additional Electives
Any remaining credits may be completed with elective courses to bring the degree total to 120.
College Level Requirements for the BA Degree
In addition to the Mason Core program, students pursuing a BA degree must complete the coursework below. Except where expressly prohibited, a course used to fulfill a college-level requirement may also be used simultaneously to satisfy other requirements (Mason Core requirements or requirements for the major).
- Philosophy or Religious Studies
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Foreign Language
- Non-Western Culture
Mason Core
Some Mason Core requirements may already be fulfilled by the major requirements listed above. Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisors to ensure they fulfill all remaining Mason Core requirements.
Foundation Requirements
- Written Communication (ENGH 101) 3
- Oral Communication 3
- Quantitative Reasoning 3
- Information Technology and Computing 3
Exploration Requirements
- Arts 3
- Global Understanding 3
- Literature 3
- Natural Science 7
- Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
- Western Civilization/World History 3
Integration Requirements
- Written Communications (ENGH 302) 3
- Writing-Intensive 3
- Synthesis/Capstone 3
Total Credits 40