Upon graduating with a B.A. degree in Economics:

• Students will be able to distinguish the attributes of a variety of economic theories and policies.
• Students will be able to use their economic knowledge to examine a wide variety of problems that are economic, social and/or political in nature, on both the micro and macro levels.
• Students will have knowledge of statistical methods that will become part of their problem-solving toolset.
• Students will become proficient writers through assignments in regular classes, as well as intensive-writing experiences in the capstone course.
• All students will have undertaken a research project in conjunction with a local community development corporation as part of an academic service learning assignment. In fact, there will be many opportunities to be actively engaged with the Kansas City community through our community service requirement in various courses.
• Students will be better problem solvers and better-informed citizens.

Career Implications

The undergraduate degree in economics is excellent preparation for graduate study in economics and most other academic disciplines, as well as law and business. A degree in economics opens a wide range of career choices including teaching, government service, finance, banking and insurance. It is excellent preparation for a career in business, public administration and management.

Advising System

Students in the program should consult Professor Frederic Lee, (816) 235-2543 and E-mail: leefs@umkc.edu, for undergraduate advising.

Program of Study

The department offers a bachelor of arts in economics.

Honor Society

The Zeta chapter of the Omicron Delta Epsilon International Honor Society in Economics is on campus. Information on this organization can be obtained from Ben Young. The society is open to all undergraduate students with at least 12 hours of economics and a 3.0 GPA in economics and related courses. Graduate students in economics with a 3.0 GPA also may join.

Special Awards and Scholarships

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. The department also offers the Robert Greene Scholarship, Frank Wagner Scholarship and the James Crew Scholarship for undergraduates.

The Bachelor of Arts in Economics

This program requires a minimum of 30 hours and a maximum of 45 hours of courses in the department. A minimum 2.0 GPA in the major is required for graduation.

Related courses in anthropology, English, geography, philosophy, history, political science, psychology, sociology, accounting and computer programming are recommended to satisfy the College of Arts and Sciences requirements for graduation. In addition, MATH 210 Calculus I is recommended for the student's program of study.
The following courses are required:

ECON 201 Introduction to Economics I
ECON 202 Introduction to Economics II
ECON 301 Macroeconomic Analysis
ECON 302 Microeconomic Analysis
ECON 406WI History of Economic Thought
ECON 425 Intermediate Economic Statistics
ECON 451 Institutional Economic Theory
ECON 499WI Capstone Colloquium

MATH 110 College Algebra and MATH 235 Elementary Statistics or their equivalents are prerequisites for ECON 425.
ECON 421 is recommended for students who plan to do graduate work in economics.
Six hours of elective economics courses at the Econ 300 and 400 level are required.

Undergraduate Minor in Economics

The minor in economics is open to all students and consists of a minimum of 18 hours (six courses) in economics.
The courses are

ECON 201 Introduction to Economics I
ECON 202 Introduction to Economics II
ECON 3XX or 4XX (12)


Twelve hours in 300- to 400-level courses must be approved by the economics undergraduate adviser.

Teacher Certification in Social Studies

Certification as a middle school (grades 5-9) or secondary (grades 9-12) social studies teacher in either Kansas or Missouri requires that a student complete specific requirements in History, Political Science, Economics, Geography, Behavioral Sciences and the School of Education. A separate application for teacher education is required. For further information about the program, consult the School of Education section of this catalog or contact the Education Student Services Office at (816) 235-2234.

PACE Degree in Liberal Arts

The department participates in several courses in PACE: leading to concentrations in human resources or ca program for working adults in a weeknight/weekend format. These courses include

Economics Pace Courses

ECON 366 Art Markets
SOC-SCI 395C Economics of Energy
ECON 202P Introduction to Economics II
ECON 395I Views of a Good Society
ECON 201P Introduction to Economics
(Independent Study)
SOC-SCI 397A The Economics of Public Process
(Independent Study)

ECON 301P Macroeconomic Analysis
ECON 406WI History of Economic Thought
ECON 331P Money and Banking
ECON 397CP Current Macroeconomic Issues

ECON 302P Microeconomic Analysis
SOC-SCI 397B The Economics of Public Process

ECON 353 Financial Analysis and
the Economy
SOC-SCI 395B The Economics of the Law
SOC-SCI 305P Economic Principles and
Application of Accounting

SOC-SCI 438P Labor History and Economic Policy
HISTORY 400Z Topics: KC Labor History
ECON 486 Labor Economics
SOC-SCI 490C Readings in Labor Economics
HMNTY 401PW Culture of the Working Class