Is Economics the right major for me?
If you are a high school senior considering Cornell, or a prospective transfer from another college or university, take a look at the pages concerning our Economics major, course offerings, and opportunities for research to get an idea of what our undergraduate program can offer you.
Why is Cornell a good choice?
You might be wondering, how does Economics at Cornell differ from Economics at other universities? In fact, requirements for the major are generally quite similar -- calculus and, beyond the introductory level, a total of 8-10 courses in Economics, including intermediate micro and macro and 1-2 courses in statistics and econometrics. Universities differ in what elective courses they offer, and in how such courses are taught. When you compare us to other prospects, keep in mind that while Cornell's requirements are probably very similar to other programs:
- Cornell offers an unusually broad range of Economics courses. If you are interested in the economies of Asia, for example, we offer courses on China, India, and the export-oriented "Tigers" (Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong), in addition to more general courses -- in such areas as economic development -- that are relevant to these economies. Many of the more specialized courses have small enrollments.
- At Cornell, all Economics courses are taught by faculty members, not by teaching assistants.
- At Cornell, we encourage students to undertake research projects and to study abroad, and we offer opportunities to integrate these endeavors into the Economics major.
The page concerning the Economics major
and the FAQ explain our policies concerning advanced
placement. In general, we transfer credit for Economics courses completed
at other colleges and universities, provided they are comparable, in terms
of prerequisites and coverage, to courses we offer.
Main Office
Department of Economics
404 Uris Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, N.Y. 14853
Phone: (607) 255-4254
Fax: (607) 255-2818