<p>I was wondering what would be better to get into UChicago econ grad school.
I am currently enrolled at Chicago and don't know which degree would be better:</p>
<p>B.S. in mathematics with specialization in economics</p>
<p>--------------------or----------------------------</p>
<p>B.S. in economics</p>
<p>Probably pure econ. I'm not sure or have any authority on this issue, but UCs ECON department is much more well-known than the MATH department. I think it's the department that matters in the end, not really the major? But who knows! Ask around :)</p>
<p>This is the last place you should be asking this question, if you have access to economics faculty and grad students at Chicago.</p>
<p>But, for what it's worth, my strong suspicion is that, right now, for ANY top economics grad program you would be slightly better off with math, specialization in economics than with straight economics. If you do straight economics, make darn sure you are strong in math. But as between two students, one a math (specialization) major, and the other an econ major with lots of high-level math courses, about 50 other things will be more important than their major in determining which one gets accepted to a particular grad program.</p>
<p>I'll tell you what is important: being engaged in what you're doing, and excited by it, developing specific interests that you can express cogently, and having good relationships with faculty who will champion you. Do whichever major seems better for that. It will serve you better in the long run whether or not you get into a specific grad program.</p>
<p>(And, Miss Silvestris -- do some research. Chicago's math department is really strong.)</p>
<p>Ask your adviser and your professors.</p>
<p>lol yea silvestris, look up chicago's math ranking</p>
<p>There's a paragraph in the econ section of the course catalog specifically on preparation for Ph.D programs in economics. You should read it, it has a good deal of valuable information.</p>
<p>Graduate econ has more math than graduate physics. To get an econ PHD, you need real analysis, topology, and multimvarable calculus. And additional stuff like algebra wouldn't hurt either. I would say you would be better off with a math degree than an economics one. Naturally, math with a specialization in econ would be best.</p>
<p>I would major in Econ, but take math. You NEED math for Econ grad school.</p>
<p>I know someone who majored in mathematics and didn't even minor in economics and got into every single economics graduate school (he's now at Stanford). In the course catalog somewhere, it says that those who want to go for a PhD in economics should be thinking about taking higher math classes, but it says absolutely nothing about taking higher economics courses.</p>
<p>And yeah... in the academic world, Chicago's math department's reputation is just as strong as its economics department's. Taking higher math courses as an econ major shows you're for real if you can manage good grades. Please don't take 195.</p>
<p>As someone who is a current econ major here, definitely take math with a specialization in econ. Pretty much everyone I know who is going to grad school in econ is doing that major. Not only will it help you in grad school but you will also understand the economics major better because at Chicago, as my advisor says, economics is just another word for a math major (obviously it's a few courses short of a math major if you do the minimum math requirement for econ but usually really intense econ people take the higher level math anyway in which case it's just a course or two away).</p>
<p>Plus with econ, isn't is just a bachelor of Arts? A math one would look much better with bachelor of science for grad school.</p>
<p>No it wouldn't. It doesn't really matter if you have a B.A. or a B.S. More than likely, they won't even care about what kind of degree you have.</p>
<p>Everybody who says econ over math w/specialization in econ is talking out of their ass.</p>
<p>-Also take stats (244/245 & more) if possible. Also try taking econometrics B & time series econometrics. do internships at the Fed instead of at a BB.</p>
<p>For a PhD, you need to do either math w/ spec in econ, or alternatively econ with the stated PhD preparation requirements. However, most people cannot stand the idea of getting so close to having a math major on their resume formally and then passing on finishing it up, and hence go all the way.</p>
<p>I know i kind of already asked this in this thread, but is the BA in econ not as good as the BS? is it looked upon as easier by employers, grad schools, etc?</p>
<p>You know, it helps to learn a few research skills:</p>
<p>Go to the University of Chicago website.</p>
<p>Find the undergraduate course catalog, which describes all departmental majors and their requirements.</p>
<p>See the description of the BS program in Economics? No? Why do you think that might be?</p>
<p>[Hint: Chicago doesn't offer a BS in economics.]</p>
<p>The BS looks more rigorous.</p>
<p>Do the Math w/ specialization in Economics major if you're planning on high-profile econ grad schools.</p>
<p>Math w/specialization in econ. requires a couple of extra math courses (most likely in analysis and differential equations). They aren't difficult. If you can't handle those, you don't deserve to go to grad. school :-p....haha no jk. But seriously..</p>
<p>You will definitely want the math for graduate studies in econ. A b.a in econ generally wont require more than 1 or 2 calc courses, but to go to the PHD program you will want to have taken a lot of higher level math classes.</p>
<p>Without the math, you will be left scratching your head when it comes to models like vector autoregression and whatnot.</p>
<p>S1's good friend at Chicago is a dual math and econ major. No shortage of excellent choices for post BA.</p>