<p>I am currently an econ major in my sophomore year. I am still not sure what exactly I want to do after undergrad, but I am leaning towards grad school in economics. Anyway, I currently plan on minoring in math, but for the rest of my electives, I am unsure if I should take more math courses or try to minor in business.</p>
<p>These are math and business courses I am planning on or have taken anyway: Finance, three levels of calculus, two levels of matrix algebra, one level of differential equations, two levels of analysis, one level of probability, and one level of mathematical statistics.</p>
<p>If I went the more math route, I would also take C++, mathematical proofs, linear systems, and mathematical games. I would also be able to replace one of my matrix algebra courses with a slightly more advanced linear algebra course, but I think they are both very similar. Also of note is that I would be three math credits away from a major in math, so if I have time to take one of these courses (probably C++) over the summer, I would be able to get a double major in math and econ.</p>
<p>If I went the business minor route, I would take ethical leadership, accounting, a business based econ class, and some one credit class for liberal arts majors minoring in business which just tells us about how we can use our majors in the business world. I would also have an elective available, so I could throw in one of the math courses as well.</p>
<p>So does anyone have any recommendations as to which path I should choose? I could also take both some more math courses and some of the business courses if someone recommends. Thanks.</p>
<p>If you want econ grad school then DEFINITELY the math route. The math minor will be very helpful too, if not a double major. Econ grad school is usually very mathematical. The business courses won’t help at all for econ grad school. Make sure you take stuff like real analysis too.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response. The two levels of analysis I will be taking either way include real analysis and classical analysis. My school also offers a classical analysis 2, but I won’t have time to take this without cutting one of the other math courses out of my schedule, and this would also most likely prevent me from double majoring. So if there’s a math course I listed which you would recommend me replacing with classical analysis 2, please let me know. Also, my school also offers an honors real analysis with a one credit recitation, but I might just be overloading my schedule if I take this since I am also planning on doing honors economics courses, which includes an honors thesis in my senior year. But if you think it’s worth it let me know. Thanks.</p>
<p>That looks like a pretty good schedule of math courses to take if you’re set on grad school. I’m not sure how the linear algebra sequence works at your school, but one semester of linear algebra is usually enough. So if I were you, I would replace the second level of linear algebra with classical analysis 2. The more analysis you can take, the better. Do you know if you can enroll in a graduate real analysis course (sometimes known as complex analysis)? That would be icing on the cake.</p>
<p>That said, a couple more statistics courses would be helpful. Probability + Math Stat is usually the minimum stat requirement for econ phd programs, but if you’re set on doing econometrics, you may want to take time series, stochastic processes, etc.</p>
<p>The head of the econ department recommended the two levels of linear algebra, and it is on the required course list if I were to go the math major approach. I already took the first level this past semester, which was matrices, and that went up to eigenvalues, eigenvectors, diagonalization, least squares solutions, orthogonal projections, and the Graham-Schmidt process. I’m looking at the description for the second level of linear algebra and it says that it goes into canonical forms, invariant factors, and invariant forms.</p>
<p>Also, at the graduate level, my school offers Real and Complex Analysis 1 and 2 (two courses total), as well as functional analysis, although this last one would be impossible to take without skipping prerequisites, since it’s a level 6 analysis course, and I only have five semesters left and I haven’t taken any analysis courses yet.</p>
<p>In terms of stat courses, there is a cross-listed math/stat course called Stochastic Modeling. There is also a time series analysis course, but this requires me to take a regression analysis course, which in turn requires me to have taken an intro level stat course of my choice (which I haven’t), and for each of these courses I add I would be cutting out a math course, so I’m not sure if time series, regression analysis, and an intro level stat course is worth three of the courses that I listed. But let me know what you think.</p>
<p>Also, I currently am most interested in macroeconomics, and more specifically, the role of government in the economy, but then again I haven’t taken an econometrics course yet.</p>
<p>That’s fine…those math courses should be good enough preparation. I would just focus on acing those classes, and getting some research experience.</p>