What looks better?
My inexpert opinion (as the mom of a young woman who double majored in math and economics) is that the particular major is less significant than the classes taken and the grades earned in those classes.
If the double major takes longer than 4 years, I would recommend the single major and then spend the extra year working on a masters.
Seems like you are considering UCLA, which has all of these possible majors.
For preparation for PhD study in economics, choose one of the math options. For pre-professional preparation in quantitative finance or something similar, choose one of the math options or the financial/actuarial option in the math major. For other pre-professional options, choose major and courses according to your interests.
^^agree. Depends on long term plans (if known). If PhD is the plan, I think it’s important to focus and dive deep into the subject (i.e. no double major).
I’m not sure this is true if the goal is a PhD in economics.
An economics major who plans to get a PhD needs more math than what’s typically required for the economics major. But this student doesn’t necessarily need more economics.
A double major in math and economics might be a very appropriate program for a student who’s planning to get an economics PhD. Or, if not a double major, then a major in one of those two subjects supplemented by plenty of courses in the other should work.
If you’re considering getting a PhD in economics, you should talk to the advisors in your college’s economics department early on to plan an appropriate program.
if you can pull either one off it will be impressive!
Every Econ PhD student or successful admit to an Econ PhD program I’ve known majored in a quantitatively heavy non-econ field*, did an Econ/Math double major, or was advised by their Econ undergrad advisor to take enough advanced math courses so it was almost practically an Econ/Math double major. Every one of them stated if one just majored in Econ without a large number of advanced math courses, one won’t be competitive for even some Econ Masters programs…much less PhD programs where incoming students are expected to have a level of quantitative preparation far greater than most standalone undergraduate Econ majors would provide.
- I.e. Physics, Math, various branches of Engineering, etc.
Here is the recommendation that one economics department gives for students preparing for economics PhD study:
https://www.econ.berkeley.edu/undergrad/current/preparing-for-grad-school
Or you can go to the Colorado School of Mines. All students take the same courses the first two years which consist of the courses one needs for engineering. Economics is in the College of Earth Resource Sciences and Engineering.
Not for the faint of heart.
May I suggest some computer science thrown in? I think ibeing able to code enhances opportunities no matter if you go to the workforce or grad school. My son is graduating with a double major in math and Econ and will be one course short of a CS minor. He plans to work in sports analytics. My husband and I both essentially taught ourselves to code as PhD students, as we needed it for biophysics. It has been and continues to be a useful skill.
D1 double majored in math and econ. To fulfill both majors she had to take some econ courses that were more math heavy, so I think econ courses she took probably had more teeth. She probably got more IB offers than most people she knew from her school, and I think the fact she double majored in math/econ probably had something to do with it.
Neither. Do NOT choose your majors based on what “looks good”. Choose it based on the courses you will take and your interests. Your competition for jobs and grad schools will depend on your actual qualifications, not the names of majors. As above, discuss options with your academic advisor. Majoring in both subjects shows more depth than a combined single major. Anything confined to a business school is weaker than other majors. Also add in computer science as it fits your schedule.