Business Economics

Overview

Business economics is the study of how firms compete in the market. Sometimes this program is called applied economics or managerial economics.

In business economics programs students learn how wages and prices are set. They also learn to apply economic models to study business problems.

Business economics programs usually include topics such as:

Monopolies and antitrust
Labor markets
Economic growth
Business cycles

Schools

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in business economics. These programs may be in business or economics departments. Some schools offer interdisciplinary bachelor's degrees in business economics. Interdisciplinary programs combine courses from several college departments. A bachelor's degree typically takes about four years of full-time study.

Many universities offer graduate degrees in business economics. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Computer Science and Programming
Economics
English Composition
Introduction to Business
Pre-Calculus
Public Speaking

Graduate Admissions

Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores.

Additional requirements at some schools include:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Economics Subject
Letters of recommendation

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

The undergraduate program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Business Law
Business Writing
Calculus
Econometrics
Finance
International Trade
Introduction to Accounting
Labor Economics
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Statistics

Graduate Program Courses

The graduate program typically includes the following:

Required courses
Thesis (master's degree; may not be required for MBA)
Preliminary exams (doctoral degree only)
Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree)

Things to Know

With a bachelor's degree, you are rarely qualified to work as an economist. You may, however, be qualified to work as a research assistant.

Business courses in high school can be useful preparation for a career in business economics. However, your high school transcript needs to show that you are preparing for a demanding college-level program, especially in math.