UNDERGRADUATE ECONOMICS
Frequently Asked Questions

Department Information
Major & Minor Programs
Advising
Advanced Placement (AP) and Transfer Credit
Enrollment and Registration
Prerequisites/Co requisites
Elective courses
Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)
Repeat/Delete
Financial Aid and Scholarship opportunities
Grading/GPA
Tutoring

Department Information

• Where is the department office located?
• The Economics Department is  located in room 361A on the third floor of the Social Sciences/Public Affairs (SSPA) building on State University Drive (across the street from the Foundation Building).  You can find a campus map at http://daf.csulb.edu/maps/ .
  
  
• What are your office hours?
• The department office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Friday from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm. 
  
  
• How can I contact the department office?
  
• You can call us at (562) 985-5061 or email us at econ@csulb.edu .

Major/Minor Programs

• What degrees does the Economics Department offer?
• The department offers three majors:  B.A. in Economics, B.A. in Business Economics, and B.A. in Mathematical Economics and Economic Theory.
  
  
• Can I get a minor in economics?
• Yes.  The department offers minors in Economics, Business Economics, and International Economics.
  
  
• Is it possible to complete the major in four years?
• Yes, entering full-time freshmen taking 15 units a semester can easily complete the major in four years.

Advising

• Who is my adviser?
• Dr. Joseph Magaddino is the Undergraduate Adviser and Department Chair of the Economics Department.
  
  
• Do I need an appointment to see Dr. Magaddino?
• No.  Drop-in advising is available with Dr. Magaddino during the semester on Tuesdays from 10 am-12 pm and 2-5pm.  Advising is also available from 5:30-6:30 pm on the first Tuesday of every month.
  
  
• How do I obtain my Program Planner Waiver Verification to graduate?
• To obtain your Program Planner Waiver Verification to graduate, bring your unofficial transcript and Degree Progress Report (print out both from MyCSULB) to the Economics Department (SSPA 361A) and fill out a Program Planner Verification Form which is available in the department office.  You will receive an email when the form is ready to be picked up and you will then take the form to window 101 in Brotman Hall.
  
  
• I need to file a CBA Petition for Course Equivalency.  What do I do?
• Fill out the CBA petition form that you obtained from the Advising Center for the College of Business Administration and attach copy of the course description and your unofficial transcript from the other institution and bring these to the Economics Department.  After approving or denying your petition, the petition is then forwarded to the College of Business Administration (CBA) and they will notify you as to whether or not your petition has been approved.   The College of Business Administration does not allow petitions for equivalency for Economics 300 (Fundamentals of Economics).
  
  
• I am not an economics major, but I would like to take a course in economics to prepare me for graduate study/satisfy my intellectual goals.  Is that acceptable?
  
• Yes, non-economics majors are always welcome to take economics courses, provided that they have taken the prerequisite courses where applicable.
  
  
• I am a business major and I want to minor in economics, which courses do I need to take?  
  
• You only need three additional courses -  an upper-division macro requirement and two electives. Please refer to the minor requirements that can be found here.

Advanced Placement (AP) and Transfer Credit

• I took AP Economics in high school, does this count toward my degree in economics?
• Yes, students who present scores of three or better in AP Economics will be granted up to six semester units of college credit for each AP course.
  
  
• If the university does not accept my transfer credits from another institution, will the department accept them?
• No.
  
  
• Will the economics course(s) I took at another institution count toward my degree?
• Course equivalency for major requirements must be determined.  Normally, however, there is a probability that courses in the accepted core of a discipline will be exchangeable from school to school.
  
  
• How many units can I transfer from my community college?
• A maximum of 70 semester units earned in a community college may be applied toward the baccalaureate degree, but there are limitations and stipulations.  See the Transfer Credit section of the University Catalog for more information. 

Enrollment and Registration

• How do I change my major to economics?
• Since the major is not impacted, just swing by the department office (SSPA 361A) and pick up a form, fill it out, have the department sign it, and take the form to Brotman Hall.  It’s that easy!

• I cannot enroll in my economics course because it is full.  Can my professor simply add me on the first day of class or can I be put on a wait list?
• No.  The department systematically over-enrolls its classes during the registration process, so drops are already accounted for.  We do this to accommodate as many students as possible during the registration process knowing there will be drops.  It is department policy not to go over the established enrollment limit once the semester begins.  You can only add the class online during the registration process and only if the enrollment in the class has dropped below the established enrollment limit.

• I only have one remaining class to take to graduate, but the class is full.  What can I do?
• As a senior, you have priority registration, so you should have no trouble registering for your classes.  If for some reason you did not register during priority registration and the class is closed, you must wait for an opening in the class or take the class the following semester.

• What are the prerequisites for ECON 333?
  
• To enroll in this course, you must have completed ECON 100 and 101, and MATH 115 or 122.
  
  
• I cannot enroll in ECON 333. What can I do?
• ECON 333 is restricted to economics and business majors only.  If you have taken the prerequisite courses during the last semester, you must wait until your grades have been posted in order to enroll.  If you are a transfer student, you must bring your unofficial transcript showing completion of the prerequisites to the department office, and we can issue an enrollment permit to you within 24 hours.

• How many units can I take per semester?
• Twelve units is considered full time for undergraduate students, however, you need permission to take more than 18 units.  To take more than eighteen units, you will need to download and fill out an Extra Unit Petition form (PDF) and bring it to the department office for the appropriate signatures.
  
  
• How do I drop a class?
• Before September 15, 2008 (for the fall term), you must drop your class using MyCSULB.  After that date, you must fill out an add/drop form and bring it to the department office for a signature.  After November 29, you will need the college dean’s signature to drop a class.
  
  
• Do I need permission to drop a class and when is the last possible deadline to drop a class?
• During the first two weeks of the semester, you do not need permission to drop a class.  After the second week of instruction but prior to the final three weeks, you will need a signature from the department office and your professor (check with the Economics Department to see if we can sign for your professor).  During the final three weeks of instruction, withdrawals are not permitted except for a very serious reason that is clearly beyond the student’s control, such as accident or serious illness.  Usually, withdrawals in this category will involve total withdrawal from the university.  Requests must be approved by the instructor, chairperson of the class and Dean of the College in which the class is taught.
  
  
• If I stop attending class, will the professor drop me automatically?
• No.  It is your responsibility to drop a class if you do not plan to attend.  If you fail to withdraw from a class before the posted deadlines, you may receive a failing grade.
  
  
• If I drop a class, will it appear on my transcript?
• If you drop a class during the first two weeks of instruction, your class will not appear on your transcript.  However, if you drop after the second week of instruction, you will receive a “W” or “withdrawal” on your transcript.  The “W” is not calculated into you GPA.
  
  
• I have just completed Econ 310/311/380 this semester, but MyCSULB won’t let me enroll in my upper-division classes for next semester.  How can I register for these classes?
• If you are currently taking a prerequisite for a course in which you wish to enroll, you must wait until your grade for the prerequisite posts to register for the course.

Prerequisites/Corequisites

• Are there any prerequisites for Econ 100 and 101?
• Yes, intermediate high school algebra.
  
  
• What is the math requirement for the economics major?
• Math 115 (Calculus for Business) OR Math 122 (Calculus 1).
  
  
• Can I take Econ 310, 311, and/or 380 concurrently?
• Yes, but we strongly advise against it and we also strongly advise against taking Econ 310 and Econ 311 together.
  

Elective Courses

• Which elective courses should I take?
• Your elective courses can be used to satisfy G.E. requirements, fulfill a minor in a different subject area, or you may simply choose to take courses that you have an interest in.  Please refer to the course catalog and schedule of classes for more guidance.

Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)

• Can I take my economics courses as credit/no credit?  
• Economics majors cannot take any required courses for the major CR/NC.  Nonmajors may take economics courses CR/NC as long as they are not required for their specific major.
• You may not take courses that count toward your degree as CR/NC.  You may opt to take a limited number of electives as CR/NC.  Please consult the CSULB Enrollment Services website for more information.
  
  
• Will this affect my GPA?
• Courses taken outside of your major (electives, for example) for CR/NC do not affect your GPA.  Please consult the current schedule of classes for more information. 

Repeat/Delete

• If I earn a “D” or “F” in a course and repeat the course, does my new grade replace the old one?
• Yes.  If you received a “D”, “F”, “U”, or “WU” you may repeat a course.  Please note that you must receive a C or better for your grade to be adjusted.
  
  
• If I repeat/delete a class, is the old grade still calculated into my GPA?  Will the class still show on my transcript?
• No.  Provided that you retook the class for a C or better, the old grade will not be calculated into your GPA, however, the class and your previous grade will still appear on your transcript.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Opportunities

• Does CSULB offer financial aid?
• The University offers a variety of options for making your education affordable.  Please visit CSULB’s financial aid web page for more information.
  
  
• Does the economics department offer any scholarships?
• The department itself does not offer scholarships, but there are frequent postings in the department office for economics-specific scholarships.
  
  
• How can I find out about scholarships I am eligible for?
• Come visit the department office to check for posted scholarships designed specifically for economics students.

Grading/GPA

• What is the minimum GPA required in Economics to graduate with an economics degree?
• You must maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher in all courses in the major, all courses in the major completed at CSULB and all upper-division courses in the major completed at CSULB.

• If I earn a “D” or “F” in an Economics course, do I need to repeat the course?
• You must earn a “C” or better in Econ 100,101, 310, 311, and 380, as well as Math 115 or 122.  If you earn below a “C” in any of these courses, the course must be repeated in order to receive credit toward your degree.  

Tutoring

• I feel that I need outside help for one or more of my economics courses.  Does the department offer any type of tutoring?
• The economics department does not offer tutoring; however, the on-campus Learning Assistance Center (LAC) offers a variety of options for students who are having difficulty with a class.  Please visit the LAC website for more information.