Graduating as a University Honors Scholar in economics or as an Economics Scholar offers a challenge and opportunity to study with a select group of motivated students, to take graduate courses for credit, and to do independent research for a senior thesis.

As a University Honors Scholars, you will:

• take ECON 4494/286W, Honors Seminar, preferably in the Spring of your junior year, as background for the senior thesis;
• take two graduate courses. This is not as daunting as it seems.  Most 5000-level courses - and even some 6000-level coursese - are appropriate for Honors students.  Some students use this requirement to begin taking core Master's -level courses with an eye to staying on for an M.A. Degree.
• write a senior thesis (ECON 4497/289W) under the supervision of a faculty member, who becomes your thesis advisor. You should choose as a thesis advisor a faculty member who specializes in the area in which you would like to write. Your work in 4494/286W, as well as your advisor, will help you to develop a specific topic.

The Economics Scholar Program offers a chance for similar challenge and research for students who are not participating in the University Honors Program. The requirements are slightly less, in that only one graduate course is required. Economics Scholars must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in economics courses (less stringent than the requirement for University Honors Scholars of 3.2 GPA in all courses).

Professor Richard Langlois will be glad to answer further questions about these programs.

Should you choose to continue with graduate work in this department, graduate classes that you take may also serve as credit toward a Master of Arts in Economics. See the Honors Advisor, Richard Langlois, for more information.