Transfer Student Success

Excellence in Economics

Transfer Excellence in Economics (EXEC)

A cohort-based program designed to help first-generation Yardi Scholars and first-year transfer students pursuing Economics, Business Economics, or Mathematics/Economics make a successful transition to UCLA.

Apply for Fall 2026

Program Overview

Program Requirements

Eligibility

Program Overview

A supported transition to UCLA

The UCLA Department of Economics and the UCLA Alumni Association are committed to the successful transition of transfer students to the campus community. The EXEC program will equip first-year transfer and first-generation students with the skills and resources to excel academically, socially, and professionally.

Approximately 50 transfer students will be selected for this program and will participate together in required academic courses and career planning programs. Through these required components, students will have the opportunity to build community with other transfer students and expand their professional network with faculty, staff, and alumni.

Students selected

Required fall courses

Career training sessions

Supportive cohort

Program Requirements

Academic and Career Preparation

EXEC combines rigorous coursework with professional development to help students build a strong academic foundation while preparing for internships and future careers.

Academic Preparation

EXEC students will take two of their fall quarter courses together: Econ 105 (Introduction to Mathematical Economics) and Econ 11 (Microeconomic Theory).

Econ 105 provides a review and more in-depth study of many of the core mathematical tools essential for advanced economics.

Econ 11 is our core intermediate microeconomics course and provides the foundation for many of our later courses.

Both courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Important

The EXEC program is not open to students who completed Econ 11 and/or Econ 105 prior to Fall quarter. To be eligible for EXEC, students must take Econ 11 during Fall Quarter 2026.

Academic Component

Upon admission to the EXEC program, participants will be automatically enrolled in Economics 11 (Microeconomic Theory), Lecture 1, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30–10:45 a.m., taught by Professor Maurizio Mazzocco, a past winner of the Scoville Award for Teaching Excellence.

Discussion Sections

Transfer students: Mon., 2:00–2:50 p.m. (Section 1E)
Transfer students: Tues., 4:00–4:50 p.m. (Section 1O)
Yardi Scholars: Wed., 1:00–1:50 p.m. (Section 1P)

Students admitted will also be automatically enrolled in special lecture sections of Econ 105.

Transfer students: Mondays & Wednesdays, 3:30–4:45 p.m.
Yardi Scholars: Mondays & Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

We will assist you if you need to alter your course schedule to take these courses.

Career Preparation

Students are also required to participate in career and professional development programs offered by the Alumni Career Engagement team of the UCLA Alumni Association. These sessions will assist students with their resume, elevator pitch, developing a strategy for internship recruitment, and connecting with alumni.

Resume

Elevator Pitch

Internship Strategy

Alumni Networking

Career Training Sessions

There will be four career training sessions from 5:00–6:30 p.m.. Exact dates of the career sessions will be announced.

Eligibility

Who can apply?

Currently, EXEC is only open to new transfer students admitted to UCLA and first-generation Yardi Scholars pursuing one of the majors below.

Eligible Students

New transfer students admitted to UCLA
First-generation Yardi Scholars

Eligible Majors

Pre-Economics
Pre-Business Economics
Pre-Math/Econ

Application

Fall 2026 Application

The application for Fall 2026 is live here.

Application Deadline

Friday, September 4, 2026

12:00 p.m.

Apply Now

Questions & FAQs

Need help?

For any questions, please contact us at workstudy@econ.ucla.edu. To view a list of FAQ about the program, click here.