Students majoring in the Department of Economics have the opportunity to take classes abroad, at a community college, or at another four-year university. In some instances – courses taken at UCLA can be petitioned for one of our majors.
If the student wishes to study overseas – the first thing they should do is contact a staff member in the UCLA International Education Office.
Business Economics and Economics majors may take an unlimited number of lower division pre-major courses at another domestic institution or abroad to satisfy their pre-major requirements. Our students may take a maximum of three upper division courses at another four year institution to satisfy their major requirements. Students may not take these courses at the same time that they are enrolled as full time students at UCLA during the academic year (Fall, Winter, Spring). Our students may also take courses at two year community colleges.
Before taking particular courses at another institution, students are encouraged to speak with a Department of Economics undergraduate counselor or send a message via the MyUCLA Message Center to see if the courses might have been approved in the past.
Be aware that there are College restrictions on transfer credit, so students should consult with a counselor in their respective general College counseling unit to ensure that they will earn units and will not violate any College or University rules.
Students should have the following information available if possible: the name of the intended university, the course title, course number, course prerequisite, course description, course comparable, and course syllabi.
Ultimately – courses need to be reviewed for official approval upon presentation of the syllabus from the actual term and instructor, not from a previous term’s syllabus. Thus, the syllabi must be submitted via the MyUCLA Message Center while the student is attending the university in question, or upon the student’s return to UCLA.
Students who wish to take courses elsewhere should submit the name of the intended two year college or four year university they plan to attend, the course title, course number, course prerequisite(s), course description, course comparable of the courses they plan to take, and the respective syllabi, via the MyUCLA Message Center. The syllabi should be submitted as PDF attachment(s), not links. The title of the message should be: “Petition for Non-UCLA Courses.”
Please review the Course Approval Guidelines to know exactly what materials to submit online.
Please be sure to submit a Word document via the MyUCLA Message Center that clearly lists the courses that you have taken (or that you plan to take) for us to send on to the faculty committee.
Please note that the Department typically approves courses for content only and requests typically take 15 business days (or more) to be reviewed. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that each course transfers back to UCLA as a minimum of four units.
AFTER YOUR PETITION HAS BEEN APPROVED, please do the following: Send us ONE follow up message letting us know. Please only contact us if the course(s) from the other four year university are now showing up on your Degree Audit Report. Please be sure to reference the Case Number in which the Department approved your original request in your message. You MUST be declared as Economics or Business Economics for the staff in the Econ Undergrad Office to update your DAR. Please send us a Message on the MyUCLA Message Center. The title of the message should be: “Request to Update DAR.”
Students wishing to take a class at a community college in the summer should also review https://www.transferology.com/index.htm
Transferology shows how courses you have taken or plan to take transfer to another college or university for credit.
If the student intends to take a G.E. at a community college, he/she should consult with the general College Counselor.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am interested in studying abroad for the summer. How should I proceed?
The first thing we would suggest that you do is to speak with the staff in the UCLA International Education Office. You can also contact the staff in the IEO by calling 310-825-4995 or by sending an e-mail to info@ieo.ucla.edu. Most EAP application deadlines are 6 – 9 months advance of departure. Students are encouraged to meet with an EAP counselor early in their college career to plan and prepare for a summer, semester or year abroad. Students majoring in Economics or Business Economics are also encouraged to speak with a counselor in Economics before studying abroad. For more information – click here.
If I study abroad or take courses at another university – how many Economics courses can I take?
Business Economics and Economics majors may take an unlimited number of lower division pre-major courses at another domestic institution or abroad to satisfy their pre-major requirements. Our majors may take a maximum of three upper division courses at another four year institution to satisfy their major requirements. Students cannot take these courses at the same time that they are enrolled as regular students during a regular quarter. To ensure that the classes taken elsewhere will count toward the major – students must submit course syllabi from the actual term to the undergraduate counselors for approval by the faculty committee. The syllabi should be submitted via the MyUCLA Message Center. Note that the Department approves courses for content only. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that each course transfers back to UCLA as a minimum of four units.
Can I speak with an Economics Undergraduate Counselor to see which (if any) courses at another university have been approved by the Department in the past?
Yes. To reach a counselor in Economics, please click here. Please note that our office is busiest during the first two weeks of every quarter, and during enrollment times.
How do I find out if a lower division course that I want to enroll in at a community college counts for the major?
If you want to take a pre-major, lower division course at a California community college in the summer, you should use the website called Transferology for articulation agreements. If you want to take a course at a community college outside of California or at a four-year university other than UCLA, please check the course with a Department of Economics undergraduate counselor. Ultimately – to be accepted into the major — you will need to make sure that the course in question is posted on your UCLA Degree Audit (DARS). The counselor will verify that your grade in the class is acceptable for you to be accepted into the major (“C” or higher). Taking a pre-major course that is equivalent to one of our courses at a community college or another university will be calculated into your pre-major GPA and will count as a repeat if you receive a grade of “C-” or below.
I took a prerequisite course (e.g. Econ 11, 41, 101, or 102) at another university. Will I need help enrolling into future major courses?
Yes. Economics courses completed at other universities come in as title credit, which means they are not considered to be directly equivalent to UCLA courses. Even if the Department approves a course from another university to fulfill a specific pre-major or major requirement, the UCLA enrollment system will not recognize the approval. The only exception to this is for courses deemed equivalent to Econ 1 and Econ 2.
To request enrollment assistance, please submit your request via the MyUCLA Message Center or visit our counseling office during your enrollment time.
