Current Undergraduates

Non-UCLA Course Credit

Learn how Economics and Business Economics students may petition courses taken abroad, at a community college, at another four-year university, or in some cases at UCLA, for pre-major or major credit.

Before taking a non-UCLA course, check whether it may count.

Students majoring in the Department of Economics may 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 also be petitioned for one of the Department’s majors.

Students should consult with an Economics advisor and petition courses prior to taking them to confirm whether the courses may be considered toward the pre-major or major.

Studying Overseas?

If you plan to study abroad, contact a staff member in the UCLA International Education Office in addition to consulting with Economics advising.

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Lower-Division Pre-Major

Unlimited pre-approved lower-division pre-major courses may be taken elsewhere for Econ 1, Econ 2, Math 31A, and Math 31B.

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Upper-Division Limit

Students may take a maximum of three pre-approved upper-division Economics courses at another four-year institution.

Beginning Fall 2024

Core Courses Restricted

Except for Econ 1 and Econ 2, Economics core courses may not be petitioned for pre-major or major credit beginning Fall 2024.

Section 1

Restrictions to Transferring Course Credit

Review these restrictions before taking a course outside UCLA or petitioning a course for Economics major credit.

Lower-Division Pre-Major Courses

Business Economics and Economics majors may take an unlimited number of pre-approved lower-division pre-major courses at another domestic institution, community college, or abroad to satisfy Econ 1, Econ 2, Math 31A, and Math 31B.

Core Course Restrictions

With the exception of Econ 1 and Econ 2, no Economics core courses may be petitioned for pre-major or major credit beginning Fall 2024. This includes Econ 11, 41, 101, 102, 103/103L, and 104/104L.

Transfer Student Exception

An exception to petition may only be made for incoming transfer students who completed a core course at another four-year institution before transferring to UCLA.

Upper-Division Major Credit

Students may take a maximum of three pre-approved upper-division Economics courses at another four-year institution to satisfy major requirements.

Only Economics-related courses with sufficient prerequisites will be considered. Management or business-related courses will not be considered.

Enrollment Timing

Students may not take these courses at the same time that they are enrolled as a full-time UCLA student during the academic year, including Fall, Winter, and Spring.

Units and College Restrictions

Courses must transfer in as at least 4 units and should come in as upper-division units if petitioning for upper-division major credit.

Students should also consult with their College counseling unit to confirm they will earn units and will not violate College or University rules.

Section 2

Petition Instructions

Submit petition requests online through the MyUCLA Message Center before taking the course whenever possible.

Message Center Title

“Petition for Non-UCLA Courses”

If petitioning multiple courses, submit them all in one message under the same case number.

Include in Your Message
  • University name
  • Course number and title
  • Term in which you took or plan to take the course
  • Course syllabus
  • Any additional course materials you want reviewed
Write in the Body
  • Subject area, course number, and course title
  • Catalog course description
  • Course prerequisite(s)
  • UCLA Econ course(s), if any, you think are most comparable
  • Whether the institution uses a quarter or semester system

Syllabus Checklist

Course prerequisite(s)
Textbooks used
Weekly course topics
Course requirements
Weeks and hours per week
Instructor information

If the syllabus is missing required information

The missing information must be stated in writing elsewhere from an official source. If that is unavailable, students may provide supplemental materials such as course notes, exams, and textbook pages.

Section 3

Important Considerations

These rules determine whether a course can be reviewed and when it can be applied to the UCLA Degree Audit.

Upper-Division Prerequisites

Upper-division major credit petitions should have similar prerequisites to UCLA’s upper-division Economics courses. At minimum, courses should have microeconomic or macroeconomic theory as a prerequisite.

Regional Elective Exception

The only exception is for a regional elective, which is an Economics course focused on the economy of the region where the student is studying. Students may earn major credit for only one regional elective course.

Content Review Only

The Department of Economics reviews courses for content only. Students are responsible for confirming that courses transfer back to UCLA as four upper-division units if they want four upper-division units applied.

Non-UCEAP Programs

Students who participate in a Non-UCEAP program must submit an official transcript directly to the Department of Economics and UCLA Undergraduate Admission before a course can be applied to the major on the UCLA Degree Audit.

Actual-Term Syllabus Required

Courses taken abroad or at another four-year university will be reviewed for official approval only with the syllabus from the actual term the course is taken, not a previous term’s syllabus.

After Approval

Complete the course, then request a DAR update.

After your petition has been approved and you have completed the approved course or courses, send one follow-up message so the Department can update your Degree Audit Report.

Wait for DAR Posting

Do not contact the Department until the course from the other institution is posted on your Degree Audit Report.

Reference the Case Number

Include the case number from the Department’s original approval message.

Use This Message Title

Title the MyUCLA Message Center message: “Request to Update DAR.”

Important: You must be declared as an Economics or Business Economics major for staff in the Economics Undergraduate Office to update your DAR.

Helpful Resources

Community College and GE Planning

Students planning to take summer community college courses or GE courses should verify how those courses transfer and consult the correct advising office.

Transferology

Students wishing to take a class at a community college in the summer should review Transferology. Transferology shows how courses taken or planned may transfer to another college or university for credit.


Visit Transferology

General Education Courses

If you intend to take a GE course at a community college, consult with your general College counselor to make sure the course fits your broader degree requirements.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Find guidance on study abroad, non-UCLA Economics courses, prior approvals, and lower-division community college coursework.

I am interested in studying abroad for the summer. How should I proceed?

The first step is to consult with the staff in the UCLA International Education Office. Most EAP application deadlines are 6–9 months before departure. Students are encouraged to meet with an EAP counselor early in their college career to plan and prepare for a summer, term, or year abroad.

Students majoring in Economics or Business Economics should also speak with an advisor in the Economics Department before studying abroad.

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 approved lower-division pre-major courses at another domestic institution or abroad to satisfy their pre-major requirements.

Students may take a maximum of three pre-approved upper-division Economics courses at another four-year institution to satisfy major requirements. Students cannot take these courses at the same time that they are enrolled as regular students at UCLA during a regular quarter, including Fall, Winter, or Spring.

With the exception of Econ 1 and Econ 2, no Economics core courses may be petitioned for pre-major or major credit, including Econ 11, 41, 101, 102, 103/103L, and 104/104L. An exception may only be made for incoming transfer students who already completed a core course at another four-year institution before transferring to UCLA.

To ensure that classes taken elsewhere will count toward the major, students must submit course syllabi from the actual term they are taking the course or courses to the Economics undergraduate advisors for faculty committee approval. Syllabi should be submitted via the MyUCLA Message Center. 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 Advisor to see which, if any, courses at another university have been approved by the Department in the past?

Yes. To reach an Economics advisor, please contact advising. Please note that the 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 lower-division pre-major course at a California community college in the summer, you may use Assist.org to check articulation agreements for equivalency. You may also use Transferology, which includes courses from community colleges outside California and other four-year universities.

Please check the course or courses with a Department of Economics undergraduate advisor beforehand. To be accepted into the major, the course must be posted on your UCLA Degree Audit.

The advisor will verify that your grade in the class is acceptable for major acceptance, which requires a C or higher. Approved pre-major courses taken outside UCLA will be manually calculated into your pre-major GPA for major qualification purposes.