Undergraduate Advising

Degree Planning

Build a long-term academic plan for Economics or Business Economics. Use this page to understand pre-major timing, major course sequencing, impacted courses, unit requirements, study abroad planning, and when to review your plan with a counselor.

Start Here

Plan early. Sequence carefully. Confirm before assuming credit.

Degree planning helps you map the pre-major, upper-division major courses, general unit requirements, and any outside commitments such as study abroad, minors, or double majors.

Planning Mindset

Your plan should account for timing, prerequisites, units, and flexibility.

A strong degree plan is not just a course list. It helps you avoid overloaded terms, missed declaration deadlines, delayed prerequisites, and assumptions about transfer, AP/IB, or study abroad credit.

Degree Planning Topics

Explore your planning requirements

Open each topic to review timing, sequencing, unit requirements, and planning guidance.

The Pre-Major

Use the pre-major period to build a strong foundation while staying aware of declaration deadlines and course sequencing.

Course Load

If possible, take only one pre-major course per quarter so you can focus on succeeding in that class while still keeping the major declaration deadline in mind.

Econ 11 + Econ 41

The department strongly advises against taking Econ 11 and Econ 41 in the same quarter because both are calculus-based and can be challenging.

Econ 11 → Econ 101

Students are encouraged to take Econ 101 soon after Econ 11 because both are Intermediate Microeconomics courses. Back-to-back enrollment is not required, but close sequencing is recommended when possible.

First-Year Admits

Pre-major courses must be completed by 135 units, not including AP, IB, or transfer units earned before starting at UCLA.

Beginning Fall 2025, non-transfer students must complete pre-major requirements for Economics or Business Economics by the end of the 8th regular quarter, excluding summer terms. For 2025–2026, both deadlines will be honored. Beginning Fall 2026, only the term deadline will apply.

Transfer Admits

Pre-major courses must be completed by the end of the third regular term.

Transfers must be admitted to UCLA as Pre-Economics or Pre-Business Economics to pursue either major.

Approved Substitutions for Econ 41

Students double majoring or minoring in a program that requires Stats 100A and 100B may use those two courses together as credit for Econ 41. Math 170E and 170S together may also be used as credit for Econ 41. These substitutions will show under the pre-major tab of the DAR.

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The Major

Economics and Business Economics students should plan upper-division coursework carefully, especially core courses, lab courses, and prerequisite sequences.

Upper-Division Balance

The department does not recommend taking more than two upper-division major courses or two core courses, such as Econ 102 and 103/103L, in the same term.

Lab Course Planning

The department does not recommend taking two lab courses in the same term because lab courses typically require more in-class time and project work.

Prerequisite Sequences

Econ 11, 101, and 102 are prerequisites for one another. Econ 41, 103/103L, and 104/104L are as well. Successive enrollment is not required, but close sequencing is recommended.

Business Economics Note

ENGCOMP 131B enrollment may be limited.

ENGCOMP 131B has a limited enrollment cap, with priority given to graduating seniors in their final term. Students may need to wait until their final term to enroll. Alternatively, students can take the course at UCLA in the summer when the course has no restrictions other than the prerequisite.

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Impacted Courses

Impacted courses have earlier drop deadlines. Plan carefully before enrolling in multiple impacted courses in the same term.

Economics Impacted Courses

  • Econ 1
  • Econ 2
  • Econ 11
  • Econ 41
  • Econ 101
  • Econ 102
  • Econ 103/103L
  • Econ 104/104L

Econ 104 and 104L are impacted effective Winter 2025.

Drop Deadlines

  • During regular quarters, impacted courses must be dropped by Friday of Week 2.
  • During summer sessions, impacted courses must be dropped by Friday of the first week of the session.
  • After these deadlines, students must petition with their College counseling unit to drop the course.

Planning Reminder

There are also several impacted Management courses. Students should consult the complete list of impacted courses and be cautious when considering more than one impacted course per term.

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Unit Requirements

Graduation planning should account for total units, upper-division units, and upper-division units outside the major.

180

Minimum Units

Students must complete a minimum of 180 units to graduate, including AP, IB, or transfer units for which UCLA has granted credit.

60

Upper-Division Units

At least 60 units must be upper division. Upper-division courses are numbered 100–199.

Economics B.A.

Minimum 42 upper-division units in the major

Economics leaves 18 upper-division units outside the major to complete, approximately five additional courses. These may come from any discipline as long as they are upper division. Students may consider applying these courses toward a minor.

Business Economics B.A.

Minimum 53 upper-division units in the major

Business Economics leaves seven upper-division units outside the major to complete, approximately two additional courses. These courses may be selected from any discipline as long as they are upper division.

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Planning to Study Abroad?

If you hope to receive major credit for study abroad coursework but have not yet been approved, do not assume the credit will be granted.

Account for all pre-major and major requirements in other quarters to be safe. Once pre-major or major credit is confirmed by the Department of Economics, you can remove the extra course or courses from your degree plan.

It is much easier to remove a course from your plan than to try to add one later.

Study Abroad Credit Petition

Use the department’s study abroad petition information to learn how coursework may be reviewed for major credit.


Study Abroad Petition Info

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Degree Plan Template

Ready to map out your plan?

Use the Degree Plan Template to start building your long-term academic plan. Download the file to your computer so you have your own editable version.

Tracks 180 Units

The template adds units so you can check the minimum total required for graduation.

Tracks 60 UD Units

Do not forget to account for upper-division units.

Includes Extra Units

Input AP, IB, transfer, or previously completed units that are not already listed in your plan.

Notes Section

Use the notes area for comments you want to keep in mind when reviewing your plan.


Degree Plan Template

Final Step

Ready to Review With a Counselor?

Students are strongly encouraged to draft a plan first, then review it with both a Department of Economics counselor and a College counselor.

Major Requirements

Department of Economics Counselor

A Department counselor can confirm that all Economics or Business Economics major requirements are accounted for and provide additional guidance.


Contact Economics Advising

Degree Requirements

College Counselor

A College counselor can confirm all other degree requirements outside the major, including general graduation requirements.

College Counseling Units