Econ Tracks
Economics offers versatile career opportunities, reflected in the diverse electives within the major. This variety can be overwhelming to narrow down.
To assist, the Department has grouped electives into Econ Tracks, each aligning with specific career paths. Though these tracks don’t appear on transcripts or diplomas, they can help guide a graduation plan.
Even so, students are welcome to any elective, even if it spans multiple tracks. This enables exploration of other topics or sampling of other tracks. The tracks can inform your decisions, whatever your aspirations.
Management/Finance
The Management/Finance Track explores market competition, strategic decision making, and regulation. These analytic skills are readily applied in many business and finance roles.
| Related Careers | ||
| Actuary | Financial Advisor | Manager |
| Business Analyst | Financial Analyst | Management Consultant |
| Economic Consultant | Investment Research Analyst | Market Research Analyst |
| Related Econ Electives | ||
| 420 Antitrust & Regulation | 450 Financial Economics | 458 International Trade |
| 442 Behavioral Economics | 453 Monetary Theory | 476 Industrial Organization |
| 478 Game Theory | ||
| Complements | ||
| Minors: | Foreign language | Strategy, Business, Entrepreneurship |
| Non-Econ Courses: | IS 110 (Spreadsheets) | IS 201 (Mgt Information Systems) |
| BYU Clubs: | Management Consulting | |
| Graduate Programs: | MBA | |
Data Analytics
The Data Analytics Track enhances the data analysis core curriculum with additional tools used to investigate large amounts of data. This prepares students for cutting-edge jobs in tech companies, and can also be a strong supplement in preparation for the most quantitative roles in finance or academics.
| Related Careers | ||
| Actuary | Investment Research Analyst | Market Research Analyst |
| Data Analyst | Financial Analyst | Statistician |
| Data Scientist | ||
| Related Econ Electives | ||
| 442 Behavioral Economics | 484 Machine Learning | 588 Adv Econometrics |
| Complements | ||
| Majors: | ACME | |
| Minors: | Computer Science | Statistics |
| Non-Econ Courses: | CS 111 (Python Programming) | LING 360 (Text processing) |
| STAT 250 (R Programming) | STAT 274 Theory of Interest | |
| STAT 281 (Data Visualization) | ||
| Graduate Programs: | Masters in Data Analytics, PhD | Masters in Data Analytics |
| Software: | Dash | Shiny |
| Streamlit | ||
Policy
The Policy Track applies economic analysis across a variety of fields where public policy is at the forefront. Students benefit from these courses whether for interest in a specific field or the applied econometrics used across fields, and cultivates skills useful in government, research, and policy careers.
| Related Careers | ||
| Demographer | Foreign Service Officer | Journalist |
| Policy Analyst | Think Tank Researcher | |
| Related Econ Electives | ||
| 440 Environmental Economics | 442 Behavioral Economics | 461 Education Economics |
| 463 Labor Economics | 465 Health Economics | 468 Urban Economics |
| 475 Public Economics | ||
| Complements | ||
| Minors: | Healthcare Leadership | Political Science |
| Urban & Regional Planning (Geography) | ||
| BYU Clubs: | Foreign Service Student Organization | Model UN |
| Graduate Programs: | Doctor of Medicine (MD) | Masters of Public Policy |
Global Issues
The Global Issues Track emphasizes macroeconomics, which brings unique measurement challenges and policy considerations across countries. This toolkit is especially useful for any internationally-oriented career.
| Related Careers | ||
| Demographer | Foreign Service Officer | Intelligence Officer (CIA) |
| Journalist | Policy Analyst | Think Tank Researcher |
| Related Econ Electives | ||
| 431 Economic Development | 432 Economic Growth | 440 Environmental Economics |
| 458 International Trade | 459 International Monetary | Policy courses of interest |
Pre-PhD
The Pre PhD Track cultivates deeper analytic and empirical skills needed to pursue rigorous, independent research. The 500-level courses are designed to expose students to the first-year curriculum in most Econ, Finance, or Accounting Ph.D. programs.
| Related Careers | ||
| Data Scientist | Federal Reserve Research Assistant | Professor |
| Think Tank Researcher | ||
| Related Econ Electives | ||
| 580 Advanced Micro Theory 1 | 581 Advanced Macroeconomics | 582 Advanced Micro Theory 2 |
| 588 Advanced Econometrics | ||
| Complements | ||
| Majors: | Mathematics | |
| Minors: | Mathematics | |
| Non-Econ Courses: | Data analytics courses | |
| Graduate Programs: | PhD | |
| Software: | Mathematica | Matlab |
| Stata Programming | ||
Law
The Law Track focuses on reasoning skills and policy issues that are most relevant to service in government. It provides an excellent basis in preparing for graduate school in law or work in advocacy of the government.
| Related Careers | ||
| Federal Reserve Research Assistant | Foreign Service Officer | Intelligence Officer (CIA) |
| Policy Analyst | ||
| Related Econ Electives | ||
| 420 Antitrust & Regulations | 421 Law & Economics | 463 Labor Economics |
| 477 Political Economics | 478 Game Theory | |
| Complements | ||
| Minors: | Philosophy, Logic | Political Science |
| Non-Econ Courses: | HIST 392 (US Constitution) | PHIL 205 (Logic) |
| POLI 201, 202 (Western Political Heritage) | STDEV 168R | |
| STDEV 365 | ||
| BYU Clubs: | Civic Engagement Leadership | Pre-Law Student Association |
| Graduate Programs: | Juris Doctor | |