Economics isn’t just a degree—it’s a mindset

An economics degree from a top research institution like the University of Iowa teaches you how to think and how to unpack complex economic issues. As an econ major, you’ll gain a fundamental understanding of how modern society operates—from business to politics, healthcare, public policy, the environment, and world affairs. The University of Iowa offers three different degree options in economics:

  • Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) awarded by the Tippie College of Business. The BBA in economics emphasizes the economic foundations of business. You can emphasize Economics or Analytical Economics.
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA) awarded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The BA incorporates a balance of economic theory, mathematical tools, and field applications. See the General Catalog  for course requirements for the BA in economics.
  • Bachelor of Science (BS) awarded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The BS maintains a similar balance as the BA, but emphasizes analytical skills. Learn about the course requirements for the BS in economics.

Choose within your BBA Economics major

Economics

Get ready to apply the tools of economics to a wide variety of industries, including banking, insurance, and retail. It’s also great prep for an MBA.

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Analytical Economics

Analytical Economics has a more quantitative focus and is great if you’re thinking of a graduate degree that involves a lot of number crunching.

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Pre-Fall 2022 BBA courses and course requirements

See PRE-fall 2022 course descriptions

Common required courses (pre- Fall 2022)
  • Intermediate Microeconomics 
  • Intermediate Macroeconomics 
Business track courses (pre- Fall 2022)
  • Introduction to Econometrics
  • Personnel Economics
  • Money, Banking, and Financial Markets
  • Global Economics and Business
  • Industry Analysis
  • Economic and Business Forecasting
  • Household Finance
  • Business and Government
Policy track courses (pre- Fall 2022)
  • Global Economics and Business
  • Economic Growth and Development
  • Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
  • Regional and Urban Economics
  • Policy Analysis
  • Sports Economics
  • Transportation Economics 
  • Health Economics
  • Urban Transportation
  • Law and Economics
  • Behavioral Economics
  • Topics in Policy Economics