Economics is, by nature, an analytic field. The only mathematics requirement for economics concentrators is 103, but students are encouraged to take additional math coursesfor example, up through Mathematics 200 or 201 or the equivalent. There are courses ranging from those directly related to business, such as Accounting and Corporate Finance, to others involving topics of more general interest, such as International Economics and the Economics of China, to still others more suitable for the theoretically inclined student, such as the Economics of Uncertainty. It is possible, with prior approval, to count one and sometimes two courses from other departments toward the total required number of nine. Economics concentrators are required to complete satisfactorily a year-long junior independent paper and a senior thesis.
Applied topics are the most common, and many make use of econometric techniques.
Some of the economics concentrators participate in a complementary certificate program, such as the Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics, the Program in Engineering and Management Systems, and the Program in East Asian Studies. One program, the Program in Political Economy, is directly administered by the Department of Economics and is only open to economics concentrators. The Department of Politics has a similar program for its concentrators. A significant number of departmental juniors are successful in finding summer employment and internships, especially in the field of finance, and Princeton economics graduates go on to a variety of careers. About three-quarters begin working immediately after graduation, most commonly in the business world.