These courses show how economists use theory, and how rigorous thinking illuminates economic phenomena. Take them as early as possible. These courses apply economics to issues in various areas. These areas include Alternative Economic Systems, Business Cycles, Economic Development, Economic History, History of Economic Thought, Environmental Economics, Industrial Organization and Regulation, International Economics, Labor Economics, Law and Economics, Monetary Economics, Political Economy, Population, Public Economics, and Resource Economics. Some of these courses are taught as seminars, with a maximum class size of 15 students.
Students overwhelmingly report that such an experience was the most valuable of their major.
In line with the faculty's belief that all students should participate in this experience, there is no minimum grade requirement for independent studies and most seminars. No prerequisites or courses taken to fulfill the requirements for either an Economics BA or BS can be taken on a pass-fail basis. For both the major and the minor, substitution of similar courses in other departments at Duke for courses in the Economics Department is not permitted. Recommended for students who plan to do graduate study in economics and graduate business programs, and for students interested in employment in business or government agencies where these skills would be valuable. Students interested in graduate work in business administration may wish to focus less on mathematics and more on computer sciences, statistics and quantitative economics.