International Economics (IECO)
- Curricular Field Chair: Associate Professor Alexis Antoniades
- Curricular Dean: Dean Julien Moutte
Overview
In the International Economics (IECO) major, students receive rigorous training in economic analysis and quantitative methods. Through the core economics courses and courses on international trade, international finance, economic development, and globalization, students acquire the skills required to understand markets, to understand economic relationships among countries, and to evaluate the effects of policy on the economic welfare of individuals, firms, and countries.
This ability is essential to understanding the economic forces at work in the world and making sound decisions in the face of them. All students are expected to master the theoretical and empirical tools necessary to conduct such analysis.
Qatar and other Gulf countries are becoming more important in the global economy. As this trend continues, the demand for skilled economists in the public and private sectors will increase. The international economics major provides students with strong analytical and quantitative skills that distinguish them on the job market and among applicants to graduate and professional schools.
IECO Major Requirements (11 Courses Total)
Prerequisites required for entry to IECO major (3 courses):
- MATH-1350 Calculus I (Spring Year 1 or Year 2)
- ECON-2543 International Trade (Fall Year 2)
- ECON-2544 International Finance (Spring Year 2)
IECO Major (4 courses)
- ECON 2101 Intermediate Microeconomics (Fall Year 3)
- ECON 2102 Intermediate Macroeconomics (Spring Year 3)
- ECON 2110 Economics Statistics (Fall Year 3)
- ECON 2120 Introduction to Econometrics (Spring Year 3)
IECO Applied (3 courses) and Senior Seminar (1 course)
- Three IECO applied courses. At least 1 course (3 credits) must be an approved 4000-level ECON course with IECO applied course attribute.
- IECO 4970 Research Project Design Seminar or a 4000-level IECO seminar course with term paper requirement (Year 4)
Sample Courses
GU-Q offers a variety of courses that fulfill the requirements of the IECO major. Below are some recently offered elective courses:
- ECON 2611: Economic Development
- ECON 3342: Multinational Corporations
- ECON 3384: Topics in International Economics
- ECON 3387: Money and Banking
- ECON 4411: Economics/Strategy of Sport
- ECON 4061: Industrial Organization
Honors in the Major
The honors program allows the student to examine a significant scholarly issue in detail and to focus his or her time and attention on an important issue in which he or she is deeply interested. Honors theses are original works of thought and research, not merely summaries of the work and ideas of others. By writing an honors thesis, the student gets a sense of how much he or she enjoys the kind of original research done in graduate school. The student also demonstrates that he or she can independently design and carry out a long-term research project – a skill that both employers and graduate and professional schools find very attractive.
Requirements to apply for Honors
- Cumulative GPA of 3.5*, and Major GPA of 3.67, or strong evidence of the capacity to achieve these. (*Note that this Cumulative GPA requirement takes effect for students who are sophomores in academic year 2017-18 and afterwards. Previously a 3.3 Cumulative GPA was required.)
- Letter of Intent due March 1, or by other posted deadline, of junior year.
Requirements to graduate with Honors
- Earn A or A- in both ECON-2101 Intermediate Microeconomics and ECON-2102 Intermediate Macroeconomics or successfully complete ECON-2003 Honors Intermediate Microeconomics on the DC campus during junior year abroad (or similar opportunity).
- Enroll in IECO 3970 Research Project Design in the fall semester of the senior year.
- Enroll in IECO-4980 Senior Seminar in the spring semester of fourth year and submit a senior thesis on an approved topic which is judged to be of honors quality by the economics faculty. The thesis should be in the range of 50-80 pages. The student should speak with his or her thesis advisor to determine the appropriate paper length. The student will give a formal presentation attended by all IECO faculty in residence during the spring semester in which the thesis is completed.
- Earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.5* and a grade point average of 3.67 in the major by the date of graduation. (*Note that this Cumulative GPA requirement takes effect for students who are sophomores in academic year 2017-18 and afterwards. Previously a 3.3 Cumulative GPA was required.)
How to Declare
During the first semester of their sophomore year, students meet with their academic advisor to declare their major. When declaring a major, sophomores prepare a declaration proposal outlining the reasons why they are pursuing one of the majors offered at GU-Q, including how the intended major coincides with their academic interests and possible career goals.
Frequent Questions
Students who elect this major often pursue careers in finance, consulting, law, management, media, international development, international organizations, research institutes, government, non-profit organizations, and academia.
All prospective IECO students must pass Calculus I to be admitted into the IECO major. The skills mastered in Calculus I will form the basis upon which students will learn to conduct innovative, well-informed, rigorous, quantitative analyses of all aspects of the world economy.
One cannot pursue Honors and a Certificate simultaneously, given the heavy workload. If the student insists to do both, he or she MUST complete the Certificate thesis in the junior year. The deadline for submitting the certificate thesis in its approved form would be the first day of classes in the student’s senior year.