Economics, Bachelor of Arts

Contact Information
Contact Name: 
Dr. Tim Heath
Contact Title: 
Associate Dean

Program Information

Contact Phone: 
403.342.3400 OR 1.888.732.4630
Contact Email: 
inquire@rdc.ab.ca

Department Information

For more information about the Economics program, visit the Economics Department.

University Transfer Program

Two-Year University Transfer Program:

RDC offers the first two years of these degree programs:

  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

For the most current university program and transfer information, see the Planning Guides in Academic Advising..

The Program

For a general discussion of the B.A. program, click here.

Economics studies how households, businesses and governments make choices about how to allocate scarce resources in order to best satisfy individual and social wants. The tools of economics can be used to analyse issues as diverse as unemployment, inflation, globalization, discrimination, environmental issues, taxation, health care and professional sports. Each year courses are offered in microeconomics and macroeconomics, and in selected fields such as money and banking, labour economics, international economics, sports economics, development economics, and industrial organization.

Transfer Features

Visit the Bachelor of Arts page for transfer features.

Requirements
Admission Requirements: 

Visit the Bachelor of Arts page for full admission requirements.

Math 30 (Pure) is essential for success in pursuing a B.A. major in Economics. If you do not have Math 30 (Pure), you may pursue the equivalent course during your first year at RDC. For further information, see an Academic Advisor.

Program Content
University of Alberta

For the Compulsory Core Requirements that must be completed in the courses of a four-year degree, see general information for the B.A. program.

Credits below = U of A credits. RDC credits may differ from U of A credits. Check the Alberta Transfer Guide for transfer credit information.

Refer to the University of Alberta Program Requirements on the Bachelor of Arts page for detailed information.

Suggested Pattern Year 1

  • ENGL 219/ENGL 220 (6 credits)
  • ECON 201 (3 credits)
  • ECON 202 (3 credits)
  • MATH 202 or MATH 203 (3 credits)
  • Basic Requirement (15 credits)
Year 1 Course Descriptions

ECON 201

Scarcity and choice. Methods used in economic science. Specialization; markets; and exchange. Supply and demand. Roles of consumers; firms and resource owners in competitive and monopolistic markets. International trade. Government intervention. Emphasis is on Canadian problems; issues; policies; and institutions. Credit will not be granted for both ECON 100 and ECON 201. Note: It is recommended that you have grade 12 level Math or equivalent as background.

ECON 202

Defining and measuring aggregate economic variables. National income and monetary theory. Government monetary and fiscal policies. Unemployment and inflation . Exchange rates and balance of payment. Emphasis in on the Canadian economy. Prerequisite: ECON 201 Note: Credit will not be granted for both ECON 101 and 202. Note: It is recommended that you have grade 12 level Math or equivalent as background.

ENGL 219

The focus is on formal preparation for university level essay writing and the skills related to critical reading; interpretation; and argument. Prerequisite: ELA 30-1 or English 095 NOTE: Credit will not be granted for both ENGL 219 and ENGL 210.

ENGL 220

The course explores a range of literary genres while continuing to focus on deepening the required structural and critical skills related to thinking and writing about literature. Pre-requisite: Engl 219 NOTE: Credit will not be granted for both ENGL 220 and 210.

MATH 202

Review of analytical geometry; differentiation and integration of simple functions; and applications. Prerequisite: Math 30-1 Note: You should take MATH 203 if you have at least 70% in Math 31.

MATH 203

Review of analytical geometry; differentiation and intergration of simple functions; and applications. Prerequisite: Math 30 and 31 or the equivalent. Note: Not recommended if you have less than 70% in Math 31.

Suggested Pattern Year 2

  • ECON 381 (3 credits)
  • Sr ECON (6 credits)
  • STAT 251 (3 credits)
  • Basic Requirement (6 credits)
  • Open Option (12 credits)
Year 2 Course Descriptions

ECON 381

Theory of consumer behaviour. Theory of production and cost. Determining price and output under competition; monopoly; and other market structures. Prerequisite: Math 30 Pure and ECON 201

STAT 251

Data collection and presentation; descriptive statistics. Probability distributions; sampling distributions and the central limit theorem. Point estimation and hypothesis testing. Correlation and regression analysis. Goodness-of- fit and contingency table. Prerequisite: Math 30-1 or Math 30-2 Note: This course may not be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained in any of STAT 241; PSYC 309; SOCI 311; or BUS 306.

University of Calgary

For the Compulsory Core Requirements that must be completed in the courses of a four-year degree, see general information for the B.A. program.

Credits below = U of C credits. RDC credits may differ from U of C credits. Check the Alberta Transfer Guide for transfer credit information.

Refer to the University of Calgary Program requirements on the Bachelor of Arts page for detailed information.

Suggested Year 1 Pattern

  • ECON 201/202 (6 credits)
  • ENGL 219/220 (6 credits)
  • Science Requirement (6 credits)
  • MATH 202 (3 credits)
  • MATH 221 (3 credits)
  • STAT 251 (3 credits)
Year 1 Course Descriptions

ECON 201

Scarcity and choice. Methods used in economic science. Specialization; markets; and exchange. Supply and demand. Roles of consumers; firms and resource owners in competitive and monopolistic markets. International trade. Government intervention. Emphasis is on Canadian problems; issues; policies; and institutions. Credit will not be granted for both ECON 100 and ECON 201. Note: It is recommended that you have grade 12 level Math or equivalent as background.

ECON 202

Defining and measuring aggregate economic variables. National income and monetary theory. Government monetary and fiscal policies. Unemployment and inflation . Exchange rates and balance of payment. Emphasis in on the Canadian economy. Prerequisite: ECON 201 Note: Credit will not be granted for both ECON 101 and 202. Note: It is recommended that you have grade 12 level Math or equivalent as background.

ENGL 219

The focus is on formal preparation for university level essay writing and the skills related to critical reading; interpretation; and argument. Prerequisite: ELA 30-1 or English 095 NOTE: Credit will not be granted for both ENGL 219 and ENGL 210.

ENGL 220

The course explores a range of literary genres while continuing to focus on deepening the required structural and critical skills related to thinking and writing about literature. Pre-requisite: Engl 219 NOTE: Credit will not be granted for both ENGL 220 and 210.

MATH 202

Review of analytical geometry; differentiation and integration of simple functions; and applications. Prerequisite: Math 30-1 Note: You should take MATH 203 if you have at least 70% in Math 31.

MATH 221

Solving linear systems of equations. Matrix algebra. Determinants; vectors; lines and planes; vector spaces; and applications. Prerequisite: Math 30 or equivalent.

STAT 251

Data collection and presentation; descriptive statistics. Probability distributions; sampling distributions and the central limit theorem. Point estimation and hypothesis testing. Correlation and regression analysis. Goodness-of- fit and contingency table. Prerequisite: Math 30-1 or Math 30-2 Note: This course may not be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained in any of STAT 241; PSYC 309; SOCI 311; or BUS 306.

Suggested Year 2 Pattern

  • ECON 381 (3 credits)
  • Sr ECON (15 credits)
  • Open Option (18 credits)
Year 2 Course Descriptions

ECON 381

Theory of consumer behaviour. Theory of production and cost. Determining price and output under competition; monopoly; and other market structures. Prerequisite: Math 30 Pure and ECON 201

University of Lethbridge

For the Compulsory Core Requirements that must be completed in the courses of a four-year degree, see general information for the B.A. program.

Credits below = U of L credits. RDC credits may differ from U of L credits. Check the Alberta Transfer Guide for transfer credit information.

Refer to the University of Lethbridge Program requirements on the Bachelor of Arts page for detailed information.

Suggested Year 1 Pattern

  • ECON 201/ECON 202 (6 credits)
  • MATH 202 (3 credits)
  • STAT 251 (3 credits)
  • ENGL 219/ENGL 220 (6 credits)
  • General Liberal Education Requirements (12 credits)
Year 1 Course Descriptions

ECON 201

Scarcity and choice. Methods used in economic science. Specialization; markets; and exchange. Supply and demand. Roles of consumers; firms and resource owners in competitive and monopolistic markets. International trade. Government intervention. Emphasis is on Canadian problems; issues; policies; and institutions. Credit will not be granted for both ECON 100 and ECON 201. Note: It is recommended that you have grade 12 level Math or equivalent as background.

ECON 202

Defining and measuring aggregate economic variables. National income and monetary theory. Government monetary and fiscal policies. Unemployment and inflation . Exchange rates and balance of payment. Emphasis in on the Canadian economy. Prerequisite: ECON 201 Note: Credit will not be granted for both ECON 101 and 202. Note: It is recommended that you have grade 12 level Math or equivalent as background.

ENGL 219

The focus is on formal preparation for university level essay writing and the skills related to critical reading; interpretation; and argument. Prerequisite: ELA 30-1 or English 095 NOTE: Credit will not be granted for both ENGL 219 and ENGL 210.

ENGL 220

The course explores a range of literary genres while continuing to focus on deepening the required structural and critical skills related to thinking and writing about literature. Pre-requisite: Engl 219 NOTE: Credit will not be granted for both ENGL 220 and 210.

MATH 202

Review of analytical geometry; differentiation and integration of simple functions; and applications. Prerequisite: Math 30-1 Note: You should take MATH 203 if you have at least 70% in Math 31.

STAT 251

Data collection and presentation; descriptive statistics. Probability distributions; sampling distributions and the central limit theorem. Point estimation and hypothesis testing. Correlation and regression analysis. Goodness-of- fit and contingency table. Prerequisite: Math 30-1 or Math 30-2 Note: This course may not be taken for credit if credit has already been obtained in any of STAT 241; PSYC 309; SOCI 311; or BUS 306.

Suggested Year 2 Pattern

  • ECON 381 (3 credits)
  • Sr ECON (6 credits)
  • BUS 307 (3 credits)
  • Open Options or GLER (18 credits)
Year 2 Course Descriptions

ECON 381

Theory of consumer behaviour. Theory of production and cost. Determining price and output under competition; monopoly; and other market structures. Prerequisite: Math 30 Pure and ECON 201

BUS 307

Statistical techniques used in business decision making; analysis of variances; chi-square distribution; non- parametric tests of hypothesis and multiple regression and correlation analysis. Prerequisite: BUS 306 or BADM 111.