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Learn how to interpret data, policy, and research in a program that takes you beyond math and finance to discover how economics affects the world around us.
The economy influences the future of consumers, businesses, and governments. Those with the power to understand it, interpret its impact, and make informed decisions and predictions based upon it can create a career for themselves in nearly any industry. CSU's online economics degree equips you with a wide range of perspectives, so you are able to analyze complex problems from multiple angles — a valuable skill in today's rapidly changing global marketplace. Learn to think broadly and critically through a blended curriculum that builds technical knowledge and an understanding of how human behavior influences economic systems.
Discover why individuals, households, communities, businesses, and governments make the decisions they do about the production and consumption of goods, services, and resources. This program artfully balances quantitative training to help you to become a better fact-based decision maker, with a deep exploration of the human aspect of economics, including studies of how various groups influence one another, the role gender plays, what the environment has to do with economics, and more.
In addition to foundational coursework, a minor is required for completion of the bachelor's degree in economics. You are able to choose from a selection of minors to tailor your studies to your personal interests and career goals:
Taught by the same faculty who teach on campus, this online bachelor's degree in economics allows you to earn the same credentials as on-campus students, but offers the flexibility you're looking for in an online program. The degree is offered by Colorado State University's College of Liberal Arts.
Students often wonder, "what can I do with an economics degree?" Whether it's career preparation, intellectual curiosity, or political change that drives you, economics has something to offer.
According to the Wall Street Journal and PayScale Inc., economics majors, on average, start at a higher salary than most other liberal arts, and even business degrees:
Computer Science | $55,900 |
Civil Engineering | $53,900 |
Economics | $50,100 |
Management Information Systems | $49,200 |
Finance | $47,900 |
Accounting | $46,000 |
Math | $45,400 |
Additionally, a major in economics sends a message to prospective employers that you:
Because the state of our economy impacts every area of business, as someone who is able to understand and interpret it, you'll find job opportunity in virtually any industry. Examples include:
Dr. Niroj Bhattarai is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Research Associate at the Poverty Action Center at CSU. Dr. Bhattarai also serves as the Director of Online Studies in Economics. His research interest is in the field of education and its role in development. He has collaborated with various local and international agencies to address issues at the intersection of education and poverty. His current work is on the effects of COVID-19 on educational outcomes of non-traditional students in Northern Colorado.
Manuel Cruz Luzuriaga is a fourth year Ph.D. candidate in economics.
Luzuriaga holds an M.A. in Economics from Colorado State University and a Master’s in Economic Analysis from the University of Chile.
Michelan Wilson is a 4th year Ph.D. student who specializes in issues related to environmental and natural resource economics. Originally from Jamaica, Wilson has been living in the United States for 6 years. A passionate teacher, she is committed to bringing best practices into the online classroom and continuing to learn how to best facilitate online courses.
Kenese “Nes” Lo is a Ph.D. student with fields in regional and public economics, whose research focuses on differential impacts of policies at all levels of education. He holds an M.A. in Economics from Colorado State University and a B.A. in Economics and Philosophy from Hastings College.
Teresa Perry is a 4th year Ph.D. student interested in health and gender economics. Her dissertation incorporates an intersectional approach to studying addiction and substance use in economics. Perry also has research interests and projects in human trafficking and social media. She has been working on a project with Associate Professor Anders Fremstad and fellow Ph.D. candidate Sarah Small on the importance of textbooks in economics. In addition to her teaching experience at CSU, she was also a teaching fellow for Advanced Math for the AEASP Summer Program at Michigan State where she won best teaching fellow for the month of July 2020.
Wisnu Setiadi Nugroho is a Ph.D. candidate whose current research focuses on impact evaluation of poverty alleviation programs, poor households’ economic behavior, and household and firm behavior related to taxation. Nugroho works as a research assistant at PAC@REDI and recently presented work on the timing of an education intervention in Indonesia and on gender differences in education expenditure in Timor-Leste. Prior to coming to CSU, Nugroho was a research associate for the World Bank Indonesia, AusAid8 Jakarta, the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction, and the Office of the Vice President for the Republic of Indonesia.
Kristopher Deming is a Graduate Teaching Instructor and Ph.D. candidate with fields in public economics and regional economics. He is currently researching how the Earned Income Tax Credit affects entrepreneurship and has presented at conferences for the Urban Economics Association, the National Tax Association, the North American Regional Sciences Council, and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Spatial Economics. Before coming to CSU, he worked at The Village as a Senior Research Assistant in Hartford, CT.
Débora Nunes is a fourth year Ph.D. student currently researching in the fields of macroeconomics, feminist economics, and Latin American studies. Originally from Brazil, Débora got her B.A. and M.A. from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, and was also an invited undergraduate student at the Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE, Mexico). Débora's professional experiences include internships at the Central Bank of Brazil and at the Southern Brazil Regional Development Bank; in the private sector, she owned a company that offered services in the cultural sector and worked as a producer and professional dancer for several years.
Sanchari Choudhury is pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics with Colorado State University, and is currently in her third year. Her areas of interest include Macroeconomics, International Trade and Finance, and Gender Economics in the developing economy context. Choudhury is currently researching Impacts of greater economic integration of South Asia on women’s labor market outcomes, marriage market outcomes and intrahousehold women empowerment and monetary policy autonomy of the domestic economy.
Benjamin Basow was born in South Korea but has lived most of his life in the United States. He received his formal undergraduate training from CSU and completed his graduate training at Florida State University. During his time as an undergrad at CSU, Benjamin primarily focused on neoclassical economic theory, mathematics, statistics, public administration, and classical Greek philosophy. His training at FSU centered around studying economic and econometric theory. He is currently a third-year PhD student in the economics department at CSU. His specific areas of interest include applied microeconomics, microeconomic theory, public economics, health economics, labor economics, urban economics, economics of education, auctions and contests, and CGE modeling. He likes to focus on policy-oriented issues related to healthcare affordability and access.
This degree requires the completion of 120 credits.
Yes, some previous college credits may be transferred into this program. However, all credits must be approved by the Degree and Transfer Evaluation Unit. Learn more at the Office of the Registrar website.
As a student in CSU’s online economics bachelor’s program, you will receive the same education, learn from the same faculty, and earn the same regionally accredited degree as students on campus.
Yes, this program can be customized based on your career goals and interests. With guidance from your academic advisor, you will select between 22 and 35 elective credits. You will also select a degree minor (21 to 24 credits) from more than 15 options, including business administration, political science, sociology, and more.
Your interaction with faculty varies depending on the course, but most faculty members set aside time for online office hours and generally communicate with students via email.
How you interact with classmates also varies depending on the courses you take. Discussion boards, chat, video conferencing, and email are often used by students to collaborate on projects and exchange ideas.
This degree goes beyond math and finance to teach you how and why individual and group behaviors affect economic systems. Added flexibility is one of the primary differences between a B.A. and a B.S. Learn more by reading How is a B.A. in Economics Different from a B.S.?
Yes, you will earn the same CSU diploma that on-campus students earn. It will not say that the degree was online or distance.
Yes, after successful completion of your bachelor’s program, you may choose to attend commencement on campus in Fort Collins, Colorado.
A minimum of 120 credits are required to complete this degree. This includes:
The number of courses needed for completion of the program depends on:
CSU's composition requirement should be met in your first semester after admission. Students must satisfy CSU's admission requirement in mathematics.
The curriculum listed below is intended to inform prospective students about the overall theme of the program and should not be used as an example program of study. Students need to consult their advisor to develop a degree completion plan based on the credits transferred into this program. You have the option to use the TransferologyTM website to conduct a self-review of your potential transfer courses. This tool will assist you in seeing how your previous college coursework may transfer to CSU.
Students are strongly encouraged to select AUCC courses in consultation with their academic advisor. The following courses are required as part of the 31 required AUCC credits for the economics degree:
Choose any four courses from the following list. A minimum of two courses must be at the upper-division (300 and 400)-level.
In consultation with your academic advisor, choose courses in any discipline. Students must earn a total of 42 upper division (300 and 400-level) credits.
Grow your knowledge and focus on a topic that interests you. A degree minor can help you discover new passions and talents, and further specialize your education so you become more marketable to employers. Relevant courses often apply to both major and minor requirements, so a minor can be added without greatly changing your degree plan.
Courses already taken can apply to a minor regardless of when the minor is added to your student record. All minor requirements must be completed prior to graduation.
Build knowledge of production management, financial management, marketing management, international development, and trade through an agricultural lens. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:
Get a cross-cultural view of humanity and the broadly conceived dimensions of human behavior. You have the option to focus your anthropology studies on one or more sub-disciplinary divisions, including physical anthropology, archaeology, ethnology, or applied anthropology. To earn the minor, you must complete 22 credits from the following courses:
Required Courses:
Select 3 courses (9 credits) from the following not previously taken:
Total credits: 21
Add to your knowledge base and feel confident working with fields like computer programming, software development, cyber security, and more.
Program Total Credits: 24
Please note: Additional Math courses may be required depending on the 300/400 level courses that students choose.
Explore creative writing in one or more of the following genres: poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. In addition to broadening your writing repertoire, gain workshop experience at an advanced level. To earn this minor, you must complete a minimum of 21 credits in courses with E or CO subject codes, with at least 15 upper-division credits.
The Minor in Design Thinking provides students with an opportunity to develop creative methods and processes for solving societal problems. This human-centered approach engages users and stakeholders in interdisciplinary co-design processes and applies elementary or emerging technologies to develop prototypes that improve spaces, objects, services, problems and ideas benefitting daily experiences and overall quality of life. Students will gain an awareness of the impact of design thinking and its application – to their major, discipline, or profession. Nancy Richardson Design Center course offerings are available in a mix of online, hybrid, or face-to-face. For a full list of learning opportunities offered by the RDC, please visit the courses page.
To earn the minor in Design Thinking online, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:
Note: Some online courses are still in development.
Gain insight into current socioeconomic problems in the areas of resource allocation, inflation, unemployment, income distribution, environmental degradation, international trade, and monopoly power. This minor prepares you for careers in business management, teaching, government, banking, and public policy. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:
Prepare for a variety of careers in gerontology and develop an understanding of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of adult development and aging. This interdisciplinary minor prepares you to fill the need for well-trained professionals to support aging adults, and can be paired with any CSU major.
Prepare to meet today's pressing environmental challenges with this interdisciplinary minor offered by The School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES). Explore innovative research to understand how to solve problems that arise between humans and the environment. To earn your minor, you must complete 21 credits (12 upper-division credits) from the following courses:
At least 3 credits must be upper-division (300-400 level). Courses may not satisfy two groups.
Upper-Division Elective – select 3 upper-division credits from categories A-D with a subject code not previously taken (3 cr.)
Expand the breadth of your knowledge by earning an undergraduate minor in history. Choose from a range of courses based on your interests. This minor may be particularly useful for students who plan to pursue careers in education, public service, government, museums and archives, law, and other professions that require skills in research, writing, and the analysis of information. To earn the history minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses. (Note: You must complete at least 12 upper-division credits and 9 lower-division credits).
Growing and managing plants requires you to understand the science and the business of cultivation, and this online bachelor's degree minor emphasizes both. To earn the horticulture minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses.
The Human Development and Family Studies minor provides students across all majors with an opportunity to select course work relevant to their career goals. Students will learn about human development at various stages of the lifespan, within the context of diverse families and social identities. This minor offers students the opportunity to expand their thinking about how relationships, family, culture, biological make-up, and environmental factors influence outcomes related to thinking skills, physical health, and social-emotional well-being across the life cycle. Students will gain an awareness of how to optimize their own and other's development in their careers and personal lives. The HDFS department is committed to promoting the success and well-being of students from heterogeneous backgrounds and experiences.
Students must satisfactorily complete the total credits required for the minor. Minors and interdisciplinary minors require 12 or more upper-division (300- & 400-level) credits. Additional courses may be required due to prerequisites.
Courses from this list may not double-count for the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Minor.
A minimum grade of C (2.000) is required in each course used to satisfy the requirements of the Minor in Human Development and Family Studies. Courses used as substitutions also require a minimum grade of C (2.000).
Select a minimum of 18 credits from the following (a minimum of 12 credits must be 300-level or higher)
Six credits of the following may count:
Six credits of the following may count:
Develop an understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures and peoples with courses in international and global history, politics, languages and cultures, economics, and environmental issues. To earn this minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:
One course from each category, 12 credits total with at least 9 credits in upper-division (300-400) coursework.
This interdisciplinary minor is sponsored by departments in different colleges across CSU: Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, English and Journalism and Media Communication. The program is designed for students seeking a broad foundation in information technology, but not seeking to major in a specific information technology-related field. The program requires 21 credits and is open to students majoring in any field other than computer science, computer information systems, and electrical and computer engineering.
Select any 18 credits from the following
Program Total Credits: 21
Note: Nine credits must be from upper-division courses. A minimum of six credits must be completed from at least two subject codes.
Upon completion of this program, students will develop a strong understanding of the principles and practices of journalism. Students will demonstrate fluency in the legal and ethical considerations of journalism and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to real-world developments around newsgathering and dissemination.
To earn the minor in Journalistic Reporting and Storytelling online, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:
Select one course from the following:
Select one course from the following:
Select one course from the following:
Please note: Additional Math courses may be required depending on the 300/400 level courses that students choose
Understand the role and influence of mass media in American society and other cultures by studying media and film history, criticism, law, ethics, social effects, cultural consequences, and multicultural and international media issues. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:
Gain a foundation in political theory and prepare for careers in law, teaching in the social sciences, journalism, and public service. To earn the minor, you must complete 21 credits from the following courses:
The minor in Science Communication is designed to educate highly qualified communicators who have interests in specialized academic disciplines and career fields. Because science often involves complicated research and processes, communicating the results of that work requires special skills. This program is designed to prepare students for a wide range of niche career opportunities in media, corporate communication, science-related industries, and scientific environments.
Develop technical skills and knowledge to study human societies. To earn this minor, complete 21 credits from the following courses:
Please connect with your assigned advisor to request to add a minor. Note that you must apply and be admitted to the University for a bachelor's degree program before you can add a minor to your student record. Once you are admitted, one or more minors may be added to your student record.
Students enrolled in this certificate will be introduced to the major implications of climate change on people and earth systems with the purpose of building a person’s climate change literacy, empowering them to reduce impacts of climate change, and giving students awareness of climate change mitigation/adaptation strategies to bring to their workplaces. Students will learn:
1. What is climate change, why is it now a serious problem, and what can we do about it?
2. What are the key issues for understanding how groups of people respond to and are affected by climate change?
3. What are the key responses and feedbacks of earth systems to climate change?
4. What adaptation, mitigation solutions or business strategies might be employed in real-world systems?
The certificate is being taught across 3 colleges/5 departments and is open to all students across campus, in-person and online.
Total Credits: 12
Open to all undergraduate students, the Certificate in Design Thinking will improve not only the way students learn and find solutions to problems in their current coursework, but will also help make students more employable with sought-after marketable skills. Students will gain an awareness of the impact of design thinking and its application – regardless of discipline, profession, or major. Nancy Richardson Design Center course offerings are available in a mix of online, hybrid, or face-to-face. For a full list of learning opportunities offered by the RDC, please visit the courses page.
To earn the certificate in Design Thinking online, you must complete 12 credits from the following courses:
Note: Some online courses are still in development.
The undergraduate certificate in Disability and Neurodiversity provides an interdisciplinary understanding of individuals across the lifespan with disabilities and is relevant to majors and careers in health, education, rehabilitation, and human service professions. Students will explore how disabilities interact with health, life outcomes, family, society, stigma, and the physical environment, and intersect with identities such as race and gender. This certificate consists of basic coursework as well as experiential learning through research or field experiences.
Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites. Some elective courses are restricted to majors, minors, or honors students. Other related courses may be substituted upon approval of the certificate advisor. A maximum of 6 credits may double-count with the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Minor, the Certificate in Youth Mentoring, and the Minor in Human Development and Family Studies.
The undergraduate Certificate in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) will equip students with in-depth knowledge of principles of integrated management of pest insects, weeds, and diseases associated with managed and natural landscapes. The students will learn about principles underlying integrated pest management, become familiar with key pests, and learn how to apply IPM in managed landscapes with a goal of minimizing environmental and economic impacts of pest control. This certificate is an excellent choice for students interested in entering the workforce immediately after graduation, as well as professionals that require certification in IPM. The certificate will prepare the students for careers in crop protection, pest management education and policy, among others.
The Certificate in Macroeconomics will educate students in the key ideas, tools, and policies of macroeconomics. Major ideas include the causes and consequences of economic growth, unemployment, inflation, and the changing distribution of income, both in the U.S. and internationally. Students will develop both theoretical and analytical skills that are highly valued by employers.
Required Courses
Select a minimum of 6 credits from the following:
Program Total Credits: 9
For students interested in working in animal science, veterinary medicine, or related fields, this certificate program teaches intermediate-level Spanish for use in agricultural and animal care settings. Learn to communicate in Spanish about livestock, equine, and small animal breeds, give directions for animal care and handling, issue instructions for safety and drug administration, and more.
Courses
Prepare for a career as a seed analyst with online courses in seed technology. These courses, led by Colorado State University and supported by three other major universities (Iowa State University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Kentucky) and the Crop Science Society of America, offer a comprehensive overview of seed analysis, a technical skill requiring patience, attention to detail, and a scientific understanding of seed biology. After completion, you will be prepared to complete the examinations to become a Registered Seed Technologist.
Courses
Note: Additional study and testing is required to become a Certified Seed Analyst or Registered Seed Technologist.
Fall semester | June 1 |
Spring semester | November 1 |
Summer semester | May 1 |
Start your application online and upload materials directly into the online system. You can save your progress and return any time.
Apply NowPlanning to transfer credits from another college or university? Please review our FAQ page, then complete a Tentative Transfer Evaluation Form to see how your prior credits may transfer.
Refer to admissions.colostate.edu/apply/ for details about who we look for in our individual review process
Call or email our student success team to find out if the program is a good fit for your goals. Our coaches are available Monday-Friday to help you find the right program and navigate the application process.
Student Success Coach: Kristina Reda
Phone: (970) 491-1813
Email: Kristina Reda
Complete Colorado State University's online undergraduate application and pay any associated nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online) or waiver (if eligible).
Online applications must be submitted before 5 p.m. (Mountain Time) on the deadline date. If you miss the application deadline, you may still register for courses to begin your program of study as a non-degree student. Students seeking Federal financial aid must be admitted prior to enrolling.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Use FAFSA code 001350. Additional financial aid information is also available.
View your application status at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or to check on updates.
Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis and may take up to six weeks during high volume application periods.