Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Texas at Arlington

Program Overview

UTA’s Economics BBA and BS are 120-credit degrees designed for students who want to understand how markets, businesses and governments make decisions while developing strong analytical and problem-solving skills for careers in finance, consulting, policy and business. The BBA combines economics with a broad business education, while the STEM-designated BS places greater emphasis on economic theory, real-world data analysis, visualization and econometric methods—making it especially suitable for students considering quantitative careers or graduate study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Economic and Business Foundations

Students begin with ECON 2305 – Principles of Macroeconomics and ECON 2306 – Principles of Microeconomics, learning how economies, markets, consumers and businesses respond to incentives and resource constraints. Both pathways also introduce the mathematical and business context for later economic analysis through MATH 1315 – College Algebra for Economics & Business Analysis and MANA 1301 – Business in a Global Environment.

Year 2 – Statistics, Accounting and Information Systems

The second year strengthens students’ quantitative and business toolkit through BSTAT 2305 – Introductory Statistics for Business Analytics, INSY 2303 – Introduction to M.I.S. and Data Processing and accounting coursework such as ACCT 2301 – Principles of Accounting I. These subjects prepare students to interpret business information, work with quantitative evidence and connect economic analysis with financial and organisational decision-making.

Year 3 – Economic Theory, Banking and Data Visualization

Both pathways move into advanced economics with ECON 3303 – Money and Banking and ECON 3310 – Microeconomics, examining financial systems and more sophisticated models of individual and firm behaviour. Students also study ECON 3317 – Economic Data Literacy & Visualization, using real-world data and visualization software to explore relationships between variables and present analytical results clearly; BBA students simultaneously broaden their business expertise through areas such as finance, marketing, management and business statistics.

Year 4 – Advanced Analysis and Professional Application

In the BS pathway, students progress to ECON 3318 – Economic Data Analysis, ECON 4318 – Economic Regression Analysis Capstone and ECON 4300 – Advanced Communication for Business and Economic Professionals, bringing together quantitative analysis, econometrics and professional communication. The BBA pathway combines ECON 3312 – Macroeconomics, advanced economics electives and ECON 4300 with the wider business core, including areas such as Strategic Management and Supply Chain Management, preparing graduates to apply economic reasoning directly within organisations.

Focus Areas

Learning Outcomes

Professional Alignment – Accreditation

UTA’s College of Business, including Economics, is accredited by AACSB International, with UTA’s accreditation records showing Economics as an AACSB-accredited discipline. The Economics department also has an additional professional advantage for BS students: UTA became a Certified Business Economist (CBE) Partner School with the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) in 2018, and the university states that graduates of its BS in Economics are eligible to sit for the CBE examination after completing the program.

Reputation – Employability & Rankings

UTA’s undergraduate Economics program is ranked #185 nationally in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report rankings, improving by 31 places from the previous ranking cycle. UTA also reports strong long-term earnings for its Economics undergraduates in Texas: approximately $53,000 in the first year, $76,000 after five years and $84,000 after ten years, based on SeekUT median earnings data.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

UTA’s Economics curriculum is particularly practical for students who want to work with real economic and business data, rather than studying theory alone. The BS pathway specifically incorporates hands-on data analysis, visualization and regression work, while both pathways can add internships, professional networking and business-industry experiences through the College of Business. Students also benefit from studying in the Dallas–Fort Worth business environment and from university resources that provide economic, company and financial-market data for coursework and research.

Students can develop practical skills through:

Real-World Economic Data Analysis: ECON 3317 – Economic Data Literacy & Visualization requires students to answer questions using real-world data, explore relationships visually and use data-visualization software to communicate analytical results effectively.
Hands-On Quantitative Analysis: ECON 3318 – Economic Data Analysis continues this approach by requiring students to analyse relationships between economic variables using analytical programs and present findings clearly and concisely.
Regression Analysis Capstone: BS students complete ECON 4318 – Economic Regression Analysis Capstone, bringing together econometric analysis and data-driven economic reasoning in their final-year curriculum.
Data-Visualization Software: UTA explicitly states that Economics students use data-analysis and visualization programs, particularly within the BS. The current 2026–27 Economics catalog does not specify a particular software brand, so it would not be accurate to claim that a specific package such as R, Python, Stata or Tableau is mandatory in these undergraduate courses.
Bloomberg Financial Markets Resources: As College of Business students, Economics majors can benefit from the Sam Mahrouq Financial Markets Lab, which houses 10 Bloomberg terminals, live financial-market displays and Bloomberg analytics providing near-real-time market information, news, stock and commodity prices. This is a College of Business facility rather than a required Economics course component.
Economics Internships for Credit: Economics is specifically included in the College of Business Internship for Credit Program. Eligible students can earn up to six credit hours, with an approved internship requiring at least 150 hours of professional work during the semester.
NABE Student Chapter: UTA’s student chapter of the National Association for Business Economics connects students with organisations across the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex for professional networking, internships and potential employment, while hosting economics-focused professional events.
Omicron Delta Epsilon: High-achieving Economics students can participate in Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international economics honour society that recognises academic achievement in economics.
Mav Micros: UTA offers paid, project-based micro-internships, allowing students to complete short professional assignments, explore different careers and build a portfolio and employer network.
Lockheed Martin College Work Experience Program: UTA’s partnership with Lockheed Martin provides eligible students with structured work experiences designed to develop professional skills alongside their academic studies.
Business Research Resources: UTA Libraries provides resources such as Business Source Complete, which includes scholarly business and economics journals, company profiles, industry and market-research reports, financial information and economic research materials.
Dallas–Fort Worth Business Environment: UTA highlights its location in a metroplex containing 24 Fortune 500 headquarters, including companies such as Lockheed Martin, AT&T and CBRE, creating a substantial regional market for internships and graduate employment.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Economics graduates develop a combination of analytical, quantitative and business skills that can lead to careers across finance, banking, consulting, government, public policy and data analysis. Strong career options identified by UTA include Quantitative Analyst, Financial Analyst, Budget Analyst and Investment Banker, with additional possibilities in economic research, statistics, urban planning and consulting.

UTA supports this transition into professional employment through:

College of Business Career Services Center: Students receive dedicated business-focused support through individual career coaching, professional-development programs, employer engagement and experiential-learning opportunities.
Handshake: UTA students can use Handshake to search for internships, full-time positions, employer events and networking opportunities throughout their degree.
VMock: College of Business students have access to the AI-powered VMock platform for résumé analysis, résumé tailoring and interview practice with personalised feedback.
Employer Mock Interviews: The Career Services Center works with employer representatives to provide one-to-one mock interviews, immediate professional feedback and interview preparation specifically for College of Business students.
DFW Employer Connections: The College of Business states that it has developed partnerships with major employers in the Dallas–Fort Worth region and beyond, connecting students with recruiters and internship opportunities.
Graduate Employment Destinations: UTA lists Economics graduates working at organisations including Accenture, American Airlines, AT&T, Citi, Deloitte, EY, Federal Reserve Banks of Atlanta and Chicago, Fidelity Investments, JP Morgan Chase, McKinsey & Company, S&P Market Intelligence, Southwest Airlines and USAA.
Salary Progression: UTA reports Economics undergraduate median earnings of approximately $53,000 one year after graduation, $76,000 after five years and $84,000 after ten years, based on Texas SeekUT data.
Professional NABE Connection: The UTA NABE student chapter provides a particularly relevant professional link for economics students by connecting them with organisations, economists and employers in the DFW area.
CBE Professional Pathway: For BS Economics graduates, UTA’s status as a NABE Certified Business Economist Partner School creates a route toward the Certified Business Economist credential after completing the degree and meeting the professional examination requirements.
AACSB Value: Economics sits within UTA’s AACSB-accredited College of Business, providing internationally recognised business-school quality assurance across the undergraduate Economics pathways.
National Program Recognition: UTA’s Economics program rose 31 positions to #185 nationally in the 2027 U.S. News undergraduate rankings.

Further Academic Progression:
Students who want to deepen their quantitative economics expertise can progress directly into UTA’s STEM-designated M.S. in Economic Data Analytics, which develops advanced skills in economic data, empirical analysis, forecasting and business decision-making. UTA also offers a BBA/BS-to-M.S. Economic Data Analytics Fast Track, allowing qualifying College of Business students to begin graduate-level coursework while completing their bachelor’s degree; Fast Track options can also lead toward programs such as the MBA, STEM MBA, Business Analytics M.S. and Quantitative Finance M.S.