Bachelor of Science in Economics and Politics
The Economics and Politics major is offered jointly between the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology (CMIST) and the Undergraduate Economics Program (UEP).
Economics and Politics is available as both a primary and additional major.
Degree Rationale
Politics and economics are deeply interconnected. Political institutions and decision-making impact economic growth, income distribution, and many other aspects of economic life. Both fiscal and monetary policies affect the economy: but these policies also reflect political considerations and influence political outcomes. For example, while the United Nations is often thought of in purely political terms, the Security Council can and does impose sanctions on countries—an example of an economic policy used for political change.
The Economics and Politics major is offered jointly between the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology (CMIST) and the Undergraduate Economics Program (UEP). The major will appeal to any student interested in the design, evaluation, and political implementation of economic policy. It will be especially attractive to students considering careers in politics, government agencies, political and business consulting, lobbying, or the law.
The BS in Economics and Politics is an interdisciplinary major. The major will develop the political context and underpinnings of economic policy making. It will explore how political institutions resolve the tradeoffs and disagreements associated with policymaking and how they can facilitate or impede desirable economic outcomes.
CMIST strengths lie in topics such as emerging technology, national security, and grand strategy. Economic policy is one facet of grand strategy through which governments pursue domestic and international goals. This major will enable students to understand economic statecraft from a broad perspective. It will address key issues such as how multilateral economic institutions such as the IMF and World Bank use economic coercion. Whether coercion is successful or not depends not only on the levers of power but also on variations in regime structures, alongside complex linkages in the international economy. For example, the viability of the “Euro Zone” depends on whether the political economic agreements necessary to mitigate institutional weaknesses are politically feasible or destined to failure. In short, international economics affects everything from human rights practices to trade patterns to energey markets to tech company investments to global compliance with climate change treaties.
Curriculum (175-187 units)
Mathematics (19 units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
21-120 | Differential and Integral Calculus | 10 |
or 21-112 | Calculus II | |
21-256 | Multivariate Analysis | 9 |
or 21-259 | Calculus in Three Dimensions |
Economics Core (54 units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
73-102 | Principles of Microeconomics* | 9 |
or 73-104 | Principles of Microeconomics Advanced | |
73-103 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 9 |
73-230 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 9 |
73-240 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 9 |
73-265 | Economics and Data Science | 9 |
73-274 | Econometrics I | 9 |
*Students who place out of 73-102 based on the economics placement exam will receive a pre-req waiver for 73-102 and are waived from taking 73-102 |
Political Science Core (57 units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
Entry year 2025 and beyond
84-101 | Introduction to Political Science | 9 |
Choose 2 of 3* |
84-104 Decision Processes in American Political Institutions 84-226 International Relations 84-275 Comparative Politics *If all three are taken, the third can count as an elective. |
18 |
84-250 | Writing for Political Science and Policy | 9 |
84-266 |
Research Design for Political Science |
9 |
Policy in a Global Economy 1: International Trade and Trade Policy |
6 | |
Policy in a Global Economy 2: International Macroeconomics and Finance |
6 |
Entry year 2024 and prior
84-104 | Decision Processes in American Political Institutions | 9 |
84-226 | International Relations | 9 |
84-250 | Writing for Political Science and Policy | 9 |
84-266 |
Research Design for Political Science |
9 |
84-275 |
Comparative Politics |
9 |
Policy in a Global Economy 1: International Trade and Trade Policy |
6 | |
Policy in a Global Economy 2: International Macroeconomics and Finance |
6 |
Electives (27 units)
Majors are required to take 27 units (three courses) from the elective lists below. At least one course (9 units) must be taken from Economics (73-xxx) and at least one course (9 units) must be taken from the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy & Technology (84-xxx). Students may complete electives through coursework in the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP).
Economics Electives | |
73-328 | Health Economics |
73-332 | Political Economy |
73-338 | Financial Crises and Risk |
73-348 | Behavioral Economics |
73-352 | Public Economics |
73-353 | Financial Regulation in the Digital Age |
73-365 | Firms, Market Structures, and Strategy |
73-421 | Emerging Markets |
73-427 | Sustainability, Energy, and Environmental Economics |
Political Science Electives | |
84-120 | Introduction to Constitutional Law |
84-200 | Security War Game Simulation |
84-252 | Briefing in the Policy World |
84-274 | An Introduction to Technology and War |
84-280 | Popcorn and Politics: American Foreign Policy at the Movies |
84-303 | International Human Rights |
84-304 | Analysis of Current US National Security Priorities |
84-306 | Latin American Politics |
84-309 | American Political Divides and Great Debates |
84-312 | Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa |
84-313 | International Organizations and Law* |
84-314 | Politics, Technological Change, and Economic Growth |
84-317 | Defense PPBE in the Age of Emerging Technologies |
84-318 | Politics of Developing Nations |
84-319 | Civil-Military Relations |
84-322 | Nonviolent Conflict and Revolution |
84-323 | War and Peace in the Contemporary Middle East |
84-324 | The Future of Democracy |
84-325 | Contemporary American Foreign Policy |
84-328 | Military Strategy and Doctrine |
84-329 | Asian Strategies |
84-331 | Technology, Law, and Democracy |
84-332 | Contemporary US Constitutional Law Issues* |
84-338 | Analysis of US Presidential Powers* |
84-341 | Transnational Criminal Networks & International Security |
84-350 | A Strategist's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence |
84-351 | Bias, Objectivity, and the Media's Role in Politics |
84-352 | Representation and Voting Rights |
84-354 | The American Experiment: Unraveling the US Electoral System |
84-355 | Democracy's Data: Analytics and Insights into American Elections |
84-360 | CMU/WSP Internship Seminar* |
84-362 | Diplomacy and Statecraft |
84-363 | Click. Hack. Rule: Understanding the Power & Peril of Cyber Conflict |
84-365 | The Politics of Fake News and Misinformation |
84-367 | The Politics of Antisemitism |
84-368 | Technology Ethics |
84-369 | Decision Science for International Relations |
84-370 | Nuclear Security & Arms Control |
84-371 | International Governance of Artificial Intelligence |
84-372 | Space and National Security |
84-373 | International Law |
84-375 | Geopolitics of Innovation |
84-380 | US Grand Strategy |
84-383 | Cyber Policy as National Policy |
84-386 | The Privatization of Force |
84-387 | Remote Systems and the Cyber Domain in Conflict |
84-388 | Concepts of War and Cyber War |
84-389 | Terrorism and Insurgency |
84-390 | Social Media, Technology, and Conflict |
84-393 | The US Congress: Legislative Progress or Paralysis? |
84-402 | Judicial Politics and Behavior |
84-405 | The Future of Warfare |
84-440 | Collaborative Research in Political Science |
Courses taken in the political science core above and beyond the required number of units for the core may count as an elective for the major.
*Denotes courses taught in Washington, DC, through the Carnegie Mellon University Washington Semester Program (CMU/WSP).
Additional Electives |
||
19-411 |
Science and Innovation Leadership for the 21st Century |
9 |
19-425 |
Sustainable Energy for the Developing World |
9 |
70-365 |
International Trade and International Law |
9 |
70-430 |
International Management |
9 |
79-280 |
Coffee and Capitalism |
9 |
79-318 |
Sustainable Social Change: History and Practice |
9 |
80-135 |
Introduction to Political Philosophy |
9 |
80-136 |
Social Structure, Public Policy & Ethics |
9 |
80-321 |
Causation, Law, and Social Policy |
9 |
80-335 |
Social and Political Philosophy |
9 |
80-348 |
Health, Human Rights, and International Development |
9 |
80-447 |
Global Justice |
9 |
88-366 |
Behavioral Economics of Poverty and Development |
9 |
88-411 |
Rise of the Asian Economies |
9 |
88-444 |
Public Policy and Regulations |
9 |
Capstone (18-30 units)
Students must complete all of the following courses.
Entry year 2025 and beyond
84-500 |
Senior Seminar |
9 |
73-497 | Senior Project or Senior Honors Thesis in Dietrich or Tepper (18 units total) |
12-18 |
Note: Students in the BS in Economics and Politics who complete a Dietrich or Tepper Honors Thesis in economics may use 73-497 (Senior Project) as an economics elective. |
Entry year 2024 and prior
Policy Seminar |
6-12 | |
73-497 | Senior Project or Senior Honors Thesis in Dietrich or Tepper (18 units total) |
12-18 |
Note: Students in the BS in Economics and Politics who complete a Dietrich or Tepper Honors Thesis in economics may use 73-497 (Senior Project) as an economics elective. |