How to Apply to Economics at Northeastern University: Economics in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, a BA, a BS and Many Combined Majors, Applying Directly to a Major and Averaging a C in the Core, for Domestic, International (Including China) and Transfer Applicants

Economics at Northeastern University is taught by the Department of Economics in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH). The catalog says applicants apply to a major or combined major housed in one of seven undergraduate colleges, or to the Explore Program for undeclared students. This guide follows the catalog and main-site pages and is organized for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Business and computer science have their own articles on this site; they are mentioned here only where they overlap with economics.

Note: we could not read Northeastern’s admissions or CSSH sub-sites, so deadlines and application details are taken only from the catalog and main-site pages. Where they say nothing we write “not published” and point to the undergraduate admissions website.

1. Economics degrees and combined majors

• BA and BS: the catalog says students may pursue a BA, a BS or a minor in economics. The BA keeps the liberal arts tradition: besides six core economics courses it offers over 40 electives and requires the university’s BA language requirement (12 semester hours of language study or demonstrated equivalent proficiency, which does not reduce total hours). The BS focuses on mathematics in economic models, leaves room for courses such as economic development, game theory and mathematical economics, and adds mathematics and computer science. For both degrees the catalog strongly encourages students considering doctoral study in economics to double-major in economics (BS) and mathematics (BS) or choose the combined economics/mathematics major.
• Combined majors: the catalog lists combined majors with artificial intelligence, computer science (Boston and Oakland), cybersecurity, business administration (Boston and Oakland), criminal justice, human services, international business, journalism, mathematics, philosophy, psychology (Boston and Oakland), environmental and sustainability sciences, history, political science and international affairs (BA), plus an interdisciplinary major in politics, philosophy and economics.
• Economics and Mathematics (BS): designed for students who want to deepen their mathematics and strongly recommended for those interested in graduate study in economics. It requires Calculus 1–3, linear algebra, differential equations and linear algebra, probability and statistics and others, and 76 semester hours in the major.
• Economics and Business Administration (BS): the catalog calls it a popular combined major. It requires accounting, finance, marketing, organizational behavior and international business courses, at least one business concentration and at least one business experiential-learning experience (co-op, practicum or internship options).
• PlusOne: economics majors may apply as early as the end of sophomore year or start of junior year to combine the bachelor’s with the professional master’s in economics; one additional year of graduate study is required and a strong quantitative background is expected.
• STEM designation: the catalog pages we read do not mention one for economics; it is not published there.
• Honors: the John Martinson Honors Program has no separate application; the admissions office invites students in the admission letter; scholarship and grant details for program students are on the program’s website, which we did not read.

2. Admission and staying in the major

• Choosing a major when applying: the catalog says you apply to a major or combined major in one of the colleges, or to Explore. The pages we read do not say whether economics has its own admission standard or capacity limit; not published.
• Progression in the major: the Department of Economics’ progression standards say three core courses come first (12 hours): ECON 1115 Principles of Macroeconomics, ECON 1116 Principles of Microeconomics and MATH 1231 Calculus for Business and Economics. Four more core courses should be completed by the end of sophomore year (16 hours): ECON 2315 Macroeconomic Theory, ECON 2316 Microeconomic Theory, ECON 2350 Statistics for Economists and ECON 2560 Applied Econometrics. The BA, BS and combined-major pages also require the grades in these four courses (with slightly different course lists in some combined majors) to average at least a C (2.000).
• University standards: good academic standing requires a GPA of at least 1.800 at the end of each first-year semester and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.000 at the end of every semester after, plus at least 12 semester hours in the semester just completed. Students not meeting these go on probation, and students still on probation after two full-term semesters may be dismissed.
• Changing into economics: full-time undergraduates may change majors if they meet the receiving major’s criteria for immediate entry, or have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.000 and complete the receiving major’s transition criteria; below 2.000 it is at the receiving major’s discretion. Students must discuss the change in person with an advisor in the receiving major, and some colleges have change-of-major deadlines. Each college lists its transition criteria on its own website; we could not read CSSH’s, so the specifics are not published here. International students must inform the Office of Global Services of any change.

3. Prerequisites and course sequence

• High school preparation: the admission-policy page we read does not list required high school math or economics courses for economics; not published. It says the committee considers whether applicants took advanced courses such as honors, AP, IB or college-level courses where offered.
• Calculus: the BA and BS require one calculus course: MATH 1231 Calculus for Business and Economics (the catalog highly recommends sections reserved for economics students), MATH 1241, MATH 1245, MATH 1340 or MATH 1341; plus MISM 2510 Fundamentals of Information Analytics. Economics and Mathematics requires MATH 1341 and 1342.
• Core economics: ECON 1115, 1116, 2315, 2316, 2350, 2560 and a capstone (ECON 4692 Senior Economics Seminar or ECON 4997 Senior Economics Thesis). The listed prerequisites for ECON 2315 and 2316 include MATH 1231 or other approved calculus; ECON 2350 requires (may be taken concurrently) a programming or information-analytics course; ECON 2560 additionally needs a writing course with a C or better.
• Electives: BA: five courses from the listed ranges, with no more than one in the ECON 1200–1999 range. BS: seven courses, no more than two at the 1000 level. The BA major is 56 semester hours, the BS 64, and the degree 128 total.
• AP, IB and other credit: the admission-policy page says AP and NEWL scores of 4 and 5 generally earn credit; IB Higher Level scores of 5, 6 or 7 generally earn credit, with none for Standard Level, the Extended Essay or Theory of Knowledge; A-Levels generally need a C or better (AS-level not accepted; Singapore-Cambridge only H2). Up to 32 semester hours of advanced credit may count toward the degree. Which exam replaces which economics course is listed in the Transfer Equivalency Database, which we did not read; check it directly.

4. Deadlines, materials and fees

• Rounds: the catalog lists Early Decision I (binding), Early Action (nonbinding), Early Decision II (binding) and Regular Decision (nonbinding). The main-site admissions page gives these deadlines: ED I and EA November 1; ED II and RD January 1. It shows no year, so check it is for fall 2027 entry. Decision and reply dates are not on the pages we read.
• Application platforms: the Common Application or the Coalition Application, reviewed equally.
• Application fee: $75, with a fee-waiver request available through an application question.
• Materials: school report and transcripts (with final junior-year grades and first-semester grades when available), counselor and teacher recommendations; the catalog also says the committee considers the résumé, essay and community contributions. ED applicants submit the Early Decision Agreement.
• Testing: test optional. Not submitting the SAT or ACT does not disadvantage you; if you self-report scores, official scores are due when you submit the enrollment deposit.
• Selectivity: the catalog says admission is highly selective and that more than 100,000 students apply for the first-year class.
• Costs (catalog 2026–2027 edition): tuition $35,525 per semester, or $2,221 per credit hour; comprehensive fee $788 per semester ($1,576 maximum a year); student health plan $3,049 assessed annually; housing is billed separately (see Housing and Residential Life). New students pay a nonrefundable $600 enrollment deposit. Housing is required for new first- and second-year students entering through fall admission to Boston or through the N.U.in Program. Tuition is not charged during co-op, though a student who takes a class during co-op is charged for it.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• In-state vs out-of-state: The pages we read show one tuition rate with no in-state or out-of-state split; no in-state preference or guaranteed admission is described.
• Testing: optional, as above.
• Aid: federal need-based aid is for U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens. First-year and transfer applicants submit the FAFSA and the CSS Profile (for institutional aid) by the priority filing deadline; the dates are on the Student Financial Services website, which we did not read, so they are not published here.
• Merit scholarships: all applicants who apply on time are considered, and scholarship consideration is separate from the financial aid application. The catalog also lists the Ujima Global Leaders Program scholarship (for first-year students with demonstrated leadership, community involvement or interest in serving underrepresented populations); recipients with demonstrated financial need have their full need met.

6. International applicants

• English proficiency: non-native speakers who were not educated entirely in English for the four consecutive academic years before enrolling must submit official results from the Duolingo English Test, Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, IELTS, Pearson Test of English Academic or TOEFL. Applicants with four or more consecutive years of high school or university where English was the primary language of instruction may ask the admissions office for a waiver. No minimum scores are given on the pages we read; see the international applicants page of the admissions site. Students who have studied in ESL courses are strongly advised to submit IELTS, and some applicants whose English is not yet sufficient for a full-time degree may be referred to the NU Immerse English immersion program.
• Proof of funds: international students must submit Northeastern’s Declaration and Certification of Finances through the Application Status Check.
• Visa: after the enrollment deposit, request the I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) in myOGS; the I-20 is generated within 15 business days of a complete request, and students may enter the U.S. no more than 30 days before the program start date.
• Scholarships and aid: international students are eligible for merit scholarship consideration, but Northeastern does not offer need-based assistance to international students; they also cannot receive U.S. federal aid.
• Other: F-1 and J-1 students must register full-time and must not work without authorization; not every visa category allows co-ops or internships, so ask the Office of Global Services.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the admission-policy and international pages we read do not say whether the Gaokao is considered or can stand in for a test, and there is no China-specific page; not published. Check the international applicants page of the admissions site or ask the admissions office. The list of foreign leaving exams that earn credit (AP, IB, A-Levels, Abitur, Baccalauréat and others) does not include the Gaokao.
• Transcripts and credential evaluation: applicants submit the school report and transcript; college-level coursework from an international institution must be translated into English and evaluated by a recognized credential agency (stated for transfer credit). How Chinese-language high school transcripts should be translated or certified is not published.
• English: if your schooling was not entirely in English, submit a test as described in Section 6.
• International curricula: AP, IB and A-Level results can earn credit (Section 3).

8. Transfer students

• Timing: the catalog says transfer applications are accepted for fall start (apply in spring) and spring start (apply in fall), both depending on space. Specific deadlines are not on the pages we read.
• Materials: Common or Coalition Application, $75 fee, official transcripts from every college attended, a College Report from the registrar or dean, an academic evaluation from an advisor, professor or employer, the final high school transcript or GED, and a Joint Service Transcript for veterans. Testing is optional.
• Competitiveness: the catalog says it receives more than 4,000 transfer applications a year and that the most competitive candidates typically have a GPA of 3.500 or higher. The committee also looks at preparation for the chosen major.
• Credit: up to 60 semester hours from a two-year college, up to 80 from a four-year college, or a combination. Courses graded C or better are considered; liberal arts coursework older than 10 years and math or science older than 5 years cannot be considered; documents are due before matriculation and no later than one semester after; coursework from international institutions must be translated and evaluated by a recognized agency.
• Prerequisites for economics: the pages we read do not give required economics courses for transfer applicants; not published. The catalog’s early economics courses are principles of macro- and microeconomics and business and economics calculus, which may help with course planning.

9. Co-op and experiential learning

• Co-op: the catalog calls cooperative education the cornerstone of experiential learning: students alternate periods of courses with full-time work related to their interests. Eligibility includes full-time status, completing three full-time fall/spring semesters, the co-op preparation course and satisfactory academic progress; transfer students must complete at least two semesters of classes first.
• Economics: the BA and BS pages list the college’s Experiential Liberal Arts requirement; Economics and Business Administration (BS) requires at least one business experiential-learning experience (co-op, practicum or internship options). The BA and BS pages do not list co-op as required; check your program plan.
• International students: F-1 and J-1 students need Office of Global Services authorization before co-op employment.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply by November 1 (ED I, EA) or January 1 (ED II, RD) (the page shows no year; verify) with the $75 fee or a waiver request
• Tests are optional; prepare transcripts, counselor and teacher recommendations and essays
• Apply to economics or a combined major; average at least a C across ECON 2315, 2316, 2350 and 2560 and finish them by the end of sophomore year
• For aid, file the FAFSA and CSS Profile; check dates on the Student Financial Services site

International applicants (including China):

• Same timeline; ask admissions how the Gaokao may be used
• If not educated entirely in English, submit Duolingo, TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Cambridge results and the Declaration and Certification of Finances
• Merit scholarships are possible; there is no need-based aid

Transfer students:

• Gather transcripts from every college and an academic evaluation; aim for a GPA of 3.500 or higher; up to 60 or 80 hours can transfer; confirm deadlines on the admissions site

Sources: Northeastern University, Catalog: Economics; Catalog: Economics BA; Catalog: Economics BS; Catalog: Economics and Mathematics BS; Catalog: Economics and Business Administration BS; Catalog: College of Social Sciences and Humanities; Catalog: Admission policy and entrance requirements; Catalog: Merit scholarships; Catalog: Tuition, room, board and fees; Catalog: Financial aid; Catalog: Degrees, majors and minors; Catalog: Progression standards; Catalog: Cooperative education; Catalog: International students; Main site: Admissions; Main site: Co-op. The dates on the main-site admissions page show no year; check Northeastern’s website to confirm they are for fall 2027 entry.