How to Apply to Economics at Boston College: The Economics Major Is in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, You Apply to the College Without Choosing a Major, and Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

At Boston College (BC), the economics major is taught by the Department of Economics in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, and the degree is the Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Here is what you need to know about applying, prerequisites and transfer, based on BC’s official information, for US domestic applicants, international applicants (including students from China) and transfer students. Most pages do not print a year, so check that every date applies to fall 2027 entry.

1. Which college, and how you get into the major

• Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences: the admission majors list shows Economics under Morrissey. Applicants choose one of four undergraduate divisions (Morrissey, Carroll School of Management, Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Connell School of Nursing) and are considered only for that division. Students who want economics usually apply to Morrissey.
• No major required on the application: the application page says applicants do not declare a specific major, except for engineering and nursing. The admission FAQ says that, apart from nursing and engineering, students do not have to choose a major until the end of sophomore year, and “undecided” has no bearing on admission.
• Declaring: the department asks students to fill out a declaration or change of major or minor form. The department pages I read state no GPA threshold and no cap on places; ask the department’s undergraduate advisor for details.
• Business students and economics: the FAQ says students in Carroll, Lynch or Connell can pursue a second major in Morrissey, but Morrissey students cannot add a second major in one of the three professional divisions. Carroll’s concentrations page adds that the Economics concentration is closed to the Class of 2025 and later, who can take an Economics minor, while all class years can major in Economics. The department FAQ still refers to “CSOM economics majors/concentrators,” which does not fully match the Carroll page; confirm with an advisor. For the business degree, see our Boston College business article.
• Internal transfer into Morrissey: students cannot change divisions after admission but may apply for internal transfer to Morrissey after one semester. The FAQ’s “enrollment is limited” warning is about Carroll, Lynch and Nursing.

2. Degrees, tracks and STEM

• Degree: the department lists the B.A. in Economics and a minor in Economics. It does not list a B.S. or other economics variants.
• STEM: the department says the B.A. in Economics is classified as STEM (CIP code 45.0603, Econometrics and Quantitative Economics), so students in the program can apply for the 24-month STEM extension of F-1 Optional Practical Training.
• Electives: listed areas include money and banking, international trade and finance, public sector economics, economic development, capital markets, inequality, industrial organization, environmental economics and computational investing.
• Size: the department home page says “40 full-time positions” and “1,300 majors,” while its “By the Numbers” box on the same page says “1,200 undergraduate majors.” The two figures do not match.

3. Prerequisites and first- and second-year courses

• High school math: Principles of Economics (ECON 1101) has no specific prerequisite, but instructors assume students can read graphs and know high school algebra and geometry, especially the algebra of a straight line; students lacking this should take a remedial math course first.
• College calculus: one semester of calculus (MATH 1102 preferred, MATH 1100, or advanced placement) must come before the intermediate theory courses and econometrics. Students less comfortable with math are advised to take ECON 2211 Math for Economic Analysis before or alongside ECON 2201. Students considering graduate work in economics should take roughly the equivalent of a math minor.
• AP Calculus: AB counts as one semester and BC as two; IB and other placement should be checked with the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
• Major requirements (11 courses): Principles of Economics (ECON 1101), Statistics (ECON 1151, four credits), Microeconomic Theory (ECON 2201 or 2203), Macroeconomic Theory (ECON 2202 or 2204), Econometric Methods (ECON 2228, four credits), and six electives between ECON 2200 and 4498, at least four of them 3000-level or above.
• Must be taken in BC Economics: statistics, the two theory courses and econometrics cannot be taken elsewhere. Other outside courses (including study abroad) are limited to two, or three for a full year abroad, may only be introductory courses or electives, and need department approval.
• Timing: majors should complete both theory courses and take econometrics by the end of sophomore year; many electives require ECON 2228 or theory.
• AP/IB for principles: the department recognizes AP, IB and similar results for Principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics; for the qualifying scores see the university’s Core Curriculum website (I did not read the score table). Students with credit for both can skip ECON 1101 but must still complete eleven courses by taking more electives.

4. Honors and research

• Honors in Economics: students usually enter in the second semester of first year or first semester of sophomore year and take the honors theory sequence (ECON 2203-2204) in place of the standard one. They complete a six-credit Honors Thesis (ECON 4497-4498), which replaces two upper-level electives. Requirements include a 3.5 GPA in economics courses at the end of junior year and a thesis proposal approved by a faculty advisor in the spring of junior year (the department FAQ says the application form and topic proposal are due April 30). A grade below B+ on the thesis is a deficiency for conferral.
• Research: the Undergraduate Research Fellowship supports research assistantships in the academic year and summer, typically for Morrissey rising sophomores, juniors and seniors; faculty usually prefer students who have finished theory and econometrics. Students can also do an Independent Study or a senior thesis, and the most promising theses can lead to the six-credit Scholar of the College program.
• Internships: Morrissey students can earn up to three pass/fail internship credits toward the 120 needed to graduate; these do not count toward the major, minor or core.

5. Deadlines and application materials

• Early Decision I (binding): 1 November, decisions by 15 December. Early Decision II (binding): 4 January, decisions by 15 February. Regular Decision: 4 January, decisions by 1 April. To be considered for the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program (four-year full tuition, 18 students), apply by 1 November; no separate application is needed.
• Apply through the Common App; the fee is $85. Required: two teacher evaluations (ideally English, social studies, science, math or foreign language), the school transcript, the School Report and counselor recommendation, a mid-year report, and the Boston College writing supplement (400 words). BC says it has no admission interviews and does not track demonstrated interest.
• BC says its most competitive applicants usually take four years each of English, math, social science, natural science and a foreign language.

6. Testing

• Test optional: applicants who do not submit scores receive full consideration; students who take the SAT or ACT are encouraged to submit. About two-thirds of enrolled Class of 2030 students submitted scores, with SAT scores from 1200 to 1600 and ACT from 28 to 36; the top quartile of submitters had SAT 1510-1600 and ACT 35-36.
• SAT and ACT scores can be self-reported, with official reports required after enrollment; BC uses the best individual section scores across sittings.

7. US domestic applicants

• The pages I read do not distinguish in-state and out-of-state applicants or tuition; there is a single tuition figure.
• For US citizens and permanent residents, BC says it is committed to meeting full demonstrated need (see its financial aid pages); application fee waivers are available for hardship.

8. International applicants (including China)

• English tests: non-US citizens submit the TOEFL iBT, IELTS or Duolingo English Test. Recommended minimums: IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 130, TOEFL 100 (5.0 on the new scale); BC says admitted students average about 5.5 on the new TOEFL scale. English tests are not superscored and TOEFL MyBest is not considered.
• Waivers: English is your native language; at least three years at a high school in the US or another majority native-English-speaking country without ESOL; or SAT EBRW 650+ or ACT English 29+.
• InitialView: BC encourages students attending national schools in China to do an optional InitialView video interview; it does not replace the English test.
• Costs and aid: BC cannot provide need-based aid to non-US citizens or permanent residents, so plan to pay the full cost; admitted students must complete a Certification of Finances before an I-20 is issued.
• Credential evaluation: for international transfer applicants BC encourages a course-by-course evaluation from a NACES-member service.

9. Applicants from China

• The pages I read do not publish a Gaokao policy (whether it is considered or can stand in for testing) or any China-specific academic requirement. Contact admissions (admission@bc.edu) to confirm.
• The only China-specific item is the optional InitialView interview for national-school students; everything else follows the international applicant rules.

10. Costs

• 2026-27 (US$): tuition 75,075, mandatory fees 1,354, room and board 18,834, for a total of 95,978. First-years also pay a one-time $670 orientation charge and a $50 ID charge; books and incidentals are estimated at $3,250. BC does not mention any separate economics tuition.

11. Transfer students

• Who and how: a transfer applicant has completed at least nine credits before the deadline. About 200 students transfer in each year, most in fall and about 50 in January. Apply to one of the four divisions, ideally Morrissey; BC says selectivity is similar across the divisions.
• Deadlines: fall entry 15 March, notification by 20 May; spring entry 1 November, notification by 15 December. First-semester students are typically not eligible for January transfer. The fee is $85, automatically waived for Pell-eligible applicants.
• Recommended courses for Morrissey: about 30 credits after one year or 60 after two, including math (calculus, finite math, linear algebra or computer science), two English courses, two natural sciences, two modern world history courses, one fine arts course, two social sciences (including economics), and one each of theology and philosophy. BC recommends only three or four courses in the intended major because most departments require most major courses at BC; Morrissey also requires intermediate foreign language proficiency.
• Economics credit: a transfer student with only a micro or only a macro principles course gets one social science core credit but not major credit and still takes ECON 1101; with both, ECON 1101 is generally credited, and a combined principles course is generally accepted as equivalent. Statistics, theory and econometrics must be taken at BC, though transfers may discuss prior equivalents with the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
• Credit rules: courses must match BC courses in depth and breadth with a C- or better; at most 60 credits transfer, and you must spend at least four semesters at BC.
• Testing: the transfer page says transfer admission is test optional and international applicants submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, but its FAQ says international students whose first language is not English need an English score and the SAT or ACT (unless waived). The page contradicts itself; confirm with transfer@bc.edu.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Apply to the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences on the Common App by 1 November (ED I and scholarship deadline) or 4 January (ED II, RD)
• Build strong high school math; finish one semester of college calculus before intermediate theory and econometrics
• Declare your major by the end of sophomore year with the department’s form

International applicants (including China):

• Apply to Morrissey; English test of TOEFL 5.0 on the new scale (100 old), IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 130, or meet a waiver
• Ask admissions how Gaokao results are treated; consider the optional InitialView interview
• Be ready to cover about $95,978 a year

Transfer students:

• Fall deadline 15 March, at least nine credits, apply to Morrissey
• Take principles of economics (micro and macro), calculus and statistics; theory and econometrics must be taken at BC

Sources: Boston College, Economics department home; Undergraduate program; Major and minor requirements; Economics undergraduate FAQ; Honors program; Research and internships; Carroll School concentrations; Application instructions and deadlines; International applicants; Test-optional policy; Transfer admission; Admission FAQ; Majors and minors. Most pages do not print a year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry; costs are 2026-27 figures. Check Boston College for the latest details.