How to Apply to Economics at Drexel University: Housed in LeBow College of Business, with a BA, a BS, Four Combined Majors and Up to 18 Months of Paid Co-op, Plus Admission and Prerequisite Details for Domestic, International (Including China) and Transfer Students

Economics at Drexel University (in Philadelphia) is taught by the School of Economics within the LeBow College of Business; the course catalog lists it under "LeBow College of Business: School of Economics". This guide follows Drexel's websites and covers domestic students, international students, applicants from China and transfer students. Business administration has its own guide on this site; this one covers economics only.

1. Degrees

• BA in Economics: the catalog describes modern economics within a broad liberal arts curriculum, broader than the BS; 180 or more credits on a quarter calendar. Required: Principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, Game Theory and Applications, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Economics Seminar and Economic Ideas, plus at least 32 credits of economics electives and 71 credits of free electives.
• BS in Economics: LeBow calls it STEM-designated and describes a focus on quantitative methods, statistics and econometrics. Required: both principles courses, Game Theory and Applications, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Economics Seminar, Applied Econometrics, and either Time Series Econometrics or Experiments and Causality in Economics; also one computer science course, two statistics courses, 28 credits of economics electives and 79 credits of free electives.
• Combined majors (all BS, described as STEM-designated): Behavioral Economics, Business and Organizations; Economics and Business; Economics and Data Science (with the Nick Howley College of Engineering and Computing); Economics and Mathematics.
• Minors: Economics; Behavioral Economics and Business; Econometrics and Data Analytics; International Business.
• A STEM inconsistency: LeBow's BA page mentions a "STEM-designated curriculum", while the main economics degrees page calls only the BS STEM-designated. Confirm with Drexel and its international student office.
• Honors: the pages read did not describe an economics honors program; this is not published there.

2. How admission to the major works

• Choose the major on the application: first-year applicants apply through the Common Application or the Coalition Application with Scoir, and are encouraged to list two different programs as first and second choices; undeclared applicants can select First-Year Exploratory Studies. LeBow says all undergraduate applications are processed through the university's central admissions portal;
• Extra requirements: the pages read do not state a separate cutoff, capacity or GPA for entering economics. LeBow's admission standards page lists only high school math and science prerequisites (below).
• Changing major: Drexel says applicants who want to change their major after applying should email enroll@drexel.edu. The requirements for current students to move into economics were not on the pages read; contact LeBow advising (lebowadv@drexel.edu).

3. Prerequisites and courses

• High school: LeBow and the admissions office say applicants to economics (and business and entrepreneurship) need three years of mathematics (algebra I and II, and geometry) and at least one year of laboratory science (biology, chemistry or physics).
• College mathematics: the catalog asks for one of four sequences (8 to 10 credits): MATH 101 and 102 (Introduction to Analysis I and II); MATH 105 and 121 (Algebra, Functions and Trigonometry, then Calculus I); MATH 116 and 117; or MATH 121 and 122. It notes some students taking MATH 116/117 may need a one-credit practicum depending on their calculus exam score and summer review.
• Statistics: the BA requires Introduction to Business Statistics (STAT 201); the BS requires STAT 201 (or MATH 311) and STAT 202 (or MATH 312).
• Typical first year: in the catalog's four-year, no-co-op sample plan, first-year fall includes Principles of Microeconomics and a math sequence course, and winter includes Principles of Macroeconomics.
• Writing: three writing-intensive courses are required, two in the major.
• AP, IB and other exam credit: this guide did not read Drexel's exam-credit table for economics courses and it is not published on the pages read; ask admissions or the School of Economics.

4. Co-op

• The catalog lists three paths: three co-ops (five years), one co-op (four years), or no co-op (four years).
• LeBow says students alternate classroom learning with full-time professional work, with up to three co-ops and as much as 18 months of experience. It reports median co-op pay of USD 21.50 per hour for the BS and USD 17 for the BA, and that 45% of co-op students in the LeBow Class of 2024 received a full-time offer from their co-op employer.
• Past placements: BA students at Susquehanna Growth Equity and IKEA Group, among others; BS students at BlackRock, Goldman Sachs and Lockheed Martin, among others.
• Note: the general university fee is billed during co-op terms and scholarships are not available during co-op terms (section 10). How tuition is billed in a co-op term was not on the pages read; check the tuition page.

5. Dates and materials (first-year)

• Plans: Early Decision (binding), Early Action (non-binding) and Regular Decision.
• Deadlines: Early Decision and Early Action both 15 November, with decisions in mid-December; CSS Profile 25 November. Regular Decision 15 January, with decisions by 1 April; CSS Profile and FAFSA 1 February. Deposits are due 1 May (15 January for Early Decision). Winter entry applications close 1 October. The page carries no year, so confirm it applies to fall 2027 entry.
• Fee: USD 65. Waivers apply to veterans and their dependents, children of Drexel employees and Pennsylvania residents, or can be requested through the Common or Coalition application.
• Essay: 250 to 650 words, submitted through the Common or Coalition application.
• Recommendation: one letter from a school or college counselor.
• Transcripts: official high school transcripts covering grades 9 to 11 and 12th-grade courses in progress, sent directly by the school; self-submitted transcripts are not accepted.
• Tests: Drexel describes "No Harm Test-Optional" admission: SAT or ACT scores are not required, and submitted scores will not hurt; choosing test-optional does not affect financial aid, including merit scholarships. Details are on Drexel's standardized tests page; the page separately says the BA/BS+MD Early Assurance program requires SAT or ACT scores, which is a different program.

6. Domestic students

• Tuition: Drexel is a private university. The tuition page lists one full-time undergraduate rate for 2026-27: USD 21,026 tuition per term and a USD 790 general fee per term for four- and five-year programs, plus a USD 300 first-year program fee (first year only). The page read does not distinguish in-state from out-of-state students. The number of billed terms per year was not on the page, so no annual total is calculated here.
• Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania residents qualify for an application fee waiver.
• Aid: U.S. citizens and permanent residents submit both the CSS Profile and the FAFSA (school code 003256); without the CSS Profile they are not eligible for institutional need-based aid.
• Entrance scholarship: the Drexel Merit Scholarship is USD 20,000 to 35,000 for Early Decision and Early Action admits and USD 10,000 to 35,000 for Regular Decision admits, evaluated with the admission decision.

7. International students

• English: applicants whose first language is not English, or who have not completed at least three full years of English-language instruction, must submit an approved test: TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo or Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency. This guide did not read minimum scores; see Drexel's standardized testing policies. Exemptions: English as first language; three full years at a school where English is the main language of instruction; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 600+ or ACT English 27+.
• English preparation: the International Gateway conditional admission program, run by the English Language Center, prepares students before they move into their undergraduate major. Application deadlines are 15 July (fall), 1 November (winter) and 1 February (spring).
• Credential evaluation: applicants who attended any secondary school outside the U.S. send an official record, with a notarized English translation, from every secondary or postsecondary school. Transcripts are official only if sent directly from the school or officially signed, stamped in color and sealed; names must match the passport.
• Proof of funds: Drexel says students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must show sufficient funds for study in the United States to obtain a student visa; the I-20/DS-2019 process is described on the International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) page for new international students, and this guide did not read the document list. International applicants must submit the CSS Profile to be considered for institutional need-based aid.
• Scholarships: the Drexel Merit Scholarship is open to domestic and international applicants.
• Costs: the tuition page applies one schedule; no separate international fee was on the page read.
• International enrollment: the international admissions page reports 1,082 international full-time undergraduates from 121 countries in 2025-26.

8. Applicants from China

• Transcripts: Drexel's transcript requirements page for China says current high school students send official transcripts from the third year of junior school and years 1 and 2 of senior school; graduates send the third year of junior school and all three senior years, plus an official copy of the Chinese graduation certificate with a certified English translation. Non-English records need a certified English translation.
• Gaokao and Huikao: the pages read do not state whether the Gaokao is considered or what Huikao materials are needed; this is not published there. Email enroll@drexel.edu.
• Other: English, funds and scholarships are in section 7. If you are unsure your curriculum meets the math and science prerequisites, Drexel's international page says to contact enroll@drexel.edu.

9. Transfer students

• Applying: Drexel's own application or the Common Application (the page says the Common Application is open for 2027; use Drexel's application for fall 2026). The fee is USD 65, waived when applying by the priority deadline. A 250 to 650 word essay and official transcripts from every college attended are required; with fewer than 24 semester credits, high school transcripts too. International transfers need notarized English translations and syllabuses or course descriptions for credit evaluation.
• Prerequisites: the transfer prerequisites page lists biological sciences, biomedical engineering, computer science and software engineering, engineering, health sciences, nursing and nutrition sciences, but not economics. Economics prerequisites and GPA are not published there; contact LeBow undergraduate advising.
• Deadlines (as listed for 2026-27; confirm for fall 2027): fall priority 15 April, with rolling review until one month before the term; for international applicants the fall I-20 application deadline is 14 June and the last date to consider an international transfer is 15 July. Winter priority 15 October; spring priority 15 January.
• Transfer scholarships: the Drexel Merit Scholarship applies to transfers too, with amounts set case by case; transfers with an associate degree from an accredited community college may receive the Drexel Promise Scholarship (50% of tuition), which cannot be combined with other merit awards.
• Credit transfer: how credits map to economics courses was not on the pages read; ask admissions.

10. Scholarships and costs

• Tuition: see section 6; the general fee is billed in all terms, including co-op.
• Scholarships: most are awarded at the start of full-time enrollment and apply to class terms while full-time; they are not available during co-op terms. The Dragon Alumni Scholarship gives USD 500 per term toward tuition to students endorsed by a Drexel alumnus.
• Students who already hold a bachelor's degree are not eligible for scholarships.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• Common or Coalition application with economics as first or second choice; three years of math (algebra I and II, geometry) and one year of lab science
• Early Action 15 November, Regular Decision 15 January; CSS Profile by 25 November or 1 February, plus the FAFSA

International students and applicants from China:

• Prepare an approved English test or check the exemptions; prepare transcripts and the graduation certificate with certified English translations
• Submit the CSS Profile for institutional need-based aid; see the ISSS page for the funds and I-20/DS-2019 process
• Gaokao and Huikao policies are not published on the pages read; email enroll@drexel.edu

Transfer students:

• Fall priority 15 April; international transfers aim to finish the I-20 application by 14 June; bring syllabuses
• Ask LeBow advising about economics prerequisites and GPA

Sources: Drexel University, LeBow: economics degrees; LeBow: BA in Economics; LeBow: BS in Economics; LeBow: combined economics majors; LeBow: undergraduate admission standards; Catalog: Economics BA; Catalog: Economics BS; First-year instructions; First-year prerequisites; First-year deadlines; Standardized tests and English proficiency; International undergraduate admissions; International instructions; International first-year transcript requirements; Transfer instructions; Transfer prerequisites; Transfer deadlines; Undergraduate tuition; Undergraduate scholarships. Dates and costs are as listed on those pages (costs are for 2026-27); the first-year date page carries no year, so confirm it applies to fall 2027 entry. Check Drexel for the latest.