Business Economics Specialization

The specialization in business economics is organized around the fundamental economic theory and empirical methods that students interested in pursuing careers in the private sector, the non-profit sector, and the public sector (among others) will find useful in carrying out their day-to-day tasks. Students who begin by following the standard economics major path have several decision points at which they can choose to specialize in business economics.

As with the standard economics program, this specialization is divided into five component parts:

  1. Core: The core component is designed to introduce students to the tools of basic economic analysis. These courses include fundamental course work in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and business education.
  2. Methods: The methods component is designed to introduce students to the different toolkits on which economists rely to analyze problems in both microeconomics and macroeconomics.
  3. Empirical Analysis: The empirical analysis component provides students with the fundamental techniques of data analysis. These courses emphasize the application of empirical methods to relevant examples and develop the essential computer skills students need to lead successful careers.
  4. Perspectives: The perspectives requirement recognizes that successful careers require broad-based understanding of the markets and industries in which our potential majors are likely to participate. This requirement is intended to facilitate both the acquisition of sector-specific knowledge and/or job-specific skills that are likely to provide context for the student's economics and business training. Expand the dropdown list below to see pre-approved courses.
  5. Electives: Electives from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Department of Economics allow students to tailor the program to their interests.  

Courses that may meet the perspectives requirement are listed below. Note that this is not an exhaustive list. For current BUSN listings, reference the Business Economics Offerings on the Booth Business Economics website. 

  1. ANTH 10107 Ecologies of Capital
  2. ANTH 20043 Medicine, Culture, and Society
  3. ANTH 21315 Language and the Law
  4. ANTH 20576 Social Theory for rhe Digital Age
  5. ANTH 22132 Science/Fiction/Theory
  6. ANTH 22726 Against the Law
  7. ANTH 23023 Economic Anthropology
  8. ANTH 26330 Making the Maya World
  9. ANTH xxxxx Sex, Money, and Power
  10. ANTH xxxxx Artificial Intelligence: A Social Scientific Perspective
  11. BIOS 24231 Methods in Computational Neuroscience
  12. BIOS 24408 Modeling and Signal Analysis for Neuroscientists
  13. CMSC 11111 Creative Coding
  14. CMSC 13000 AI for All: Societal Perspectives, Concepts and Applications
  15. CMSC 14100 Introduction to Computer Science I
  16. CMSC 25025 Machine Learning and Large-Scale Data Analysis (good for the current major)
  17. CMSC 25400 Machine Learning
  18. DATA 22100 Introduction to Machine Learning: Concepts and Applications
  19. DATA 23100 Machine Learning Fundamentals: Theory and Practice
  20. DATA 26100 Statistical Pitfalls and Misinterpretation of Data
  21. DATA 25900 Ethics, Fairness, Responsibility, and Privacy in Data Science
  22. DATA 21300 Models in Data Science
  23. DATA 12000 Computer Science for Data Science
  24. EALC 24255 Everyday Maoism: Work, Daily Life, and Material Culture in Socialist China
  25. ENGL 10709 Fiction
  26. ENGL 10404 Poetry
  27. ENGL 10600 Drama
  28. ENGL 16500 Shakespeare: Histories and Comedies
  29. ENGL 16600 Shakespeare: Tragedies and Romances
  30. ENGL 20140 London Program: From Industrial City to Financial Center
  31. ENSC 21100 Energy: Science, Technology, and Human Usage
  32. ENSC 24000 Geobiology
  33. ENSC 245000 Environmental Microbiology
  34. ENST 24102 Environmental Politics
  35. GEOS 13400/23400 Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast
  36. GEOS 24220 Climate Foundations
  37. GEOS 24705 Energy: Science, Technology, and Human Usage
  38. GNSE 20127 Black Women Work: The labor of Black women in communities, families, and institutions
  39. GNSE 20555 The Sociology of Work
  40. GRMN 24825 Frictions of Money
  41. HIST 10601 How Sugar Conquered the World
  42. HIST 15007 History of Biotech
  43. HIST 19402 Economic History II: The Early Modern World, circa 1300-1800
  44. HIST 19902 Workers of the World: Global Labor History, 1600-Present
  45. HIST 21026 The Ancient Economy
  46. HIST 28802 United States Labor History
  47. HIST 29533 Economic History III: The Global Economy from Great Depression to Great Recession
  48. LACS 23480 Indigenous Politics in Latin America
  49. LLSO 24682 Revolution and Disillusionment in the Twentieth Century
  50. MADD 10200 Introduction to Design
  51. MADD 20200 Branding and Counterbranding
  52. MATH 15250 Mathematical Methods for Economic Analysis
  53. MENG 15100 Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Molecular Discovery and Engineering
  54. MENG 15200 Engineering for Human Health
  55. MENG 20000 Introduction to Emerging Technologies
  56. MENG 20100 Turning Science and Innovation into Impactful Technologies
  57. MENG 20400 Commercializing Products with Molecular Engineering
  58. MENG 24200 Selected Topics in Molecular Engineering: Molecular/Materials Modelling II
  59. MENG 24300 Selected Topics in Molecular Engineering: The Engineering and Biology of Tissue Repair
  60. MENG 25640 AI, Automation, and Autonomous Experimentation for Materials Discovery
  61. MENG 26400 Quantum Computation
  62. MENG 26630 Introduction to Nanofabrication
  63. MENG 30500 Responsible and Effective Technology Management
  64. NSCI 20130 Systems Neurobiology
  65. PBPL 24751 The Business of Non-Profits and the Evolving Social Sector
  66. PHIL 20216 Philosophy of Life and Death: Mortality, Self, and Society
  67. PHIL 22951/32951 Egalitarianism and Its Critics 
  68. PHIL 21000 Introduction to Ethics
  69. PHIL 21013/31013 Neo-Aristotelian Moral Philosophy
  70. PHIL 24096: Philosophy of Economics
  71. PHIL 24098/34098 Character and Commerce: Practical Wisdom in Economic Life
  72. PHIL 25105 Aristotle's Ethics
  73. PHIL 27206/47206 Hobbes's Leviathan
  74. PHIL 27382/37382 Philosophy of the City: Community, Conflict and Justice
  75. PHIL 27508 Kant's Moral Philosophy
  76. PLSC 22710 Electoral Politics in America
  77. PLSC2 3313 Democracy and Equality
  78. PLSC 23501 International Political Economy
  79. PLSC 27815 Politics and Public Policy in China
  80. PSYC 20200 Psychological Research Methods
  81. PSYC 20400 Cognitive Psychology
  82. PSYC 20500 Developmental Psychology
  83. PSYC 20600 Social Psychology
  84. PSYC 23165 Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Morality: Evolution, Psychology, Neuroscience, Law, and Public Policy
  85. PSYC 23370 The Bright and Dark Sides of Empathy
  86. PSYC 24060. Understanding Practical Wisdom
  87. PSYC 26560 Psychology of Errors and Illusions
  88. PSYC 28680. Goal Pursuit and Self-Regulation
  89. PLSC 23501 International Political Economy
  90. PLSC 29000 Intro to International Relations
  91. PSYC 25101 The Psychology of Decision Making
  92. PSYC 25750 Psychology and Neurobiology of Stress
  93. PBPL 23100 Environmental Law
  94. PBPL 24701 U.S. Environmental Policy
  95. SOCI 20120 Urban Policy Analysis
  96. SOCI 20175 The Sociology of Deviant Behavior
  97. SOCI 20179 Labor Force and Employment
  98. SOCI 20192 The Effects of Schooling
  99. SOCI 20252 Urban Innovation: Cultural Place Making and Scenescape
  100. SOCI 20253 Intro to Spatial Data Science
  101. SOCI 20258  Maverick Markets: Cultural Economy and Cultural Finance
  102. SOCI 20295 Contemporary Social Problems: Morrissey’s America
  103. SOCI 20624/30624 The Global Movement of Wealth
  104. SOCI 20646/30646 AI and the Future of Culture