Political Economy Concentration

The study of political economy involves issues that range from the analysis of American Public Policy, globalization, comparative national economic policies, the relationship of micro-level to macro-level activity, and the ways that public and private choices affect one another.

Requirements for the Concentration:

Since the study of politics and economics are closely and intimately related, we ask students (1) get a grounding in political science and economics, and perhaps a third discipline, sociology; (2) to specialize in either American Public Policy or World Trade and Development; and (3) to integrate their studies in a final senior seminar that cuts across the different fields of specialization.

Students who double major in Economics and Political Science/IR are not permitted to declare a concentration in Political Economy.

Lower Level Course Requirements (four courses required):

All three of the following:

  • ECON 110 Principles of Macroeconomics
  • ECON 111 Principles of Microeconomics
  • POSC 265 Capitalist Crises, Power and Policy or POSC 263 European Political Economy (Not offered in 2016-2017)

plus one course from:

  • ECON 250 History of Economic Ideas (Not offered in 2016-2017)
  • HIST 141 Europe in the Twentieth Century
  • POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics

Middle-Division Requirement (one course required):

The selected course must correspond with area of specialization.

American Public Policy

  • ECON 270 Economics of the Public Sector

or World Trade and Development

Upper Level Course Electives (three courses required):

Each student will select at least three courses from the two areas of specialization listed below in consultation with the concentration coordinator. These courses must come from at least two different departments. Two of these courses will be in the same area of specialization with the third coming from the other area. Courses listed under Middle-Division Requirement (above) may also count as upper level course electives if they are not being used to satisfy the Middle-Division Requirement. Political Science 263 may be used to satisfy one upper level elective requirement in the area of World Trade and Development if Political Science 265 was used to satisfy the lower level course requirement. It may not satisfy both requirements simultaneously.

American Public Policy

World Trade and Development

  • ECON 221 Cambridge Program: Contemporary British Economy
  • ECON 222 Cambridge Program: The Origins of the Modern Economy
  • ECON 269 Economics of Climate Change
  • ECON 271 Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment
  • HIST 395 The Global Cold War
  • POSC 268 Global Environmental Politics and Policy
  • POSC 322 Neoliberalism and the New Left in Latin America*
  • POSC 333 Global Social Changes and Sustainability*
  • POSC 361 Approaches to Development*
  • SOAN 234 Ecology, Economy, and Culture
  • SOAN 239 Social Statistics

Upper Level Seminar Requirement (one course)

  • POSC 322 Neoliberalism and the New Left in Latin America*
  • POSC 361 Approaches to Development*
  • POSC 366 Urban Political Economy*