Overview

The College of Liberal Arts' Department of Economics and the College of Science and Technology's Department of Mathematics jointly offer the Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Economics for students who wish to take a mathematical approach to economics. Economics today makes extensive use of mathematical techniques. Students who wish to pursue graduate study in economics and related fields, such as finance and accounting, need a thorough grounding in both economics and mathematics. The Mathematical Economics curriculum provides a broad selection of courses that cover all important areas of economics and the mathematical tools required for a deep mastery of these areas. This program is especially recommended for those students who intend to pursue graduate studies in economics.

Residency Requirements: Students must satisfy general Temple University residency requirements. At least 10 courses required for the major must be completed at Temple. At least 5 Mathematics courses and 4 Economics courses must be completed at Temple.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: LA-MECN-BA

Distinction in Major

For distinction in Mathematical Economics, a student must have an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher. A student must also have a GPA of 3.50 or higher in the 3000+ Mathematics courses and a GPA of 3.60 or higher in the 3000+ Economics courses.

Contact Information

Michael Bognanno, Economics Department Chair
bognanno@temple.edu

Mathematics Department Chair
mathematics@temple.edu

Dimitrios Diamantaras, Economics Advisor
215-204-8169
dimitrios.diamantaras@temple.edu

Charles Osborne, Mathematics Advisor
215-204-7841
mathadvising@temple.edu

Maria E. Lorenz, Mathematics Department Vice Chair
215-204-7852
mathadvising@temple.edu

Belinda Wilson, Administrator
215-204-0472
bwilson@temple.edu

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Economics.

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2026-2027. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2026 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Summary of Degree Requirements

University Requirements

• MATH 0701 and/or ENG 0701, if required by placement testing.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of their major. All students must take ECON 3598 as their capstone experience. The following is a list of courses that can be used to satisfy the remaining writing-intensive requirement:

  Course List

  Code	Title	Credit Hours
  ECON 3596	Energy, Ecology, and Economy	3
  ECON 3597	Health Economics	3
  ECON 3696	Behavioral Economics	3
  ECON 3697	The Economics of Sports	3
  ECON 3698	Economic Inequality	3
  MATH 3096	Introduction to Modern Algebra	3
  or MATH 3098	Modern Algebra
  MATH 4096	Senior Problem Solving	3

• Students must complete the General Education (GenEd) requirements. Students who complete this major typically receive a waiver for 1 Quantitative Literacy (GQ) GenEd course.

College Requirements

• Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including:
  • 90 credits in CLA/CST courses;
  • 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000-4999).
    • For Social Science majors, 6 upper level credits (numbered 2000-4999) must be taken in Humanities or Natural/Mathematical Sciences. This includes the following departments in the College of Liberal Arts: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek (Ancient), Greek and Roman Classics, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Philosophy, Religion, Russian, and Spanish as well as the Department of Art History in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, or any department in the College of Science and Technology.
  • A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in CLA/CST coursework, and in the major.
  • Only courses in which a student receives a grade of at least C- can satisfy GenEd, major, minor, or CLA Foreign Language and Global Studies requirements.
  • Professional Development Requirement
    • All students in the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a 1 credit seminar in professional development. CLA 1002 Professional Development for Liberal Arts Majors is the appropriate course option for this major. Other courses that fulfill this requirement may be found on the CLA College Requirements page. Only one course in this category may count towards graduation.
  • Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements
    • All students must complete or test out of the first and second levels of a foreign language - these courses are numbered 1001 and 1002;
    • All students must complete at least one course from the GenEd Global/World Society category; and
    • All Bachelor of Arts students must complete one of the following options:
      • Third semester of a foreign language;
      • Demonstrated proficiency beyond the third semester in a foreign language (placement exam or certification from the language department);
      • Take one Global Studies course from the list on the CLA College Requirements page;
      • Study Abroad at an approved program; or
      • Take a second General Education Global/World Society course.
    • Notes on Foreign Language Study
      • The third level of language is numbered 1003 in French, Spanish, and Portuguese and numbered 2001 in all other foreign language subjects.
      • Students are strongly encouraged to take the third level of a foreign language as it is the minimum required for election to the prestigious honor society Phi Beta Kappa. (Taking the course does not guarantee admission but not taking it guarantees exclusion.)
      • See the College of Liberal Arts Policies section of this Bulletin for more information on the Foreign Language Placement, Regression in Coursework, and guidelines for students' other experiences with language.

General Electives are typically one-third of a student's program of study and can be focused on a second major, a minor, or towards some other personal enrichment or professional goals. See an academic advisor for assistance in developing an academic plan for these courses.

Major Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (60 credits)

At least half the courses required for this major (9 courses) must be completed at Temple University.

¹

MATH 2041, MATH 2941, or MATH 2121 may be used to fulfill the Mathematics elective at the 3000 level or above.

²

One of the Mathematics or Economics electives must be a writing-intensive course in order to satisfy the University requirement that each student must fulfill two writing-intensive courses in the major.

Suggested Academic Plan

Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Economics

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2026-2027 Academic Year

¹

All students in the College of Liberal Arts are required to take a 1 credit seminar in professional development. CLA 1002 Professional Development for Liberal Arts Majors is the appropriate course option for this major. 

²

One of the Mathematics or Economics electives must be a writing-intensive course in order to satisfy the University requirement that each student must fulfill two writing-intensive courses within the major.

³

MATH 2041, MATH 2941, or MATH 2121 may be used to fulfill the Mathematics elective at the 3000 level or above.