Economics - transfer major

Department website: https://www.mhcc.edu/education-options/degrees-certificates/economics/index

Faculty Adviser

Peter Cunningham: 503-491-7023 | Room AC2677 | Peter.Cunningham@mhcc.edu

Economics studies how wealth (or “goods and services”) is produced, consumed, and transferred. Students who take EC201 and EC202 at MHCC report that it improved their critical thinking skills.

Those who want to pursue a four-year degree in economics should work with their transfer college and an MHCC adviser. These students can continue to law school, business, political science, and more.

economists

Transfer Outcomes

The primary objective of MHCC's transfer programs is to fulfill general education requirements and prepare students for transferring to bachelor's degree programs. MHCC identifies the following core institutional outcomes as program outcomes for its transfer programs:

  • Communication
  • Cultural competence
  • Quantitative reasoning and analysis
  • Information literacy
  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Skills to promote personal wellness
  • Civic and social responsibility

Students interested in pursuing the Economics major can complete the following courses toward the Social Science requirement and/or electives on the AS (recommended if pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree), ASLA (recommended if pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree),AST-Business, AAOT, or AGS degrees. Students are highly encouraged to work with a university transfer adviser to choose the right courses. 

EC201ZPrinciples of Economics I: Microeconomics (Course offered online)4
EC202ZPrinciples of Economics II: Macroeconomics (Course offered online)4

Transfer Schools

 

The following examples show how a student can complete an AS degree while also taking economics courses. Students should work with their MHCC adviser, and their preferred transfer college, to pick the right classes. Not all courses are offered every term. Click on a course number to see what term(s) the course is typically offered. While students are welcome to start classes at MHCC in any term, many plans in the catalog are meant to start in fall term unless otherwise noted. 

  • Full time = 12 or more credits per term; takes 6 to 7 terms to complete.
  • 3/4 time = 9 to 11 credits per term; takes about 8 to 10 terms to complete.
  • Part time = 6 to 8 credits per term; takes about 11 to 13 terms to complete.

Sample Plan (full time)

Plan of Study Grid
First QuarterCredits
WR121Z Composition I (Course offered online) 4
Oral Communication 3-4
Electives / university requirements 6-8
 Credits15
Second Quarter
MTH111Z Precalculus I: Functions (Course offered online) 4
WR122Z
Composition II (Course offered online)
or Technical Writing (Course offered online)
4
Arts & Letters 3-4
Elective / university requirement 4
 Credits15-16
Third Quarter
MTH112Z Precalculus II: Trigonometry 4
Health & Physical Education 3
Electives / university requirements 8
 Credits15
Fourth Quarter
EC201Z Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics (Course offered online) 4
MTH251Z Differential Calculus 4
Arts & Letters 3-4
Elective / university requirement 4
 Credits15
Fifth Quarter
EC202Z Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics (Course offered online) 4
STAT243Z Elementary Statistics I (Course offered online) 4
Electives / university requirements 7-8
 Credits16
Sixth Quarter
STAT244 Elementary Statistics II 4
Electives, if needed to reach 90 credits 10
 Credits14
 Total Credits90-91

Sample Plan (part time) 

Plan of Study Grid
First QuarterCredits
WR121Z Composition I (Course offered online) 4
Oral Communication 3-4
 Credits7-8
Second Quarter
WR122Z
Composition II (Course offered online)
or Technical Writing (Course offered online)
4
Elective / university requirement 4
 Credits8
Third Quarter
Arts & Letters 3-4
Health / Physical Education 3
Elective / university requirement 3-4
 Credits10
Fourth Quarter
Electives / university requirements 8-10
 Credits9
Fifth Quarter
EC201Z Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics (Course offered online) 4
Elective / university requirement 4
 Credits8
Sixth Quarter
EC202Z Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics (Course offered online) 4
Elective / university requirement 4
 Credits8
Seventh Quarter
MTH111Z Precalculus I: Functions (Course offered online) 4
Elective / university requirement 4
 Credits8
Eighth Quarter
MTH112Z Precalculus II: Trigonometry 4
Elective / university requirement 4
 Credits8
Ninth Quarter
MTH251Z Differential Calculus 4
Arts & Letters 3-4
 Credits8
Tenth Quarter
STAT243Z Elementary Statistics I (Course offered online) 4
Elective / university requirement 3-4
 Credits8
Eleventh Quarter
STAT244 Elementary Statistics II 4
Elective / university requirement 4
 Credits8
 Total Credits90-91

EC115 Introduction to Economics (Course offered online)

Credits 3Fall/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W; and MTH020; each with a grade of "C" or better, or placement above stated course levels.

An introduction to the basic economic activities of producing, exchanging, consuming, saving and investment for the purpose of preparing a student for the utilization of economics to real-life experiences. This course provides specific examination of the role of economics in the fields of agriculture/natural resources; mechanics and transportation; business and computer technologies; health and human services; engineering technologies; construction and design; and communication technologies. Business administration transfer students should not take the course.

This course fulfills: Human Relations; Social Science

View Course Outcomes:

  1. Comprehend the impact of economic events on careers, the workplace and lifelong learning
  2. Define and describe the economic activities (producing, exchanging, consuming, saving and investing) of individuals, companies, labor and government, along with the interdependence of these entities
  3. Demonstrate critical-thinking and decision-making skills on cases drawn from the workplace
  4. Describe the role of the market system in a global economy
  5. Interpret relatively commonplace economics events through the study and application of everyday economic concepts
  6. Students will have a better understanding of fiscal and monetary policy at the end of course.

EC201Z Principles of Economics I: Microeconomics (Course offered online)

Credits 4Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W; and MTH020; each with a grade of "C" or higher, or placement above stated course levels. Recommended Requisite: Sophomore standing.

This course examines how consumers and firms make choices when facing scarce resources, and how those choices are related to government policy and market outcomes, such as prices and output.

EC202Z Principles of Economics II: Macroeconomics (Course offered online)

Credits 4Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: EC115 or EC201Z.

Examines the aggregate activity of a market economy, economic growth, inflation, unemployment, and the use of fiscal and monetary policy to address macroeconomic problems.

Online option regularly offered

Cultural Literacy course