Business Economics, Bachelor of Science (724)
Program Coordinator
David M. Zimmer, david.zimmer@wku.edu, (270) 745-2880
Why complete a degree in Business Economics?
Business Economics combines the analytical rigor of economic theory with hands-on training across accounting, finance, business data analytics, management, and marketing — giving graduates both the “economic way of thinking” and the practical business skills employers want. It is an ideal path for students who want the depth of an economics major without pursuing a second major, opening doors to careers as financial analysts, bank examiners, business consultants, policy analysts, and more.
What is your path to a degree in Business Economics at WKU?
The Business Economics program requires 72 hours of professional and elective coursework, within the 120 hours required for a baccalaureate degree. Rather than a course-by-course list, the path is intentionally structured so each stage builds the skills students need for both certification and career.
Business Core (27 hours)
Before diving into specialized major coursework, students build fluency across the core functions of business — accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, statistics, and analytics. This shared foundation, completed by every Gordon Ford College of Business major, ensures graduates don’t just understand their discipline in isolation; they understand how that work connects to strategy, operations, and decision-making across an organization. A culminating strategy course ties these functions together, asking students to think like leaders rather than specialists.
Career Preparation Curriculum (6 hours)
Technical skill alone doesn’t land a job or carry a career — employers consistently rank communication and professionalism alongside technical knowledge. This curriculum is designed to ensure students enter the workforce ready on day one: developing polished written and verbal communication, building a professional identity early in their academic career, and culminating in a senior-level assessment that confirms readiness for the profession.
Economics Coursework (21 hours)
This is where the analytical depth of the major is built — progressing from macro and micro theory into applied statistical and econometric methods, and finishing with managerial economics, which directly applies economic reasoning to business decision-making.
Electives (18 hours)
The combination of economics and business electives lets each student aim their training toward a specific path, whether that’s finance, data analytics, entrepreneurship, or another business discipline — turning a broad foundation into a personalized career pipeline.
Program Concentrations
The Business Economics major does not offer formal concentrations, but its 18 hours of electives give students substantial room to focus their coursework, often paired with a minor or certificate in data analytics, entrepreneurship, or sales.
Program Requirements (72 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The Business Economics major does not require an additional minor or major, but the structure of the program leaves enough room for students to complete a minor or certificate, especially if that minor or certificate is in the Gordon Ford College of Business.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Business Foundations Courses | ||
| MATH 123 | Mathematical Applications for Business * | 3 |
| ACCT 110 | Accounting for Decision Makers | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Principles of Economics (Micro) | 3 |
| ECON 206 | Statistics | 3 |
| MGT 210 | Organization and Management | 3 |
| MKT 220 | Basic Marketing Concepts | 3 |
| BDAN 250 | Introduction to Analytics | 3 |
| FIN 330 | Principles of Finance | 3 |
| MGT 498 | Strategy and Policy | 3 |
| or ENT 496 | Hilltopper Student Consulting Experience | |
| Career Preparation Courses | ||
| BA 170 | Business Student Basics 1 | 1 |
| or BA 175 | University Experience-Business | |
| or BA 220 | Special Topics in Business Administration (Lower Division) | |
| MGT 261 | Business Communication Fundamentals | 3 |
| ECON 399 | Career Readiness in Economics | 1 |
| ECON 499 | Senior Assessment | 1 |
| Economics Courses | ||
| ECON 203 | Principles of Economics (Macro) | 3 |
| ECON 302 | Microeconomic Theory | 3 |
| ECON 303 | Macroeconomic Theory | 3 |
| ECON 306 | Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| or ECON 307 | Financial Data Modeling | |
| ECON 375 | Moral Issues of Capitalism 2 | 3 |
| or ECON 390 | Economics, Law, and Public Choice | |
| or ECON 434 | The Economics of Poverty and Discrimination | |
| ECON 414 | Managerial Economics | 3 |
| ECON 465 | Regression and Econometric Analysis | 3 |
| Economics Electives | ||
| Select 12 hours from the following: 2 | 12 | |
ECON 3@ | ||
ECON 4@ | ||
| Business Electives | ||
| Select 6 hours from the following: | 6 | |
| Principles of Financial Accounting | ||
ACCT 3@ | ||
ACCT 4@ | ||
BDAN 3@ | ||
BDAN 4@ | ||
ECON 3@ | ||
ECON 4@ | ||
ENT 3@ | ||
ENT 4@ | ||
FIN 3@ | ||
FIN 4@ | ||
MGT 3@ | ||
MGT 4@ | ||
MKT 3@ | ||
MKT 4@ | ||
| Total Hours | 72 | |
- *
Or any calculus class, or math ACT score of at least 26, or math SAT score of at least 610.
- 1
BA175 (1 hour) is only for Business LLC students. BA220 (3 hours) is only for WKU students and transfer students who choose a business major as a sophomore or higher.
- 2
Some upper-level electives may satisfy Colonnade Connections requirements: ECON 375 is in the Social and Cultural category, and ECON 385 and ECON 430 are in the Local to Global category. Note, only one of these courses can be used to satisfy the Connections requirement - the rest must be taken from other disciplines.
Finish in Four Plan
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences | 3 | Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 |
| ECON 202 (Colonnade Explorations - Social and Behavioral Sciences) | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 |
| MATH 123 | 3 | ECON 203 | 3 |
| BDAN 250 | 3 | ECON 206 | 3 |
| BA 170, BA 175, or BA 220 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENG 200 (or another approved Colonnade Foundations - Literary Studies course) | 3 | MGT 261 | 3 |
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences with lab | 3-4 | MKT 220 | 3 |
| MGT 210 | 3 | ACCT 110 | 3 |
| MGT 200 | 3 | ECON 303 | 3 |
| ECON 302 | 3 | ECON Elective | 3 |
| 15-16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | ECON 375, ECON 390, or ECON 434 | 3 |
| FIN 330 | 3 | ECON Elective | 3 |
| ECON 306 or ECON 307 | 3 | Business Elective | 3 |
| ECON Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| ECON 399 | 1 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) | 3 | MGT 498 or ENT 496 | 3 |
| ECON 414 | 3 | ECON 465 | 3 |
| Business Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| ECON Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| ECON Elective | 3 | ECON 499 | 1 |
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Total Hours 120-121 | |||
- 1
It is recommended that ECON 465 should be taken during the second to last semester as it will help student prepare for the Senior Seminar. ECON 465 should not be taken concurrently with ECON 499.