FAQs
General Advising Questions
Please complete the ECO “On Track” Calculator and review the sample 4-year plans and flowcharts (found in the calculator file). If you still have questions, email me (alyssawong@smu.edu) a copy of your completed calculator form.
It depends on your major. The options may include:
- Money and Banking (ECO 3355), if not already specifically required for your major
- Any 4000 level, 3-hour ECO course "ECO 43xx" that you meet the prerequisites for that you are not already required to take for your major (ex. Economics of Education: ECO 4361)
Note: Some advanced electives require ECO 3302 as a prerequisite. You cannot take those electives until you have completed ECO 3302.
You should view your catalog (pay attention to the catalog year and major) for more information. However, the catalog will list all recently offered elective courses. Not all of the courses found in the catalog are offered each semester.
Enrollment Concerns
Unfortunately not. You will need to join the waitlist. Be sure to follow the guidelines. If you've correctly followed the guidelines and students drop and/or additional seats are added, then you will automatically roll into the course. No additional action is needed from you.
Please do not contact the ECO professor. ECO professors do not manage enrollment. You will be directed to your ECO advisor who will tell you to join/remain on the waitlist.
If you have questions about non-ECO course availability, contact the appropriate department (i.e. if you cannot get into a history course, please contact the history department). You can locate the department's admin or coordinator via the department's website.
For some minors (including the business minor), you must be a declared minor prior to enrolling in the courses. To declare a minor, please read the minor FAQs below and/or click here.
It may take up to 10 business days, so do not wait until the last minute to declare your minor.
No, prerequisites are firm. The Department has elected to not allow any exceptions to the prerequisites. The prerequisites exist to ensure that you are successful in the course.
Academic Concerns
- Visit office hours. Let your professor know that you are struggling and ask what you can do to improve.
- Visit the A-LEC tutoring center. A-LEC tutoring is available at no charge to SMU undergraduates and no appointment is necessary.
- The Writing Center is a resource for all SMU undergraduates who need help with a writing—or reading—project of any kind.
First complete your ECO "On Track" Calculator. To get a rough idea of how this impacts your progress, look at your Step 4 hours total in row 53.
- Let's say your total hours remaining is 45 hours and you have 3 semesters left after this semester (45 hours / 3 semesters = 15 hours/semester).
- If you were to drop a 3-hour course, then your total hours needed would increase to 48 hours. Now you need to average 16 hours/semester (48 hours / 3 semesters = 16 hours/semester). Since courses are generally in 3-hour increments, you'll likely instead need an 18 hour semester, a 15 hour semester, and another 15 hour semester. Alternatively, you could make up the course in an Intersession term.
You also need to think about what type of course you are dropping. If this course is specifically required for your major, then you'll need to take it at a later date. If it is a critical course that is a prerequisite for other courses (example: ECO 3301), then it could mean postponing your graduation.
You also need to consider your advanced hours requirement in row 12. If the course you are potentially dropping is an advanced course (i.e. at the 3000 level or higher), then that requirement will also be impacted after you drop the course. For example, if your advanced hours remaining after this semester is 15 hours, and you drop a 3-hour advanced course, then that requirement will change to 18 advanced hours needed after this semester.
If you still have questions, email me (alyssawong@smu.edu) a copy of your completed calculator.
Adding Majors and Minors
First complete your ECO "On Track" Calculator. Then determine how many hours you still need to complete the other major/minor. You can determine this by pulling a "What If Report" in your Degree Planner, by visiting the catalog page for the major/minor that you hope to add, and/or by visiting with someone in that department.
Once you've determined how many hours you would need to complete the additional major/minor, plug that number into your calculator under the corresponding major/minor row in Step 2. You can then view the impact this has on your overall progress by observing the change in Step 4 (i.e. what does my "on track" information look like with and without the additional major/minor?).
To learn more, watch the video. If you still have questions, email me (alyssawong@smu.edu) a copy of your completed calculator.
To add a non-ECO major, complete the Major Declaration/Change Form. If the additional major is a Dedman major, then email your form to Dedman Academic Services at dcacademicservices@smu.edu. For other non-Dedman majors, you'll need to contact that school's record's office.
Please note that some major changes require signature from an advisor. The records office will let you know if an additional signature is required.
To learn more, watch the "Adding Majors and Minors" video.
You can add/delete a minor in my.SMU by completing an e-minor declaration form.
To learn more, watch the "Adding Majors and Minors" video.
Career Help
- Visit the Hegi Career Center regularly. Make a profile in Handshake. Attend the career fairs, mock interviews, resume workshops, etc.
- Attend the Hegi ECO events: ECO alumni panels, "What Can I Do With an ECO Major?", etc.
- Regularly visit the ECO Career Blog which contains information about job and internship opportunities, webinars, graduate school, conferences, etc. Please visit the site as often as you’d like to learn more about professional development opportunities.