FAQs

The Economics Department no longer advises students.  If you are a student looking for advising assistance, please locate your advisor's name in my.SMU under the Academics tab. 

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.

 

 

Please contact your advisor for more information.

Review the Degree Planner resources.  Also watch this video.

ECO courses are offered in fall, spring, and summer term (June and July).  There are no ECO courses offered in Jan term or May term.

Visit our 4+1 page for more information.

Make an appointment with your Dedman Degree Counselor immediately after you've enrolled in your final semester's classes.

Please review the Course Information to see if you meet the requirements.

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.

• 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.

Please contact your advisor to understand the impact, if any, on your degree progress. 

It depends on whether you are a pre-major or a declared major.  Visit the Major Declaration page for more information.

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.

• Visit the Hegi Career Center regularly.  Make a profile in SMU 12twenty.  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. 

Visit the Why Major in Economics? page to learn more.