Universities / Simon Fraser University
Economics at SFU, seven ways
SFU degrees are 120 units, and a typical one-term course is 3 units. Most courses are 3 or 4 units; joint honours is 126. Every figure below is given in SFU's own units so it matches the calendar, and as a percent of the degree so it can be compared with other schools.
Where the units go
Select a program to load it into the comparison below. Unit counts assume the most common course choice where there are options; categories are The Visible Hand's grouping, not the university's.
Side by side
Pick any two programs. Select a course to see what it covers and which programs require it.
Select any course above to see its title, what it covers, and which programs require it.
The differences in one table
| Attribute | Economics Major (BA) | Economics Major (BSc) | Economics Honours (BA) | Economics Honours (BSc) | Business & Economics Joint Major (BA or BBA) | Business & Economics Joint Honours (BA or BBA) | Political Science & Economics Joint Major (BA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | BA | BSc | BA | BSc | BA or BBA | BA or BBA | BA |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences | Beedie School of Business + Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences | Beedie School of Business + Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences |
| Total units | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 126 | 120 |
| How you get in | Declare after 30 units with ECON 201 (C-) and the department's minimum CGPA. | Declare after 30 units with ECON 201 and Calculus II (C-), CGPA 2.0. | Declare after 30 units with ECON 201 (C-). | Apply after 30 units with ECON 201 and Calculus II (C-), CGPA 3.0, ECON GPA 3.0. | Economics declaration plus competitive Beedie admission (internal transfer after 24 units if not already in Beedie). | Must be in the joint major; apply after 9 upper-division BUS units. | Apply after 30 units with ECON 201 (C- or better), meeting the minimum CGPA and ECON program GPA. |
| GPA to continue | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.33 | 2.0 |
| GPA to graduate | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 2.30 BUS GPA | 3.33 | 2.0 |
| Math & computing (units, % of degree) | 3 (3%) | 27 (23%) | 8 (7%) | 27 (23%) | 3 (3%) | 8 (6%) | 3 (3%) |
| Statistics & econometrics (units, % of degree) | 7 (6%) | 15 (13%) | 12 (10%) | 15 (13%) | 7 (6%) | 12 (10%) | 10 (8%) |
| Economic theory & topics (units, % of degree) | 41 (34%) | 27 (23%) | 40 (33%) | 36 (30%) | 36 (30%) | 30 (24%) | 36 (30%) |
| Business & finance (units, % of degree) | — | — | — | — | 42 (35%) | 42 (33%) | — |
| Political science (units, % of degree) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39 (33%) |
| Writing, research & breadth (units, % of degree) | 4 (3%) | 4 (3%) | 13 (11%) | 13 (11%) | 7 (6%) | 7 (6%) | 4 (3%) |
| Open units | 65 (54%) | 47 (39%) | 47 (39%) | 29 (24%) | 25 (21%) | 27 (21%) | 28 (23%) |
| Best suited to | Law, policy, MBA; room for a minor. | Data/quant roles, economics grad school. | Grad school in economics. | PhD-track economics, quant research. | Business careers with an economics edge; startups, consulting, finance. | Top-tier business + economics; grad school. | Government, policy, law, international affairs. |
| Source | Academic calendar Report an error | Academic calendar Report an error | Academic calendar Report an error | Academic calendar Report an error | Academic calendar Report an error | Academic calendar Report an error | Academic calendar Unconfirmed: The Political Science half needs one of BUS 232, ECON 233 or POL 201 and the Economics half needs ECON 233 or BUS 232. The calendar does not say whether one course can count for both; this page counts them separately (if it can, 3 more units are open). Report an error |
Getting in
Where students are admitted
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (or Beedie for joint programs)
When the program is declared
30 units with ECON 201 (C-)
Worth knowing
Joint business programs require competitive Beedie admission.
Things worth knowing before choosing
The BSc major hides a 3.0 hurdle
Continuation is 2.0, but required ECON 435 needs a 3.0 CGPA or department permission.
The calculus route matters
MATH 157/158 is accepted, but MATH 251 then needs a B in MATH 158. The 151/152 route avoids that.
Beedie is the gate for joint programs
Non-Beedie students apply by internal transfer after 24 units with a supplemental application.
A strong ECON 201 saves a course
An A- or better on the first attempt waives the extra 200-level ECON requirement.
Economics + Psychology: 4 ways to combine them
No Economics and Psychology joint major exists at SFU.
| Attribute | Econ Major BA + Psychology Minor | Econ + Psych Double Major (BA) | Business & Psychology Joint Major + Econ Minor | Behavioural Neuroscience BSc + Econ Minor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economics side | Full major (~55 units) | Full major | Minor: ECON 103 and 105 (or 113/115), two 200-level ECON, and 15 upper-division ECON units after 60 units | Minor |
| Other side | Psych minor ~31 units: PSYC 100, 102, 201W (C), two 200-level, 15+ upper PSYC | Full Psychology major | Psych half of joint major + Beedie core | Full Behavioural Neuroscience major |
| Room left | ~34 open units | Very little | Little | Little |
| Entry hurdle | Lowest | Both departments' rules | Competitive Beedie admission | Competitive approval average |
| Best for | Behavioural economics, consulting, policy | Grad school in either field | Startups, marketing, people analytics | Neurotech, biotech, health |
Psychology reserves 300/400-level seats for approved majors/minors until open enrollment; declare early.
Bridge courses: ECON 428, PSYC 221, PSYC 280, PSYC 382.
Sources
- SFU Fall 2026 Calendar: Economics
- SFU Fall 2026 Calendar: Psychology
- Course titles are from the calendar; course summaries are paraphrased. Unit tallies are planning estimates, and open units also have to cover SFU's breadth and writing requirements.