Advising
This page is designed to provide information useful to prospective and current undergraduate students in Economics. Be sure to see the frequently asked questions section below, and also these links to important sites.
Announcements
Check the announcements for information relevant to AB and BBA Economics majors. This information is updated weekly or biweekly to keep you informed about seminars, specific study abroad opportunities, internships, job opportunities, and so on.
Current Advising Schedule
Spring 2009 Advising:
No scheduled appointments are available through SARA.
Advising is available through walk-in hours only. If the times are inconvenient, please contact the academic advisor.
Office hours are Monday-Thursday:
- 8:30 am-11:30 am
- 1:30 pm-3:00 pm
Exceptions:
Nov. 11, 1:30-3:00 pm only
Nov. 12, 11:00 am-noon and 1:30-3:00 pm
Nov. 25, 8:30-11:30 am only
Nov. 26, no office hours
Dec. 10, 11:00 am-noon and 1:30-3:00 pm
Advising Appointments
You may sign up online for advising appointments, but only after the current drop-add period and before registration begins for seniors. Please note that drop-add is during the first week of classes and senior registration typically begins in late-March and late-October. After senior registration begins, come by 539 Brooks Hall during posted office hours.
Appointments during the summer are on a walk-in basis only.
Registration dates can be found on the Registrar's web site. If you have problems setting up an appointment, contact the undergraduate advisor or call the Economics Department at 706-542-1311.
Intended AB and Intended BBA Economics majors are advised in New College. You can contact New College at 706-542-1412.
Intended AB majors with more than 60 hours earned, and all AB and BBA economics majors are advised by the Economics undergraduate advisor. Double majors and Honors students should always check with each departmental advisor before classes start each semester. AB Graduation E-appointments should be made with Schala Bolton at the Franklin advising web site up to one year before graduation. BBA Graduation Appointments should be made online after signing up for the final semester of classes.
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Internships
You may receive credit toward the Economics major for certain types of employment. To receive this credit, you must register for the internship course ECON 4800. However, registration for this course is contingent on approval from a member of the Economics faculty. You are responsible for providing a written proposal to the professor, explaining the nature of the employment, how it might be related to the major, and what you expect to learn.
You and the professor should also agree in writing as to how you will be evaluated and what is required to receive course credit. It is best if this agreement can be reached no later than five weeks prior to employment. For more information on the internship, please refer to this information sheet 
(PDF | 12 KB) and contact Joanna if you have any questions.
For information on specific internship opportunities, see News and Upcoming Events above for newly advertised positions. Also see the links on the Career Resources page to the left.
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The Senior Thesis Course (ECON 5900)
All Economics majors must write a senior thesis under the supervision of Dr. David Robinson and a faculty advisor in the Economics Department before graduation. Students may write about any aspect of Economics that the faculty advisor approves. Some students choose to use their thesis in interviews after graduation.
Dr. Robinson is the instructor of the class and posts a syllabus on our department's class schedule each semester. The syllabus includes a list of available faculty and their areas of specialization, the permission sheet that the faculty advisor must sign before the student submits any course work, Dr. Robinson's office hours, and important dates. The main text of the paper is limited to no more than 20 pages.
Honors students may take ECON 5900H to fulfill their honors thesis and senior thesis requirements. Students are not limited to 20 pages when writing an honors thesis and are often expected to conduct more research and data analysis.
To enroll in ECON 5900H, students need to have completed at least one research course. Students may take ECON 5960H or ECON 5970H as a research class to count as a major required course. However, students are not required to keep the same topic or faculty advisor for both the research course and ECON 5900H. Please note that students must fill out the "Application for Honors Undergraduate Research" form found on the CURO web site for each course.
To get an idea of the variety of topics on which past students have written, see this list of recent titles. To view award-winning papers, check the department's Outstanding Senior Paper award page.
Tips:
- Because there are few class meetings, it is very important to attend this class during drop/add.
- Students should have a topic or two in mind before speaking to a professor about becoming a faculty advisor.
- Completing a few ECON 4100-level or above courses before ECON 5900 usually results in a better thesis.
- Starting ECON 5900 in the summer is not recommended. If needed, students may enroll in the spring, attend the classes, start working on the paper, then withdraw and re-enroll in the summer.
- Before enrolling in the summer, check to see if the faculty advisor will be available, make sure as much of the research is completed as possible, and pay close attention to the important dates.
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Study-Abroad
The Terry College offers a number of study-abroad programs for Economics majors. For details, contact Sally Vandiver or see Study Abroad at Terry. For UGA programs, see the Office of International Education's information on study abroad. Students may be advised via email and cleared for registration for the upcoming semester while attending a study abroad program.
If the program is not a UGA-sponsored program, it is important to list the enrolled courses when emailing the advisor. For fall semester advising, students should email the advisor in February. For spring semester advising, students should email the advisor in September.
Leadership Certificate
The Terry College offers a Certificate in Leadership for undergraduate students. Information is available from the college's Institute for Leadership Advancement.
Interdisciplinary Certificate in Music Business
The Terry College and the Hodgson School of Music offer a Music Business certificate to students interested in the music industry. More information is available from UGA's Music Business Program.
Pre-law Preparation
Pre-law students should attend a pre-law orientation offered in fall and spring semesters. Orientation, as well as other general information, is available through the Vice President for Instruction's Pre-law Advising Office. Keep in mind - when taking upper-level ECON courses, majors should take advantage of their professors' office hours. Recommendation letters are often better when the professors know the students on an individual basis rather than as just another face in class.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I minor in Economics?
- As an Honors student, can I receive Honors credit for upper-level ECON courses?
- Are there any student organizations related to Economics?
- What jobs are available to students with an Economics degree?
- How do I know what classes are offered next semester if the classes aren't listed on OASIS?
- When is the last day to register without a late fee?
- What if I receive a C- in a major required or major related class?
- What happens if I take the same class twice?
- Is there a web site where I can find out more about the plus/minus grading system?
- What if I have a hardship during the semester and need to withdraw from classes?
- Can I finish my ECON 5900 paper if I no longer live in Athens?
- What if I have not been enrolled in over a year?
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- Can I minor in Economics?
No minor in economics is offered at this time. Double-majoring is, of course, possible.
- As an Honors student, can I receive Honors credit for upper-level ECON courses?
Yes, you may receive Honors option credit for ECON 4010 and ECON 4020. When taking ECON 4100-level or above courses, you may choose to take the 6000-level equivalent if offered or Honors option credit. If there's a 6000-level equivalent that is not listed on OASIS, the academic advisor can enter the class on OASIS if the professor gives permission. The Graduate School Approval form for 6000-level course enrollment is available at the Honors Office in Moore College.
- Are there any student organizations related to Economics?
Yes, students may join the Economics Society and/or Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE). Please refer to the Economics Society link at the left for more information about these student organizations and to join the Economics Society's listserv. Please note that the society is not active during the summer months.
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- What jobs are available to students with an Economics degree?
Students who complete statistics and math courses in addition to the specific courses required for the Economics degree are often more competitive for financial-type positions. The UGA Career Center keeps updated information about the jobs available for Economics majors after graduation. Please refer to the Career Resources link to the left for more information.
- How do I know what classes are offered next semester if the classes aren't listed on OASIS?
You can see all of the classes (including full classes) offered in a given semester on the Schedule of Classes. The Schedule of Classes is updated every night and can be found on the Registrar's web site.
- When is the last day to register without a late fee?
You can find registration dates and payment information on the Bursar's web site. If you have questions, you should contact someone in the Bursar's Office.
- What if I receive a C- in a major required or major related class?
If you receive a C- in a major required or major related class, the course cannot count as a major class. If the class is ECON 4010, ECON 4020 or ECON 5900, you will need to retake the class and make a C or better. If the class is one of the four ECON 4100-level or above courses or a major related course, you may take a different course as long as it's approved for the area on your degree audit report. Terry majors: You must have at least a 2.0 Terry GPA and major GPA, in addition to the 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA, to graduate with a BBA in Economics.
- What happens if I take the same class twice?
Repeating a class does not replace the original grade; both grades appear on your transcript. Furthermore, if you have made a grade of C or better, there is a risk to repeating the class - if you fail the class (or make a C- or D in a major class), then you will have to take it a third time, as all grade requirements are based on the last time you took the class. See the undergraduate advisor for further explanation, if necessary.
- Is there a web site where I can find out more about the plus/minus grading system?
Yes, the UGA bulletin has a frequently asked questions section on the plus/minus grading system.
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- What if I have a hardship during the semester and need to withdraw from classes?
If you have a hardship (such as a severe illness, severe accident, or family emergency), you should contact Linda Edge in Student Affairs at 706-542-8220. Include your full name and birth date in the email or mail your request to 115 Hunter/Holmes Academic Bldg.
- Can I finish my ECON 5900 paper if I no longer live in Athens?
Yes, you may finish while living and working outside of the Athens area. You should contact the academic advisor to be cleared to register for the course. If you only have ECON 5900 remaining, you may email the academic advisor to see if you can be advised and cleared via email. In the recent past, students living outside of Athens have sent Dr. Robinson pre-paid, self-addressed FedEx or UPS envelopes to reduce transit time. Coursework can be mailed via the US Postal Service, but it does take longer to leave campus.
The senior paper cannot be emailed or faxed at this time. It is very important to keep up with the deadlines when you are off-campus. If you do not have time to finish the course work by the midpoint withdrawal deadline, be sure to withdraw from the course to avoid a WF. (Your records remain active for a year after your last enrolled semester. If you have not been enrolled within the past 12 months, please also refer to the question below.)
- What should I do if I haven't been enrolled in over a year?
You must apply for re-admission as a former undergraduate. Talk with someone in the Admissions Office in Terrell Hall, or check its application information page. for more information. Your academic advisor can advise you before you apply if you'd like. Once you receive your acceptance notification, you should contact your academic advisor to be cleared to register for classes. If you are unable to take classes in the semester that you are re-admitted, you should contact the Admissions Office to move your start date to the next semester to avoid the application process again.
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