Undergrad Course Question

[spot4992]

I am a double major in Math and Econ, and I would like the community's opinion on a question of mine. Should I take Mathematical Economics or International Trade (both through the Econ department)? I would like to work with the Federal government after graduation, but a Ph.D program is in the mix potentially. My advisor says that the Math Econ class is "necessary" to get into a grad program, even though I have a strong Math major as well. I personally think that the Math Econ class is a little unnecessary due to the fact that I have taken every math class offered here. And I think that the International Trade class could look good for various federal jobs in the State Department and other agencies. What do you think?

[MidwesternAloha]

If it's a prerequisite for grad school, you know what you need to do. Can you take the international trade class another semester? Or after you graduate? Many people do that, to have application boosters prior to applying to grad school.

[StatsG0d]

Is Mathematical Economics basically micro theory with calculus applications? If so, then yes you should definitely take that if you want to go to graduate school. If it's an elective beyond intermediate micro/macro theory, then it's definitely not necessary. I work at the IMF, and I have seen several colleagues get into top-10 econ PhD programs without such a class. The adcoms care more about your grades in multivariate, linear algebra, and real analysis.

 

I guess ceteris paribus the more quantitative class looks better to adcoms, but I seriously doubt you'll ever be in the situation where you would be rejected for not taking it and taking international trade instead. I also don't think that taking the international trade class will help you much in your job. I took international economics, and it certainly doesn't help me at all in my job.

[brettmullga]

I'm not sure how accurate your professor's information is, despite the urge to assume that in your context (which I'm ignorant of) the professor is correct. From the Cornell website: "Courses called Mathematics for Economists, Mathematics for Social Scientists, and Econometrics are not a substitute for formal mathematics."

 

As a Math major, I assume you've taken the Calculus sequence, a Real Analysis Sequence, a Linear Algebra sequence, a Calc-based Statistics sequence and potentially additional courses in topology and optimization. Other than applications, I'm not sure what more one will get from a Mathematical Econ course at the undergraduate level. It may be the case that Econ is necessary if one has made poor grades in some of the courses I listed above. Doing well in Math Econ will signal that one now has a better grasp of the material with relevant applications. Other than in that case, my vote is for International Trade.

 

Link: http://economics.cornell.edu/graduate-program/general-program-info/prerequisites