Environmental Economics and Policy Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
The BS degree in Environmental Economics and Policy focuses on the development of strong economic and statistical skills and their use in the analysis while providing flexibility to incorporate interests in the biological, physical or social sciences. They also will focus on course work in environmental sciences, political sciences, and related subject areas with a greater focus on the socioeconomic dimensions of environmental sciences.
Major Code: 237
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Explain microeconomic theory at the intermediate level, including producer theory, how markets work and prices are formulated, market failure and its causes, and welfare theory.
- Analyze natural resource and environmental management issues, including the management of specific resources (such as fishery, forests, land, and water), by applying relevant economic theory and tools.
- Apply statistics and regression techniques to economic data and models and evaluate results.
- Communicate the process and results of economic analysis of environmental and natural resource issues through a variety of written and oral methods.
- Demonstrate the powers and constraints of US legal structures and policy tools to address environmental and natural resource issues.
All EEP majors must complete the Core Requirements, MTH 111Z, MTH 241 or MTH 251Z, ST 351, AEC 446 and Additional Writing course with a grade of C- or higher.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| AEC 250 | +*INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 4 |
| or ECON 201Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS | |
| AEC 253 | *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, POLICY, AND ECONOMICS | 4 |
| AEC 311 | INTERMEDIATE APPLIED ECONOMICS I: PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS | 4 |
| AEC 313 | INTERMEDIATE APPLIED ECONOMICS II: MARKETS, WELFARE & POLICY | 4 |
| AEC 351 | *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC 352/ECON 352 | *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC 432 | ENVIRONMENTAL LAW | 4 |
| AEC 434 | ^BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS | 4 |
| ECON 202Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS | 4 |
| Upper-Division Electives | ||
| Select five additional AEC courses or other upper-division courses 1 | 15-20 | |
| Difference, Power and Oppression - Advanced | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| +*INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE AND SUBSISTENCE | ||
| +*POWER AND JUSTICE IN U.S. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | ||
| +*ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | ||
| +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | ||
| Beyond OSU I | ||
| AEC 007 | +BEYOND OSU I: PREPARE | 0 |
| Beyond OSU II | ||
| AEC 412 | +APPLIED ECONOMICS COURSE-BASED RESEARCH | 3 |
| or AEC 413 | +CAREER-FOCUSED INTERNSHIP | |
| Computers | ||
| AG 111 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE | 3-4 |
| or CS 101 | COMPUTERS: APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS | |
| or AEC 252 | DATA FOUNDATIONS FOR APPLIED ECONOMICS | |
| GIS | ||
| FW 303 | SURVEY OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN NATURAL RESOURCE | 3-4 |
| or GEOG 360 | GISCIENCE I: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND THEORY | |
| or HORT 414 | PRECISION AGRICULTURE | |
| Mathematics | ||
| MTH 111Z | +*PRECALCULUS I: FUNCTIONS | 4 |
| MTH 241 | +*CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE | 4 |
| or MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | |
| Statistics | ||
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| AEC 446 | INTRODUCTION TO APPLIED ECONOMETRICS | 4 |
| Social Science | ||
| Select one course from the Core Ed Social Science category 2 | 3-4 | |
| Additional Writing | ||
| Select one additional WR course from the Core Ed Writing Elevation category 3 | 3-4 | |
| Remaining Core Ed and Electives | 88-97 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
- 1
Five upper-division courses are required. A minimum of two courses must be AEC; the other three courses can be from AEC or a different department. Non-AEC courses must be selected with advisor approval. Courses cannot double-count with any other courses in the major
- 2
The Social Science category in Core Ed cannot double-count for major courses
- 3
Two courses in the Core Ed Writing Elevation category are required. The first counts towards Core Ed requirements and the second counts towards major requirements
Major Code: 237
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| MTH 111Z | +*PRECALCULUS I: FUNCTIONS | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| ECON 202Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS | 4 |
| MTH 241 or MTH 251Z | +*CALCULUS FOR MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE or +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| Computers Course | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| AEC 250 or ECON 201Z | +*INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY or +*PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS | 4 |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| AEC 253 | *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, POLICY, AND ECONOMICS | 4 |
| Additional Writing Course | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| ST 351 | INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL METHODS | 4 |
| GIS Course | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| AEC 007 | +BEYOND OSU I: PREPARE | 0 |
| AEC 311 | INTERMEDIATE APPLIED ECONOMICS I: PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS | 4 |
| AEC 351 | *NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC 446 | INTRODUCTION TO APPLIED ECONOMETRICS | 4 |
| AEC Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| AEC 313 | INTERMEDIATE APPLIED ECONOMICS II: MARKETS, WELFARE & POLICY | 4 |
| AEC 352/ECON 352 | *ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | 3 |
| AEC Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| AEC 434 | ^BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS | 4 |
| AG 311 | +*INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE AND SUBSISTENCE or +*ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE or +*POWER AND JUSTICE IN U.S. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT or +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | 3 |
| Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| AEC 412 or AEC 413 | +APPLIED ECONOMICS COURSE-BASED RESEARCH or +CAREER-FOCUSED INTERNSHIP | 3 |
| AEC 432 | ENVIRONMENTAL LAW | 4 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course