Online Degrees & Certificates
AA Transfer Economics
Program Description
Economics is the study of how society allocates scarce resources—such as land, labor, and capital—in an attempt to satisfy unlimited wants. It is broadly divided into two branches: macroeconomics and microeconomics. Macroeconomics is concerned with the workings of the economy as a whole. It is the study of broad measures of economic performance: Gross Domestic Product, unemployment, and inflation. Microeconomics focuses on the role of individual decision-makers—consumers and firms—and analyzes the efficiencies and failures of a market system. The two branches approach the fundamental questions of resource allocation from opposite sides: one from the perspective of the economy as a whole and one from the perspective of the individual agents in the economy.
The Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer degree prepares students for transfer to California State Universities (CSUs). Students who complete the Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer degree will be ensured preferential transfer status to CSUs for economics majors and majors in related disciplines. The Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer degree requirements will fulfill the lower division major requirements at many CSUs. Students are advised, however, to meet with a counselor to assess the course requirements for specific CSUs.
Learn more about the program on the Economics website.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students will have a working understanding of the role of prices in a market economy, the benefits of trade, economic growth and stability, market structures and competition, market failures, and the economic role of government.
Students will be able to employ economic reasoning to explain the world around them and make objective decisions based on assessments of costs and benefits.
Units Required
Major: 28-48
Associate Degree Requirements
Associate in Arts in Economics for Transfer requires completion of a minimum of 90 units, including:
Core and support courses for the major (28-48 units)*
Summer Session 2025 only–CSU General Education Breadth (CSU GE Breadth) or Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)** (49-58 units) (full certification is required)
Beginning Fall Quarter 2025–California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)*** (45 units) (full certification is required)
Transferable electives necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement
*Some units from the core and support courses may be used to satisfy the GE requirement. Please see a counselor for more information.
**Summer Session 2025 is the final term during which CSU GE Breadth and IGETC may be used. Please see a counselor for more information. Important Note: Although it is possible to fulfill the requirements for the Associate Degree for Transfer by completing the IGETC for UC pattern, admission to CSU requires completion of an Oral Communication course (IGETC Area 1C; CSU GE Area A-1); therefore, students who plan to transfer to CSU should complete this course as part of their GE or elective units.
***Cal-GETC begins in Fall Quarter 2025. Please see a counselor for more information.
NOTE: All courses pertaining to the major must be completed with a grade of "C" (or "P") or better. In addition, the student must obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0.
Online Courses for Economics AAT
The courses listed BELOW are offered as online courses at least once every two years. Please see the Class Schedule for verification.
- For a complete listing of online courses offered during the current quarter, visit Online Course Information.
- If you need any additional degree information or confirmation, please contact the Counseling Division.
NOTE: Students having difficulty attaining an associate degree because of timing or availability of classes should consult with a counselor to submit a petition for course substitution.
Core and Support Courses
Core Courses
| ONLINE COURSE | TITLE | UNITS |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 1A | Principles of Macroeconomics | 5 |
| ECON 1B | Principles of Microeconomics | 5 |
| MATH 10 renumbering to STAT C1000 effective Fall 2025 | Introduction to Statistics | 5 |
| or PYSC 7 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | 5 |
| or SOC 7 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | 5 |
| And complete one of the following: (5-15 Units) |
||
| MATH 12 | Calculus for Business & Economics | 5 |
| MATH 1A | Calculus | 5 |
| & * MATH 1B | and Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 1A | Calculus | 5 |
| & MATH 1B | and Calculus | 5 |
| & ** MATH 1C | and Calculus | 5 |
Support Courses
| ONLINE COURSE | TITLE | UNITS |
|---|---|---|
| List A: Complete One course from List A | 4-10 | |
| ACTG 1A | Financial Accounting I | 5 |
| and * ACTG 1B | and Financial Accounting II | 5 |
| or ACTG 1A | Financial Accounting I | 5 |
| and * ACTG 1BH | and Honors Financial Accounting II | 5 |
| ACTG 1C | Managerial Accounting | 5 |
| or ACTG 1CH | Honors Managerial Accounting | 5 |
| BUSI 11 | Introduction to Information Systems | 5 |
| or BUSI 11H | Honors Introduction to Information Systems | 5 |
| BUSI 18 | Business Law I | 5 |
| BUSI 22 | Principles of Business | 5 |
| or BUSI 22H | Honors Principles of Business | 5 |
| C S 1A | Object-Oriented Programming Methodologies in Java | 4.5 |
| C S 2A | Object-Oriented Programming Methodologies in C++ | 4.5 |
| C S 3A | Object-Oriented Programming Methodologies in Python | 4.5 |
| GEOG 2 | Human Geography | 4 |
| HIST 17A | History of the United States to 1815 | 4 |
| & * HIST 17B | History of the United States from 1812 to 1914 | 4 |
| HIST 17B | History of the United States from 1812 to 1914 | 4 |
| & * HIST 17C | History of the United States from 1914 to the Present | 4 |
| MATH 1B | Calculus | 5 |
| and */*** MATH 1C | and Calculus | 5 |
| POLI 1 renumbering to POLS C1000 effective Fall 2025 | American Government and Politics | 5 |
| List B: And complete one course from List B: | 4-10 | |
| Any course not used in List A | ||
| ANTH 2A | Cultural Anthroplogy | 4 |
| or ANTH 2AH | Honors Cultural Anthroplogy | 4 |
| ECON 9 | International Political Economy | 4 |
| or POLI 9 | International Political Economy | 4 |
| or ECON 9H | Honors International Political Economy | 4 |
| or POLI 9H | Honors International Political Economy | 4 |
| ECON 25 | The Global Economy | 4 |
| ETHN 1 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies | 4 |
| ETHN 2 | Introduction to African American Studies | 4 |
| ETHN 3 | Introduction to Latinx Studies | 4 |
| ETHN 4 | Introduction to Native American Studies | 4 |
| ETHN 5 | Introduction to Asian American Studies | 4 |
| GIST 1 | Introduction to Global Studies | 4 |
| or GIST 1H | Honors Introduction to Global Studies | 4 |
| MATH 1C | Calculus | 5 |
| and * MATH 1D | and Calculus | 5 |
| MATH 2B | Linear Algebra | 5 |
| PSYC 1 renumbering to PSYC C1000 effective Fall 2025 | Introduction to Psychology | 5 |
| or PSYC 1H renumbering to PSYC C1000H effective Fall 2025 | Introduction to Psychology - Honors | 5 |
| Total Units | 28-48 | |
* Both courses must be completed to fulfill the requirement.
* * All three courses must be completed to fulfill the requirement.
* * * If not used to satisfy the core requirement.
Note that this is a list of fully online courses that satisfy degree requirements.
For a list of on-campus courses that satisfy degree requirements, please visit Associate Degree for Transfer-Economics 2025-2026.
Based on the 2025 - 2026 degree program.