School of Arts and Sciences
International Relations Program

TC2 International Economics

The International Economics concentration acquaints students with the study of economic relationships among individuals, firms and countries in an international context, and the economic institutions that underpin these relationships. They begin by learning basic economic theory underlying market functions. By understanding basic market mechanisms, they can identify sources of conflict and cooperation among countries. They then apply more sophisticated economic tools to the understanding of international trade, finance, environmental issues specific to developing economies.

Requirements

Beginning in Fall 2024, the number of required courses for each concentration changed from seven (7) to six (6). Specific requirements are listed below, based on year of graduation.

  • In addition to the Core Requirements and the IR Major Language Requirement, students must take a total of seven (7) courses to complete a Thematic Concentration. Those interested in International Economics must take one course from each of the following areas:

    • Economic Theory (1 course)
      • EC11 Intermediate Microeconomics; or
      • EC12 Intermediate Macroeconomics
    • Advanced Economics (prerequisites in parentheses) (1 course)
      • EC130 Topics in Environmental Economics (EC11 and EC30); or
      • EC132 Economics of Energy Markets (EC11); or
      • EC136 Topics in Economic Development (EC11 and EC35); or
      • EC161 International Trade (EC11); or
      • EC162 International Finance (EC12)
    • Research Methods (1 course)
    • Culture (1 course)
    • Capstone (seminar, honors thesis or directed research) (1 course)
    • Political Economy (1 course)
    • History (1 course)

    As shown above, the choice of Economic Theory courses will determine the Advanced Economics options and two Advanced Economics courses (EC130 and EC136) have additional prerequisites. Students are advised to consult with the Economics Department and/or the IR Program staff with any questions. Students double majoring in International Relations and Quantitative Economics have additional alternatives in Economic Theory and Advanced Economics (see FAQs).

     

    Students of Classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027 have the option to follow the Class of 2028 and Beyond curriculum. If students choose this option, they must also take a Core 5 course approved for Class of 2028 and Beyond.

  • In addition to the Core Requirements and the IR Major Language Requirement, students must take a total of six (6) courses to complete a Thematic Concentration. Those interested in International Economics must take one course from each of the following areas:

    • Economic Theory (1 course)
      • EC11 Intermediate Microeconomics; or
      • EC12 Intermediate Macroeconomics
    • Advanced Economics (prerequisites in parentheses) (1 course)
      • EC130 Topics in Environmental Economics (EC11 and EC30); or
      • EC132 Economics of Energy Markets (EC11); or
      • EC136 Topics in Economic Development (EC11 and EC35); or
      • EC161 International Trade (EC11); or
      • EC162 International Finance (EC12)
    • Research Methods (1 course)
    • Culture (1 course)
    • Capstone (seminar, honors thesis or directed research) (1 course)
    • Political Economy/ History/ Policy (1 course)

    As shown above, the choice of Economic Theory courses will determine the Advanced Economics options and two Advanced Economics courses (EC130 and EC136) have additional prerequisites. Students are advised to consult with the Economics Department and/or the IR Program staff with any questions. Students double majoring in International Relations and Quantitative Economics have additional alternatives in Economic Theory and Advanced Economics (see FAQs).

Approved Courses

This course listing includes all the courses that may be applied to the International Economics concentration offered over the last four years. For a listing of these courses by semester, consult the Courses page. Be advised that course ID numbers, titles, and prerequisites often change from semester to semester so consult SIS or individual departments for the most current information. If you have any question about whether a course counts towards your thematic concentration, please contact the IR office.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No.

  • Yes.

  • The Culture requirement may be fulfilled in one of three ways, either by taking a Culture course:

    • Approved for the TC; or
    • Approved for the language used to fulfill the IR language requirement; or
    • Approved for any language if student is exempt from the IR language requirement (i.e. native speakers with proof of 8th) semester language proficiency on their transcript)

  • The Capstone requirement may be fulfilled in one of three ways, either by taking:

    • An upper-level seminar from the list of TC2-approved seminars; or
    • The IR senior honors thesis seminar (requires IR approval and one-year commitment); or
    • Directed Research with an IR Core Faculty member

  • Yes. IR majors may take either EC5 or EC8 to fulfill the Core 3 requirement

  • No. If you take either EC161 or EC162 before you take EC60, you will not be allowed to take EC60.

  • Yes. Both EC13 and EC15 satisfy both the IR Research Methods requirement and the prerequisite for those Advanced Economics courses. EC201 (Advanced Statistics), MATH166 (Statistics), ES56 (Probability and Statistics), or EC202 (Advanced Econometrics) will also satisfy the Economics prerequisite but NOT the IR Research Methods requirement.

  • Yes, students who are double majoring in Quantitative Economics may substitute EC18 for EC12 and/or EC169 for EC162 and/or EC118 for EC136.

  • Yes. Some courses will satisfy two or occasionally three or more thematic concentration (TC) requirements. If you fulfill a TC requirement by using one of these courses, you must select additional courses off the approved course listings as electives to meet the requisite number of courses. See Academic Policies for more details. 

  • No. If a Tufts course is not on the IR Program’s list of approved courses, it does not count towards the major, even if it seems relevant. To have courses taken abroad considered for credit in the major and to learn more about transfer of credit policies in the major, consult the IR Transfer of Credit page.

  • Yes. Students of the Classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027 may choose to follow the curriculum for the Class of 2028 and Beyond. Such students will need to take six (6) courses to fulfill their Thematic Concentration requirements and also must take a Core 5 course from the Class of 2028 and Beyond approved list.