University Catalog 2025-2026

Economics (BA): Business Analytics Concentration

All economics students complete core courses in microeconomics and macroeconomics, as well as specialized elective courses in labor economics, industrial organization, game theory, international economics, econometrics and finance. Poole’s undergraduate economics program gives students the quantitative tools and critical thinking skills that prepare them for post-graduate study or careers in business, finance, government, public policy and more. What sets NC State’s economics major apart is the training in analytical methods, and focus on economic theory and business skills, to provide students opportunities in many career paths.

Business Analytics is the process of collecting, cleaning, analyzing, and visualizing data to inform business decisions. It is a rapidly growing field, as businesses are increasingly relying on data to drive their operations and strategies. The Business Analytics concentration at NC State University is designed to prepare students for careers in this exciting and in-demand field. Students in the concentration will learn how to use a variety of tools and techniques to collect, clean, analyze, and visualize data. They will also learn how to communicate their findings to business stakeholders in a clear and concise way.

The concentration's curriculum is designed to give students a strong foundation in the following areas: Data management and governance, Data mining, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in business, Statistical analysis, Data visualization, and Business intelligence. The concentration also offers a variety of elective courses that allow students to focus on specific areas of business analytics, such as marketing analytics, financial analytics, and operations analytics.

Economics Department
Poole College of Management
4172 Nelson Hall
Raleigh, NC 27695
919.515.5565
Website

Denis Pelletier
Department Head and Professor
Department of Economics

Plan Requirements

Overall GPA for all courses attempted at NC State must be 2.0 or higher; and
Overall GPA for all EC and ECG courses attempted at NC State must be 2.0 or higher

Major Requirements
M 100Personal and Professional Identity Development1
MIE 201Introduction to Business3
ACC 210Concepts of Financial Reporting3
EC 205Fundamentals of Economics3
or EC 201 Principles of Microeconomics
or ARE 201 Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics
EC 301Intermediate Microeconomics3
EC 302Intermediate Macroeconomics3
EC 351Econometrics I3
EC 490Research Seminar in Economics3
Business Analytics
BUS 340Information Systems Management3
BUS 351Introduction to Business Analytics3
Economics Electives
400/500 Level Econ Electives6
300/400/500 Level EC Electives6
Humanities and Social Sciences
Acad Writing and Research 14
Select one of the following:3
Public Speaking
Interpersonal Communication
Argumentation and Advocacy
GEP Social Sciences3
Select one of the following:3
Communication for Engineering and Technology
Communication for Business and Management
Communication for Science and Research
GEP Humanities6
GEP Elective3
Mathematical and Natural Sciences
GEP Natural Sciences7
Select one of the following:3
MA 131 or MA 141 are encouraged for students who qualify and aspire to take additional calculus. For students completing the MA 141/241/242 sequence, one credit hour of MA 141 will count as free elective credit, MA 241 will count as free elective credit and MA 242 will substitute for MA 114.
Elements of Calculus
Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A
Calculus I
MA 114Introduction to Finite Mathematics with Applications3
or MA 242 Calculus III
BUS/ST 350Economics and Business Statistics3
or ST 312 Introduction to Statistics II
or ST 370 Probability and Statistics for Engineers
or ST 372 Introduction to Statistical Inference and Regression
ST 307Introduction to Statistical Programming- SAS1
or ST 308 Introduction to Statistical Programming - R
Interdisciplinary Perspectives
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives2
Physical Education
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
Corequisites
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
GEP Foundations of American Democracy (verify requirement)
Concentration
BUS 440Database Management3
BUS 458Analytics: From Data to Decisions3
Concentration Electives (DSA courses may count for a max of 6 units)9
Financial Analytics
Financial Modeling
Business Analytics Practicum
Marketing Research
Digital Marketing Practicum 4
Operations Modeling and Analysis
Decision Modeling and Analysis
Enterprise Resource Planning Systems: Implementation, Risk, and Analytics
Business Valuation
Analytics in Accounting and Finance
People Analytics 4
Data Communication
Data Science for Social Good
Measuring Success
Data Wrangling and Web Scraping
Exploratory Data Analysis for Big Data
Data Internship Preparation for Social Impact
Exploring Machine Learning
Introductory Special Topics in Data Science 5
Special Topics in Data Science 5
Free Electives
Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) 2,322
Total Hours120
1

C- or better

2

Students should consult their academic advisors to determine which courses fill this requirement.

3

Free Electives: Some courses will not count as free electives, such as FL 101 or 105 (in the language in which proficiency requirement is met), or MA 101, 101, 103, 105. (12 hours of free electives may be taken for credit only.)

4

Course project must be approved by concentration contact for the course to count.

5

DSA 295 and 495 classes require permission from the concentration contact to fulfill this requirement. 

400/500 Level Econ Electives

ECG 515Environmental and Resource Policy3
ECG 528Options and Derivatives Pricing3
ECG 530Topics in Labor Economics3
ECG 537Health Economics3
ECG 540Economic Development3
ECG 548International Economics3
ECG 561Applied Econometrics I3
ECG 562Applied Econometrics II3
ECG 563Applied Microeconometrics3
ECG 590Special Economics Topics1-6
FIM 528Options and Derivatives Pricing3
MA 528Options and Derivatives Pricing3
MBA 528Options and Derivatives Pricing3
ST 561Applied Econometrics I3
Econ Electives II A
EC 404Money, Financial Markets, and the Economy3
EC 410Public Finance3
EC 413Industrial Organization3
EC 431Labor Economics3
EC 437Health Economics3
EC 449International Finance3
EC 451Econometrics II3
EC 468Game Theory3
EC 474Economics of Financial Institutions and Markets3
EC 490Research Seminar in Economics3
EC 495Special Topics in Economics1-6
EC 498Independent Study in Economics1-6

300/400/500 Level EC Electives

Econ Electives I
ARE 336Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics3
EC 336Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics3
Econ Electives I A
ARE 336Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics3
EC 305A Closer Look at Capitalism3
EC 336Introduction to Resource and Environmental Economics3
EC 348Introduction to International Economics3
EC 351Econometrics I3
Econ Electives II
ECG 515Environmental and Resource Policy3
ECG 528Options and Derivatives Pricing3
ECG 530Topics in Labor Economics3
ECG 537Health Economics3
ECG 540Economic Development3
ECG 548International Economics3
ECG 561Applied Econometrics I3
ECG 562Applied Econometrics II3
ECG 563Applied Microeconometrics3
ECG 590Special Economics Topics1-6
FIM 528Options and Derivatives Pricing3
MA 528Options and Derivatives Pricing3
MBA 528Options and Derivatives Pricing3
ST 561Applied Econometrics I3
Econ Electives II A
EC 404Money, Financial Markets, and the Economy3
EC 410Public Finance3
EC 413Industrial Organization3
EC 431Labor Economics3
EC 437Health Economics3
EC 449International Finance3
EC 451Econometrics II3
EC 468Game Theory3
EC 474Economics of Financial Institutions and Markets3
EC 490Research Seminar in Economics3
EC 495Special Topics in Economics1-6
EC 498Independent Study in Economics1-6

Acad Writing and Research

Acad Writing Research
ENG 101Academic Writing and Research4
FLE 101Academic Writing and Research4
Transfer Sequence
ENG 202Disciplinary Perspectives in Writing3
ENG 1GEPCourse ENG 1GEP Not Found3
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
M 100 Personal and Professional Identity Development 1
ENG 101 Academic Writing and Research (or GEP Natural Sciences with Lab) 1 4
MA 121
Elements of Calculus 2
or Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A
or Calculus I
3
MIE 201 Introduction to Business 3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
Free Elective 3
FL Proficiency 0
 Hours15
Spring Semester
MA 114
Introduction to Finite Mathematics with Applications
or Calculus III
3
GEP Humanities 3
ENG 101 Academic Writing and Research (or GEP Natural Sciences with lab) 1 4
EC 205
Fundamentals of Economics
or Principles of Microeconomics
or Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics
3
ACC 210 Concepts of Financial Reporting 3
Global Knowledge 0
 Hours16
Second Year
Fall Semester
EC 301 Intermediate Microeconomics 3
COM 110
Public Speaking
or Interpersonal Communication
or Argumentation and Advocacy
3
ST 350 Economics and Business Statistics 3
BUS 340 Information Systems Management 3
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives 2
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
 Hours15
Spring Semester
EC 302 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3
EC 351 Econometrics I 3
BUS 351 Introduction to Business Analytics 3
GEP Humanities 3
GEP Elective 3
ST 307
Introduction to Statistical Programming- SAS
or Introduction to Statistical Programming - R
1
 Hours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
Economics Elective 6
BUS 440 Database Management 3
ENG 331
Communication for Engineering and Technology
or Communication for Business and Management
or Communication for Science and Research
3
Free Electives 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
Economics Elective 3
BUS 458 Analytics: From Data to Decisions 3
GEP Social Sciences 3
Free Electives 6
 Hours15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
Economics Elective 3
Concentration Electives 6
Free Elective 6
 Hours15
Spring Semester
EC 490 Research Seminar in Economics 3
Concentration Elective 3
Free Electives 4
GEP Natural Sciences 3
 Hours13
 Total Hours120
1

ENG 101 must be completed with "C-" or better.

2

MA 131 or MA 141 are encouraged for students who qualify and aspire to take additional calculus. For students completing the MA 141/241/242 sequence, one credit hour of MA 141 will count as free elective credit, MA 241 will count as free elective credit and MA 242 will substitute for MA 114.

GPA Graduation Requirements

  • Overall GPA for all courses attempted at NC State must be 2.0 or higher; and
  • Overall GPA for all EC and ECG courses attempted at NC State must be 2.0 or higher

Career Opportunities

An undergraduate degree in economics has long served as the foundation for advanced professional degrees in law and business, graduate study in economics, as well as jobs in business, industry and government.

Career Titles

  • Actuary
  • Administrative Service Manager
  • Business Professor
  • Community Outreach Manager
  • Compensation Administrator
  • Compensation Specialist
  • Customer Service Supervisor
  • Economics Professor
  • Economist
  • Employment Administrator
  • Environmental Economists
  • Environmental Research Analyst
  • Equal Opportunity Representative
  • Event / Convention Planner
  • Financial Analyst
  • Financial Examiner
  • Financial Planner
  • Fundraising Manager
  • Government Budget Analyst
  • Government Service Executives
  • Insurance Claim Examiner
  • Intelligence Specialist (Government)
  • Internal Auditor
  • Investment Fund Managers
  • Management Analyst
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Marketing Managers
  • Occupational Analyst
  • Operations Research Analyst
  • Personnel Administrator
  • Product Planner
  • Public Relations Manager
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Retail Buyer
  • Retail Sales Department Supervisor
  • Social and Community Service Managers
  • Sociologist
  • Survey Researchers
  • Tax Assessor
  • Transportation Planners
  • Urban and Regional Planner

Learn More About Careers

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Explore North Carolina’s central online resource for students, parents, educators, job seekers and career counselors looking for high quality job and career information.

Occupational Outlook Handbook
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Focus 2 Career Assessment (NC State student email address required)
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Focus 2 Apply Assessment (Available to prospective students)
A career assessment tool designed to support prospective students in exploring and choosing the right major and career path based on your unique personality, interests, skills and values. Get started with Focus 2 Apply and see how it can guide your journey at NC State.

American Economic Association