Carleton economics admission requirements: the BEcon needs English and Advanced Functions, with a 75% cut-off range

Carleton's Bachelor of Economics is a separate degree, not a major inside the BA. The admissions page says you will study decision-making, market design and the policies behind business and financial flows. You also look at economic growth, wealth inequality, inflation, unemployment and international trade.

The department says it has 30 faculty and over 900 students. It sits in the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs. Being in Ottawa gives you access to federal departments and agencies, which matters for co-op and later jobs.

You need the Ontario Secondary School Diploma with six 4U or 4M courses. Two must be English 4U and Advanced Functions 4U. Carleton recommends Calculus and Vectors, but recommended courses are not mandatory and you are not disadvantaged without them.

Prerequisites must be at the 4U level with no single grade below 60%. Grade 12 co-op work experience credits do not count as one of your six courses. If you are missing Advanced Functions, Carleton may admit you conditionally. You then must pass ECON 0005 with at least a C- in your first term to stay in the degree. Use our course planner to fit Advanced Functions into Grade 12.

Carleton's requirements tool shows a cut-off range of 75% for the BEcon. That range applies to both your overall average and your prerequisite average. Carleton sets the required average each year, program by program. All programs have limited enrolment, so admission is not guaranteed.

The calendar says an overall average of at least 70% is normally required to be considered. It also warns that cut-offs may be considerably higher than the minimum. Carleton does not publish an admitted average or an acceptance rate for economics. Aim above 75%, and check your number with our Top 6 average calculator.

The BEcon has no supplementary application, essay, portfolio or interview. Carleton decides on your grades. The only extra application in this area is for Prestige Scholarships, which need a form and a reference letter.

Your first economics courses are ECON 1001 and ECON 1002, Introduction to Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. You can take the first-year seminar FYSM 1003 instead. You also take ECON 1401 and ECON 1402, Elementary Mathematics for Economics I and II.

These marks matter early. To get into most 2000-level economics courses, you need at least a C- in both intro courses and both math courses. Carleton strongly encourages a first-year seminar, and you can only take one while you have first-year standing.

The Honours BEcon is 20.0 credits. The general BEcon is 15.0 credits. Honours students can add one concentration, or two. The six listed are Computational Analysis, Economic Data Science, Financial Economics, Development and Environment, Advanced Economic Analysis, and Mathematics and Quantitative Economics.

The department homepage says students can choose from eight concentrations, but it names six. The admissions page and the calendar also list six. Confirm the list with the department before you plan around a concentration that is not named.

A Combined Honours lets you pair economics with another subject that has a BA Combined program. Every Honours student takes ECON 2900, Professional Practice of Economics, and ECON 3900, Research Methods in Economics. Students with 9.50 overall and major CGPAs may write an Honours essay, ECON 4908.

You can apply for co-op directly from high school. You must meet the cut-off and prerequisite averages, which may be higher than the minimum, and be in the Honours BEcon. Carleton warns that the job market may limit co-op enrolment. It also notes that hiring priority goes to Canadian citizens for co-op positions in the Public Service Commission.

To start work terms you need 5.0 or more credits and COOP 1000. You also need ECON 2020, ECON 2102, ECON 2210 and ECON 2900 done by your first work term. You must hold an overall CGPA and a major CGPA of at least 8.00, and keep them up. You complete three work terms to earn the co-op designation, with ECON 3999 as the work term report course. Co-op students pay co-op fees.

The department lists past placements at Statistics Canada, the Department of Finance Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Health Canada and RBC.

Ontario high school students apply on OUAC by January 15, 2027 for the fall term. Within five days you get an email with your Carleton applicant number. You then track your file in Carleton360.

See our Ontario deadlines page to line up Carleton with your other schools.

Carleton's 2026-27 Ontario fee table lists the Bachelor of Economics at $7,624.02 for first year and $7,613.56 for each later year. That is fall plus winter, for 2.0 or more billing hours per term. Compulsory fees and the U-Pass are included.

Our estimate, not Carleton's: four years at these 2026-27 rates come to about $30,465 before books, housing and any later increases. Co-op fees are extra.

If you are admitted for fall entry with an 85% average or better, Carleton automatically considers you for a renewable Entrance Scholarship. Carleton must receive your full application and all required grades by June 15. The scholarships page does not list dollar values for these awards.

Prestige Scholarships are Carleton's highest awards. You need a 90% admission average, an application and a letter of reference by March 1. See our Carleton financial aid guide for more.

If you like economics but want a global angle, Carleton's Bachelor of Global and International Studies has a Specialization in International Economic Policy. Its tool shows the same 75% cut-off range, but it only lists English as a required course. Its first-year 2026-27 fee is higher, at $9,087.72. It also has an international experience and a language requirement.

If you want business, read our Carleton Commerce page. If policy and government pull you more than numbers, compare our Carleton Political Science page.

The key course is Advanced Functions. Without it your child can still be admitted, but only on condition of passing ECON 0005 in first term. That adds pressure in the first few weeks. Taking MHF4U in high school is the safer plan.

Co-op is not automatic. It needs an 8.00 CGPA in university and depends on the job market. The program page lists careers in federal and provincial government, banking, finance, international trade and statistics.