Study Abroad Guidelines

When preparing to study abroad, remember:

1. It is hard to find alternatives for core courses abroad. Suitable courses have sometimes been found at the London School of Economics, University College London, Oxford, and Bocconi University in Milan, but it is much better to plan ahead and complete core courses at Princeton before studying abroad. If a student wants to substitute a core course for one offered by their study abroad institution, they must receive pre-approval. These are most often not granted.
2. Because of Junior Independent Work (JIW), it’s much better to study abroad during the Junior Spring term than the Junior Fall term. The department offers a comprehensive series of lectures and workshops in the Fall semester to expose students to common tools used in economics research. Moreover, guidance by a nearby advisor is especially critical during the early stages of research. Students’ JIW projects, due in April, might suffer if a student studies abroad during the Fall term.
3. Some courses must be completed during Junior year. The core Econometrics course (ECO 302 or 312) must be completed by the end of the fall semester junior year since it teaches empirical skills that are necessary for the Junior Independent Work (JIW).  The remaining core courses of the economics major—Microeconomics (ECO 300 or 310) and Macroeconomics (ECO 301 or 311) —must be completed by the end of Junior year.
4. Studying abroad during senior year is not recommended. Doing so can seriously interfere with your job market search and with work on your senior thesis.
5. A good time to study abroad is in the Spring semester of the Sophomore year after a student has completed their core courses. Upon their return, students can proceed with the junior and senior years’ work in Princeton in the usual way. This is often the only feasible route for students who want to combine an Economics major, the Certificate in Finance, and study abroad. Prospective Economics majors who want departmental credit for an upper level Economics course taken abroad during their sophomore year must get the course pre-approved by the Departmental Advisor Smita Brunnermeir. If it has not been pre-approved by the department, an Economics course that was approved by OIP as a general elective cannot be used later to satisfy a departmental requirement.