Economics 251 Β· 3 credits Β· ACE and NCCRS
Microeconomics
How people, firms and single markets make choices: supply and demand, costs, market structures and labor markets.
Home › Courses › Microeconomics vs Macroeconomics
Economics 251 vs 2523 credits eachACE and NCCRS recommended
Microeconomics vs Macroeconomics: which college course first?
Microeconomics looks at choices made by people, firms and single markets: supply and demand, costs, market structures and labor markets. Macroeconomics looks at the whole economy: GDP, growth, unemployment, inflation, money and government policy. Neither syllabus lists a prerequisite, so you can take them in either order.
Economics 252 Β· 3 credits Β· ACE and NCCRS
Macroeconomics
How whole economies work: GDP, growth, unemployment, inflation, money and banking, and government policy.
- Take first
- Either: no prerequisites
- Size
- 66 and 65 hours: about the same
- Credit
- 3 semester hours each
What you learn
From the syllabi: what only one course covers, and where they meet.
Only in Microeconomics
- Supply, demand and elasticity
- Consumer choices
- Production and costs
- Market structures
- Externalities and public goods
- Labor markets and income
In both
- What economics is
- International trade
- Globalization and protectionism
Only in Macroeconomics
- GDP and economic growth
- Unemployment
- Inflation
- Aggregate demand and supply
- Money, banking and monetary policy
- Exchange rates and budgets
Side by side
| Microeconomics | Macroeconomics | |
|---|---|---|
| Course code | Economics 251 | Economics 252 |
| Looks at | People, firms and single markets | The economy as a whole |
| Chapters | 12 chapters | 8 chapters |
| Instructional hours | 66 hours | 65 hours |
| ACE | ACE ID UPIS-0018 | ACE ID UPIS-0017 |
| Prerequisites | None listed in either syllabus | |
| Final exam | 100 multiple-choice questions | |
Both are self-paced: quizzes and the assignment are open-book, the final is proctored, and 70 or higher passes.
Which one should you take first?
Either order: neither syllabus lists a prerequisite.
Take Microeconomics first if
- You want supply and demand first
- Your program lists Microeconomics first
- You want prices, costs and how firms compete
Take Macroeconomics first if
- You want GDP, jobs and inflation first
- Your program lists Macroeconomics first
- You want money, banking and government policy
Questions, answered
Should I take Microeconomics or Macroeconomics first?
Either order works: neither syllabus lists a prerequisite. If your program names an order, follow it. If not, start with the questions that interest you more: prices, costs and firms (Microeconomics) or growth, jobs and inflation (Macroeconomics). You can also take both at the same time.
What is the difference between microeconomics and macroeconomics?
Microeconomics (Economics 251) studies choices by people, firms and single markets: supply and demand, elasticity, costs, market structures and labor markets. Macroeconomics (Economics 252) studies the economy as a whole: GDP, growth, unemployment, inflation, aggregate demand and supply, money and banking, and fiscal policy. Both chapter lists end with trade and globalization.
Can I earn credit for both?
Yes. They are two separate courses, each with its own ACE ID (UPIS-0018 for Microeconomics, UPIS-0017 for Macroeconomics) and its own recommendation of 3 semester hours from ACE and from NCCRS. Your school decides which requirement each one meets.
Will my college accept these credits?
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities. Search your school in Find My College and ask your registrar which courses Economics 251 and Economics 252 would count as.
Where these credits can go
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Plus many more partner colleges and ACE and NCCRS cooperating colleges.
Find My College →Keep exploring
Check your college first
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Sources (3)
- NCCRS: UPI Study, Inc. (every course and its credit recommendation) https://www.nationalccrs.org/organizations/upi-study-inc
- UPI Study: Microeconomics syllabus (PDF) https://www.upistudy.com/syllabus/microeconomics.pdf
- UPI Study: Macroeconomics syllabus (PDF) https://www.upistudy.com/syllabus/macroeconomics.pdf
- NCCRS: UPI Study's credit recommendations https://www.nationalccrs.org/organizations/upi-study-inc
UPI Study facts are from our course catalog, syllabi and course rules.