Honors and Awards
Departmental Honors in the Major
Students pursuing departmental honors must complete 6 hours of ECON 495 culminating with an original work of research and an oral presentation. Requirements for departmental honors are in addition to the coursework required for the major. Students must complete ECON 495 with a grade of B or higher to receive departmental honors. Economics majors who have completed 90 credits with an overall GPA of 3.50 and a GPA of 3.50 within the major are eligible to apply. Not all applicants who meet the minimum requirements are guaranteed acceptance.
Interested students should apply at least one month before the start of a new semester, preferably by August 1st for a fall semester start. The application is available in the link below:
Howard R. Bloch Memorial Scholarship & Thomas Sowell Scholarship
The Howard R. Bloch Memorial Scholarship(s) & Thomas Sowell Scholarships will be awarded to full-time undergraduate students majoring in Economics. In the recent past we have been able to give several awards between $1000 and $3000. Applicants will be selected on the basis of academic merit and financial need, and the process is open to international and domestic students. Applications can be obtained at the Office of Student Financial Aid - (Student Union 1, 4400 University Dr #1100, Fairfax, VA 22030)
Applications are due in May, and decisions will be made over the summer. Check with the Financial Aid office for more information on scholarships.
Awards for Academic Achievement
Each fall and spring, the department selects one student with the strongest academic record in the graduating class to receive the Howard R. Bloch Memorial Award.
Further, students graduating with the second strongest academic record of the graduating class receive the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award.
The Economics Department also recognizes students graduating in the top 25% of the graduating class with the Excellence in Academic Achievement Award.
Omicron Delta Epsilon -- International Honor Society in Economics
Graduating seniors who demonstrate academic excellence are invited to join Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society in the field of economics. Please see the Omicron Delta Epsilon website for more information on the international organization and email the department at econbsba@gmu.edu for more information about our local chapter at Mason.