Honours Economics I

McMaster University

Economics: blue ink subject illustration

Co-op details
Work experience
Eligible students can apply to a named Honours BA co-op option for Level II. The five-year route has three standard four-month work terms.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar · Social Sciences Level I
~Low to mid 80s
Entering average
Published approximate guidance: Low to mid 80s. Fall 2027. Anticipated Ontario high-school admission range from McMaster’s selector.
McMaster Ontario admissions selector · Fall 2027

Deadlines

November 2026

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Next deadlineThursday, November 19, 2026

OUAC. Ontario high schools report midterm/final 4U/M grades
2027 entry
School deadline, not a student task. Universities receive these grades by November 26. Verbatim: "Deadline for the OUAC to receive all midterm or final grades available for 4U/M courses from Ontario high schools. Schools may report in-progress grades for full-year courses as soon as they are available." Universities receive these by the target date of November 26, 2026. This is a deadline on the high school, not on the student, but it governs which grades a university sees in the first round.
Official deadline

Other deadline details

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by programOUAC Undergraduate application, applicants who are not Ontario high school students (Group B)2026 entry

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by program
No single OUAC deadline
University, program, transcript, portfolio, interview, and audition dates still apply

Full source wording

Verbatim: "There is no specific Undergraduate application deadline if you are a Group B applicant. Deadlines vary at each university and sometimes depend on the program. Visit the university websites or contact the universities directly for their deadlines. If you are interested in a program but the deadline has passed, you may contact the university's admission office for help. Be aware of university-specific deadlines for submitting transcripts and portfolios, if required, and for arranging interviews and auditions. You must ensure the OUAC has enough time to process your choices before the universities' program deadlines." OUAC defines Group B as anyone who does not meet the Group A criteria, e.g. not currently taking an Ontario high school course, a Canadian outside Ontario, an international applicant, a postsecondary transfer student, or a mature applicant.

SourceChecked Aug 14, 2026

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites

ENG4UEnglish
MHF4UAdvanced Functions
MCV4UCalculus and Vectors

Complete an Ontario Secondary School Diploma and six Grade 12 U/M courses, including the prerequisites.

Application steps

Entry terms · Fall 2027

Applicants to Honours Economics I (OUAC MLE)

Step 1Check the admission requirements
- Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
McMaster Ontario admissions selector · Fall 2027McMaster Ontario admissions selector · Fall 2027
Step 2Apply through OUAC
- Create your application and select this program.
OUACOUAC
Step 3Academic documents for your applicant category
- Canadian high school applicants outside Ontario upload the requested records to the Applicant Portal. Uploaded records can support initial review; accepted conditional offers require final official transcripts. Current Ontario high school applicants follow the separate instructions rather than sending unrequested records.
McMaster transcripts and documentsMcMaster transcripts and documents
Step 4English test results, if required
- When English proficiency evidence is required, IELTS, TOEFL and other accepted test results must come directly from the testing centre.
McMaster direct submission of language resultsMcMaster direct submission of language results
Step 5Apply through OUAC using code MLE.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Ontario admissions selector · Fall 2027McMaster Ontario admissions selector · Fall 2027
Step 6Check the McMaster applicant portal for required documents. Current Ontario high-school grades are sent through OUAC.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Ontario admissions selector · Fall 2027McMaster Ontario admissions selector · Fall 2027

Degree requirements

Required courses and electives

The standard Level I plan has 9 economics units, 9 units from the published course list and 12 elective units.

References

Grades and academic standing

For the standard Honours Economics BA, complete Level I with GPA 5.0 or above, average at least 5.0 across ECON 1B03 and 1BB3 and complete an approved first-year mathematical economics or math course.

References

Program facts

Entering average~Low to mid 80s

Anticipated Ontario high-school admission range from McMaster’s selector.

Co-opCo-op details

Check work experience options

Majors & specializations

Apply directly to Honours Economics I. The standard Level II Honours Economics pathway considers students automatically when they meet the course and GPA requirements. Alternative routes require a Level II application.

Accelerated Honours Economics

BA (Honours)

An accelerated timetable for completing the Economics Specialist degree.

Published requirements

Courses

Level I · Core economics3 listed

Standard 9-unit core from the 2026–27 calendar.

ECON 1B03Introductory Microeconomics3 units
Study how consumers and firms make choices, how prices form, and how markets respond to policy.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar · Social Sciences Level I
ECON 1BB3Introductory Macroeconomics3 units
Study the economy as a whole, including growth, unemployment, inflation and fiscal and monetary policy.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar · Social Sciences Level I
ECON 1ME3Introduction to Mathematical Economics3 units
Use mathematical tools to express and solve economic problems.
McMaster 2026–27 Undergraduate Calendar · Social Sciences Level I