What’s the difference between majoring in Economics under Arts & Sciences vs. Business?

Kikki: What’s the difference between majoring in Economics under Arts & Sciences vs. Business?
I’m currently applying for colleges and I notice at many colleges that when it asks me to choose a major it has economics listed under both the School of Arts & Sciences and the School of Business.

What are the differences between these two different majors? Is there any advantages to choosing one over the other? If you majored in economics at a school that had both, which did you choose and are you happy? And finally, do you have any additional info that might help me out? Thank you!

Answers and Views:

Answer by Ranto
The main difference is in the courses you take outside of Economics.

If you study in a B-School, then you have to take courses in other Business areas, like Marketing, Accounting, management, finance, etc. In the college of Arts & Sciences, you would not be required to take those classes, but may have other requirements in the arts or the sciences.

I can’t tell you which is preferable — because it depends on the school. Many of the top undergraduate schools — like Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Chicago and Stanford — do not have undergraduate business schools. But an Economics degree from the A&S college of one of those schools would be better than one from a Business School at most schools.

On the other hand, a BS in Economics from Penn’s Wharton School, Berkeley’s Haas School, MIT’s Sloan School or even Villanova’s VSB would be better than a BA in Economics from most universities College of Arts & Science.