A Major in Economics

Economics can be studied either as an Arts or as a Commerce degree. This means that choosing Economics as your major gives you the maximum amount of choice over what else you study in your degree; i.e. in terms of other papers from Arts/Humanities or Commerce. The usual degree regulations apply (these are in the Calendar).

If you want to major in Economics, your starting point is to enrol in BSNS 104/ECON 111 and ECON 112 - our "core" papers. If you got strong NCEA 3 results in Economics, English and Mathematics, we may allow you to skip BSNS 104/ECON 111 and go straight to ECON 112.

The regulations relating to a degree in Economics are provided in the Calendar - if you have any questions about these, don't hesitate to contact us. The papers you need to take in order to major in Economics are known as the "major subject requirements". A full list of the papers we offer at the first, second and third years is available elsewhere on this website.

One thing that we always tell Economics students at enrolment time is the importance of having some background in Maths. If you are interested in majoring in Economics - or even if you're just considering it - we would encourage you to take some first-year quantitative papers such as those labelled "QUAN" or "MATH". Although these aren't prerequisites, you will find your later study of Economics will go much more smoothly if you are confident with maths. This is why our second-year core papers in microeconomics and macroeconomics (ECON 201 and 202) have a number of possible quantitative papers (QUAN 102 or MATH 102 or MATH 160 or MATH 151) as "recommended preparation".

Double Majors

More and more of our students are doing "double majors" - this means that you combine Economics with another subject in your BA or BCom. The most popular combinations are Economics/Finance, Economics/Accountancy, Economics/Marketing and Economics/Management - but Economics also combines well with, for example, Statistics, Mathematics, Political Studies, Geography and History. In most cases this involves fulfilling the 100- and 200 -level major subject requirements in both Economics and the second subject area (as set out in Commerce Schedule A or Arts and Music Schedule A in the Calendar). A double major then requires completing 72 points at 300-level in each of Economics and the second subject area. If you have any further queries about this option please contact the Economics Departmental Secretary who will direct you to an appropriate Course Adviser.

Economics and Majoring in Another Subject

An understanding of Economics is becoming increasingly important in a wide range of careers. If you are a business student, the study of economics is essential to your achieving a "well-rounded" education; indeed in many universities some Economics study is a requirement for a business or commerce degree. This is because Economics is a basic discipline from which each of the functional areas of business (such as finance, marketing, accounting or operations management) has derived some of its principles and ideas. We recommend that you enrol in BSNS 104/ECON 111 and ECON 112 which will give you a good grounding in microeconomics and macroeconomics. (These are also necessary to meet the requirements of the New Zealand Society of Accountants qualification.) Studying these papers also gives you the flexibility to be able to carry on to higher-level courses in Economics. Note that none of our first-year papers assume a prior knowledge of Economics, although if you've taken Economics at school this will be helpful preparation.

Introductory Economics (BSNS 104/ECON 111 and ECON 112) is also an excellent complement to courses such as Law, Political Studies, Philosophy, History, Geography, Languages, Psychology, Mathematics and Statistics. Once you have done the "basics"at first year, you can go on to do some of our second-year papers - such as "Environmental Economics", "The World Economy", "Asian Economic Development" and "Managerial Economics". These papers show you how the economic theories you have learned in BSNS 104/ECON 111 and ECON 112 can be applied to a variety of areas of topical interest.

Even if you decide to major in another subject (or subjects) you can complete a 'minor' in Economics in either the BA, BCom or BAppSc. Given the underpinning role of Economics in business, commerce and most social sciences, completing a minor in Economics is a convenient way to include a coherent selection of Economics papers on your academic record and degree certificate. For a minor you need to take BSNS 104/ECON 111, ECON 112, two 200-level ECON papers (including at least one of ECON 201, 202 and 271), plus one 300-level ECON paper.

Combining Economics and Statistics

This new combined programme enables you to complete what is effectively the equivalent of a double major in Economics and Statistics in either a BCom or BSc degree. (It can also be completed as a formal double major in a BA.) Economics and Statistics are naturally complementary subjects and there is a strong demand for graduates who have strong analytical skills, and an understanding of economic and statistical techniques for analysing economic, financial and other data. Details of an example programme are shown in the box below.

Economics and Statistics (BCom, BSc) Major Subject Requirements

Specified approved programmes for a 'combined' major in Economics and Statistics, and Economics and Mathematics are also possible. For the former, the requirements are similar to the Economics and Statistics programme above, except that at 300-level 36 points of 300-level STAT papers and 36 points of 300-level ECON papers are required.

For the Combined Degree in Economics and Mathematics the ECON requirements are the same as for the Economics and Statistics programme. The Maths requirements are:

Year 1: MATH 160 or MATH 170;

Year 2: MATH 242 and either MATH 251 or MATH 262;

Year 3: 12 points from MATH 341-362

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The Difference between a Double Major and a Double Degree

For a double major you must meet the major subject requirements for two subject areas within the 360 points (minimum) requirement for a single degree, e.g. BCom or BA. It is quite common though for students to undertake a "double degree", i.e. two degree courses at the same time, e.g. BCom/LLB, BA/BCom, BCom/BSc, BCom/BTour. Because you are allowed to cross-credit points, completing two degrees does not take twice as long as completing one degree. For example, you can cross-credit up to 126 points if you're completing two three-year ordinary degrees, so you'd need a minimum of 594 points in total, not 720 points.

If you want to pursue a double degree, one advantage in taking Economics is that it can be studied as a major in either the BA or BCom ensuring that the maximum cross-credit can easily be achieved. Economics also combines very well with a wide range of other subjects in both the BA and the BCom, and with Tourism in the BTour and science subjects, especially Maths and Statistics, in the BSc.

The Multidisciplinary 'PPE' Major

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) is available as a multidisciplinary major in the BA. There are natural affinities and common roots among several strands of Philosophy, Political Studies and Economics, and PPE programmes have an established pedigree, including the long-established course at Oxford University. The aim of this programme is to give a broader exposure to the range of approaches in these three disciplines than would be gained within any one of the traditional single-discipline majors.

For BA students, PPE provides an attractive and intellectually stimulating combination of analytical approaches and develops a range of skills for which there is a clear demand. If you are seeking to avoid "placing all your eggs in a specialised basket" the PPE major fits in with a possible "insurance" trend towards more generalist studies. Details of the specific requirements are shown in the box below.

Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)

Major in BA

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