Economics
Studying Economics will help you develop the analytical skills needed to be an effective problem solver of real-life issues. You'll learn how to apply your skills to issues ranging from employment and housing, to public health, transport and environmental pollution.
Studying Economics will help you see the world in a different light; and understand how to apply this new perspective to help resolve issues in our society. You'll learn how to help people, governments and businesses make better decisions about using natural and financial resources to meet different goals.
Economists contribute to government decision-making on many different issues, such as shaping new laws and taxes, or advising on international trade agreements. They can also be involved in recommending incentives and penalties geared towards changing people's behaviour, such as encouraging people to leave their car at home.
You'll learn how to explain the reasons for different market structures, analyse the implications of government policy, anticipate how people might react to price changes, and demonstrate the gains from trade.
If you're passionate about business, current affairs, finance or maths then economics may be a good fit for you. Economics brings together ideas from many different areas: politics, psychology, sociology, geography, law and statistics.
Be taught by New Zealand's leading economists
When you study Economics at Waikato, you're learning in a department that's ranked first for economics research in New Zealand (PBRF), with nine of New Zealand's top economists teaching classes (RePEc).
While studying at Waikato, there'll be plenty of opportunities for you to make new friends, such as through the Economics Discussion Group. This is a student-led group that gets together regularly to discuss economic issues.
Qualifications
If you wish to take Economics as your 1st Major subject, you'll need to enrol for either the Bachelor of Business, the Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours, the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Social Sciences, or the Bachelor of Climate Change.
Otherwise you can normally take it as a 2nd Major (8 papers) or Minor subject (4 papers) for any other bachelor's degree offered at the University of Waikato.
If you'd like to gain specialist expertise through postgraduate research, take a look at our Master of Management Studies in Economics.
Internationally recognised
Waikato is ranked in the world's top 350 universities for Economics by the prestigious QS Subject Rankings 2021. It's also ranked in the world's top 300 universities for Accounting, Finance, and Business and Management Studies.
You'll study at our internationally recognised Waikato Management School, which is ranked in the top 1% of business schools globally thanks to our prestigious Triple Crown Accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA.
Key information
| Study Location: | Hamilton |
|---|---|
| Area of Study: |
Study Economics in these qualifications
Study Economics as a specialisation of
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Business
- Bachelor of Climate Change
- Bachelor of Communication
- Bachelor of Health, Sport and Human Performance
- Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Social Sciences
- Certificate
- Diploma
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Graduate Certificate
- Graduate Diploma
- Master of Arts
- Master of Arts (Applied)
- Master of Management Studies
- Master of Philosophy
- Master of Science
- Master of Science (Research)
- Master of Science (Technology)
- Master of Social Sciences
- Postgraduate Certificate
- Postgraduate Diploma
Career opportunities
- Business analyst
- Financial analyst
- Policy analyst / adviser
- Government economist (eg. Treasury)
- Management consultant
- Research economist
- Economics teacher / lecturer
- International trade advisor
Papers
Available Economics papers
100 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECONS101 | Economics for Business and Management | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton), 23A (Hamilton Waikato College), 23A (Secondary School - Unistart), 23A (Tauranga), 23B (Hamilton), 23VA (National Economics University, Vietnam) & 23X (Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou China) |
| This paper offers insights into the behaviour of consumers, firms and the government within the economy, giving students skills in analysing and predicting the actions of individuals and businesses. | |||
| ECONS102 | Economics and Society | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces selected economic models, with a focus on developing and applying critical thinking skills to a range of business and social issues and to economic policies. | |||
200 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUSAN205 | Data Analytics with Business Applications | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton), 23B (Hamilton), 23B (Tauranga), 23G (Hamilton), 23VA (National Economics University, Vietnam) & 23X (Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou China) |
| This paper introduces various data analytical methods and illustrates their business and economics applications, showing how to use data to communicate more convincingly and to produce better-informed business decisions. | |||
| ECONS200 | Understanding the Global Economy | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) & 23X (Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou China) |
| This paper focuses on developing understanding of contemporary global issues, including economic well-being, sustainable growth, emerging economies, world trade and globalisation. | |||
| ECONS202 | Microeconomics and Business Economics | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) & 23X (Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou China) |
| This paper formally develops the economic theory of business and consumption decisions. | |||
| ECONS205 | Data Analytics with Business Applications | 15.0 | 23X (Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou China) |
| This paper introduces various data analytical methods and illustrates their business and economics applications, showing how to use data to communicate more convincingly and to produce better-informed business decisions. | |||
300 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECONS301 | Economic Growth and Wellbeing | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers the main macroeconomic models. There is analysis of the design and impact of macroeconomic policy, including implication for economic growth and wellbeing. | |||
| ECONS303 | Applied Quantitative Research Methods | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) & 23X (Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou China) |
| This paper provides essential quantitative skills for analysing empirical data, evaluating causal effects of actual or proposed interventions and predicting economic and financial outcomes. It will also help to prepare students for graduate studies in economics. | |||
| ECONS304 | International Economics Issues | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers in-depth analysis of the global economic environment, including international trade, access to markets and cross-border movement of factors of production including capital and labour. | |||
| ECONS305 | Entrepreneurial Discovery and Innovation | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper utilises economic theory and methods to analyse entrepreneurial opportunity, behaviour and risk management to sustain business dynamism and innovative economies. | |||
| ECONS306 | Economics and Strategic Interaction | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| The aim of this paper is to provide an introduction to strategic thinking and analysis through the basic techniques of game theory, and to illustrate the range of its applications to almost all fields of social science via a wide array of example applications. | |||
| ECONS307 | Economics of Land, Water and Environment | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper provides students with a detailed understanding of the role of economic analysis in solving real world environmental problems including pollution, sustainable development, resource scarcity, and climate change. | |||
| WSAFE396 | Management Internship | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton), 23A (Tauranga), 23B (Hamilton), 23B (Tauranga), 23C (Hamilton), 23C (Tauranga) & 23X (Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou China) |
| The Management Internship provides students with the opportunity to apply their management discipline-based knowledge to an authentic project within an organisation. | |||
| WSAFE399 | Report of an Investigation | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton), 23A (Tauranga), 23B (Hamilton), 23B (Tauranga), 23C (Hamilton) & 23C (Tauranga) |
| This paper offers students the opportunity to complete a directed investigation of an approved topic relevant to an organisation or industry and in an area related to their management discipline of study. | |||
500 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECONS501 | Macroeconomic Analysis | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper covers selected aspects of macroeconomic theory, policy and evidence. Most of the topics are centred directly or indirectly on a stylised production function. They include economic growth, business cycles, employment, inflation, price-setting behaviour, macroeconomic policy and the development of macroeconomic analysis. | |||
| ECONS506 | Economics for Business | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) & 23G (Hamilton) |
| An analysis of the economics of business including producers, consumers, markets and the role of the State. This paper is designed for MPAcct and MAppFin students who may not have studied economics at undergraduate level. | |||
| ECONS507 | Quantitative Skills for Finance and Economics | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) & 23G (Hamilton) |
| This paper provides students with a thorough grounding in the applied quantitative techniques required for professional practice in business, finance and economics. The main emphasis is on recognising which techniques are appropriate for particular types of problems, using the techniques and interpreting the results. | |||
| ECONS520 | Microeconomic Analysis - Theory | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper focuses on the application of microeconomic analysis. It includes consumer theory, risk and information economics, the economics of production and costs, the theory of the firm and of markets, and general equilibrium theory. | |||
| ECONS524 | Topics in Economic Policy Analysis | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper focuses on selected topics in the economics of policy analysis. | |||
| ECONS528 | Econometric Topics: Macroeconomics and Finance | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper provides students with theoretical and practical skills in econometrics that should enable them to carry out a wide range of applied analyses involving macroeconomics and finance. The prime focus of this paper is on the application of time-series econometrics. The topics covered include econometric estimation and testing... | |||
| ECONS529 | Microeconometrics | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper develops skills in cross-sectional and panel data pertaining to individuals, households and firms including research design and evaluation of causal effects (using randomised control trials and natural experiment, propensity score matching and regression adjustment, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity, synth... | |||
| ECONS533 | Topics in Trade and Development | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper focuses on selected topics in trade and development. These will include aspects of trade policy and evidence in the world economy and current issues in development microeconomics. | |||
| ECONS543 | Applied Econometrics | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| A postgraduate paper in econometrics for students who have not included an advanced paper in econometrics in their undergraduate degree. | |||
| ECONS552 | Global Trade Modelling | 15.0 | 23B (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces and applies general equilibrium modelling, particularly to international trade issues. Students will have the opportunity to use real-world data and a sophisticated global model in their assignments. | |||
| ECONS590 | Directed Study | 30.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| Selected topics may be available. Please discuss these with the Graduate Convenor. | |||
| ECONS591 | Economics Dissertation | 30.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. | |||
| ECONS592 | Economics Dissertation | 60.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. | |||
| ECONS593 | Economics Thesis | 90.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | |||
| ECONS594 | Economics Thesis | 120.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | |||
| MNMGT582 | Research Methods in Management Studies for Economics and Finance | 15.0 | 23A (Hamilton) |
| This paper introduces students to research paradigms commonly used in research in economics and finance. It develops skills in the critical evaluation of research literature, the identification of research problems, and the preparation of research proposals. Students completing the paper will develop a proposal for research in the... | |||
800 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECONS800 | Economics MPhil Thesis | 120.0 | 23X (Hamilton) |
| No description available. | |||
900 Level
| Code | Paper Title | Points | Occurrence / Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECONS900 | Economics PhD Thesis | 120.0 | 23I (Hamilton), 23I (Tauranga), 23J (Hamilton), 23K (Hamilton), 23X (Hamilton) & 23X (Tauranga) |
| No description available. | |||
Scholarships and prizes
New to Waikato? The International Excellence Scholarship is worth up to $10,000.
Visit our Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships
Qualification options
Expand to read Qualification options
Economics as a 1st Major (Bachelor's degree)
- Bachelor of Business - BBus
- Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours - BMS(Hons)
- Bachelor of Arts - BA
- Bachelor of Social Sciences - BSocSc
Economics as a 2nd Major or Minor (Bachelor's degree)
- Bachelor of Business - BBus
- Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours - BMS(Hons)
- Almost any other bachelor's degree at the University of Waikato
Graduate qualifications
- Graduate Certificate in Economics
- Graduate Diploma in Economics
Postgraduate qualifications
- Postgraduate Certificate in Economics
- Postgraduate Diploma in Economics
- Master of Management Studies in Economics
- Doctor of Philosophy in Economics
Contacts
Management Student Centre (MSC)
Location: MSB.1.50, Hillcrest Road, Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Hamilton
Phone: +64 838 4303
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.management.ac.nz/msc
Opening hours: 8.45am - 4.45pm Monday to Friday
One of the best times to pop into MSC is Open Advice Day, held every Wednesday from 10am to 2pm.