Overview
The Department of Economics offers a variety of courses and programs that are aimed at meeting the diverse interests and aptitudes of students. The programs range from general interest programs to highly specialized ones that are targeted at specific groups of students. Our courses provide students with a solid foundation in economic analysis and its application to a wide range of areas. In fact, the extent of our course offerings speaks to how widely economics is used in business and public policy.
The graphic below provides an overview of the core BA and BSc programs, the associated options, and our course offerings. To get more details on any component, including details on program requirements and course offerings, click on the graphic and you will be led to an interactive version.
Nonspecialist Courses
We now offer two courses which provide a non-technical introduction to contemporary economics and its applications. They are intended for students in any area of study and do not assume any prior background. They may be taken in conjunction with the regular first year courses (ECON 103 and 104) or separately.
ECON 111 The Environment and the Economy
Studies the relation between economic growth, trade, urbanization and the global environment, with a particular focus on pollution and climate change. Environmental policy design, in both developing and developed countries, is the central unifying theme of the course.
ECON 112 Strategy, Conflict and Co-operation
A non-technical introduction to game theory, the study of the strategic interaction between agents of all types, including people, corporations, nations and even biological organisms. Presented with illustrations drawn variously from economics, politics, law, history, biology, psychology and current affairs.
First and Second Year Foundations
The foundations for the economics program consist of courses in economics, writing, mathematics, statistics and computing. These courses will also satisfy the corresponding pre-Commerce requirements. The foundation courses should be completed during the first two years of your program. Since many of our 300 level courses only require the foundations courses in economics and writing, it is possible to take specialist field courses in your second year while completing the remaining foundations courses. Students are also required to complete a breadth requirement (a related course from another Department).
Students who are interested in combining their studies in Economics with other programs should keep the requirements of those programs in mind when choosing their courses. For example, students interested in Accounting should consult the accounting information in the Careers Section of the site.
Foundation Courses
- ECON 103 (Microeconomics)
- ECON 104 (Macroeconomics)
- 1.5 units of first year English
- ECON 225(Writing for Economists)
- MATH 102 (Calculus for Students in the Social and Biological Sciences)
- BSc students only: MATH 140 (Mathematics for Economics and Econometrics)
- ECON 245 (Descriptive Statistics and Probability)
- ECON 246 (Statistical Inference)
- CSC 105 (Computers and Information Processing)
- 1.5 units of another Social Science, or HIST 205, or PHIL 220, or PHIL 223
Pre-Commerce Courses
Many prospective Commerce students end up becoming Economics Majors, sometimes in combination with our Business Option (or Minor), our Finance Option and Camosun accounting courses. To keep this alternative open students should be aware that the Pre-Commerce requirements can be met in a number of different ways, but only some also meet the Economics requirements. It is up to students to plan their programs appropriately. To be consistent with the Economics program requirements, students should meet the Pre-Commerce requirements in the following way:
Economics:- Both ECON 103 and 104
- MATH 102
- ECON 245 and 246
- CSC 105
The BA Program
The BA program offers students a solid background in economics and the opportunity to pursue studies in all of the areas of specialization available in the Department. It would be a good choice for anyone who anticipates a career in Accounting, Financial Services and Business. It would also be appropriate for those who anticipate further studies including: Law, International Relations, MBA (Masters of Business Administration) programs, MPA (Masters of Public Administration) programs and most interdisciplinary programs. The only opportunities are those, such as graduate studies in Economics, that require the more technical training that is provided by the BSc. Some graduate programs will give preference to students with Honours degrees.
In addition to the Foundations courses, both the BA Major and the BA Honours require that students complete courses in the following areas:
- Intermediate Microeconomics and Macroeconomics (ECON 203, 204, 313)
- Econometrics (ECON 345 or ECON 365)
- One of a number of courses dealing with history, law or institutions (one of ECON 321, 327, 328, 337, 338, 407, 421)
- An additional 10.5 units of upper level economics electives
The remaining courses can be chosen as electives from any area of study, subject to the Faculty of Social Sciences degree guidelines.
In addition to the above, the Honours program requires that students complete an additional 1.5 units of upper level economics electives, a course in advanced macroecnomics, and the Honours Seminar which includes the writing of an Honours Thesis.
The Co-op option provides students with an opportunity to combine their studies with practical experience and to be paid while doing so. The academic component of the Co-op degree program is identical to that of the regular degree program with the added benefit of 16 months of work experience related to economics.
Applications are made through the Co-op office on the second floor of the University Center. Additional information can found on the Co-operative Education Homepage and specific questions can be directed to The Economics Co-op Co-ordinator.
The BSc Program
The BSc program is aimed at those students who are interested in pursuing the more technical aspects of economics. It has all of the benefits of the BA and, in addition, opens a number of other doors (see the pop-up describing the BA program).
In addition to the requirements of the BA program, students in the BSc program are required to complete:
- Mathematics for Economics and Econometrics (MATH 140)
- Mathematical Economics (both ECON 250 and 251)
- Computer Aided Modelling (ECON 353)
- Econometrics (both ECON 365 and 366)
In addition to the above, the Honours BSc program requires that students complete the Honours Seminar, which includes the writing of an Honours Thesis, and the following courses:
- Advanced Microeconomics and Macroeconomics (ECON 400 and 401)
- One course in advanced economic theory or econometrics (one of ECON 450,)
The Business Minor and Economics Business Option are offered by the Business Faculty. The following four Commerce Courses provide the foundation for both.
- COM 220: Organizational Behaviour
- COM 240: Management Finance
- COM 250: Fundamentals of Marketing
- COM 270: Financial and Management Accounting for Specialists
These four courses are all that is required for the Business Option. The Business Minor requires that students complete an additional 3.0 units of upper level Commerce courses drawn from a prescribed list. Both programs have grade restrictions. Further details are available in the UVic Calendar (Business Option, Business Minor) and in the Economics Office (BEC 360).
To complete the Finance Option students are required to take five courses drawn from the following list:
| ECON 305 | Money and Banking |
| ECON 405B | International Monetary Theory and Policy |
| ECON 406 | Monetary Economics |
| ECON 435 | Financial Economics |
| ECON 452 | Information and Incentives |
| ECON 454 | Corporate Finance |
| COM 240 | Management Finance |
| COM 425 | Taxation for Managers |
| COM 445 | Corporate Finance |
| IB 417 | International Finance |
| MATH 242 | Mathematics of Finance |
Students must complete one of ECON 435 or 454.
See the Calendar for additional information.
Economic History
| ECON 321 | The Economic History of Canada |
| ECON 327 | Economic History of North America |
| ECON 328 | Economic History of the Pacific Rim |
| ECON 421 | European and International Economic History |
| ECON 425 | Economic Growth in Early and Modern Japan |
Law and Philosophy
| ECON 311A | The Economic Analysis of Property and Contract |
| ECON 311B | The Economic Analysis of Tort and Crime |
| ECON 411 | Topics in the Economic Analysis of Law |
| ECON 437 | Philosophical Problems in Contemporary Economics |
History of Economic Thought
| ECON 337 | History of Economic Thought to 1870 |
| ECON 338 | History of Economic Thought Since 1870 |
| ECON 407 | Topics in the History of Economic Thought |
| ECON 426 | Institutional Economics |
International Economics
| ECON 306 | International Economics |
| ECON 405A | International Trade Theory |
| ECON 405B | International Monetary Theory and Policy |
| ECON 422 | Issues in European Economic Integration |
Development and Growth
| ECON 320 | Economic Development |
| ECON 333 | Introduction to Economic Growth |
| ECON 420 | Theory of Economic Development |
| ECON 428 | Economic Development of the Postwar Pacific Rim |
| ECON 429 | Population Economics |
Labour Economics
| ECON 370 | Labour Economics |
| ECON 371 | Economics of Work and Play |
| ECON 415 | Topics in Labour Economics |
Health Economics
| ECON 317 | The Economics of Canadian Healthcare |
Economics of the Family
| ECON 439 | Economics of the Family |
Environmental and Resource Economics
The Department of Economics offers two sequences of courses, one in the Economics of the Environment and the other in Natural Resources (see below). These courses provide students with comprehensive skills to understand and analyze current policy issues, such as:
- climate change
- off shore oil exploration
- soft wood lumber trade
- endangered species protection
- air and water pollution
- forest and fisheries management
Training in these areas opens the door to a wide range of exciting co-op placements and career opportunities.
More details are available in the Environmental and Resource Economics Brochure
.Environmental Economics
| ECON 381 | Environmental Economics I |
| ECON 481 | Environmental Economics II |
Resource Economics
| ECON 382 | Natural Resource Economics I |
| ECON 482 | Natural Resource Economics II |
Economic Theory
| ECON 400 | Advanced Microeconomic Theory |
| ECON 401 | Advanced Macroeconomic Theory |
| ECON 450 | Game Theory in Economics |
| ECON 452 | Information and Incentives |
Econometrics
| ECON 365 | Econometrics Part I |
| ECON 366 | Econometrics Part II |
Students may also seek permission to take graduate courses in Econometrics.
Monetary Economics
| ECON 305 | Money and Banking |
| ECON 406 | Monetary Economics |
Financial Economics
| ECON 435 | Financial Economics |
| ECON 454 | Theory of Corporate Finance |
Economic Policy
The Department offers a wide range of courses that deal with policy issues as they arise in various parts of the economy. The list below includes only those that are not covered under other topics.
URBAN AND REGIONAL ECONOMICS
| ECON 312 | Urban Land Economics |
| ECON 414 | Regional Economics |
INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION AND CANADIAN PUBLIC POLICY
| ECON 310A | Industrial Organization |
| ECON 310B | Industrial Organization and Public Policy |
| ECON 410A | Problems of Canadian Microeconomic Policy |
| ECON 410B | Problems of Canadian Macroeconomic Policy |
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
| ECON 416 | Cost Benefit Analysis: Principles and Applications |
PUBLIC FINANCE
| ECON 325 | Public Finance |
In addition to the BA and BSc programs in Economics, we have recently introduced a combined BSc Progam in Financial Mathematics and Economics (joint with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics) and a Minor in Economic Policy.
Programs
BA Major
The BA Major is well-suited for students who wish to combine their study of Economics with a broad range of electives in Economics and other subjects. It is recommended for students planning to pursue careers in fields such as finance, business, and accounting, or as preparation for study in professional graduate programs such as law, business administration and public administration.
BSc Major
The BSc program supplements the BA program with a number of courses which emphasize the more mathematical and quantitative aspects of Economics. It is best suited for students with an aptitude for mathematics and provides a good starting point for those planning graduate studies in economics and related areas (including finance), or a career in economic research.
Honours BA and BSc
The Honours program offers an enriched experience that includes small designated honours classes, a stimulating environment and an opportunity to engage in research under the personal supervision of faculty. It is an ideal program for those wanting to pursue graduate studies in economics.
BSc Major in Financial Mathematics and Economics
Advanced financial analysis, both theoretical and applied, draws on a range of sophisticated mathematical, statistical and computational methods. This program is intended to provide students with a strong foundation in these methods and is ideal preparation for further studies in mathematical finance, actuarial science as well as for employment directly in these areas. This program is offered jointly with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and is aimed at students with an aptitude for mathematics.
Minor in Economic Policy
This is a new program that started in the 2008-2009 academic year. It is intended to provide students in other areas of study with a foundation in economic policy analysis and its applications. Although of value to anyone, it is perhaps best suited for students who have a general interest in policy, or an interest in a specific policy area.
Minor
A flexible program for students whose Major lies in another area.
