Bachelor of Arts, Economics

The study of economics helps us understand our world: wages and employment, economic growth, productivity, wealth and poverty, government budgets and taxation, resource exploitation, business practices, inflation, recession, regional economic differences. In the undergraduate program in economics we study the history and current reality of these issues, and the principles and techniques necessary to gain a sound understanding of the choices and problems facing us during our lifetime. Students earning a general BA degree in economics can take a wide variety of economics courses while still pursuing interests in other fields. The advanced BA degree in Economics provides greater specialization. The Honours program is intellectually stimulating and offers smaller third and forth year classes. 

What is unique about this program at the U of M?
The Department is committed to providing up-to-date education in the core skills that give economics majors a competitive edge in careers where an understanding and analysis of the economy, its institutions, its quantitative indicators, and of economic policy, is desirable.  Our BA Advanced Major and the Honours programs provide an in-depth and specialized knowledge of the discipline, as well as an appreciation of the range and nature of the debates and of the contemporary and evolving approaches within economics. The Honours program is especially unique in providing an intellectually interesting, as well as challenging, education to our students.  The general major in Economics program provides a broader education that is useful to students interested in completing their degree in three years.
The regular Friday afternoon seminar series has been running for 35 years and is the oldest in the faculty. Many faculty members have won recognition for their research at the local and national level. In recent years, we have hired a number of new and enthusiastic faculty members with diverse interests and a commitment to teaching and scholarship.