The Master of Economics is designed for students who plan to pursue careers as economic researchers and decision makers in the public or private sectors. The course attracts people employed by the public service and private enterprise, as well as teachers already holding a Bachelor of Economics who seek to improve their professional qualifications through postgraduate studies. Topics covered include microeconomics, macroeconomics, international economics, financial economics, resource economics, public economics, quantitative economics, economic history and economic development.

Who should do this course?

This course is ideal for students who wish to undertake post-graduate studies in economics. The course is designed for students who have completed an economics major in their undergraduate studies.

The Economics Department at UWA

UWA’s Economics discipline enjoys a large number of international visiting experts and guest lecturers. For more than two decades, the discipline has been a partner in the innovative PhD Conference in Economics and Business, which has hosted almost 600 students from major universities around the world. In addition, the discipline’s international connections are further enhanced by a significant flow of economists from other institutions who visit the Business School to present research results and to work with our staff and students. Recent visitors include Sir David Hendry from Oxford University, and the late Arnold Zellner from the University of Chicago. Further, the annual Shann Memorial Lecture invites a prominent economist to deliver a presentation in the area of economics and finance. All of these events generate considerable interest from the economics community and stimulate the discipline’s teaching and learning activities.

Graduates can expect to find work in government agencies at the local, state and federal levels, as well as opportunities in the private sector including banks, consultancy companies, international agencies, insurance companies and the finance industry.

As an economist, you could assess the implications of global economic trends on the Australian economy, regional economies or individual industries. In the area of applied economics, you might conduct research and analysis of global and local events for federal agencies such as the Treasury, Reserve Bank of Australia, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and Productivity Commission.