Bachelor of Economics

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Queensland

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Economics at The University of Queensland is about getting inside the real reasons behind decisions — why people spend the way they do, how businesses respond to change, and how governments shape economies through policy. It’s a great fit if you’re curious about how the world works and want to develop strong analytical and data skills that actually matter outside the classroom, from understanding markets to making sense of policy and financial systems.

Curriculum Structure

In Year One, you’ll build the foundations that economics is built on. You’ll learn how individuals and firms make choices in Introductory Microeconomics, explore the broader economy in Introductory Macroeconomics, and develop your analytical thinking through Tools of Economic Analysis and Introductory Statistics for Social Sciences. This year is about getting comfortable with economic thinking and starting to see how theory connects to everyday decisions and global events.

By Year Two, things start to click together. You’ll move into Intermediate Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, where ideas become more practical and connected to real issues like inflation, trade, and policy decisions. You’ll also begin shaping your degree by choosing a focus area, allowing you to explore the parts of economics that interest you most. This is where you really start using models and data together to understand how the economy behaves in the real world.

In Year Three, you bring everything together and focus on applying your skills. You’ll study advanced topics aligned with your interests — whether that’s cost-benefit analysis for public policy, strategic decision-making in business, or quantitative analysis for data-driven roles. You can also gain real workplace experience through opportunities like the work-integrated ECON3380 course, helping you graduate with not just knowledge, but confidence and professional readiness.

Focus Areas
You can specialise in areas such as Economics and Public Policy, Economics of Strategy and Behaviour, International and Financial Economics, or Quantitative Analysis, allowing you to tailor your degree to your career goals.

Learning Outcomes
By the time you graduate, you’ll be able to think critically about economic problems, work confidently with data, apply economic reasoning to real-world situations, clearly communicate insights, and design solutions that make a meaningful difference.

Professional Alignment
This degree is designed with employability in mind. The analytical, statistical and research skills you develop are highly valued in consulting, government, finance and business, and the work-integrated learning opportunities help you connect theory with real professional practice before you finish your degree.

Reputation and Employability
Studying economics at UQ means learning within a program that employers genuinely respect. UQ is ranked first in Queensland for economics and econometrics and performs strongly in global business and economics rankings — a reputation that adds real weight to your qualification when you step into the job market.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Studying the Bachelor of Economics at UQ isn’t just about lectures and textbooks — it’s about doing economics in ways that prepare you for real work and real impact. From the moment you start, you’ll be encouraged to apply what you’re learning to real problems, build analytical confidence, and develop the professional mindset employers value. What makes this program especially practical is how it integrates structured work experience, research practice, and interactive experiences right alongside your academic studies. That means you’re not just absorbing theory — you’re practising it, testing it, and connecting it to the kinds of challenges professionals face every day in business, policy and industry.

Here’s how the Bachelor of Economics at UQ brings experiential learning into your degree:

Experiential learning opportunities in this program include:

Professional placement through a Work Integrated Learning course: ECON3380 gives you the chance to step into a real workplace, apply economic thinking on the job, build professional skills, expand your network, and engage with genuine business issues.
Research experience: The program explicitly builds in opportunities for you to engage in research — this means you’ll learn how economists investigate real questions, analyse data, and contribute to knowledge, not just read about it.
Workshops as part of your learning: Beyond traditional lectures and tutorials, practical workshops help you practise tools and techniques in interactive settings so you can solidify your skills in doing economics.
Lectures and tutorials structured around active learning: These aren’t passive classrooms — they’re environments where you actively work with concepts, problems and peers to deepen your understanding.

Progression & Future Opportunities

From day one after graduation, a Bachelor of Economics from The University of Queensland sets you up for real, meaningful work. You’re not just learning theory — you’re building strong skills in economic analysis, problem-solving and decision-making that employers genuinely look for across business, government, consulting and finance. Many UQ economics graduates move straight into roles like economic analyst, investment analyst, policy advisor, business consultant or market researcher — practical first steps that open the door to long-term career growth.

Here’s what that looks like for you in practice.

Support that actually helps you get hired
UQ’s Careers and Employability team is there to support you well beyond the classroom. You’ll have access to hands-on workshops, one-to-one CV and interview coaching, internships and industry-based projects — all designed to help you confidently make the jump from uni to work. The program also includes work-integrated learning opportunities, so you’re applying what you’ve learned in real professional environments, not just talking about it.

Strong connections to industry
UQ has long-standing relationships with organisations that value economics expertise — from consulting firms and government departments to financial institutions. These connections help open doors to placements, networking opportunities and real-world projects, giving you exposure to how economics is used every day in professional settings.

A solid employment track record
UQ graduates consistently show strong employment outcomes, with undergraduate employment rates often above national averages and competitive starting salaries. That’s a reassuring sign that employers recognise the value of a UQ economics degree and trust the skills it represents.

A degree with lasting value
As the only university in Queensland to offer a dedicated Bachelor of Economics, UQ gives you a qualification with strong national and international recognition. More importantly, the analytical and quantitative skills you develop don’t date — they stay relevant across industries and career changes.

Clear pathways if you want to go further
If you discover a passion for deeper analysis or research, UQ makes it easy to continue. You can move into Honours in Economics, spending an extra year developing advanced research skills — ideal if you’re aiming for policy roles, research careers or competitive professional positions. From there, many students progress into postgraduate study, such as a Master of Economics or other specialised master’s programs, opening up even more opportunities in academia, government, consulting and finance.

In short, this degree doesn’t just prepare you for your first job — it gives you the flexibility, credibility and skills to build a career that can grow and evolve with you.