Why Study Economics?

From understanding financial crises, inflation, probability theory, unemployment, international trade and more — the study of Economics propels you into a multitude of exciting and meaningful career paths.

As an Economics student at UTM, you will join a community of dynamic educators, researchers and students who examine the influence that economics has on the structure, wellbeing and development of a society. 

On this page:

• What makes Economics at UTM distinctive?
• Skills you will develop
• Career opportunities
• Courses you may take
• Additional resources

What makes Economics at UTM distinctive?

Interdisciplinary program options

• Economics (HBA)
  • A social science that deals with issues arising out of the conflict between the demand for goods and services and a limited supply of resources.
• Financial Economics (HBSc)
  • A limited-entry program intended for students planning careers in finance or analysis. This program is an excellent choice for students considering graduate studies in Economics or Financial Economics.
• International Affairs (HBA)
  • This program helps students develop the linguistic and analytical skills required in an increasingly globalized economy. International Affairs students examine the institutional and theoretical issues pertaining to political, commercial and economic relationships between nations.
• Economics and Political Science (HBA)
  • This specialist program combines Economics and Political Science, which examines the power struggles that lead to policies and issues such as rising tuition and the war in Iraq.

A dynamic and diverse group of faculty members

• Our faculty members bring an exceptional depth and breadth in skillset and global experience. 
• Specializations include financial economics, health and environmental economics, public finance, industrial organization, applied econometrics, firm dynamics and more.
• To learn about our faculty, emeritus and sessional instructors, please see the About Us page.

A beautiful campus and strong sense of community

• In addition to the program and department, as an Economics student at UTM, you will be immersed in a truly extraordinary campus experience, participating in learning opportunities led by the world-class educators, scientists and researchers that you would expect from Canada's largest and most acclaimed university.
• At the same time, you will also enjoy the down-to-earth sense of community that a campus – situated on 225 acres of protected greenbelt – can provide.

Skills you will develop

• Communication: explain complex concepts and theories to others.
• Information gathering: analyze the multiple dimensions of a problem and select what is important and understand the impact of factors influencing economic growth.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving: analyze problems and organize ways of thinking about problems to strategize options.
• Research and statistics: gather economic data relevant to a research problem; employ data analysis research techniques such as statistical analysis and modeling; and strong background in economic theory and econometrics.

Career opportunities 

Studying Economics provides you with the intellectual tools to evaluate contemporary economic problems. A background in Economics can propel you into a range of fulfilling workplaces, including agriculture, forecasting, banks, consultancies, government, insurance, labour unions, manufacturing, real estate agencies, transportation and more.

While not exhaustive, here is a list of career options that are available to you as an Economics graduate (some require further education and experience):

For a full list of career opportunities, visit the Careers by Major - Economics page.

Courses you may take

The following are just a handful of the courses that you may choose to enrol in:

ECO220Y5 - Introduction to Data Analysis and Applied Econometrics

An introduction to the use of statistical analysis, including such topics as elementary probability theory, sampling distributions, tests of hypotheses, estimation; analysis of variance and regression analysis. Emphasis is placed on applications in economics and business problems.

ECO302H5 • World Economic History Prior to 1870

This course will focus on the economic success and failure of several key countries and regions from the start of the second millennium up to the early twentieth century. Topics include: pre-modern growth in China & India vs. Europe, the first industrial revolution, exploitation and international trade in the British Empire, the standards-of-living debate, the second industrial revolution.

ECO320Y5 - An Economic Analysis of Law

This course examines the economic basis for the Law. The topics covered include economic analyses of property rights, liability rules, contract law, tort law, corporate law, law and financial markets, and bankruptcy law. The appropriate economic measures of damages in tort and contract cases will be discussed. Other topics include tax law, and the choice between regulation and the common law.

ECO433H5 - Family Economics

Introduces students to the study of the family within the modern economics. Topics include: market production vs. home production; gender wage differentials in labour markets; monogamy, polygamy and marriage markets; non-altruistic behaviour within families; fertility and the demand for children; divorce; and the life cycle of the family. 

For a full list of Economics courses, please see UTM's Academic Calendar.

Additional resources

• More information about Economics programs
• Information for future UTM students
• Preparing for graduate school, including the courses you will need