Program Overview

The Bachelor of Social and Economic Policy (Economic Policy) will help you explore the most important and complex social, business and government policy issues; matters made all the more poignant when analysed from a unique location at the heart of the country’s socio-economic policy making in Canberra. The degree provides major grounding in economics and sociology, but offers flexibility in terms of subject areas explored, meaning you can study disciplines such as political science and international relations, as well as law, justice studies, business, commerce or management.

The course focuses on developing intuition and critical thinking, and aims at producing well-rounded graduates with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. You’ll become equipped with quantitative, research and policy-relevant tools that have a direct use in the market place and are valued by prospective employers. By the end of the course, you’ll have developed a confident understanding of real-world policy issues and their economic solutions, and will be prepared for either further study in the form of a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours), or a career in the corporate or regulatory sectors, and beyond.

Study a Bachelor of Social and Economic Policy (Economic Policy) at UC and you will:

• Analyse the complexities of contemporary times through identifying central economic problems and developing corresponding solutions
• Consider and evaluate a range of economic theories and apply them to contemporary problems and scenarios in order to develop and suggest policy responses
• Explain and critique the popular explanations of economic life through the application of rigorous and systematic methods of enquiry that assess resource allocation
• Recognise, analyse and evaluate the relationships between the scarcity of resources, the nature of values, and the design of social and economic policy in local and global contexts.

Work Integrated Learning

The structure and content of this degree has been informed by the needs of employers and industry specialists, making it relevant to successful employment and career outcomes. It includes Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities in the form of internships, professional practice units, capstone projects, networking and Study Abroad opportunities. The School of Politics, Economics and Society (SchoPES) employs renown economics and sociology scholars so you’ll have opportunities to become involved in high-profile socio-economic research if you’re keen to explore a research-led route.

Given the broad employment prospects associated with the degree, student WIL placements can occur across a range of fields, including with state and federal government departments, regulatory agencies, not-for-profit and community organisations, consulting firms, peak body associations and the private sector.

Specialist Major in Economic Policy

There are several distinctive features to the economics policy major. This major focuses on equipping students with the quantitative tools that have a direct use in the market place and are valued by prospective employers. The major focuses on developing intuition, critical thinking, and understanding of real world policy issues and economic solutions to these issues.