Economist Qualification? (1 Viewer)

[Sarah168]

Hello everyone

I posted this in the "income of careers" thread but it was probably more appropriate to start a new thread. Im doing B Commerce (Lib Studies) at USYD at the moment and planning to major in economics. I know that you are automatically a professional economist if you graduate from a B Economics degree.

Am I a qualified economist if i major in economics in my comm degree? Im thinking "probably not" but then what would the process be for me to be a qualified professional economist?

Thanks for any help

 

[Sarah168]

sigh...anyone?

 

[Korn]

Hello everyone

I posted this in the "income of careers" thread but it was probably more appropriate to start a new thread. Im doing B Commerce (Lib Studies) at USYD at the moment and planning to major in economics. I know that you are automatically a professional economist if you graduate from a B Economics degree.

Am I a qualified economist if i major in economics in my comm degree? Im thinking "probably not" but then what would the process be for me to be a qualified professional economist?

Thanks for any help

Isnt there someone at the uni who can tell you that?
If there is a professional association enquire into what is required to join that or to be eligible for the program

 

[Sarah168]

Yeah, I am enquiring at uni. I was just wondering if any BoS'ers had any insight into this, that's all. Thanks anyway

 

[Minai]

I dont think theres any professional association for economists in Australia, any major ones anyway. If you do an economics major in your commerce degree, it'll open you up to economists jobs in the RBA and the major banks.

 

[Sarah168]

I dont think theres any professional association for economists in Australia, any major ones anyway. If you do an economics major in your commerce degree, it'll open you up to economists jobs in the RBA and the major banks.

haha funny you should say that because in my research of old BOS threads on this, you said a few times that the B Economics automatically qualifies you as an economist

Anyway, i asked the SIO at usyd and they said there is no professional accreditation body in Aus and most job ads say "degree in eocnomics or any other relevant degree with a major in economics". Though it looks like a job would be difficult without honours or a higher degree.

 

[mr_shittles]

haha funny you should say that because in my research of old BOS threads on this, you said a few times that the B Economics automatically qualifies you as an economist

Anyway, i asked the SIO at usyd and they said there is no professional accreditation body in Aus and most job ads say "degree in eocnomics or any other relevant degree with a major in economics". Though it looks like a job would be difficult without honours or a higher degree.

That's true what you say about there being no no professional accreditation body for economists and all you need is a degree with an economics major. However, there is a de-facto professional body for qualified economists called the Economics Society of Australia (unlike the ICAA and CPA Aust these guys don't hand out acreditation as such and so they don't "qualify" you as such).

The Economic society does all the other things that professional bodies do, such as publishing journals, holding seminars, etc. Membership of the Economic Society of Australia is open to anyone with an interest in economics (so there's nothing stopping students who have not as yet completed their degree from joining up).

 

[Sarah168]

yup, i looked at the eco society and they look interesting. Too bad eco doesnt have some accrediation body like CA.

 

[Minai]

haha funny you should say that because in my research of old BOS threads on this, you said a few times that the B Economics automatically qualifies you as an economist

Anyway, i asked the SIO at usyd and they said there is no professional accreditation body in Aus and most job ads say "degree in eocnomics or any other relevant degree with a major in economics". Though it looks like a job would be difficult without honours or a higher degree.

Well it's still true - an doing an economics major means you'll be an economist, the point of my post is that there's no professional body like ICAA as you have already pointed out.

 

[Korn]

You can call urself an accountant without belonging to the ICAA, CPA, or others. According to my Accounting lecturer.

 

[aditya]

yeh but not a professional accountant *ahhs*

anyway, ur comment about the fact that if u major in economics in a commerce degree u wunt be ... blah blah... that is very incorrect.... its exactly the same thing :S

regardless... u ahve the best degree id say to become an economist.. if u wanna do analyst stuff then yeh major in financial mathematics, or computing/maths or something and major in economics + economic policy or something... so that leaves u open for economic analyst, finance, and economic policy....

like the rba would want u to have some finance background as u would prolli need to trade to balance the cash reserves or wateva... (forgot yr 12 stuf lol)

hope that helps

 

[loquasagacious]

If you want to work as an economist then honours is a must. It is also needed if you intend any further study in the field eg masters/doctorate.

 

[Minai]

True..you need to have solid quantitative skills that you find in a research masters/honours.

I know on the RBA site, the minimum academic standard just to apply is an Honours or Masters degree in Economics or Finance with a distinction average

 

[loquasagacious]

At the ANU honours is the only way to do micro and macro 4, masters the only way to do mico and macro 5.

 

[Sarah168]

this is so confusing. I got an information pack from UNSW about their economics degree and they keep re-iterating "B Ec is a recognised professional qualification..." whereas B Comm is "a flexible business degree".

"There are two ways of studying Economics at UNSW:

1. You can enrol in a B Ec, which will give a more in-depth study of economics and confirm your status on graduation as a professional economist

2. enrol in b comm etc etc (co major blah blah)"

Hmmm i better call up UNSW directly or something to enquire about this.

either way, i realise i need honours+ but i need to know if i need to get myself into b eco degree or not.

 

[mr_shittles]

The only genuine difference between a commerce dgree and an eco degree is in choice of majors. Commerce can choose any two majors, but BEc must have a major in eco. If you are unsure which branches of Commerce to do, go for a BCom degree. There's no harm in trying it out, because the Eco option is still there.

 

[Sarah168]

yeah but im curious as to the differences in weight between an econ major in b ec and an econ major in b comm. sounds the same...gahh

im going around in circles i know. sorry

 

[Sarah]

With UNSW degrees there is a difference if u major in Economics in a Commerce or Economics degree.

If u major in economics within a B Ec degree, there are more core subjects. You have to do intro econometrics.

A B. Ec degree gives requires you to do at least 1 of following economic majors:

Economic History
Economics
Econometrics
Financial Economics (check with this one, i could be wrong)

A B. Commerce degree with a major in economics is slightly more flexible however depending on your chosen strand of economics major, you may not be required to do econometrics

The follwoing 'economics' majors can be done in B Commerce:

Economic History
Econometrics
Business strategy and Management
Business Economics (quite flexible as you don't need to do econometrics and there's a wide choice of subjects)


There's probably more ways you can major in Economics within a B Commerce degree. Check out the website or visit the student office. If ur thinking of working with the RBA, i'd go for the B Economics degree.

Btw, I thought your're doing B Economics at Usyd?

 

[Sarah168]

no, im doing b commerce (lib studies) at USYD.

thanks for the info. even if i took a flexible route, i would still do intro metrics units anyway.

so if im serious about economics, i shoudl really be doing a straight economics degree eh? rather than trying to be safe and sticking to a commerce degree. hmmm

 

[Sarah]

no, im doing b commerce (lib studies) at USYD.

thanks for the info. even if i took a flexible route, i would still do intro metrics units anyway.

so if im serious about economics, i shoudl really be doing a straight economics degree eh? rather than trying to be safe and sticking to a commerce degree. hmmm

I guess it really depends. If you're interested in studying Economics at UNSW and intend on pursuing a career in economics i would suggest B.Economics over B. Commerce.

On a sidenote, i just had a look at my undergrad course guide and you can do an Econometrics major in B. Comm. IAlso f u want to major in Economics at UNSW, you can only do it through a B.Ec degree.

In a B. Commerce degree, You could do the same economics subjects needed to construct the Economics major as that in the B. Economics degree however, under a B.Comm degree, your major would be called "Business Economics" (hope i'm making sense here)

I'm not sure what it's like at USyd though and whether there's a diff between majoring in Economics within B Comm or B Ec.

Btw, are you thinking of transferring?

Also, you should get the FCE at UNSW to send you the Orange 2005 B Com & B Ec guide (that's exactly what it's called). It's a small orange book which outlines how each of the majors are constructed, what majors you can do in a Commerce and Econ degree and the requirement for each degree