The major in Financial Economics is focused on the economic models used in finance, and the econometric skills needed to apply these models to financial markets and other economic data. This is an area of high employer demand in a range of diverse fields. The major can be taken in conjunction with other majors offered by the School of Economics: Economics; Econometrics; Environmental, Agricultural and Resource Economics; or majors offered by the Business School, (e.g., Finance) and the Faculty of Science, (e.g., Financial Mathematics and Statistics).
Mathematics is an essential tool in the study of economics. Students entering this major/minor are assumed to have prior knowledge of mathematics equivalent to a minimum result of Band 4 in the NSW Higher School Certificate course,聽Mathematics Advanced.聽Students who do not possess the assumed knowledge are strongly advised to enrol in聽ECON1003聽Quantitative Methods in Economics prior to or concurrently with聽ECON1001聽Introductory Microeconomics.
In 2024, some聽mathematics prerequisites聽 for undergraduate students commencing in Semester 1 2025 were removed.
It has been identified that this curriculum component (Program, Major or Minor) has been affected. To ensure success, make sure you are aware of the required level of mathematics (assumed knowledge) for this curriculum component. Visit the聽mathematics learning support聽webpage, to understand your pathway to success, including the sequence of units you should complete and the support services available.
The Financial Economics major and minor requirements are listed in the聽Financial Economics unit of study table.
Please note: students who are NOT enrolled in the Bachelor of Economics or a Bachelor of Economics combined degree or who will not complete聽ECOS2001/ECOS2901聽as part of a different major in economics must complete the 2000-level core unit聽ECOS2040聽Intermediate Financial Economics rather than聽ECOS2001/ECOS2901.
Completion of聽ECOS2001聽Intermediate Microeconomics or聽ECOS2901聽Intermediate Microeconomics Honours alone will not prepare students for the 3000-level core unit in the Financial Economics major. Where a student completes聽ECOS2001/ECOS2901, they will also need to complete聽ECOS2002聽Intermediate Macroeconomics or聽ECOS2902聽Intermediate Macroeconomics Honours before undertaking the 3000-level core unit聽ECOS3022聽The Economics of Financial Markets.
Overlapping core units of study
An overlap in core units of study occurs with certain combinations of majors. For example, the core unit聽ECMT1010聽Introduction to Economic Statistics is common to the Econometrics and Financial Economics majors. This situation also arises between the Financial Economics major and majors offered by the Business School and Faculty of Science. For example, the 1000-level core unit in the Finance major (Business School),聽BUSS1020聽Quantitative Business Analysis, is equivalent to聽ECMT1010聽Introduction to Economic Statistics. Bachelor of Economics students are required to complete the core units specified for the Bachelor of Economics rather than equivalent units offered by other faculties.
Students enrolled in the final (fourth) year of a Bachelor of Advanced Studies combined degree are required to complete a minimum of 24 credit points of聽Advanced coursework. Details of advanced coursework units of study in Economics can be found on the聽advanced coursework units of study page.