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Studying economics at a world-class research university can be a transformative experience for those who wish to understand and navigate an increasingly complex world. Such places often draw the best talents in the field. With them as your professors, you gain access to the latest in economic research, insights that can’t be found in textbooks alone. Whether you seek a future career in the public or private sector, aspire to become a researcher, or just want to understand the world better, what you learn from them will set you apart, whatever your pursuits may be.
The Bachelor of International Economics (BIE) program at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Vancouver School of Economics (VSE) , provides exactly this kind of experience in a personalized learning environment. The BIE is a cohort-based, direct-entry program that admits just 100 students every year. Each BIE cohort moves through the program together, and all core courses are dedicated to BIE students. This supportive environment creates an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual trust, encouraging students who otherwise might struggle to find connections in larger programs.
At the same time, the program emphasizes analytical rigor. It teaches you toapply the scientific method and quantitative data analysis to important social questions encompassing economics, international finance, business, and public policy making. These are skills that are highly sought after in today’s complex and globally interconnected world. As a consequence, BIE students achieve exceptional career outcomes in many fields such as business consulting, investment banking, technology, and academia.
“Economics is a skillset that follows you throughout your whole career. As you work your way through your career you’ll become more and more responsible for making very few, but high-quality decisions. In order to do that, it’s important to understand politics, society, regulation, finance,” says 2024 BIE graduate Shaan Hooey. “Economics is the language that combines all of those things.”
The BIE advantage
As a high school student, Renéyah Brown became interested in economics. As she progressed in the BIE, she realized that studying Economics promised her evidence-based answers to the questions she had. Because the BIE admits students directly from high school, Brown had four full years to gain the skills and experience she needed to begin a career in investment banking, during which time she participated at the BIE Career Center, completed multiple internships, and prepared for job interviews.
“Once I got to university and started studying economics, I found that finance was more and more a bigger part of that — which led me to some of my roles and ultimately is leading me to investment banking post-grad,” she says.
The BIE blends economic theory with business skills, covering issues of international trade, finance and development, environmental economics, data science, and economics in general. From the first semester, you’ll apply quantitative data analysis to economics, international finance, and public policy challenges. One-third of the courses are taught by UBC Sauder School of Business faculty, who bridge the gap between quantitative social sciences and international finance.
Academics aside, there are many other ways a BIE degree can prepare you for success.
The BIE offers various career services, including peer and professional coaching, resume writing workshops, and more. Source: University of British Columbia
Personalized support for ambitious minds
In a world where large lecture halls cramming hundreds of students is the norm, the BIE bucks the trend. Every year, it admits only 100 students, and all core courses are exclusive to them. It’s easy to form relationships across your cohort, and professors know every name and aspiration.
Beyond classes and seminars, you’ll have access to many personal and professional development resources as well — opportunities rarely found in traditional economics programs. From a BIE advising office to a specialized Career Center, you will receive tailored support that helps you refine your skills and connect you with leading companies, government institutions, and non-profits.
For Brown, these resources were a game-changer. “After graduation, I’m joining Royal Bank of Canada as an investment banking analyst,” she says. “I would never have gotten there if it wasn’t for the interview skills I developed with the Career Center.”
But career guidance is just one part of the BIE experience. You can join exclusive courses and connect with others in a dedicated student space at the iconic Iona Building. The program also offers real-world experiences that complement coursework, including co-op placements, research and teaching assistantships, and international exchange opportunities.
A degree designed for global success
With comprehensive academic and professional support, the BIE opens doors to a wide range of career paths. Graduates have secured roles at global consulting, finance, and tech firms, as well as government agencies and international NGOs. Others have achieved entrepreneurial success, with some included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
BIE graduate Charles Acheampong, for example, is now a strategy analyst at Accenture in Toronto. Reflecting on his experience, he shares, “UBC’s faculty and peers, as well as research opportunities, helped me understand what I wanted to do in the future.”
Since 1915, UBC has welcomed international students with the ambition to make a difference to its 400-hectare campus. Source: University of British Columbia
World-class education in a world-class city
A campus surrounded by ocean on three sides and forest on the fourth — that’s what BIE students call home. All BIE core courses, including those delivered by the Sauder faculty, are taught in the Point Grey Peninsula campus in Vancouver.
Being located in Vancouver itself is another huge plus. It’s one of the world’s most liveable and diverse cities, making it the ideal place for students with big ambitions. In fact, half of the BIE cohort are international students from 50 countries.
“I have yet to have a boring conversation with my cohort,” Hooey shares. “I’m extremely grateful to have gotten to know them, and I think there are probably 25 countries where I could crash on a couch.”
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