North American economics degrees preparing internationals for global graduate success

Many questions about how the world runs can be found through the study of economics. How do our choices as individuals and collectively combine to shape the world as we know it? How do we deal with the prices of goods, services and resources in a world with diminishing natural resources? What should countries do when robots finally automate most of our jobs?

A good economics degree lets you see the economic forces that govern our world. With this in hand, you’ll be able to then identify, investigate, and find solutions to some of the grandest challenges of our time. The best economists consider this a calling, using their knowledge of the discipline to turn their careers into change-making pursuits and become leaders in many fields.

The selection of schools below transforms students into professionals of such calibre and versatility. From consultancies and multinationals to policy organisations and think tanks, their graduates have entered careers in a wide range of fields.

The Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia is a world leader in research and hands-on education on pressing economic challenges. Source: University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia

Located 30 minutes from the heart of downtown Vancouver and surrounded by stunning mountain views, the Vancouver School of Economics (VSE) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is Canada’s top economics department and one of the world’s best. Here, world-class experts push the frontier of knowledge on growth, international finance, development, public finance, environmental economics, and data science applied to economic contexts – work sought after by the highest levels of governments and international organisations.

A group of highly talented undergraduate students from all over the world will soon follow in their footsteps. Every year, 100 high school students join VSE’s Bachelor of International Economics (BIE), a direct-entry, tight-knit programme that applies the scientific method to answer complex local, national and international economic problems. Immersed in a rigorous academic environment, BIE students build a strong scientific, quantitative, and analytic foundation to tackle any challenge with an open mind and an inquisitive spirit. With the Sauder School of Business teaching one-third of BIE courses, the programme combines the fields of economics, international finance, and policy-making.

BIE graduates have a track record of career success. They made it to the “Forbes 30 under 30 list,” joined prestigious graduate programmes, and landed high-powered roles in consulting, business, finance, policy-making, and more. One reason for these exceptionally strong outcomes is that the BIE offers personal and professional development services, unlike any other Canadian economic programmes. These include a BIE-internal advising office and a dedicated career centre connecting students with leading companies, governmental institutions, and non-profit organisations worldwide.

Apply to the Vancouver School of Economics today.

The Department of Economics at Berkeley has evolved from modest beginnings into one of the world’s top-ranked teaching and research programmes. Source: UC Berkeley/Facebook

University of California, Berkeley

From humble beginnings as a Political Economy department with a single faculty member, the University of California, Berkeley‘s Department of Economics is today ranked #3 in the US by US News & World Report. Academics have gone on to perform groundbreaking work in economic theory, econometrics, and macroeconomics, as evident by their six Nobel Prize laureates and seven John Bates Clark medals.

You, too, have the opportunity to be among these Berkeley Economics greats by enrolling in the economics undergraduate degree. The honours programme includes a research requirement with past theses questions exploring matters such as “The Causal Effect of ACA Subsidies on Insurance Coverage Status Among California Adults” and “Economic Impacts of Immigration Detention Centers Built Between 1990-2016 on US Commuting Zones.”

Going abroad is encouraged. “I took three master’s-level Economics classes and a Mosaics class. Because the Economics classes were part of a master’s programmes, they were quite difficult, probably more than those at Berkeley,” says student Lucy Chen. “However, the professors were very welcoming to us and very helpful and responsive throughout the class period.”

Berkeley Economics has a well-established track record of its undergraduates finding relevant and well-paid employment after completing their degree. Students who continue onto advanced degrees have also gained admission to high-level graduate programmes worldwide, conducting research that benefits societies everywhere.

The Department of Economics offers different bachelor’s degree options as well as a minor. Source: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

If you want a flexible, versatile, and experiential economics degree, join the Department of Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Its BA Economics grows more popular every semester, with around 1,300 currently majoring in it.

The programme builds a solid foundation for economics, statistics, and calculus, while giving you the option to take courses according to your interests and future goals. These additional courses include  Behavioural Economics, Development, Econometrics, Economic History, Financial Economics, Industrial Organisation, International Economics, Labour Economics, Macroeconomics, Mathematical Economics, Political Economics, Public Economics, Economic Theory, and Urban Economics.

Students can choose to double major and/or minor in numerous disciplines as well. Popular double majors include Math, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Political Science, Sociology, Communications, Psychology, History, and Global Studies. Dual Degrees consist of majors in different colleges, such as Business and Engineering, and require additional hours.

Whichever option you take, you’ll have many opportunities to align your interests and make the most of your experience here. Trips to study innovation and entrepreneurship with Economics Professors around the world let you learn first-hand about the country’s market, culture, and economy through visits to start-ups, meetings with business leaders, academics, and social entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, the Economics Club runs various events like Faculty Talks, Social Activities, Company Info Sessions, Volunteer Opportunities, and more.

With these experiences and all they’ve gained from their Illinois education, graduates have gone on to thrive across sectors such as banking and finance, marketing, insurance, and consulting. Others pursue graduate studies, focusing on areas like Accounting, Finance, Business, Statistics, Financial Engineering, and Economics, taking on master’s- and doctorate-level programmes.

Columbia University is ranked among the top institutions for research in economics in the world. Source: Columbia University

Columbia University

The Department of Economics at Columbia University trains students to think analytically about social issues and provides a solid economic foundation for further study, career, and other pursuits. Their research opportunities make this possible. Even at an undergraduate level, you get to engage with faculty and explore research areas encompassing fiscal, economic, and financial policies.

This is evident in the list of departmental honours recipients who have conducted projects that are broad-ranging and rooted in the real world. Such early exposure to research gives you a headstart, equipping you with the skills and knowledge you need to enter the industry or pursue further study.

The undergraduate department offers six majors: Economics, Financial Economics, and joint interdisciplinary programmes with either Math, Philosophy, Political Science, or Statistics. Whichever major you choose, you will take a scientific approach to the study of micro and macroeconomic theory, learn how to conduct formal modelling of economic relationships, test hypotheses against data, and think critically about economic problems and policy issues.

This programme can be designed to fit your interests in economics. For example, students interested in a career in international business can tailor their bachelor’s degree to include courses like Financial Economics, Industrial Organisation, Corporate Finance, Economic Development, International Trade, International Monetary Theory and Policy, and Economic Organisation and Development of Japan.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International