Department of EconomicsSchool of Business and Management

The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology

BBA in Economics

(BBA-ECON)

BSc in Mathematics & Economics(BSc-MAEC)

BSc in Economics &

Finance(BSc-ECOF)

Co-offered with Department of Math,

School of Science

IndividualDecision Making

OrganizationalDecision Making

Public Policy Making

Economic Decision Problems

InteractiveDecision Making

Markets Analysis

Consumer Behavior

Production Technology Investment

International Trade Foreign Exchange

Economic GrowthEconomicDevelopment

Marriage Voting

Economic Crisis Housing Market Bubble Money and Banking

IncomeInequality

Market Design

GroupDecision Making

Empirical / Data-driven Analysis

Microeconomics Econometrics Macroeconomics

Theoretical / Model-based Analysis

ANALYTICALMINDSET

BALANCEDMACRO & MACRO

VIEW

DATA & STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

QUANTITATIVESKILLS

Novel and Challenging Problems

• Any science accumulates fundamental and extendable knowledge.

• Economic Theory is based on the deductive reasoning, which is a main

reasoning principle of all other sciences.

• Empirical-side of Economics is developed to test hypotheses raised by

economic theory.

• The theoretical reasoning method and empirical tools developed to deal with

data are COMMON in any social science and business subjects.

• We are delivering fundamental and extendable knowledge. This is

cutting-edge knowledge in social sciences.

EconomicsTraining

Real-world issues, world economy, financial market, economic recession, asset market bubble, consumer behavior, firm decisions,

marketing strategy, political choices, epidemics, public

health policy

• Most of the major-required courses will focus on delivering the fundamental and

extendable knowledge in theory and in empirical method.

• May not spend enough time to demonstrate how economic theory and empirical

methods can be used to explain a particular real-world phenomenon.

• This is in contrast to many other courses you are going to take outside the department.

They may focus on a few real-world cases and discussions are tightly connected to

them, so you can easily “feel” they are useful.

• Yes, they are. But it does not mean that the economic training we provide is not useful.

Curriculum

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4BSc ECOFBBA ECON

University Common Core

Business Core

Major Required

Additional major/minor/free electives

36 credits36 credits

33-34 credits45-46 credits

40-41 credits23-24 credits

Minimum requirementof 120 credits

Minimum requirementof 120 credits

Subject Area Number of Courses

ECON ECOF

Business Core Courses, excluding ECON, FINA 12 8

Language required courses (LABU) 2 2

Economics (Business Core + Required)Economics (4000-Level Electives)

53

73

Finance (Business Core and Required)Finance (4000-Level Electives)

1-

22

Mathematics (Core) 1 1-2

Computing 3 3

University Common Core 12 12

curriculum

BUSINESS CORE COURSES ECON ECOF

Principles of Accounting I (ACCT 2010) ✓ ✓

Principles of Accounting II (ACCT 2200) ✓ X

Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 2103/2113) ✓ ✓

Financial Management (FINA 2303) ✓ ✓

Introduction to Information Systems (ISOM 2010)Coding for Business (ISOM 2020)Introduction to Business Analytics (ISOM 2600)

✓ ✓

Business Statistics (ISOM 2500) ✓ ✓

Operations Management (ISOM 2700) ✓ X

Business Case Analyses (LABU 2040) ✓ ✓

Effective Communication in Business (LABU 2060) ✓ ✓

Business Ethics and the Individual (MGMT 2010) ✓ ✓

Organizational Behavior (MGMT 2110) ✓ X

Business Ethics and Social Responsibility (MGMT 2130) ✓ ✓

Business Student Induction (SBMT 1111) ✓ ✓

Marketing Management (MARK 2120) ✓ X

ECONOMICS REQUIRED COURSES ECON ECOF

Managerial Microeconomics (ECON 3014) ✓ X

Managerial Macroeconomics (ECON 3024) ✓ X

Mathematics for Economists (ECON 2174) or, Multivariable Calculus (MATH 2023)

X ✓

Microeconomic Theory I, II (ECON 3113, 3133) X ✓

Macroeconomic Theory I, II (ECON 3123, 3143) X ✓

Introduction to Econometrics (ECON 3334) ✓ ✓

Economics Research and Communication (ECON 4670) ✓ ✓

ECONOMICS ELECTIVE COURSES ECON ECOF

4000-Level Economics Courses 11 Credits (3 courses) 11 Credits (3 courses)

Finance Elective Courses 6 Credits (2 Courses)

Economics Elective Courses

Economics Elective courses

• NINETEEN Courses of 4000-level electives will be offered in 2020FALL / 2021SPRING

• ECON 4999(x): Special Topics in Economics

➢ Technical & Applicable in Career: Housing Economics, Economics of Fintech,

Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Macroeconomic and Financial Risk Management

• ECON 4959(x): Independent Studies

➢ In-depth research proposal/writing samples for applying further studies

• UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunities)

• UG Best Paper Award

Economics Elective courses

• You can take more elective courses if you would like to learn the

”practical-side” of economics.

• About 30%-40% of the elective courses have project / term-paper

requirements.

• The curriculum allows you to take six or more elective courses, if you are

interested in fully understanding the practical-side of economics.

Other Useful Information

Exchange and Credit Transfer

• Some (but not every) courses are offered in every semester

✓ECON 3014, 3024, 3334 / ECOF 3123, 3143, 3334

ECON 3113 (Fall, 2nd year only) – Still tentative, To be updated.

• Take all the required courses in UST

• Get approval before exchange out

• Provide course syllabi through ARO’s credit transfer system

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3000-Level Economic Courses

• “Core training” for Econ Major Students

✓Foundation courses preparing you for 4000 level Economics electives

• Courses that are offered in every semester

✓ECON 3014, 3024; 3123, 3133, 3143; 3334 are offered every semester; not

ECON 3113 (Spring, 2nd year)

• Credit Transfer (Exchange) for require courses are very restrict

20

ECON 2123 vs. ECON 3123

• ECON 2123: SBM’s school core Macroeconomics

• ECON 3123: ECOF’s major required course

✓ECON 2123 excludes ECON 3123

• Qualified students who seriously consider entering the ECOF

program, please consider not taking ECOF2123 in your first year

Spring.

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How To fulfil ECON 4670: Economics Research and Communication

ECON 4000-level (w/ research paper)

ECON 4000-level (w/o paper)

ECON 4000-level (Exchange course)

ECON 46700 credit, P/F

ECON 4959B (Independent Study) 1-4 credits, Graded, SupervisedOr

Pursuing a UROP Project, Supervised

Guidelines for Study Leave (School Policy)

• No more than 2 semesters (i.e. 1 Year)

• Usually for job placement or intern

• Applications without sound reason and supporting document

will not be approved

• Submission of leave application: at least one week before the

commencement of the coming semester

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Credit Overload

Except for the Year 1 Fall term, you can take up to 18 credits in a

regular semester

• Overload by 1 due to course credit : OK

• Overload to 20 credit: CGA 3.3 or above and subject to approval

• Overload over 20 credit: CGA 3.5 or above, approval upon

special needs only

24

Additional major and minor declaration

• within school (ECOF and BBA) and across schools (SCIE, ENGG)

• Pay attention to the program requirement and application timeline.

• Apply with a study plan in excel form, showing courses you need to

take in the coming semesters to fulfil both program requirements.

25

Job Placements

Administration / Management

29%

System Analysis / Computer

Programming12%

Banking and

Finance32%

Accunting / Audting / Taxation

12%

Marketing / Sales3%

Service Work6%

Insurnace / Real Estates

3%

Author / Journalist

3%

BBA ECON

Administration

/ Management

15%

System Analysis / Computer

Programming4%

Banking and

Finance54%

Accunting / Audting / Taxation

15%

Economics, Statistical &

Mathematical Work12%

BSC ECOF

Graduate Placement

Source: 2019 Graduate Employment Survey, HKUST Career Center http://career.ust.hk

http://career.ust.hk/

Employer List

Banking and Finance

Consulting/Analysis

Employer List

Further Graduate Studies

Year From To Program

2013 ECOF Chicago Booth Econ PhD

2014 ECOF Stanford Econ PhD

2014 MAEC Columbia Econ PhD

2016 ECOF Northwestern Econ PhD

2016 ECOF Chicago Booth Marketing PhD

2017 ECOF Harvard Econ PhD

2019 MAEC Cambridge Marketing PhD

2019 MAEC Penn State Econ PhD

2020 ECOF Duke Econ MA

Percentage of our UG students pursue Postgraduate Study 2011 to 2020: rangesfrom 2.9% to 15.8% in the past years

✓Plan ahead: (i) Quantitative training; (ii) Reference letters; (iii) GRE, TOEFL ; (iv) Choice of school and programs

The First Challenge

• The standard of learning and studying are now very different.

• You need to take 5-6 courses in each semester. Some topics are more

challenging and demanding. Speed of delivery is fast.

• Do not limit yourself to PPT and practice questions.

• Instead, do read textbook, books, newspapers, magazines, etc.

• Pay attention to what’s happening in the real world

• Build up your own understanding of the world is most important

32

• Without the sense of “a class”, you meet different people in

different classes

• In fact, this allows you to meet more people and make more

friends potentially

• Be active and simile:

Hi! I am Wooyoung from ECON!

33

Difficult to make some friends?

• If some says this to you, that means either his/her CGA is very

low or he/she has an hidden intension.

• It affects your major selection, internship, exchange, job, etc.

• However, CGA is NOT everything either!

• Many good CGA students fail to get a good/path

• Character, work with others, communication, leadership, etc.

34

Is CGA not important?

• You are free! Unfortunately, it also means a potential risk!

• Self-disciplinary and multi-tasking mindset

• Suggestion: Excel sheet and record what have you done for

every 30-min time slot

• If you find yourself unable to write down what you have done,

it means you need to improve your time management skill.

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Time Management

• I believe the most important thing in university education is to

fully understand “who you are.”

• What do you like, are you good at, life-style do you want?

• More importantly, what is your DREAM?

• You have to do it by yourself; No one else can help if you

cannot help yourself.

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Your goal is to figure out WHO YOU ARE

Strong and Comprehensive Career Support

Nearly 90%With

InternshipExperience

Alumni Sharing

&Networking

Career Fair&

Job Portal

Junior Research Fellowship,

Independent Research Projects,

Undergraduate Research

Opportunities

Industry Talks&

Career Advising

Call For Your Participation: HKEPC

Hong Kong Economic Policy Challenge: Housing

In Association with:

Call For Your Participation: HKEPC

Call For Your Participation: HKEPC - Housing

• Official Website: https://www.hkepc.ust.hk/

• Timeline

–07 Sep. 2020 – 27 Jan. 2021: Submit Applications and Policy Proposal

–30 January, 2021: Finalist (6 teams) Selection

–06 February, 2021: Grand Finale

• Sponsorship: E&Y, Bloomberg

• Prize: Cash Prize (HKD 30,000), Internship, Research Opportunity

https://www.hkepc.ust.hk/

About Econers

• A students’ committee under the Department of

Economics

– Serving students majoring in ECON, ECOF & MAEC

• Goals of Econers

– Promote academic, career and re-creational activities to students

of Economics.

– Create bonding between Economics Students.

– Enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of Economic

students.

• Past events includes:

– Issuing Economic News Letters, Semester Gatherings, Leisure

Activities (e.g. BBQ with Professors)

albertpark@ust.hk

wooyoung@ust.hk

hiramc@ust.hk

leonna@ust.hk

http://www.bm.ust.hk/econ @hkustecon

We would like to hear from YOU!