Economics

Department of Economics

General Office: Singer Hall, Room 465
Mailing Address: Department of Economics
University of New Brunswick
P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, N.B.,
Canada, E3B 5A3 
Phone: (506) 453-4828
Fax: (506) 453-4514
Email: econ@unb.ca
Website: //www.unb.ca/fredericton/arts/departments/economics/index.html
Chair: Dr. Luc Theriault

 Faculty

  • Chowdhury, Murshed, BSS, MSS (Shah Jalal), MA, PhD (Manit.), Assoc. Prof - 2016
  • Dalkir, Elif, BSc (Mathematics-METU), MS (Bogazici), MA (Mathematics-Kansas), PhD (Economics & Mathematics – Kansas), Assoc. Prof - 2012
  • Dalkir, Mehmet S., BS, MS (Engineering-METU), MA (Kansas), PhD (Kansas), Assoc. Prof - 2005
  • Farnworth, Mike, BA, MA (Qu.), PhD (McM), Assoc. Prof - 2000
  • Lantz, Van, BA (Car.), MA (Dal), PhD (S.Fraser), Prof (Joint Forestry & Enviro Mgmt) - 2000
  • Myatt, Anthony E., BA (Lancaster), MA, PhD (McM), Prof - 1983
  • Passaris, Constantine E., BA (American U, Cairo), MA (Nfld), PhD (Leicester), Prof - 1972
  • Yevdokimov, Yuri, BSc (Sumy), MA (Academy of Science), MSc (Ill), PhD (Manit.), Prof (Joint Civil Eng.) - 1999
  • Yu, Weiqiu, BSc (Shandong), MA (UNB), PhD (S. Fraser), Prof - 1993

Programs of Study

The Department of Economics offers Majors and Honours programs to students in the Faculties of Arts, Business Administration and Science. The Department also offers a Minor to students from all Faculties. The usual entry level courses are introductory microeconomics (ECON 1013 or ECON 1014) and introductory macroeconomics (ECON 1023 or ECON 1024).

Students normally choose a Majors/Honours program in their second or third year and should register with the Department at the beginning of the academic year. Registration forms can be obtained from the departmental secretary in SH465 or downloaded from the departmental website at:  //www.unb.ca/fredericton/arts/departments/economics/_resources/pdfs/minormajorhonoursform.pdf

Minimum Academic Standards

Students in all Faculties should note that the minimum grade in a course required by any of the Economics programs (Majors, Honours and Minor) is a "C". A grade of “D” is acceptable only if 1) the course is a normal part of the final year of that program, and is being taken for the first time in the final year; or 2) the course is not needed to meet the minimum credit hours of that program.

Economics Program to Arts Students

Programs available to Faculty of Arts students include Majors and Honours in Economics, a Major in Economic Studies and a Minor in Economics. There is also a Minor in Public Policy jointly offered with Political Science.

Major in Economics

The Major consists of a minimum of 30 ch in Economics of which 24 ch must be in advanced courses (i.e., courses that start with the number 3 or higher are advanced). Required courses include ECON 3023, ECON 3013, and a 3 ch course in statistics. Since the Economics Department does not offer an undergraduate statistics course, most statistics courses offered by other Departments are acceptable as an Economics statistics credit, e.g. ADM 2623/ ECON 3601.

Major in Economic Studies

This Major consists of a minimum of 30 ch in Economics, of which 24 ch must be in advanced courses. There are no other restrictions on course selection. The Economic Studies Program is appropriate for those who want a liberal arts background in Economics without the commitment to theory and statistics required by the Major in Economics.

Honours in Economics

There are two Honours programs: Single Honours and Joint Honours. They are suitable for students who intend to become professional economists, particularly those who plan to do graduate work at UNB or another university.

The Single Honours program consists of a minimum of 54 ch in Economics courses or approved substitutes, of which 36 ch must be in advanced courses. The Joint Honours program consists of 48 ch in Economics courses or approved substitutes, of which 24 ch must be in advanced courses.

Students may substitute up to 9 ch of non-Economics courses for non-compulsory Economics courses. Department of Economics approval is required. These substitute courses must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

To remain in the Honours programs, a student must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in Economics courses and approved substitutes.

The following courses are compulsory for Honours students: ECON 3013 and ECON 3023, ECON 3601/ADM 2623 and ECON 3628/ADM 3628 or approved substitutes, ECON 3665, ECON 4013, ECON 4023, ECON 4625, and ECON 4665.

Minor in Economics

In addition to the Majors/Honours programs in Economics, a Minor in Economics is also available to students from all Faculties. The minor in Economics shall consist of at least 24 ch in Economics with at least 12 ch at the upper level. 

Minor in Public Policy

This is a joint Minor proposed by the departments of Economics and Political Science. Students may minor in Public Policy by completing 24 ch of courses offered by the Department of Economics and the Department of Political Science. Students are required to complete 24 ch as follows:

a. 6 ch of economics (ECON) courses chosen from: ECON 1014 or ECON 1013, ECON 1024 or ECON 1023, ECON 2203, ECON 3505, ECON 3705, ECON 3905.
b. 6 ch of introductory political science (POLS) courses chosen from: POLS 1103, POLS 1203, POLS 2013, POLS 2202, POLS 2503, POLS 2603.
c. 6 ch of advanced economics (ECON) courses from: ECON 3055, ECON 3203, ECON 3504, ECON 3702, ECON 3755, ECON 3775, ECON 3801, ECON 3815, ECON 3845, ECON 3865.
d. 6 ch of advanced political science (POLS) courses from: POLS 3103, POLS 3213, POLS 3215, POLS 3241, POLS 3251, POLS 3257, POLS 3282, POLS 3284, POLS 3292, POLS 3391, POLS 3461, POLS 3647, POLS 4724.

Economics Program to Business Administration Students 

Please refer to the Faculty of Management for further details on the Economics Program in Business Administration.

Economics Programs to Science Students

Please refer to the Faculty of Science for further details on Economics Programs in Science.

Additional Programs: Co-operative Education Program

The Department operates a small Co-operative Education (Co-op) Program available to academically qualified Honours and Majors in Economics and Majors in Economic Studies. It is co-ordinated through the Faculty of Management. This Program offers students the opportunity to undertake paid work-terms, the work to include economic research and analysis beyond classroom instruction. The Program offered within the Department consists of a minimum of three (3) four-month work-term sessions which may or may not be taken consecutively depending on the work-term offer taken. These work-term sessions are in addition to the normal eight semesters of academic study. The Program allows the student to obtain a Major in Economics or Economic Studies or Honours in Economics in addition to Co-op participation. Students normally apply to enter the Co-op program after completing the first year of study, but later admission may be possible.

The following Program rules apply:

  1. Admission into the Program is selective. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 while participating in the Co-op Program.
  2. Students must be fully registered at UNB during each work-term so that they can be considered as full-time students while working.
  3. A Co-op fee will be charged for each registered 4-month work-term to cover placement and administration costs.
  4. Students must undertake a minimum of 3 work-terms. The work-terms may alternate with study-terms, or the terms may run consecutively over two or three terms, depending on employer demand.
  5. Each 4-month work term will be monitored directly by the employer, and by the departmental Co-op Director through oral and written communications with the employer and student. The student must complete a work-term report after each 4-month term. Work-term evaluations by the employer and work-term reports must be satisfactory for the Co-op designation to appear on university transcripts. Each successful work-term will appear on the student’s transcript.
  6. Students must complete at least one study-term after their last work-term. 
  7. The term "Co-operative Education in Economics" will follow the degree designation on the student’s final transcript.