Bachelor of Economics (Honours)

Undergraduate | 2026

Mode

On Campus

Start date

February, July

Campus

Adelaide City

Duration

4 year(s) full-time

Program code

HECON

Study as

Full-time

Indicative annual fees

$49,700

Non-tuition fees

Prerequisite

None

Assumed knowledge

None

English language requirements

IELTS Overall 6.5 IELTS Reading 6.0 IELTS Listening 6.0 IELTS Speaking 6.0 IELTS Writing 6.0 Equivalent English qualifications

CRICOS code

115696G

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

To be eligible, an applicant must have achieved at least one of the following minimum entry requirements and demonstrate they fulfil any prerequisite and essential criteria for admission. In cases where there are more eligible applicants than available places, admission will be competitive with ranks based on the entry criteria.

Secondary education (Year 12)

Completion of a secondary education qualification equivalent to the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE).

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Completion of an award from a registered training organisation (RTO) at Certificate IV (AQF level 4) or higher.

Higher education study

Successful completion of at least 6 months full-time study (or equivalent part-time) in a higher education award program in an undergraduate diploma (AQF level 5) or higher.

English language entry requirements

In addition, international students who speak English as an additional language must have obtained one of the following standards within the last two years prior to admission. Possession of one or more of these qualifications, in addition to the academic entry requirements, does not, in itself, guarantee a place at Adelaide University. Applications are considered on an individual basis and selection is competitive. Where previous study/work experience was conducted in English, the application must be accompanied by certified documentation from the educational institution/employer certifying that the language of instruction/employment was English.

IELTS Overall 6.5
IELTS Reading 6.0
IELTS Listening 6.0
IELTS Speaking 6.0
IELTS Writing 6.0

Please access the following link for a comprehensive list of English language tests accepted by Adelaide University and other important information in relation to meeting the University’s language requirements:

Equivalent English qualifications

International admissions by country

Country	Requirement	Score
Australia	ATAR	80
Bangladesh	Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC)	4.90
China	Gaokao	70%
China	Maple Leaf Education Systems World School Program	73%
Global	International Baccalaureate	28
Hong Kong	Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)	18
India	CBSE and CISCE	80
India	State Board Examinations	90
Indonesia	SMA III	80%
Kenya	Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE)	B+
Malaysia	Matrikulasi	3.00
Malaysia	Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)	3.00
Malaysia	United Entrance Certificate (UEC)	19
Nepal	National Examinations Board (NEB)	3.21
Phillippines	High School Diploma (Grade 12) (Academic Track) K12	88%
Singapore	Singapore GCE Advanced Levels	9
Sri Lanka	GCE A Levels	10
Taiwan	GSAT %	70%
Thailand	Matayom 6	3.60
UK / Global	GCE Advanced Levels	9
UK / Global	NCUK	9
USA / Global	Advanced Placement (AP)	9
USA / Global	America College Test (ACT)	24
USA / Global	Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)	1170
Vietnam	Bằng Tốt Nghiệp Trung Học Phổ Thôxwng (Vietnamese Year 12)	8.3

Why Bachelor of Economics (Honours)?

Become a leader in shaping public policy and advise businesses and social enterprises on making informed decisions.

Economists analyse, evaluate and guide decision-making by individuals, businesses and government. They require future-focused skills of advanced quantitative analysis and critical thinking, grounded in contemporary research.

With our Bachelor of Economics (Honours), you’ll develop a comprehensive toolkit of problem-solving abilities. Learn to resolve social, behavioural and economic issues. Broaden your career prospects with a final-year, independent research thesis. Through internships and career development and research opportunities, you’ll graduate ready to take on a range of different careers.

Overview

The Bachelor of Economics (Honours) is a specialised degree designed to advance your critical reasoning and research skills. With the inclusion of an Honours year, this degree suits anyone looking for a pathway into research or a competitive career edge.

Study key areas of economics such as microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics. Explore factors that influence how markets, businesses, governments and social enterprises operate. Advance your analytical skills, giving you the confidence to use important valuable economic tools and techniques. Tailor your studies with economics elective courses in areas such as labour and public economics, international trade and finance, environment and development economics.

Design your own research question and apply your skills and knowledge to answering this. You’ll be supported in your research quest by a community of like-minded, forward-thinking fellow students and distinguished research faculty.

Graduate ready to work in organisations and government departments using sophisticated mathematical models. Be ready to analyse and interpret a range of complex social, behavioural, and economic issues with Adelaide University.

Key features

Develop advanced techniques for interpreting, analysing and evaluating real-world problems.
Use these advanced techniques to break down complex issues into resolvable questions.
Use mathematics to disentangle economic concepts and statistics to provide empirical evidence.
Tailor your studies with a wide range of economics elective courses in related disciplines. 
Undertake a career development opportunity or internship to prepare you to enter the workforce.
Complete an independent research thesis in your fourth year, providing a pathway into research, governance or private-sector roles.

What you'll learn

The Bachelor of Economics (Honours) is designed to give you an in-depth understanding of economics and build your research skills. You will complete a mixture of compulsory and elective courses and undertake a thesis in fourth year.

In your first year, build a foundational understanding of economics and its connection to data analytics and mathematics. Explore the nature of our local and global economy and how big data can be used to inform responses to social problems.

During your second year, gain comprehensive knowledge of the core of the discipline with macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics. You’ll also gain an understanding of global economic history, and develop a robust toolkit ready to apply to contemporary problems.

In third year, start exploring your career options with a professional development or internship opportunity and deepen your knowledge of high-level econometric techniques. Learn and apply advanced techniques economists use to analyse economic questions, and undertake hands-on empirical analysis of critical economic issues.

Your Honours year will advance your research skills and knowledge in economics. Complete a research thesis and apply advanced methods and theories in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics. You will be able to use sophisticated mathematical models to analyse, interpret and forecast across complex social, behavioural and economic issues.

Throughout your degree, you can choose from a range of elective courses within economics and other aligned disciplines. Explore widely within economics or undertake a concurrent degree to craft a future path just right for you.

Available topics will depend on how far along you are in your degree, but will include:

Australia in the global economy
Behavioural economics
Economic growth and development
Economics of international finance
Economics of international trade
Financial economics
Game theory
Impact evaluation methods for economic policy
International financial institutions and markets
International trade and investment policy
Labour economics
Mathematical economics
Monetary economics
Public economics
Resource and environmental economics
Rethinking capitalism
Using big data for economic and social problems.

What courses you'll study

Complete 192 units comprising:

108 units for all Core courses, and
6 units for all Work integrated learning, and
78 units from Electives

Complete 108 units for ALL of the following:

	Course code	Units
Course name Data Analytics	Course code ECON1012	Units 6
Course name Principles of Economics	Course code ECON1000	Units 6
Course name Mathematical Economics	Course code ECON1003	Units 6
Course name Intermediate Macroeconomics	Course code ECON2000	Units 6
Course name Global Economic History	Course code ECON2001	Units 6
Course name Intermediate Microeconomics	Course code ECON2005	Units 6
Course name Intermediate Econometrics	Course code ECON2006	Units 6
Course name Econometrics	Course code ECON3006	Units 6
Course name Economic Analysis	Course code ECON3801	Units 6
Course name Econometric Theory	Course code ECON4002	Units 6
Course name Microeconomic Theory	Course code ECON4004	Units 6
Course name Macroeconomic Theory	Course code ECON4006	Units 6
Course name Economics Research Thesis	Course code ECON4800	Units 18

Complete 6 units for ALL of the following:

Course name		Course code	Units
	Course name Professional Career Development	Course code ECON3802	Units 6

Complete exactly 78 units from the following:

	Course code	Units
Course name Mathematical Economics	Course code ECON1003	Units 6
Course name Australia in the Global Economy	Course code ECON1004	Units 6
Course name International Financial Institutions and Markets	Course code ECON1005	Units 6
Course name Using Big Data for Economic and Social Problems	Course code ECON1006	Units 6
Course name Public Economics	Course code ECON1007	Units 6
Course name Financial Economics	Course code ECON2004	Units 6
Course name Resource and Environmental Economics	Course code ECON3000	Units 6
Course name Labour Economics	Course code ECON3001	Units 6
Course name Economic Analysis of Public Policy	Course code ECON3003	Units 6
Course name Rethinking Capitalism	Course code ECON3004	Units 6
Course name Economic Growth and Development	Course code ECON3005	Units 6
Course name Economics of International Trade	Course code IBUS3000	Units 6
Course name Time Series Econometrics	Course code ECON4001	Units 6
Course name Advanced Development Economics	Course code ECON4003	Units 6
Course name Public Economic Theory	Course code ECON4005	Units 6
Course name Behavioural Game Theory and Experiments	Course code PSYC4003	Units 6
Course name Advanced International Trade	Course code ECON4007	Units 6
Course name Money, Banking and Financial Markets	Course code ECON3011	Units 6
Course name International Finance	Course code ECON3010	Units 6
Course name Game Theory	Course code ECON3009	Units 6
Course name International Trade and Investment Policy	Course code ECON2011	Units 6
Course name Behavioural Economics	Course code ECON1013	Units 6

Career outcomes

Our Bachelor of Economics (Honours) degree can unlock a wide range of careers across diverse employers. Our graduates are sought-after to work as practicing economists in the business, governance, education, financial, technology or social sectors.

You might work as a policy-maker, leading the development and implementation of health, education or tax policy. You may take on a business analyst role, analysing consumer trends and influences and providing these insights to businesses. Perhaps you’ll undertake a research or consulting role, conducting studies, preparing reports and analysing complex data. Or you may bring your economic lens to big social problems as an advocate for change.

You might also be interested in the following careers:

Corporate policy adviser
Data analyst
Economic researcher
Economist
Information analyst
Government policy adviser
International trade or business analyst
Research associate
Economic communicator.

Industry trends

Analytical thinking is one of the core skills employers are looking for in modern working environments (World Economic Forum, 2023). As a qualified economist, you’ll have expert analytical skills – including reasoning, data analysis, problem solving and critical thinking. These capabilities are crucial to investigate market dynamics, consumer behaviour and government intervention. This skillset will enable you to enter a variety of roles and make you a sought-after employee.

How to apply

Check your eligibility

Before you begin, find the degree you wish to study and check you meet the academic entry requirements and English language requirements.

Entry requirements

Gather your relevant documents

Ensure you have all supporting documentation needed at the time of application to avoid delays.

How to apply

Complete and send your application

Apply through one of the University’s official agency partners, or via our online application system.

Apply now

How to apply

Applications for international students are open now, to begin your studies in 2026.

Apply through one of the University’s official Education Agents, or via our International Application System.

Find an Education Agent

Depending on your country of citizenship, you may be required to apply through one of our Education Agents.

Find an education agent in your country

FAQs

Explore answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

Applications for Australian students to study at Adelaide University will open in August 2025. Applications will be via SATAC for most undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs.

Applications to study a 100% online degree will open in July 2025 via a direct application process.

In the meantime, you could start your studies at UniSA or the University of Adelaide in 2025 and continue on to Adelaide University in 2026.

Adelaide University is South Australia’s largest university with seven campuses across the state. Adelaide City Campus is in the heart of the central business district (including eastern and western precincts), while our Magill, Mawson Lakes and Waite campuses are located within the inner suburbs of Adelaide. Our Mount Gambier, Roseworthy and Whyalla campuses are set in the regions of South Australia. Building on our digital and online learning successes, we aim to also deliver online education to more students than any other Australian university.

Each of our campuses is equipped with cutting-edge, discipline specific facilities, contemporary study spaces and well-resourced libraries. Our city and suburban campuses also feature on-site gyms and eateries, and health services on, or nearby, campus.

You will be well supported academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually with access to on-campus facilities and services such as counselling, learning support, childcare, prayer rooms and more.

You will be well supported through a range of services at Adelaide University to ensure you get the most out of your student experience. Support services include:

Academic learning support, spanning assistance with writing, referencing, mathematics and more.
Advice and advocacy regarding access, adjustments and inclusivity if you have a disability, impairment, chronic health condition or significant caring responsibilities.
Libraries providing flexible study spaces, access to books, computer suites and online resources – as well as referencing support, search tips and more.
Career development hub, including extensive self-help resources, online learning programs, on-campus events, workshops and networking, one-on-one advice, and job search support.
Qualified counsellors who can provide confidential support to manage your mental health and wellbeing.
On-campus medical clinics on-site where you can make an appointment with a General Practitioner to discuss acute and preventative health care matters.
Information and advice for international students regarding accommodation, student life, and academic policies and procedures.
An active and visible LGBTIQA+ Ally Network that ensures the University provides a supportive environment where all staff and students can safely work and study free of harassment or discrimination.
Prayer rooms on campus, including gender specific spaces for worship purposes.
Campus security available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure all students feel safe on campus.
A range of scholarships offered to commencing and continuing students each year to make university life a little easier.
A number of social outlets including student lounges, gyms, student-led clubs, sports teams and free events throughout the year.

Your tuition fees will depend on your program of study and enrolment load. You can find the annual fees relevant to your program on the specific degree page under the ‘fees’ section. The annual fee payable for your chosen program will also be outlined in your Offer of Admission.

Adelaide University will open in January 2026. Your studies will start at different times depending on what study period you’ve applied for. Adelaide University is currently using a semester model, which means most degrees start in Semester 1. Some degrees are also available to start in mid-year, sometimes with a different degree structure. 

Studies at Adelaide University typically commence in:  

February for Semester 1  
July for Semester 2.

Some degrees, such as the Bachelor of Medical Studies and Master of Business Administration, will have different starting dates. View the relevant degree page for more detail. 

For other key dates, including census dates and exam periods, you can view the Academic calendar. 

View all FAQs

Your study experience and support

Adelaide University sets you up for success in your studies – and your social life. You’ll have access to work placement and internship opportunities, overseas study tours and exchanges, networking events with guest speakers and more. Our campuses are equipped with purpose-built facilities including lecture theatres, libraries, workshops, laboratories, and spaces that simulate real work environments. These are all supported by the latest technologies and a 24/7 online learning platform with personalised study information and resources.

You’ll have everything you need to live well and thrive during your studies, with health services on campus, gymnasiums, technology zones and modern student lounges. Get involved in campus sport or join our student clubs that will connect you to your passions – and the people who share them.

Adelaide also has a variety of accommodation options to suit your individual requirements and budget, with options ranging from dedicated student accommodation to private rentals. One of the world’s most liveable cities, Adelaide has lots of leafy parks, gardens and social hubs – and some of the highest living standards globally. No matter where you are in Adelaide, you’re only a short distance from beaches, vineyards, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars and parklands. Visit the accommodation web page to find out more.

Student services

We’re here to support you on your student journey. Adelaide University offers a range of support services and facilities, including:

Career advice and mentoring services
Personal counselling
LGBTQIA+ support
Academic support
Fees and finance help
Security services
Accommodation services
Common rooms
Prayer rooms.

You’ll also have unlimited access to our dedicated student support hub. Visit in-person or online, or contact our friendly team by phone. We can assist you with anything study-related including enrolment, identification cards, timetables, fees and more.

Your campus

You'll be studying at one of our renowned campuses, accessing cutting-edge facilities and contemporary study spaces.

This degree is offered at the following campus(es)

Study hours

Your courses will require a combination of different learning formats, including lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars and practicals. Aside from your classes, you’ll also need to allocate additional time for independent study. This may include assignments, readings, projects and contributing to online discussion forums. As a rough guide, full-time studies may require 12-26 hours of class time and 14-18 hours of independent study per week.

Assessment

During your studies at Adelaide University, you’ll complete a mixture of practical, professional and research-based learning. Your assessment types will vary depending on the degree you’re studying, but may include: