Economics courses

Economics is the study of the production, trade, and consumption of goods and services. It’s a social science that is typically divided into macroeconomics and microeconomics.

Macroeconomics is the study of economics at a large scale, which means you explore the economics of a whole country or geographical region. Microeconomics examines things like household and business economics.

An economics course will cover both main areas of economics and provide you with valuable insight into how economics shapes the world around us.

You can choose how you’d like to study economics through Open Universities Australia. If you’re a real numbers and markets buff, an economics-specific course like a Bachelor of Economics might be your best bet. If you have a broader interest in business, you could choose economics as your major as part of another qualification, such as a Bachelor of Business.

In an economics course, you’ll explore how people make choices about goods and services when there are limited resources. This will enable you to make informed decisions in sectors like business, banking, health and government.

Among other things, you’ll learn how to:

• collect, interpret and analyse data
• effectively communicate economic reasoning
• present empirical findings (real-world data)
• critically evaluate economic problems and find solutions

You’ll also work on critical skills like communication and teamwork.

Economics is a broad field. As long as you’re interested in the basics of how wealth is created and spread, you’ll find an area of economics that interests you. For instance, economists are involved in public policy development, so if public service appeals to you, you could consider a career move in this direction. Alternatively, economists contribute to businesses in a wide range of ways, including as analysts, development managers and specialists, researchers, and forecasters.

Due to its breadth, the outlook for job growth in economics varies significantly. Overall, growth is expected to remain stable for this industry, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding a job after graduation. Economics graduates also tend to earn well, with an average salary of just over $2,000 per week.

Studying economics online through Open Universities Australia is a great way to maintain a study-life balance. Online study allows you to manage university around your other commitments, whether work, hobby, or family related. Study in the evenings, on weekends, or during your lunch breaks.

If you’re looking to upskill rather than start from scratch, single subject study could be a good fit. Or, if you want your study to be more in-depth than a single subject, consider a full degree. Both undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications are available through us.

There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.

• You can enrol without entry requirements 
  We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for a degree, we’ll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
• You have total control over how you study
  Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We’ll introduce you to flexible study options you didn’t even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.
• You’ll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
  Once you enrol through us, you’ll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you’ll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.
• We’ll help you navigate the university world
  Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.

Economists work across various fields in the private and public sectors. As an economics graduate, you’ll find job opportunities in industries like:

• Health
• Government
• Business
• Banking and finance
• Diplomacy
• Environment
• Human resources
• Market research
• Consultancy

Not sure if economics is the right choice for you? Book a call with one of our student advisors to discuss your study options today. They’ll walk you through the options so you can enrol in a course feeling confident it’s a step in the right direction.  

Before starting an enrolment, it’s important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you’re eligible to apply. If you don’t quite meet the requirements, we may be able to help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study.

Chat with us to find out more.

Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.

When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Apply now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.

Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.

Please note that enquiries and applications for some courses are handled directly by the university. If this is the case, it will be indicated on the course listing page.  

For more information about enrolment, read our online self-service enrolling instructions. If you get stuck at any time, contact us and we’ll talk you through it.