A major in Environmental, Agricultural and Resource Economics provides a valuable analytical understanding of how our environment and economy interact, including solutions to a wide range of environmental and climate change problems, and an understanding of the economics of energy, natural resources, and agricultural markets. The major also provides valuable quantitative skills for students interested in economic management of agriculture and other natural resource and energy systems, environmental economics, fishery and forestry economics, ecosystems, conservation and sustainability. Focus is placed on the development of analytical, quantitative and communication skills.
It adds considerably to the prospects of students interested in working as applied economists in energy and environmental consulting companies, in commodities and futures markets, merchant and trading banks, public sector regulators and the government, large agribusiness firms, corporate farms, and in the media as economic journalists.
The Bachelor of Economics provides undergraduate training in theoretical and applied aspects of modern economics, econometrics and financial economics. Although primarily interested in explaining the behaviour of individuals, economics also addresses the collective behaviour of businesses and industries, governments and countries, and the globe as a whole. Economics is crucial to understanding and solving the major problems and challenges the world faces today, such as global warming, poverty, development, and recession.