Skip to main content
Skip to McMaster Navigation Skip to Site Navigation Skip to main content
McMaster logo
Department of Economics

Faculty of Social Sciences

COVID-19 information and updates

Find the most recent updates here, as well as FAQs and information for students, faculty and staff.

Department of Anthropology

Discover Your Focus

Undergraduate Programs

McMaster’s economics program is one of the best in Canada. Current faculty members are leading researchers in all major areas of economics and former economics undergraduates at Mac have gone on to outstanding careers in academics, law, finance, politics and industry.

Alumni

We are proud of our many alumni from both our undergraduate and graduate programs. Economics alumni are a highly successful group of individuals working in a variety of different industries throughout the world.

Research

The Department includes faculty experts in microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, experimental, health, international, labour, monetary, population, and public economics. Much of their research is applied to policy issues and utilizes advanced quantitative techniques.

Graduate Programs

The strength of our programs is the quality of our faculty and of our research facilities. We have a strong research focus, winning awards and honours on the quality and impact of our research. Our teaching excellence has been recognized through teaching awards for high-quality classroom teaching and excellence in thesis supervision.

Latest News & Events

Updated Economics Reserved Seating Release Dates

Reserved seats in Economics courses will be released on July 31st and August 15th for Fall courses, and September 11th and December 1st for Winter courses.
Jul 23, 2020

Congratulations Economics I First Year Award Winners!

This years' winners for the Economics I First Year award are Sarthak Behal and Hung Phan for the Microeconomics award, and Sarthak Behal and Roman Gorev for the Macroeconomics award.
Jun 23, 2020

A Video Message to our Graduates: Congratulations!

On behalf of all the faculty and staff in the McMaster Department of Economics, congratulations on your achievement.
Jun 12, 2020

Recipients of the Faculty of Social Sciences COVID-19 Catalyst Grant announced

Congratulations to the six recipients of the COVID-19 Catalyst Grant.
Jun 07, 2020

New publication in American Economic Review: Insights co-authored by Adam Lavecchia, assistant professor of Economics

The paper by Adam M. Lavecchia, Philip Oreopoulos, and Robert S. Brown titled; Long-Run Effects from Comprehensive Student Support: Evidence from Pathways to Education, will appear in the June issue of American Economic Review: Insights.
May 29, 2020

Adam Lavecchia awarded this year's Faculty of Social Sciences Early Career Researcher Award

Dr. Adam Lavecchia has been awarded the 2020 Faculty of Social Sciences Early Career Researcher Award
May 29, 2020

Learn about our Programs

Hons.B.A. Honours Bachelors of Arts in Economics

The BA in Honours Economics program is a four-level program that offers the challenge of more advanced work in economics.

Learn more

Hons.B.A. Honours Economics: Specialist Option

Honours BA Specialist Option stream provides the same, solid grounding in Economics as the Honours BA stream, with a minimal but highly specific differentiation. The Specialist Option requires an additional econometrics course that is necessary preparation for econometrics courses to be taken in MA in Economics programs.

Learn more

Hons.B.A. Combined Honours in Economics and Another Subject

Economics can be combined with programs in the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Humanities.

Learn more

Hons.B.A. Honours Economics and Computer Science

This program provides the students with a solid foundation in computer science and exposure to the field of economics thereby opening up major opportunities for economist with a programming background.

Learn more

Hons.B.A. Honours Economics and Mathematics

For the motivated student, the honours economics and mathematics program gives the benefits of two cultures and two distinct modes of thought: an important aspect in developing critical thinking and in today's job market.

Learn more

B.A. Bachelor of Arts in Economics

The BA in Economics program is a 3-year program designed to provide a general education, with an emphasis on the skills and knowledge required to understand the economy. Although it is not intended to prepare students for specific careers, the degree continues to be attractive to a wide range of employers.

Learn more

Minor Minor in Economics

Students enrolled in a four- or five-level program in another subject may pursue a minor in economics.

Learn more

M.A. Master of Arts in Economics

The Masters of Arts in Economics (MA) is a one-year program that provides a thorough grounding in modern economics, blending both theoretical and empirical methods. Graduates of the program normally pursue one of two career tracks. One track is immediate placement in a position as an economic analyst. Graduates regularly take up positions in a variety of public- and private-sector organizations. A second track is advanced study of economics, usually at the PhD level.

Learn more

M.A. Masters in Economic Policy

The Masters of Economic Policy (MAEP) is a one-year program that provides a thorough grounding in modern economics, blending both theoretical and empirical methods.

Learn more

Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy in Economics

The PhD program in economics prepares students to become professional, independent economic researchers applying state-of-the-art methods to analyze economic phenomena.

Learn more