While choosing to study an economics degree at university might seem like an obvious choice, choosing which university to go to and which course to do is a little more complicated.
You need to think about the type of course you want to do as even an economics degree could be a BA (Bachelor of Arts), BSc (Bachelor of Science), BCom (Bachelor of Commerce), or one of any other degree programme types.
Do you want to major or minor in economics?
Perhaps you want to do just a few courses on economics as part of another degree programme. Before you choose the right university and programme, you'll need to ask yourself quite a few important questions.
You should also think about the reputation of the university's economics department, the course content, where the university is, and many other factors.
League tables are good, but they're not everything. After all, certain programmes aren't right for some students so you need to think about what jobs you can do with an economics degree.
Economics Degrees Across New Zealand
There are 8 universities in New Zealand so every university technically makes the top 10. Some are better than others for economics, but league tables and rankings don't tell the full story as every student is different.
In this article, we'll take a quick look at each of the country's universities and the options they have for students interested in economics so you can see which programmes feel like they'd be right for you and then start looking into them.
Auckland University of Technology
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) offers a Bachelor of Business degree where students can major in economics. There's also the option to major in economics as part of a Bachelor of Arts degree and more often than not, this kind of option is better for students looking to for economics degrees with less mathematics and statistics.
Students in the Bachelor of Business programme can also major in other fields like accounting, finance, human resource management and employment relations, information systems, international business and strategy, management and leadership, and marketing.
Graduates can move on to postgraduate programmes such as a Postgraduate Certificate in Business, Postgraduate Diploma in Business, Master of Business, Master of Philosophy, or Doctor of Philosophy.
There are also plenty of professional postgraduate programmes available in areas like business administration, applied finance, business management, marketing, accounting, and supply chain management.
Auckland University of Technology is ranked 7th in New Zealand for economics, but that doesn't mean that you should completely disregard it as an option. Plenty of students have earned their economics degree there and went on to successful careers.
Lincoln University
At Lincoln University, students can study a Bachelor of Commerce programme with the Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce.
The Bachelor of Commerce offers majors in accounting and finance, food and resource economics, global business, hotel and tourism management, marketing, or supply chain management.
As you may have guessed from some of the majors, Lincoln University is an agricultural university and actually started out in 1878 as the School of Agriculture of Canterbury University College.
It technically ranks last in New Zealand for economics, but it could be a very good option for students specifically interested in certain areas of economics. However, Lincoln University isn't probably the best choice for anyone looking for a traditional economics degree, though.
Massey University
Massey University ranked 3rd in the country for economics, 22nd in Oceania, and 251st in the world. The Business School at Massey University is also ranked in the top 5% by AACSB, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
At Massey University, there are a range of options for students interested in studying economics at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Undergraduate students can study a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Business degree and specialise in economics. Both these courses are available at Massey University's Auckland and Manawatū (Palmerston North) campuses. The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) is also taught on these campuses.
For graduates, there are the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), Master of Analytics, Master of Business Studies (MBS), and Master of Arts programmes. Many of these have options for specialisation in economics.
The courses at Massey University cover various areas of economics including development economics, environmental economics, international trade and finance, macroeconomics, microeconomics, and public policy.
There's a wide range of options at Massey University so it's certainly an academic institution that most aspiring economists would do well to look into.
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland regularly ranks #1 for economics in New Zealand and is one of the best universities for economics both in Oceania and the world. In fact, the university is ranked within the top 100 (#91) globally for economics and should be most students in New Zealand's first choice for studying economics.
The two main ways that undergraduate students can complete a degree in economics are either through a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Commerce. Both the BA and Bcom programmes allow students to complete two majors so there are lots of options for complementary or interesting combinations.
For example, a student could always major in economics and politics and international relations, statistics, or sociology or choose a seemingly unrelated subject like history or English.
Postgraduate study options include Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), Master of Arts, Master of Commerce, and Postgraduate Diploma in Arts programmes.
These programmes feature courses on economics, business, and finance such as microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory and practice, econometrics, advanced international finance, energy economics, and many others.
University of Canterbury
Ranked 5th for economics, the University of Canterbury in Christchurch offers several study options through the Department of Economics and Finance.
These qualifications include certificates, diplomas, and bachelor's degrees. Students can major in economics through the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, or Bachelor of Science programmes.
These programmes include courses on microeconomics, macroeconomics, and firms and markets with both obligatory and elective options in various areas of economics, finance, business, and mathematics.
Postgraduate students will also be required to have taken certain mathematics and statistics courses or microeconomics, econometrics, and macro and monetary economics courses depending on their chosen postgraduate pathway.
There are also multiple undergraduate options for students to minor in economics, which might be a useful option for students who find themselves drawn towards a more appealing major or students who change their minds during their course.
University of Otago
The University of Otago ranks very highly for economics globally (#202) and is ranked 2nd in New Zealand for economics.
Economics options are offered through the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, and Bachelor of Science degree programmes.
There are options for students to double major in economics alongside areas of study like finance, accountancy, marketing management, management, law, political studies, philosophy, history, geography, psychology, mathematics, and language options.
The University of Otago also boasts exchange programmes with universities around the world so students interested in international study may be eligible to participate in one of the 50 business exchange programmes offered by the Otago Business School.
University of Waikato
The University of Waikato in Hamilton offers undergraduate and postgraduate options for students wishing to study economics.
The Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Social Sciences, and Bachelor of Climate Change are all undergraduate programmes where students can study economics and major in it.
Students at the University of Waikato can also minor in economics in any bachelor's degree programme at the university.
There are also master's and doctoral options for graduates as well as certificates and diplomas at varying levels.
Victoria University of Wellington
Last but not least, we have the Victoria University of Wellington. At the university's School of Economics and Finance, students can major in economics through the Bachelor of Commerce programme.
There are also the graduate certificate in commerce and the graduate diploma in commerce available. Postgraduate options include the Master of Commerce, Master of Business, and PhD programmes.
Victoria University of Wellington ranks 4th in the country for economics.
Deciding on the Right Degree Course
Don't forget that many different things you can study as part of economics and while any of the universities in New Zealand could be a good fit for students interested in economics, you also have to remember that the entry requirements for each of the universities are different.
In some cases, your decision may be made for you if you don't meet said requirements. Even if you don't have the necessary academic qualifications to be accepted onto these courses, there are also academic qualifications you can do to make yourself eligible for the course.
Don't be afraid to get in touch with the universities that you're interested in attending as you may find there are other ways to get onto your desired course or a related course that may be a better fit for you.
If you need more help getting the required academic qualifications to get onto a course or just help with your economics degree, don't forget that private tutors can help.
On the Superprof site, there are tutors who can help with all kinds of subjects and skills. Whether it's studying maths or economics or developing the skills needed to land a job in economics, there are tutors all over the country and around the world.
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