Economics Department Mission Statement

The mission of the Economics Department at UTS is to contribute to social welfare through research, teaching, and external engagement.

‘Social Welfare’ refers to the wellbeing of all members of society, and it is enhanced by improving economic efficiency, promoting equity and, in the long-run, through sustainable development.

To achieve this mission, the Economics Department embraces the diversity of perspectives, fields of research, and backgrounds of both staff and students.

Does it pay to study Economics? 

“Economists have hourly earnings that put them in the top 3 per cent of earnings by occupation” according to the Reserve Bank of Australia.

  • Who we are

  • Economics programs

     

    Explore all of our undergraduate and postgraduate courses

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    What we do

  • Jason: There are more possible games of chess than there are atoms in the observable universe. We cannot possibly consider all the options.

    The economic decisions we make every day, whether buying a coffee or buying a house, are even more complex. And like when we play chess, we are often able to make a functional decision.

    We do this using heuristics, mental shortcuts that enable us to survive and thrive in a complex would. But we are often unaware of the real reasons why we’ve made a given decision and what may have influenced us in the process of making up our mind.

    Elif: Behavioural economics is the discipline, merging the insights from psychology and the principles of economics to understand how people make decisions. It tells us why people sometimes make mistakes. Why sometimes people do not know what they want or why they fail to carry out their personal plans.

    Jingjing: With the knowledge gained from behavioural economics. We can help people make better decisions for themselves. We can understand how people interact in groups and networks and how these social environments shape their values and behaviour.

    Jason: We have launched a new Masters in Behavioural Economics at UTS. This program teaches the foundations of behavioural economics and how to apply them in the real world. UTS has an outstanding group of researchers in this area with extensive experience in industry and policy application.

    Jingjing: A key aim of the program is to give you the practical skills to use behavioural economics in your professional life. You will learn to design and run trials to study how people behave in different situations.

    Elif: You will learn behavioural principles and techniques in the context of practical, economic, and financial decisions, whether it is understanding how consumers choose complex banking products or how companies organize teamwork. This will give you a new grasp of the world around you and new skills to change it for the better.

    Jason: Behavioural economics provides a set of skills in demand everywhere, from private companies to government bodies. Join us for a new journey.

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    UTS Behavioural Lab

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    Our economics research seminars

  • Future state of Australia

    22 August 2023
    Very crowded but immensely popular Bondi Beach in Sydney. Thousands of sun lovers will gather here to swim and surf on any sunny day, tourists and locals alike.

    The intergenerational report will prepare us for 2063 – but what exactly is it?

  • Get in touch


    Email economics@uts.edu.au

    Contact Economics Department staff

    Find out about casual teaching opportunities

     

    Economics Department  
    UTS Business School  
    Dr Chau Chak Building  
    14-28 Ultimo Road  
    Ultimo NSW 2007
Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.