Blantyre International University BACHELOR OF ECONOMICS (B.ECON.)

BACHELOR OF ECONOMICS (B.ECON.)

Economics is the study of all those aspects of individual and social activities related to the choice, production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. In relation to these decisions, economics is concerned with the behaviour and interaction of individuals, private firms, and other institutions and government agencies. Economics contributes to the understanding of many important social problems: changes in efficiency and productivity, fluctuations in the overall levels of economic activity and employment, inflation, the effects of government deficits, the growth and decline of industries, changes in foreign exchange rates, increases in international indebtedness, and the behaviour of the developed and less developed countries.

Economics makes an excellent complement to business disciplines. Most business disciplines look at business from the inside looking out. Economics looks at business in the context of its relation to other businesses, to the government, to consumers, to employment and to the evolution of society as a whole.

The aims of this programme are threefold: to give students a firm grounding in modern economic theory and a basic understanding of economic processes; to provide a descriptive knowledge of the US and world economies; and to develop in students the capabilities for quantitative analysis and independent thought. These aims correspond roughly to the requirements in the Course 14 program of theory, electives, statistics and econometrics, and research.

By the end of this programme, students should be able to:

a) Display a thorough knowledge of Economics;

b) Demonstrate economic thinking;

c) Critically analyze the functioning of  an economy;

d) Evaluate economic behaviours and  theories;

e) Apply appropriate economic models to real life situations;

f) Conduct research;

g) Provide economic advice.

The Bachelor of Economics degree programme produces graduates who learn how to “think like an economist.”  Economists study how scarce resources are allocated so that the well-being of individuals is maximized.  Whether the resource that is being allocated is income, time, or a precious commodity, there is always some tradeoff involved.  Individuals, businesses, and governments face these tradeoffs in countless ways everyday.  The most important thing students learn from studying economics is how to identify, measure, and understand the essential elements of this tradeoff.

The majority of graduates find employment in all sectors of the economy including business, banking, insurance, government, NGOs, and International Organizations.

1 ECON 111 Introduction to Microeconomics

2 MAT 111 Business Mathematics

3 ACF 111 Financial Accounting 1

4 BBA 111 Principles of  Management

5 JRN 111  Communication Skills

1 ECON 121 Introduction to Macroeconomics

2 STAT 211 Business Statistics

3 ENTP 122 Principles of  Marketing

4 ACF 121 Financial Accounting 2

5 IT 112 Software Applications

1 ECON 211 Intermediate Microeconomics

2 ECON 212 Environmental Economics

3 LAW 224 Business Law

4 BBA 211 Organizational Behaviour

1 ECON 221 Intermediate Macroeconomics

2 BBF 221 Money and Capital Markets

3 ENTP 222 Entrepreneurship

4 MAT 212  Quantitative techniques

1 STAT 221 Research Methods

2 SAC 422 Econometrics

3 ECON 311 History of Economic Thought

4 ECON 312 Project Appraisal

1 ECON 321 National Accounts

2 BBF 222 Fundamentals of Banking

3 ECON 323 Transport Economics

4 ECON 324 Markets, Competition and Regulation

1 ECON 411 Public Finance and Policy

2 ECON 412 Agricultural Economics

3 ECON 413 Economic Growth and Development

4 ECON 414 International Economics

4 BIU 400 Research Project (Two semesters duration)

1 ECON 421 Regional and Multilateral Trade

2 ECON 422 Monetary Economics

3 BBF 412 International Finance

4 ECON 423 Labour Economics