Bachelor of Economics
at The University of Western Australia, Western Australia.
A quantitative economics degree at the UWA Business School built around microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and applied policy analysis. Strong specialisations in resource economics, public policy and applied econometrics.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the The University of Western Australia Bachelor of Economics. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | TISC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official TISC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
The UWA BEc is a numerate social-science degree. Year one locks in introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics, mathematics for economics (calculus and linear algebra), and statistics or econometrics. Most students also take economic history or international economics. Lectures sit in cohorts of 150 to 250 in the Business School.
Year two layers intermediate micro and macro, econometrics, money and banking, and an applied stream. UWA's regional focus shows up in units on resource and environmental economics, mineral economics and labour economics.
Year three is theory-heavy: advanced micro, advanced macro, time-series and applied econometrics, and a capstone empirical research paper. Many students double-major in finance, mathematics, data science or political science. The BEc differs from the BCom by requiring less accounting and management and more analytical theory and modelling. Stata, R and Python are standard from second year.
Example first-year subjects
- Introductory Microeconomics
- Introductory Macroeconomics
- Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics
- Introduction to Econometrics
- Mathematics for Economists
- Economic Issues and Policy
How you will be assessed
- Final exams of 50 to 70 percent in core economics and econometrics units
- Problem sets and quizzes weekly in technical units
- Econometric research papers (3000 to 6000 words) with Stata, R or Python output
- Mid-semester tests of 20 to 30 percent
- Group policy briefs and case studies
- Honours research thesis (year four, typically 15,000 words)
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as economists at the Reserve Bank of Australia, WA Treasury, WA Department of Treasury and Finance and major consultancies.
- Common destinations include economic consulting (Deloitte Access Economics Perth, ACIL Allen, Synergies Economic Consulting) and resource-sector economics teams at Woodside, BHP and Rio Tinto.
- Many alumni move into policy roles in WA and Federal departments or into graduate finance and analytics programmes.
Typical first jobs
- Graduate economist at WA Department of Treasury and Finance
- Graduate analyst at Reserve Bank of Australia and Federal Treasury
- Graduate economist at ACIL Allen, Deloitte Access Economics Perth or Synergies
- Economics or markets analyst at Woodside, BHP, Rio Tinto or Fortescue
- Policy graduate at WA Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation
- Research analyst at Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre or Mineral Research Institute of WA
Graduate starting salary
$65,000 - $80,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
UWA BEc Honours (added year four, supervised research thesis) is the standard route into the Reserve Bank of Australia, Federal Treasury, Productivity Commission and WA Treasury graduate programs, and into Master of Research and PhD study at UWA or other Group of Eight schools. Combined bachelors with Philosophy Politics and Economics, Laws and Commerce are widely taken. Coursework masters options include Master of Economics, Master of Applied Finance, Master of Public Policy, Master of Data Science and Master of Business Analytics.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who excelled in WACE Methods or Specialist Mathematics
- Those interested in applied policy and economic modelling
- People comfortable with Stata, R or Python and statistical thinking
- Students considering RBA, Treasury, Productivity Commission or PhD careers
- Those happy to manage exam-heavy assessment loads
It is probably not for you if
- Students who dislike high-stakes exams and problem sets
- Those wanting a clear job title at graduation (consider Accounting in the BCom)
- Anyone uncomfortable with abstract economic modelling
Related courses at UWA
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Western Australia handbook and on TISC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/uwa/bachelor-of-economics.