OzKo
Retired
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- Jul 17, 2007
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- HSC
- 2009
- Uni Grad
- 2013
Quite a few students have been asking me about this degree so I would like to take the opportunity to talk about what it entails.
Before I begin I would like to state:
The B.Res.Ec degree is an applied economics degree.
In a standard economics degree, students learn the theoretical basis of economic concepts, especially in the case of microeconomics. The difference with this degree is that these concepts are used to analyse areas such as:
Compulsory units (this is subject to change; always check the handbook for the Faculty of Agriculture & Environment as that will be current)
Apart from the compulsory Resource Economics major you complete, you have the choice of pursuing one of the following majors as your second (as of 2012):
If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.
Before I begin I would like to state:
- This is my personal take on the degree. Any opinions made in this thread is NOT necessarily an accurate reflection of the opinions of the university, the Faculty or any of its staff. I may have made an error in my post and not picked up on it. Think of this like a Wikipedia article as it provides a general basis in which you can do further research into the degree.
- Any prescriptions made about the degree structure are subject to change. Always consult with the handbook or one of the Faculty's staff in terms of degree structure. I can't emphasise this enough.
- If you have further questions, please come to the USYD Open Day on 25 August 2012. We will have staff there who are happy to answer your questions.
The B.Res.Ec degree is an applied economics degree.
In a standard economics degree, students learn the theoretical basis of economic concepts, especially in the case of microeconomics. The difference with this degree is that these concepts are used to analyse areas such as:
Ø Commodity markets (domestic and international)
Ø Agricultural production
Ø Profit maximisation/Cost minimisation
Ø Policy design
Ø Environmental management
Ø Optimality (e.g. “best” extraction rates; investing) etc.
Ø Agricultural production
Ø Profit maximisation/Cost minimisation
Ø Policy design
Ø Environmental management
Ø Optimality (e.g. “best” extraction rates; investing) etc.
Compulsory units (this is subject to change; always check the handbook for the Faculty of Agriculture & Environment as that will be current)
In first year, you are required to complete four mathematics units and two science units (with a choice between biology, chemistry and agr. science). You also complete two introductory economics units run by the School of Economics. You complete a unit called Resource Economics 1 (RSEC1031) in Semester 2. A word of advice though, look to pick your second major early as you have the opportunity to complete an introductory unit in Semester 1.
In second year and third year, you delve into the meat of the course where you look at applying theoretical concepts such as econometrics, microeconomics, and optimisation to scenarios related to the agricultural and resource industries. This provides a great insight into how decision-making in the industry is made.
In fourth year (from what I’ve gathered), would be very much similar in terms of applications, but you have the choice of picking and choosing which fourth year units from the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment can be used to complete your Resource Economics major (of course within reason).
The compulsory Professional Development unit is something which the Faculty holds in high regard as it provides students with the ability to network and gather practical experience in their favoured field/s before completing the degree. This ensures that students have a strong understanding of the context in which their units are being taught while providing a competitive springboard into graduate employment. This unit is done throughout your degree but is credited as a unit of study in Semester 2 in your fourth year.
In second year and third year, you delve into the meat of the course where you look at applying theoretical concepts such as econometrics, microeconomics, and optimisation to scenarios related to the agricultural and resource industries. This provides a great insight into how decision-making in the industry is made.
In fourth year (from what I’ve gathered), would be very much similar in terms of applications, but you have the choice of picking and choosing which fourth year units from the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment can be used to complete your Resource Economics major (of course within reason).
The compulsory Professional Development unit is something which the Faculty holds in high regard as it provides students with the ability to network and gather practical experience in their favoured field/s before completing the degree. This ensures that students have a strong understanding of the context in which their units are being taught while providing a competitive springboard into graduate employment. This unit is done throughout your degree but is credited as a unit of study in Semester 2 in your fourth year.
Apart from the compulsory Resource Economics major you complete, you have the choice of pursuing one of the following majors as your second (as of 2012):
Ø Agricultural Science
Ø Biology
Ø Chemistry
Ø Commercial Law
Ø Econometrics
Ø Economics
Ø Finance
Ø Geography
Ø Geology
Ø Government and International Relations
Ø Marine Biology, Geoscience & Science
Ø Mathematics
Ø Soil Science
Ø Statistics
Ø Biology
Ø Chemistry
Ø Commercial Law
Ø Econometrics
Ø Economics
Ø Finance
Ø Geography
Ø Geology
Ø Government and International Relations
Ø Marine Biology, Geoscience & Science
Ø Mathematics
Ø Soil Science
Ø Statistics
When choosing a potential second major, always think about where your interests may lie. In my case, I always enjoyed geography and felt that the understanding the wider context of the challenges facing the agricultural and resource industries would be extremely beneficial and complementary to my area of interest (i.e. mining, energy and development). I have also found that the Economics major is also another popular major that my fellow students have chosen as they have found the economic theory in those units provides them the flexibility to understand the context of other problems outside their field of interest.
The Honours year in this degree is integrated into the fourth year and is worth 18 credit points (spread over two semesters). Students are expected to write a thesis (of approximately 25,000 words) on an approved topic with the supervision of one of the Faculty’s academic staff. Considering I will be doing this next year, I can’t comment on this personally but the research skills you develop in this year will do you wonders when you graduate.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.
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