Commerce/Economics - 3521
Program Summary
Faculty: UNSW Business School
Contact: UNSW Business School Student Centre
Campus: Sydney
Career: Undergraduate
Typical Duration: 4 Years 
Typical UOC Per Semester: 24
Min UOC Per Semester: 3
Max UOC Per Semester: 24
Min UOC For Award: 192
UAC Code: 424100
Domestic Entry Requirements: See Domestic Entry Requirements
International Entry Requirements: See International Entry Requirements
Award(s):
Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce (Major)
Bachelor of Economics
Bachelor of Economics (Major)
View program information for previous years
Program Description
If you are a prospective student researching your study options, please visit UNSW Business School website for more information.
The Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Economics (BCom/BEc) combines the professional orientation of the Bachelor of Economics program with the range of majors available through the Bachelor of Commerce program.
This combination allows students to gain greater depth and breadth in their business education than is possible in a single degree, providing students with the opportunity to complete majors in up to three business disciplines during their 4 years.
Students will complete a major in both a selected area of Commerce and the professional discipline of Economics. With approval, students with an appropriate academic record may also enrol in an additional Honours year in the relevant program offered in either the Commerce or Economics component of the combined degree.
For detailed information on the professional recognition this degree offers please visit Professional Recognition of Programs in the UNSW Online Handbook.
It is assumed that students have a certain level of knowledge in advanced mathematics in order to cope well with the mathematical or statistical component of a business degree. If you are successful in obtaining a place without this assumed knowledge, you are strongly encouraged to consider studying a Mathematics Bridging Course before starting your degree.
Program Objectives and Graduate Attributes
On successful completion of the BCom/BEc, students will have the ability to:
- demonstrate understanding and application of business knowledge, economic concepts and processes
- demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills
- present complex issues in coherent written statements and oral presentations
- understand, analyse and use quantitative data to assist in making economic and business decisions
- demonstrate understanding of the local and global economic context in which business and governments operate
- demonstrate understanding of the principles of working collaboratively in teams
- understand the social and ethical dimensions in their chosen disciplinary areas
Program Structure
Students should always follow the program requirements according to the year they started their degree. For more information please visit Previous UNSW Online Handbooks.
Studies leading to the award of the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Economics combined degree normally consist of 192 UOC or 32 courses to be completed over 4 academic years.
A minimum of 96 UOC are to be in Economics courses (or approved Non-ECON courses), plus a minimum of another 96 UOC in UNSW Business School courses.
These UOC need to be made up of:
Studies leading to the award of the Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Economics combined degree normally consist of 192 UOC or 32 courses to be completed over 4 academic years.
A minimum of 96 UOC are to be in Economics courses (or approved Non-ECON courses), plus a minimum of another 96 UOC in UNSW Business School courses.
These UOC need to be made up of:
- Compulsory core courses
- Flexible core courses
- Major requirements
- UNSW Business School Electives
- General Education courses
Compulsory core courses: (account for 30 UOC)
Flexible Core courses: (account for 24 UOC)
Students complete four of the following flexible core courses:
Students complete four of the following flexible core courses:
- ACCT1511 Accounting & Financial Mgt 1B (6 UOC)
- COMM1000 Creating Social Change (6 UOC)
- ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1 (6 UOC)
- FINS1613 Business Finance (6 UOC)
- INFS1602 Digital Transformation in Bus (6 UOC)
- MARK1012 Marketing Fundamentals (6 UOC)
- MGMT1101 Global Business Environment (6 UOC)
- TABL1710 Business and the Law (6 UOC)
Course Substitution Options: The courses ECON1202 and ECON1203 are required in each of the Economics majors. There are courses in the School of Mathematics and Statistics (Faculty of Science) and the School of Actuarial Studies (Business School) that are alternatives for the quantitative methods courses in Economics: ECON1202 and ECON1203. Therefore:
- Any one of the following courses is an acceptable substitute for ECON1202: MATH1031 or MATH1131 or MATH1141 or MATH1151.
- Any one of the following courses is an acceptable substitute for ECON1203: MATH1041 or MATH2089 or MATH2099 or MATH2801 or MATH2841 or MATH2901 or ACTL2002 or ACTL2131.
- If you complete the sequence MATH1131/MATH1231 or MATH1141/MATH1241 you may use this as a substitute for the sequence ECON1202/ECON1203.
- These substitutes for the compulsory core courses count towards the 16 Business School courses (96 UOC) required for the degree.
- Note: ECON1202 and ECON1203 may not be good substitutes for the indicated MATH and ACTL courses depending on your program. You should check with your program authority regarding course substitutions.
Major requirements: Students are to complete at least one major from Economics, Econometrics and Financial Economics, AND one major offered under the Bachelor of Commerce (Please refer to Table B for approved majors) with each major containing at least 18 UOC at level 3. (Note that the courses for a major include one or more courses from the compulsory core and/or flexible core.) Please refer to the Handbook entry for each major for details of the specific course required.
If you choose to study a 2nd major from Table A you must choose another 6 courses (36 UOC) from the second major that do not overlap with the first major.
UNSW Business School electives: UOC remaining after completion of the Compulsory core, Flexible core and Major requirements for this program should be taken from within the UNSW Business School to ensure a minimum of 84 UOC of Economics courses are completed for the Economics component and a minimum of 96 UOC of UNSW Business School courses are required for the Commerce component.
General Education requirements, which account for 12 UOC must be taken outside the UNSW Business School. These courses allow you to select either courses that were developed especially for the General Education Program (beginning with GEN but not GENC) or to choose 'mainstream' courses that are offered in the degree programs of other faculties.
Table A Economics Majors:
If you choose to study a 2nd major from Table A you must choose another 6 courses (36 UOC) from the second major that do not overlap with the first major.
UNSW Business School electives: UOC remaining after completion of the Compulsory core, Flexible core and Major requirements for this program should be taken from within the UNSW Business School to ensure a minimum of 84 UOC of Economics courses are completed for the Economics component and a minimum of 96 UOC of UNSW Business School courses are required for the Commerce component.
General Education requirements, which account for 12 UOC must be taken outside the UNSW Business School. These courses allow you to select either courses that were developed especially for the General Education Program (beginning with GEN but not GENC) or to choose 'mainstream' courses that are offered in the degree programs of other faculties.
Table A Economics Majors:
- Economics
- Econometrics
- Financial Economics
Table B Other Approved Majors
- Accounting
- Business Economics
- Business Law
- Business Strategy and Economic Management
- Finance
- Human Resource Management
- Information Systems
- International Business
- Management
- Marketing
- Real Estate Studies
- Taxation
General Education Requirements
For further information about General Education Requirements please refer to the UNSW Online Handbook.
Please note that students enrolled in programs within the UNSW Business School cannot take General Education courses offered by the UNSW Business School (i.e. cannot take courses with a GENC code). These restrictions also apply to the following courses:
Please note that students enrolled in programs within the UNSW Business School cannot take General Education courses offered by the UNSW Business School (i.e. cannot take courses with a GENC code). These restrictions also apply to the following courses:
- GENL2015 The World of Work
- GENL2021 An Introduction to the Australian Legal System
- GENL2032 Cyberspace Law 2.0
- GENL5021 Business Law Basics
If students are unsure of their General Education Requirements they should contact the UNSW Business School Student Centre (Level 1, room 1028, Quadrangle Building).
Honours
High achieving students may undertake honours in the area of their business major by enrolling in 4501 BCom(Hons) program.
High achieving students wishing to undertake honours within the area of their economics major should refer to the relevant Honours stream record for entry requirements and contact the Honours Co-ordinator within the School of Economics.
High achieving students wishing to undertake honours within the area of their economics major should refer to the relevant Honours stream record for entry requirements and contact the Honours Co-ordinator within the School of Economics.
Academic Rules
Rules relating to the award of the degree of Bachelor of Commerce or to the award of the Bachelor of Economics shall apply wherever relevant.
Students are advised to consult the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Economics Academic Rules for further information.
Students are advised to consult the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Economics Academic Rules for further information.
Fees
For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website: UNSW Fee Website.
Professional Recognition
For further information, refer to the Professional Recognition of Programs in the UNSW Online Handbook.
Further Information
Please note that these requirements may be subject to change.
Students are advised to follow requirements according to the year they commenced. For more information please visit Previous UNSW Online Handbooks.
Contact the UNSW Business School Student Centre for advice.
tel: + 61 2 9385 3189
location: Level 1, room 1028, Quadrangle Building
Forms, policies and procedures
Frequently asked questions
Students are advised to follow requirements according to the year they commenced. For more information please visit Previous UNSW Online Handbooks.
Contact the UNSW Business School Student Centre for advice.
tel: + 61 2 9385 3189
location: Level 1, room 1028, Quadrangle Building
Forms, policies and procedures
Frequently asked questions
Related Program(s)
3502 Commerce
3543 Economics
Area(s) of Specialisation
