Apply economic thinking to real-world governance and help design policies that improve lives and promote fairer societies.

Governments provide essential services such as health care and education, financed through taxation. They also regulate human behaviour, for example by fostering competition between businesses. This program draws on the tools of economic analysis as well as other disciplines to help you better understand the challenges of designing effective public policies and to see why governments sometimes make poor decisions in this regard?

Why choose this program

Centre Block on Parliament Hill

The Department of Economics specializes in training you to go beyond conventional wisdom. We help you build academic and professional credibility through the acquisition of strong statistical and analytical skills. Our programs prepare you to work in a wide range of sectors such as public policy, national and international trade, the banking and financial sectors, consulting firms, research, international development, or advocacy.

In your fourth year, you will have the opportunity to complete a supervised field research project, allowing you to strengthen your practical skills and expand your professional network.

Browse program options

Honours in Economics and Public Policy

4 years - 120 units

Admission requirements and deadlines for Economics and Public Policy

After your studies

Groups of students with professor

The program provides access to a wide range of workplaces in areas of activity such as:

  • Economist
  • Policy analyst
  • Program officer
  • Market analyst
  • Industrial or economic development officer
students smiling learning together at a table pens in hand

Career development and experiential learning

Discover ways to gain valuable experience during your studies, through both in-program and extracurricular opportunities, including co-op and experiential learning.

Student experience

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International opportunities offered by the Faculty

Starting in your third year of study, you can experience: International internships, Field research courses, A Model United Nations Course

Contact us

FSS Student Experience and Outreach

Social Sciences Building
120 University Private, room 3001
Ottawa, Ontario  K1N 6N5
Canada (maps)

[email protected]