Master of Economics

The Master of Economics at the University of Tasmania is a two-year postgraduate degree for people who want to understand how economies work and how to use that understanding in practice. You'll study microeconomics and macroeconomics at an advanced level, then move into econometrics, the statistical tools economists use to test ideas against real data. Alongside those core units you'll choose electives, so you can lean towards policy, trade, environmental economics or another area that fits where you want to work.

How the degree is structured

Australian master's degrees usually run over two years of full-time study, split into semesters or trimesters. You accumulate credit points by passing individual units of study, each unit is worth a set number of points, and you need the full total to graduate. At Tasmania the degree is coursework-based, and many students finish with a capstone unit or a research project that pulls their skills together on a single question. Some students take the research pathway instead and write a minor thesis, which is a common route into a PhD. Part-time study is often possible, which stretches the timeline but lets you keep working.

What you actually learn

By the end you should be able to read an economic argument and spot the weak point, build a model of a market or an economy, run a regression on a dataset and explain what the numbers mean in plain language. You'll write reports, present findings and defend your reasoning, the same things you'd do in a government agency or a bank. Group work and class discussion are part of most units, so you get practice explaining economics to people who aren't economists.

Who it suits

This suits graduates with a degree in economics, commerce, business, maths or a related field who want to go deeper. It also works for people from other backgrounds who have some quantitative training and are willing to put in the work on the maths. If you're already working in policy, banking, consulting or a regulator and want a formal qualification, the part-time option is worth asking about. International students should note that a Student visa generally allows 48 hours of work per fortnight while your course is in session, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, check the Department of Home Affairs for current rules. English requirements for international applicants are typically IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall for coursework master's degrees, though some fields ask for higher. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 030406G, and you should confirm fees, intake dates and unit details on the official University of Tasmania page.

• Economist, in federal and state treasury departments, the Reserve Bank, productivity commissions and other public sector agencies.
• Policy analyst, in government departments covering health, education, environment, infrastructure and social services.
• Data analyst or research officer, in banks, insurers, superannuation funds and consulting firms.
• Market analyst, in utilities, agriculture, mining, tourism and other Tasmanian industries that rely on forecasting.
• Consultant, in economic consulting firms advising on regulation, competition and project appraisal.
• Academic researcher, continuing to a PhD and working in universities or research institutes.