Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Program in
Economics and Finance (ECOF)
Information Session
Prof. S.F. Leung
Economics Department
•Program Information
•Q&A
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The BSc in Economics and Finance Program
• Why is it a science degree?
BSc (Bachelor of Science) versus
BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration)
• Who runs the program:
Department of Economics and/or
Department of Finance?
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The BSc in Economics and Finance Program
ƒ The University is comprised of the following Schools and
Division:
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School of Engineering,
School of Science,
School of Business and Management, and
Division of Humanities and Social Science
ƒ The B.Sc. in Economics and Finance Program
is run by the Department of Economics under
the School of Business and Management
ƒ The Department of Economics also offers the
BBA degree in Economics
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HKUST
SCI
SBM
ENG
H&SS
ECON
BBA
(ECON)
B.Sc.
(ECOF)
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The BSc in Economics and Finance Program
Why is this a Science program?
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the program provides a general education in economics and
finance with an emphasis on analytical skills and quantitative
methods.
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the program equips students with a solid
training in the scientific basis of economics
and finance.
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graduates will be able to perform quantitative
analysis of a wide range of economic and
financial issues.
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The BSc in Economics and Finance Program
Emphases: Analytical and Quantitative Aspects
Analytical:
(a) Analysis/Problem Solving with a coherent framework
(b) Systematic theory
Quantitative:
(a) Mathematical
(b) Statistical
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BSc (Bachelor of Science) versus the BBA (Bachelor of
Business Administration)
The BBA program
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emphasizes more on applications,
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requires more business courses like marketing,
organization behaviors (BSc students
can take these business courses as electives),
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requires less quantitative skills than
the BSc program,
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requires less economics courses and students
can do a double major in another business discipline.
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The BSc in Economics and Finance Program
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The program was launched in Fall 1999.
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It aims to recruit around 40 students per year.
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The small size of the program is conducive to
close interaction among students.
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There are currently 52 first year, 53 second
year and 42 third year students.
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Students' Profile
Admission Details for the past three years:
2006 admitted
Streams: Arts/Commerce : 12 ; Science: 28
Female: 14 Male: 26
Exam Result (median):
HKCEE: English (syllabus B): C
A, A, B, C, C
HKALE: UE: D ; LG&CU: C;
AL: B, B
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2005 admitted
Streams: Arts/Commerce : 18 ; Science: 25
Female: 11 Male: 32
Exam Result (median)
HKCEE : English (syllabus B): A ; A, B, B, C, C
HKALE : UE: B ; LG&CU: B ; AL: C, D
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2004 admitted
Streams: Arts/Commerce: 21 ; Science: 22
Female: 16 Male: 27
Exam Result (median)
HKCEE : English (syllabus B): D ; B, C, C, C, C
HKALE : UE: D ; LG&CU: D ; AL: B, B
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For more details, visit
Undergraduate Admissions (JUPAS): Admission Grades
https://www.ab.ust.hk/arr/adm/ug/admissions/jupas/grades.html
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The Curriculum
Required courses:
ACCT 101
ISMT 111
ECON 150
ECON 198
ECON 199
ECON 200
ECON 201
ECON 233
ECON 367
FINA 111
FINA 221
ECON 117
or MATH 101
Financial Accounting
Business Statistics
Big Problems in Economics Issues, Ideas, and Principles
Microeconomic Theory I
Macroeconomic Theory I
Microeconomic Theory II
Macroeconomic Theory II
Introduction to Econometrics
Economic Research and Communication
Financial Management
Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
Mathematics for Economists
Multivariable Calculus
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Required courses (cont’d):
MATH 006 Calculus and Linear Algebra (for sequence A2, A3a)
MATH 021 Concise Calculus (for Sequence A1)
required language courses:
LABU 101 English for Academic Purpose
LANG 201 Business Communications
LANG 111 Basic Business Puotonghua
HLTH 001 Health Life Style
Elective courses
ECON
Economics Elective
FINA
Finance Elective
4 x GEE (H&SS) Humanities and Social Science
General Education Electives
GEE (SCIE) Science General Education Elective
GEE (ENGG) Engineering General Education Elective
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MATH sequences:
Sequence B: for students with grade D or above in AL Pure Mathematics or
Applied Mathematics:
• take MATH 101 Multivariable Calculus
Sequence A1: for students with grade B or above in HKCEE Additional
Mathematics, or passing grade in AS Mathematics and Statistics, or E in AL
Pure Mathematics or Applied Mathematics:
• take MATH 021 Concise Calculus
Sequence A2: for students with HKCEE Mathematics, or
grade C or below in HKCEE additional MATH:
• take MATH 006 Calculus and Linear Algebra
Sequence A3: students with other qualifications:
• required to take a MATH Placement test.
those who pass both part A and B:
• take: MATH 101 Multivariable Calculus;
those who do not pass Part A or B:
• take MATH 006 Calculus and Linear Algebra
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Economics Electives (2006/07)
ECON 311 Industrial Organization and Competitive Strategy
ECON 314 Economics of Hi-Tech Industries
ECON 324 Economics of Human Behavior
ECON 325 Law and Economics
ECON 328 Econometrics for Cross-section and Panel Data
ECON 329 Econometrics for Financial Data
ECON 333 Money and Banking
ECON 335 International Trade and Finance
ECON 338 Globalization
ECON 347 Hong Kong’s Economy
ECON 399E Issues of China's Economy
ECON 399G Economic analysis of Economics
and Financial Institutions
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Finance Electives
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Financial Markets
Advanced Financial Management
Management of Financial Institutions
Derivative Securities
International Finance
Fixed Income Securities
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Minor in Mathematics
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the Mathematics Minor Program requires a minimum of 18
credits taken from mathematics courses at the 100-level or above.
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out of these 18 credits, at least 8 credits must be at the 200-level
or above. Of the 8 credits at the 200-level or above, at least 4
credits must be at the 300-level or above.
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Students must be enrolled in the minor program
and completed all of its requirements, as well as
the requirements of their major program.
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obtain an average of at least 3.50 (C-) in
courses taken within the minor program.
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Faculty Members
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All faculty members have Ph.D. degrees from the world’s leading
universities.
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Senior faculty members have taught in leading universities in North America
and China.
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Strong in research, they have had many research papers published in top
academic journals. They are also experienced and devoted teachers.
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Many of our faculty members are active commentators
in newspapers and on television programs.
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Some are consultants to the HKSAR government and
international organizations including the Asian
Development Bank, the World Bank, and the
Organization for Economics Cooperation and
Development (OECD).
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Research Activities
The department’s research activities reflect both its role within the
School of Business and Management and its location in Hong Kong’s
entrepot and international financial center in the dynamic AsianPacific region.
The department builds its research strengths in three specific areas
in addition to the common core of Microeconomics,
Macroeconomics, and Econometrics:
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Economic growth and development
Industrial organization/theory of firms, and
International economics
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Minor in Biochemistry
- the Biochemistry Minor Program requires a minimum total of 18
credits taken form the following courses.
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BICH 121 Introduction to Biochemistry
BICH 122 Intermediary Metabolism
BICH 201 Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry I
BICH 202 Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry II
one 300 level BISC elective course, and
one BICH/BIOL/BISC elective course.
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students need to have a CGA of 4.5 (C) or above
to register in the program.
- graduation requirement: an average of 3.5 (C-) in
courses taken within the minor program.
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Minor in Humanities or Social Science
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for undergraduate students who have a CGA of 3.5 (C-) or better.
the program requires a minimum of 18 credits to be taken from
the same Division, either the Division of Humanities or the
Division of Social Science.
Humanities
- Literature
- History and Anthropology
- Philosophy and Religion
Social Science
- Economic and Political Development
- Social Relations
- Science, Technology and Society
- China Studies
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Minor in Physics
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requires a minimum total of 18 credits, except PHYS 180, PHYS 280
and PHYS 380.
out of these 18 credits, at most 3 credits can be at the 000-level and
at least 15 credits, of which, at least 6 credits must be at the 200-level
or above and
at least 3 credits must be at the 300-level or above.
undergraduate student needs to have with a CGA
of 4.5 (C) or above to enroll in the Physics
Minor Program.
have attained an average of at least 3.5 (C-)
in courses taken within the minor program.
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Exchange Program
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150 undergraduate students in the school can participate.
one semester academic exchange program, exchange normally takes
place in the spring semester of the second year or fall semester of the
third year of study.
exchange partners: 75 highly renowned universities in North America,
Europe and the Pacific region.
application usually starts at around December
or March each year.
Participating students will pay regular tuition fee
to HKUST in the semester in which they are
exchanging out.
Credits taken at the exchange institutions can be
transferred to UST to fulfill the program requirement.
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Undergraduate Exchange Program Partners
China
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Fudan University
Harbin Institute of Technology
Nanjing University
Peking University
Shanghai Jiaotong University
Sun Yat-Sen University
Tsinghua University
University of Science and Technology of China
Xian Jiaotong University
Zhejiang University
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Undergraduate Exchange Program Partners
Singapore
– National University of Singapore
– Singapore Management University
South Korea
– Korea University
– Yonsei University
Thailand
– Chulalongkorn University
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Undergraduate Exchange Program Partners
Europe
• Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
• Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Bordeaux, France
• Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Budapest
• Institut de Formation Internationale (IFI), Groupe ESC Rouen, France
• University of Economic Sciences and Public Administration, Hungary
• Ceram Sophia Antipolis, France Rouen, France
• Helsinki School of Economics, Finland
• Lancaster University, U.K.
Australia
• University of New South Wales
• University of Sydney
New Zealand
• Massey University
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Undergraduate Exchange Program Partners
Europe (con’t)
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Wirtschaftsuniversitat Wien (Vienna University of Economics &
Business Administration), Austria
Wissenschaftliche Hochschule fur Unternehmensfuhrung (WHU),
Germany
Leon Kozminski Academy of Entrepreneurship and Management,
Poland
Norwegian School of Management BI, Oslo/Sandvika, Norway
University of Manchester Institute of Science & Technology, U.K.
Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden
Tilburg University, The Netherlands
Universita' Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Italy
University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic
University of Maastricht, The Netherlands
Lund University, Sweden
University of Navarra, Spain
University of Northumbria, U.K.
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Undergraduate Exchange Program Partners
Canada
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McGill University
Queen's University
University of Alberta
University of British Columbia
University of Calgary
University of Western Ontario
Wilfrid Laurier University
York University
Mexico
– Monterrey Tech University
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Undergraduate Exchange Program Partners
U.S.A.
– Boston College
– Emory University
– Georgia Institute of Technology
– Lehigh University
– Michigan State University
– New York University
– Ohio State University
– Texas A&M University
– Tulane University
– University of Arizona
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University of California, System
– UC Berkeley,
– UC Davis,
– UC Irvine,
– UC LA, UC Riverside,
– UC San Diego,
– UC Santa Barbara,
– UC Santa Cruz
University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Pennsylvania
University of Maryland
University of Minnesota
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Austin
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Washington University
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Undergraduate Mentoring System
The Department is keen to maintain the quality and attractiveness of our
teaching programs, we have launched a series of initiatives to enhance
the attractiveness of our undergraduate programs. Among others, we
have instituted a faculty mentoring program.
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each student majoring in economics is assigned a faculty mentor.
aims at building strong and friendly relations
between faculty members and students.
• faculty mentor advises students on academic and,
possibly, career matters.
• faculty members also expect to learn ways to improve
teaching and the program from the students.
• maintain close interaction through formal and
informal meetings.
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Research Opportunities
Some courses offered by the department require students to do
individual, independent research projects. Research employment and
Individual research opportunities have proven useful both to the
students’ career prospects and to their post-graduate studies.
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the department regularly employs a number of outstanding students
as Junior Research Fellows.
– they work for a maximum of ten hrs per week
– assist faculty members conduct research.
– summer employment opportunities available.
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the University has introduced a new Undergraduate
Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to which
students can apply.
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Further Study
- many of our graduates go on to postgraduate studies.
- our Department offers Master of Science (M.Sc.), Master of Philosophy
(MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs.
- some students pursue Ph.D. at North American universities. Examples
include
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Boston University,
New York University,
Rochester,
Pennsylvania,
Northwestern,
Harvard,
UBC,
UCLA,
Chicago, and
Stanford.
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HKCEE and ALE Requirements
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Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE)
i. passes in at least 7 subjects on the first and if necessary, second
attempt, of which, at least 5 must be passed at a single sitting; and
ii. 3 must be Mathematics, English Language (Syllabus A or B),
and either Chinese or an alternate language
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Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)
i. passes at the same sitting in either 1 AL subject
plus 2 AS subjects, or two AL subjects;
ii. pass in AS Chinese Language and Culture*, and
iii. D or above in AS Use of English (UE).
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HKCEE and ALE Requirements (cont’d)
Footnotes:
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An AL/AS subject may be used as a substitute for the Chinese
Language and Culture requirement for applicants who have taken a
foreign language other than Chinese in HKCEE.
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1.5 weighting is given to the best exam result:
HKCEE: English, Mathematics, Chinese, one of,
economics, physics, chemistry, A. Math
HKAL: Use of English and one of,
- economics,
- pure mathematics or applied mathematics,
- physics or chemistry.
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2005 BSc (Economics and Finance)
Graduates Employment Summary (i)
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Employment status (%) :
Full-time employed:
Temporarily or part-time employed:
Full-time further studies:
77.4%
6.5%
16.1%
• Gross Monthly Income ($) :
Median:
$12,238 ; Average : $12,913
Minimum: $9,000 ; Maximum: $28,070
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Graduates Employment Summary (ii)
Distribution of full-time employed graduates by Job Nature (%):
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Accounting/Auditing/Taxation
Admin/Management
Banking/Finance
Clerk
Economic, Statistical & Mathematical
Insurance/Real Estates Services
Merchandising/ Purchasing
Protective
Marketing/Sales
Teaching/Lecturing
Population
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4.2%
4.2%
33.3%
8.3%
8.3%
12.5%
8.3%
4.2%
12.5%
4.2%
Respondents
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Admission Matters
• Information sessions and interviews will be held at
HKUST in May
• Interview for selected students: Performance counts
• New program:
BSc (Math and Econ) for 2007/08
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