Last updated: August 11, 2017 @ 01:30PM
Business Economics
Master of Business Economics, Co-op
Master of Business Economics
Interim Dean
Ingrid Makus
Faculty of Social Sciences
Dean
Andrew Gaudes
Goodman School of Business
Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies
Narongsak (Tek) Thongpapanl
Goodman School of Business
Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies
Diane Dupont
Faculty of Social Sciences
Core Faculty
Professors
Robert W. Dimand (Economics), Diane P. Dupont (Economics), Joseph Kushner (Economics), Felice F. Martinello (Economics), Tomson Ogwang (Economics), Steven J. Renzetti (Economics)
Associate Professors
Katerina Koka (Economics), Lester Kwong (Economics), Jean-Francois Lamarche (Economics), David R.F. Love (Economics), William Veloce (Economics), Anthony J. Ward (Economics)
Assistant Professors
Xue Bai (Economics), Ivan Medovikov (Economics), Andreas Marcel Oestreich (Economics), Ling Sun (Economics)
See the Business Administration calendar entry for listing of Business faculty associated with the Business Economics program.
Graduate Program Director
Jean-Francois Lamarche
mbegpd@brocku.ca
Director of Co-op, Career and Experiential Education
Cara Boese
Administrative Assistant
Karen Phillips
905-688-5550 extension 4697
Plaza 451
https://brocku.ca/economics
Program Description
The Master of Business Economics is an interdisciplinary program offered by the Department of Economics in the Faculty of Social Science in collaboration with the Goodman School of Business. The program combines academic learning with practical experience through two optional Co-op work terms.
The academic course work covers a broad range of areas such as economic theory, econometrics and aspects of economics and business administration including international payments, industrial organization, finance, business strategy, marketing and human resource management.
The MBE Co-op allows students to apply their knowledge to private and public business settings and to develop highly specialized professional skills. The work experience, along with valuable networking contacts, makes a difference to students when preparing to enter the competitive career market. Recent MBE students are pursuing careers with Hydro One, RBC Dexia, the Ministry of Transportation, Environment Canada, Suncor Energy, Ministry of Finance, Scotiabank, Statistics Canada, BlackBerry, and General Motors Limited.
Admission Requirements
Successful completion of a four year Bachelor's degree, or equivalent, in a relevant discipline,with a minimum average of B+. Applicants must have taken econometrics, mathematical economics, and advanced macroeconomics and microeconomics at the undergraduate honours level. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English and suitability for Co-op placement, if applicable.
The Graduate Admissions Committee will review all applications and recommend admission for a limited number of suitable candidates.
Part-time study is not available.
Degree Requirements (Non Co-op)
Students are required to complete ECON 5N11, 5P01, 5P02, 5P03, 5P04, 5F00, one ECON half-credit elective, and three half-credit Business electives. For full-time students the program is normally a three term program.
The normal pattern of completion is:
August prior to Fall term: ECON 5N11
Fall term: ECON 5P01, 5P02, 5P03, one half-credit Business elective
Winter term: ECON 5P04, half-credit ECON, two half-credit Business electives
Spring term: ECON 5F00
Degree Requirements (Co-op)
Admission to the co-op option is on a competitive basis, and is subject to availability of co-op placements and successful completion of the pre-intake co-op interview. The co-op option provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain practical work experience, and takes two terms to complete.
Students are required to complete ECON 5N11, 5N90, 5N01, 5N02, 5P01, 5P02, 5P03, 5P04, 5F00, one ECON half-credit elective, and three half-credit Business electives. The program is normally a five term program (three academic and two work placement terms).
The normal pattern of completion is:
August prior to Fall term: ECON 5N11
Fall term: ECON 5N90, 5P01, 5P02, 5P03, one half-credit Business elective
Winter term: ECON 5P04, half-credit ECON, two half-credit Business electives
Spring term: Work Placement I
Fall term: Work Placement II
Winter term: ECON 5F00
Business Electives:
To complete the three half-credit Business electives, students will choose, with approval from the MBE Graduate Program Director, from the Business Administration (MBA), Management (MSCM) and Accounting (MACC) courses offered by the Goodman School of Business. Note that space in these courses is extremely limited. Students are encouraged to seek approval as early as possible.
Any student who has not previously completed an Accounting course (prior to commencing the MBE) should take MBAB 5P01 Accounting for Decision-Making I or MBAB 5P06 Accounting for Decision-Making II as one of the Business courses. Any student who has not previously completed a Finance course (prior to commencing the MBE) should take MBAB 5P08 Financial Management as one of the Business courses.
Course Descriptions
Note that not all courses are offered in every session. Refer to the applicable timetable for details.
Students must check to ensure that prerequisites are met. Students may be deregistered, at the request of the instructor, from any course for which prerequisites and/or restrictions have not been met.
ECON 5F00
Major Research Paper
Reading and research under the supervision of a faculty member from Economics or Business. A presentation of the research in progress will be scheduled by the Graduate Program Director in consultation with the Essay supervisor.
ECON 5N01
Co-op Employment 1
Co-op work term (four months) with an approved employer providing a work integrated learning experience related to the student's chosen area of concentration. The co-op employment is full time with 35 to 40 hours per week for 12 to 16 weeks. Students are required to meet all the work term deliverables successfully (learning objective, work site visit, work term report and work term evaluation) and fulfill their employment contract in order to receive a “Satisfactory” grade for the work term.
ECON 5N02
Co-op Employment II
Co-op work term (four months) with an approved employer providing a work integrated learning experience related to the student's chosen area of concentration. The co-op employment is full time with 35 to 40 hours per week for 12 to 16 weeks. Students are required to meet all the work term deliverables successfully (learning objective, work site visit, work term report and work term evaluation) and fulfill their employment contract in order to receive a “Satisfactory” grade for the work term.
ECON 5N03
Co-op Employment III
Co-op work term (four months) with an approved employer providing a work integrated learning experience related to the student's chosen area of concentration. The co-op employment is full time with 35 to 40 hours per week for 12 to 16 weeks. Students are required to meet all the work term deliverables successfully (learning objective, work site visit, work term report and work term evaluation) and fulfill their employment contract in order to receive a “Satisfactory” grade for the work term.
Note: approval of the Graduate Program Director is required.
ECON 5N04
Co-op Employment IV
Co-op work term (four months) with an approved employer providing a work integrated learning experience related to the student's chosen area of concentration. The co-op employment is full time with 35 to 40 hours per week for 12 to 16 weeks. Students are required to meet all the work term deliverables successfully (learning objective, work site visit, work term report and work term evaluation) and fulfill their employment contract in order to receive a “Satisfactory” grade for the work term.
Note: approval of the Graduate Program Director is required.
ECON 5N11
Mathematics and Statistics Review for Economists
This course will review sets and functions, matrix algebra, constrained and unconstrained optimization, and probability theory. This is a non-credit course and is required for all students.
ECON 5N90
Co-op Pre-Employment Training and Development
An in-depth series of workshops and interactions to prepare learners for their success in the co-op program. The training will help learners understand how to conduct job search, the expectations of the real world. It also provides opportunities to network with industry professionals. Topics include résumé writing, interview skills, networking training, employer events and industry panel discussion. This course is a pre-requisite for any graduate co-op students who wish to participate in co-op employment. Students are required to meet all the workshop deliverables outlined in the course outline in order to receive a “Satisfactory” grade for the training and continue on with the co-op program.
ECON 5P01
Microeconomic Theory
The economic theory of individual and business decision making with emphasis on market structure and business strategy. Topics include consumer theory, the theory of the firm, imperfect competition, game theory, as well as the economics of information and uncertainty.
ECON 5P02
Macroeconomic Theory
Modern macroeconomic analysis is used to study the determination of the level of economic activity and the factors contributing to long-term growth. Important social issues such as unemployment and inflation are examined in order to identify their causes, consequences, and possible cures. The instruments of government policy, fiscal and monetary, are analyzed in the same context.
ECON 5P03
Econometrics
Econometric theory and methods covering the basic linear and nonlinear regression models, dynamic models, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals with extensions to the case of instrumental variables, the generalized method of moments and the method of maximum likelihood. Cross-section and time-series examples.
ECON 5P04
Topics in Applied Economics
An examination of economic theories and empirical techniques to investigate applied problems relevant to the area of business economics. Topics include time-series and cross-section econometrics, with application to forecasting, financial, and marketing problems.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 5P03
ECON 5P05
Cost-Benefit Analysis, Project Appraisal, and Decision Analysis
A theoretical and empirical treatment of rational decision making, including cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, and their application to project evaluation.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 5P01
ECON 5P06
Labour Economics
Economics of the labour market, components of the demand and supply of labour to yield simple models of wage determination. The effects of compensating wage differentials, human capital accumulation and signaling, discrimination, incentive wages and labour unions. The causes of unemployment, search theory, implicit contract and efficiency wages. Public policy issues, minimum wages, mandatory retirement and immigration.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 5P01
ECON 5P07
International Trade
International trade theory and the political economy of trade policies. Topics include endogenous growth and trade, tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, international economic integration, and factor mobility.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 5P01
ECON 5P08
International Payments
An advanced treatment of open-economy macroeconomic issues including international capital, goods, and services flows. Such flows complicate the conduct of national monetary and fiscal policies while, at the same time, providing opportunities for economic growth.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 5P02
ECON 5P09
Industrial Organization
Strategic analysis of conflict and cooperation with applications to market structure and the behaviour of firms. Topics may include price discrimination, advertising, oligopoly, product differentiation, and antitrust issues.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 5P01
ECON 5P10
Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
The economic analysis of natural resources such as oil, fisheries, forests, and water and environmental impact upon an economy. Emphasis is placed on the development of theoretical models for the efficient and sustainable use of resources and on the design of appropriate government policies in the event of market failure. The analysis is complemented by an examination of specific real-world cases and government policies.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 5P01
ECON 5P13
Analysis of Time Series
Econometric models and their application to modeling and prediction of time series data. Learning objectives will be both theoretical in terms of concepts studied in class as well as practical in terms of being able to apply concepts developed in class and employing them in different time series projects.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 5P03