Where have all the economics students gone?
Abstract
The size and diversity of the economics student population has declined sharply since the early 1990s, raising concerns about economic literacy in society and the long-term health of the economics discipline. Interest in studying economics at university is low, even for those who studied economics in Year 12.
This presentation investigates what students are choosing to study at university – if not economics – using new microdata from the Universities Admissions Centre.
While Year 12 economics students tend to enrol in economics at university at much higher rates than other students, they are more likely to study a commerce and finance or arts and social science course than an economics course. Possible initiatives to increase the flow of high school students into university economics include tailored advocacy to emphasise the connections between economics and other preferred fields of study, and a greater focus on encouraging students to study economics subjects within a commerce and finance degree. It may also be worth exploring whether any lessons can be applied from initiatives to promote the take-up of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) courses, given the relative rise in enrolments in those subjects over recent years.
Read more here:
Where Have All the Economics Students Gone? | Bulletin – January 2025 | RBA
About the Speaker
Emma Chow is an economist in the Public Education team (Communications Department) at the Reserve Bank of Australia. The Education team aims to introduce economics to a broader and more diverse student population and raise the level of economic literacy in Australia. Emma has previously held roles in the Economic Analysis and Domestic Markets Departments. Emma holds a double degree in Economics (Honours) and Commerce from the University of New South Wales.
