Did you know that
this auditorium was once a chapel
that belonged to a Jesuit monastery?
This is the inspiring environment
of a very interesting programme,
Economics and Business Economics.
So, what's this programme about?
Let's ask the programme director,
Rachel Pownall.
In this programme,
you'll learn all about the economy.
Economics is a social science,
and it looks at the interaction
between governments, businesses,
individuals
within the operation
of how the economy fits together.
That sounds interesting, doesn't it?
In this programme,
you will focus on institutions
and how they behave
under different economic factors,
such as tax regimes, exchange
or interest rate fluctuations.
You will study markets and build
economic models that, for example,
can help predict and avoid
the next economic crisis.
You'll have to have some kind of affinity,
also, with numbers.
Many of the economic models
that are studied within this programme
deal with large data sources,
but they also...
You have to understand how models
are made, supply and demand...
But it's imperative that you understand
and have a good understanding
of numbers, within this programme.
It's a very serious thing,
and there's a lot of demand
for people with the skills
to make the difference.
And those of you who think
this is something for men only,
I'll have to disappoint you.
In the nearby bookstore, I found someone
who might teach you a lesson.
Yes, I definitely agree with you, Tess.
We work together in an environment
that is very mixed
and has students, such as Tom, here,
but also me, as a Dutch student.
And together,
in a really international environment,
we work on projects
based on accounting and finance,
but also macro- and microeconomics.
That mix is actually one of the main
reasons why I chose this programme.
In your first year, you're introduced
to all of the subjects under the sun,
and only when you're comfortable
with those subjects
do you start specialising
in one specific field.
So, if you're interested
in the economy and how it functions,
and you also want to travel the world,
then this programme is something for you.
If you're still debating whether to choose
this programme or International Business,
a programme where you focus
on a company's accounting strategy
and decision-making processes,
maybe this advice can help you
get it right.
There is a lot of overlap, so if you're
debating between these two programmes,
then try and focus on:
Are you more, from the bigger picture
element, thinking about economics?
Or are you thinking much more about
the organisation and the business itself?
Let's ask Rachel about the possibilities
for your future career.
In a way, any corporation or any business
is a possibility to go and work for.
If you studied Economics,
then you may find yourself
happier to work in an organisation
such as the World Trade Organisation,
or the ECP
or some larger organisation,
whereas if you've done
the Business Economics programme,
International Business,
then you're much more likely to want
to work in a corporation itself,
from the organisation perspective.
And what do you think?
This programme, as well as all the others
in the Business School,
are accredited by major rating agencies.
This means that the programme complies
with the highest quality standards.
Does this sound like something
you might be interested in?
If it is, you should come and study here.
See you in Maastricht.
