How useful is my BA in Economics?

To be honest, I fell into my Economics major as an undergrad. Knowing that I didn’t want to study business, I took a wide-range of courses in my first year (from Film, to Canadian History, to Economics). I even toyed with a double major in Economics and Politics for my first two years, but in the end, Economics won… Was it the right choice?

Absolutely. Let me explain:

My degree was almost 100% theoretical. I can say without doubt that the theories and math I learned do not play a direct role in what I do today.

On top of that, when I graduated, recruiters weren’t knocking down my door. There’s a very good Commerce program at Queen’s that sort of acts as a shield between recruiters and Arts students.

At the same time, my degree in Economics opened the doors of the London School of Economics, and my fantastic experience there.

And when I finished at the LSE, employers in London were more impressed with my BA in Economics than my MSc.

Perhaps even more importantly, a degree in Economics is a degree in logic and problem solving; Earning that degree has the potential to show employers not only that you’re capable of completing repetitive tasks, but of tackling new ones and innovating change.

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This article was written by Lauren Friese

Lauren Friese is the founder of TalentEgg.ca. She graduated from Queen's University in 2005 with a degree in economics and had no idea how to make a successful transition into the workforce. She ended up at the LSE in London, England, and after earning an MSc in economic history, used Milkround.com – a British graduate recruitment website – to find a great entry-level role in consulting in London. She thought Milkround was fantastic, and that it was a service sorely lacking in Canada. And so the idea for TalentEgg was hatched!

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bmc+d29vX3RhYnM8L3N0cm9uZz4gLSBmYWxzZTwvbGk+PGxpPjxzdHJvbmc+d29vX3RoZW1lbmFtZTwvc3Ryb25nPiAtIEdhemV0dGU8L2xpPjxsaT48c3Ryb25nPndvb192aWRlb19jYXRlZ29yeTwvc3Ryb25nPiAtIFZpZGVvPC9saT48L3VsPg==