What is economics?

Economics is a subject that provides the tools and methods necessary to analyze complex socio-economic issues. It is crucial for many high-quality jobs in both the private and public sectors, where the ability to systematically collect data, analyze issues, and draw conclusions is essential.

A subject that mixes different theories

In economics, various methods, both theoretical and empirical, are used to approach different societal issues. Sometimes, theoretical models are used to simplify and understand how events can affect individuals or businesses. For example, such models can be used to predict the effects of changes in the central bank interest rate. On the other hand, empirical methods are used when it's necessary to analyze actual data to investigate how a change, such as a tax reform, has affected people in reality. Often, it is necessary to combine both theoretical and empirical methods to get a complete picture of a societal issue.

Research-based teaching

The studies in economics at Uppsala University aim to equip students with both theoretical and empirical knowledge and encourage a critical approach to methods and data interpretation. The teaching is also based on current research and covers various areas within economics, including microtheory (which focuses on individuals and businesses) and macrotheory (which focuses on the entire economy), as well as specialized areas such as labor economics, public economics, and financial economics. By offering this broad expertise, the program prepares students to tackle challenging tasks in real-life economics.