The Applied Economics concentration is offered in the belief that a sound training in economics gives a particularly useful perspective for informed decision making in business. More specifically, this major is designed to prepare students for a wide range of careers in commerce, industry and government. Graduates are expected to be especially suitable for employment in industrial development, business and economic forecasting, empirical research and analysis of the impact of government policies, domestic as well as foreign, on various local industries. In addition, they are equipped to become economic analysts, managers and teachers. The concentration will help meet the growing demand for business graduates with a good economics background.

Economics, as taught in most university programmes, is a highly sequential course, proceeding from a core of theory and quantitative skills on to empirical applications. The School of Business believes that the Applied Economics concentration must preserve this basic structure for its academic integrity; but the theory is carefully chosen for its applicability and is kept to an essential minimum. Quantitative methods and applied econometrics are taught in the first and second years. The major wishes to foster both an understanding of the Hong Kong and Chinese economies and an international perspective.