DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
The Department of Economics was launched in 2008. It offers undergraduate (BS) and graduate (MS and Ph.D.) programs in Economics. The three programs are designed to inculcate up-to-date knowledge of important theoretical and applied concepts in Economics among the students. The BS program besides focusing on basic theoretical developments also emphasizes on applied economic research. The final year students spend significant time on research as they work in groups to write research projects with all essential elements of a publishable research paper. Currently, there are 373 students enrolled in the 4-year BS program.
In 2010, the Department of Economics introduced the MS program in Economics with three streams as per the guidelines of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. The first stream of MS Economics was designed for the students with 14 years of education in the non-economics disciplines, they were required to complete 90-96 credit hours. The second stream was offered to the students with 14 years of education in economics, they were required to complete 66-72 credit hours. The third stream was for students with 16 years of education in economics, they were required to complete 32-36 credit hours. Currently, under the new framework of HEC, only the third stream is offered. The MS students take four courses each in the first two semesters, two courses in the third semester, and they write a thesis in the final semester. The MS thesis is conducted on an innovative topic on the contemporary issues in economics that has the potential for significant contribution to the literature. Currently, there are 86 students enrolled in the MS program.
In 2014, Ph.D. Economics program was launched with a combination of coursework and research. Under the Ph.D. program, students with MS/M.Phil degrees are required to complete 18 credit hours of courses and 30 credit hours of Ph.D. dissertation. The dissertation is evaluated by experts from both within and outside Pakistan. Currently, there are 20 students enrolled in the Ph.D. program. Internationalization is an integral component of the Ph.D. program under which, the doctoral candidates are sent to the leading international universities to collaborate with the experts in their fields of research.
The strength of the Department of Economics lies in its young, highly qualified, and research-oriented faculty. Currently, the Department of Economics has twenty faculty members with three Professors, four Associate Professors, twelve Assistant Professors, and one Lecturer. Sixteen faculty members hold Ph.D. degrees and four faculty members hold M.Phil/MS degrees from national and international universities of repute. The department possesses expertise in such a diversified set of disciplines as Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Monetary Economics, Experimental Economics, Labor Economics, Islamic Economics, Financial Economics, International Economics, and Development Economics.
Head of Department Message
Dr. Zahid Siddique
The Department of Economics started its fateful journey about twelve years ago in 2008 with four faculty members and 20 students in the BS program. The Department quickly grew in size with the introduction of the MS and PhD programs in 2010 and 2014, respectively. These three programs are designed in accordance with the strict standards set by the Higher Education Commission, we take pride in announcing that our programs are ever-evolving as all the existing courses are regularly updated in the light of the latest state of knowledge and new courses are introduced on regular basis. Looking back on the growth trajectory, it feels as if these twelve years have just flown by. So far, 478 BS and 161 MS students have successfully graduated from the department. Currently, the Department of Economics has twenty faculty members with three Professors, four Associate Professors, twelve Assistant Professors, and one Lecturer. Sixteen faculty members hold Ph.D. degrees and four faculty members hold M.Phil/MS degrees from national and international universities of repute. The department possesses expertise in such a diversified set of disciplines as Macroeconomics/Monetary Economics, Microeconomics/Experimental Economics, Labour Economics, Islamic Economics, Financial Economics, International Economics, and Development Economics. We, at NUST, believe that research is the pathway to the future progress of this country and humanity. During the academic year 2019-20, the faculty members have published 40 research papers in peer-reviewed national and international journals. Over the years, the graduates of the Department are being regularly absorbed in national and international labour markets. Many of them have furthered their academic credentials by seeking admissions in top-ranked US, UK, European, Australian, and Chinese universities. Our goal is to be one of the best institutions in the region that reaches out to remote areas of Pakistan by upholding the principles of merit, commitment, and gender equality.
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