The programme deals with the principal issues of economic development, with the objective of preparing students for employment in the development sectors of the country and for further study and research in this subject area. It also aims to promote the overall personal development and well-being of the students by imparting relevant and good quality education in the core and general education modules offered in the programme, thereby enabling the graduates to contribute to the economic and social development of Bhutan and possibly in the global arena. The programme emphasizes learning at the current frontier of knowledge in the subject of Economics.
This programme provides specialised focus on issues related to development patterns, challenges, policy framework, and choices. The first two years of the programme provide training in core theoretical modules, while the last two years of the programme mainly focus on modules that provide an in-depth study of development issues, and new approaches to address development challenges. The programme provides a standardised approach to studying critical development issues. Unlike a general programme in economics, this programme incorporates a holistic approach to studying socioeconomic development- philosophical underpinning, institutional building, sectoral perspective, financing of development, and global experience.
The programme will aim to intellectually stimulate the students to apply the subject knowledge to a range of development problems by encouraging critical, evaluative, and strategic thinking. The programme will aim to foster skills that would be essential to prepare students for the emerging part of the 21st century- creative, adaptive, and critical thinking, new media literacy, collaboration, effective communication, and multidisciplinary, and social intelligence. These skills will enable the students to effectively navigate in a rapidly shifting landscape of organisational forms and skills requirements. Broadly, the programme aims to produce productive citizens who can contribute to the nation-building processes.
Graduates of this programme are expected to acquire not only a grounding within the field of Development Economics (subject-specific skills) but will also gain competency in the following skill areas: critical-thinking skills, application skills, and transferable skills. Specific learning outcomes based on these four different skill sets are the foundation of this programme, along with appropriately aligned teaching, learning, and assessment approaches.
- see complete programme details here -
The programme will expand the range of career choices available to graduates. Upon successful completion of this programme, graduates will have adequate training to pursue entry-level careers as development practitioners, policy analysts, consultants, researchers, Entrepreneurs, bankers, social leaders, political leaders, and teachers. The programme will also help graduates to develop adequate generic skills to remain employable in an increasingly unpredictable and volatile job market.
All the modules, except for UGR404 are 12-credit modules, cumulating to 480 credits achieved over four years of full-time study. Each semester requires approximately 15-16 weeks of teaching-learning incorporating 40 hrs of student effort per week, and approximately 2 weeks of examinations. UGR404 spreads over two semesters and adds up to 24 credit points.
| Yr | Sem | Modules | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | I | CET101 Introductory Microeconomics | CET102 Introductory Macroeconomics | MTE101 Mathematics for Economics | EAP101 Intermediate English for Academic Purposes [English comm. Gen. Ed.] | IPS101 IT and Basic Problem Solving [IT Skills Gen. Ed] |
| II | CET103 Intermediate Microeconomics | STT101 Descriptive Statistics for Economics | EAP102 Upper-Intermediate English for Academic Purposes [English comm. Gen. Ed.] | GSE101 Analytical Skills [Analytical Skills Gen. Ed.] | [Science and Technology Gen. Ed. Elective] | |
| II | I | ETH203 Ethics in Economics | STT202 Inferential Statistics for Economics | CET204 Intermediate Macroeconomics | DZG101 Dzongkha Communication | [Enhanced English writing skills Gen. Ed. Elective] |
| II | QME201 Introductory Econometrics | CET205 Monetary Economics | DEV202 Bhutanese Economy | [Open Gen. Ed. Elective] | DEV203 Environment Economics | |
| III | I | CET306 Public Economics | DEV304 Development Problems and Policies | DEV305 Agricultural Economics | [Humanities Perspective Gen. Ed. Elective] | DEV306 Rural Development: Concepts and Approaches |
| II | DEV307 Contemporary Literature in Economics | CET307 International Economics | QME302 Intermediate Econometrics | UGR301 Research Methodology | [Open Gen. Ed. Elective] | |
| IV | I | DEV408 Health Economics | DEV409 Development Process and Institutions | DEV410 Behavioural Economics | DEV411 Urban Economics | UGR404 Undergraduate Research Project (24 credits) |
| II | ENM305 Ecotourism | DEV412 Emerging Economies | DEV413 Industrial economics | [Business / Financial Literacy Gen. Ed. Elective] | ||