The International Economics (IE) specialization, in addition to providing fundamental subject knowledge, focuses on quantitative skills necessary to apply modelling and forecasting methods to meet the professional requirements demanding in-depth analysis in various fields. Typical subjects of the program include Microeconomics 1&2, Macroeconomics 1&2, International Economics 1&2, Econometrics 1&2, Forecasts in Economics and Business, Cost and benefit analysis, Industrial Organization, International Political Economy, and Economics of Asymmetric information. These subjects are built on equivalent curricula in developed countries such as the UK, France, and the USA. These courses become the strong foundation for students who graduate from the Faculty of International Economics, given the continuous development of the digital economy in Vietnam and the world.
Students often think that studying International Economics involves a heavy emphasis on theoretical and mathematical aspects, as most of the subjects are related to economics, such as Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, International Economics, Development Economics, and more. Is this perception accurate? Economics is the study of the fundamental principles of the economy and how the economy operates. It involves studying the relationships between individuals and society in terms of production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Economics researches the basic principles of the economy and how the economy functions. It is true that studying economics involves a lot of theory, but most importantly, it involves economic models, which are the framework for understanding how the economy operates. Economists use these models to derive principles that can be applied to real-world situations. Of course, a crucial tool for developing these models is mathematical knowledge. In practice, many real-life issues are explained using various algorithms, and mathematics is essential for this purpose.
However, mathematics in economics in Vietnam is often overlooked and is almost excluded from the curriculum. Therefore, the International Economics program will provide you with a complete knowledge base, from fundamentals to advanced, to serve analytical thinking, quantitative tools, and the evaluation of economic activities, rather than just qualitative knowledge. These are also essential knowledge to be equipped with if you want to further research other majors like Marketing, Finance, Banking, or Accounting.
