The bachelor programme provides an in depths training in economics, and additionally covers the fundamentals of business administration and quantitative methods. The focus is on solving economic and societal issues in companies, households, government institutions and markets. The approach is based on the analysis of human decision-making processes as well as the optimal use and the effect of economic resources, e.g. labour and capital. Some questions addressed in this programme relate to broad economic relationships: What determines prosperity and the distribution of wealth in a country? What influences the exchange rates and trade flows between nations? How do firms acquire market power and should when should the state regulate them? But there are also more specific questions that are addressed: What effect does education have on income, health and crime? Because of what characteristics are some companies more successful than others? Which kind of interventions work in developmental aid? To answer such questions, the programme provides theoretical concepts as well as data-based (i.e. empirical) methods and puts students in a position to understand economic problems, to analyse them autonomously and to derive advice for action for companies or politicians. The inclusion of real life cases makes it possible to practically implement the knowledge that has been acquired, and the excellent student-to-teacher ratio allows for interactive teaching styles.
The bachelor programme in economics combines modern teaching and research with the humanistic tradition of the University of Fribourg.
Profile of the study programme
The bachelor programme provides an in depths training in economics, and additionally covers the fundamentals of business administration and quantitative methods. The focus is on solving economic and societal issues in companies, households, government institutions and markets. On the one hand, it is of interest how people in companies, households, government institutions and markets use economic (eg financial) resources, and how decisions interact with economic and political institutions. On the other hand, an analysis of the impact and the optimal use of economic resources is necessary in order to be able to derive recommendations for companies and politicians. Examples of questions in economics are: What determines prosperity and the distribution of wealth in a country? What influences the exchange rates and trade flows between nations? How do firms acquire market power? Economics also deals with more specific questions: What effect does education have on income, health and crime? Because of what characteristics are some companies more successful than others? Which kind of interventions work in developmental aid? Economics also deals with the question of whether and how the state should intervene in economic and social processes at the national and international level.
The Department of Economics combines modern political economic teaching and research with the humanistic tradition of the University of Fribourg. Students are empowered to provide answers to economic, social and entrepreneurial issues and to put them into practice.
The excellent support in the department and the strong application orientation of the teaching provide an ideal environment for students to acquire these skills. The bachelor programme, which is offered entirely in German and French, enables students to prepare themselves optimally for work in an intercultural environment.
A solid basic education in economics provides students with the necessary knowledge to understand and independently analyse economic problems. The goal of the study programme is to impart methodological, professional and social skills:
Economists contribute to the understanding of economic processes and economic interrelationships under changing conditions. Students learn
– to make economic diagnoses and prognoses with the help of theoretical and statistical insights, as well as quantitative methods of causal analysis;
– how to provide economic consulting for companies, the public sector and organisations that pursue certain economic goals;
– how to communicate economic ideas and economic interrelationships, for example, in the media.
Good professional expertise is indispensable for the analysis of complex economic problems. During the course of the study programme, students learn how they can theoretically structure economic issues and subsequently examine them with the help of data. The inclusion of practical cases makes it possible for students to transfer the knowledge that has been acquired into practice and develop solutions for economic and socio-political problems.
The excellent student-to teacher ratio in the department allows for interactive teaching methods. Students have the opportunity to work in teams early on, present the results of their work and practice participating in scientific discussions. In group work in particular students have the opportunity to motivate fellow students and help one another.
At the University of Fribourg, economists gain a solid theoretical and statistical education, which at the same time is practice-oriented, focussing on current economic issues in public organisations and companies. Such a profile provides employment prespectives in particular in large private companies (in particular in banking and insurance, industry, trade, data management and media), consulting, market research, the public sector (on the cantonal or state level), international organisations (e.g. UNO) as well as in professional or trade union organisations.
Structure of studies
180 ECTS credits, 6 semesters
The following Swiss school-leaving certificates grant admission to bachelor programmes at the University of Fribourg:
- Swiss academic Maturity Certificate
- Federal vocational or specialised Baccalaureate + supplementary examination of the Swiss Maturity Commission (passerelle)
- Bachelor Degree from a Swiss university, from an accredited Swiss university of applied sciences (HES/FH) or from a Swiss university of teacher education (HEP/PH)
A complete list of all further recognised Swiss school-leaving certificates is to be found on the webpages of swissuniversities (in French and German only): http://studies.unifr.ch/go/en-admission-swiss-certificates
Foreign upper secondary school-leaving certificates are recognised only if they correspond substantially to the Swiss Maturity Certificate. They must qualify as general education. Foreign school-leaving certificates are considered to be general education if the last three years of schooling include at least six general education subjects, independent from each other, in accordance with the following list:
- First language (native language)
- Second language
- Natural sciences (biology or chemistry or physics)
- Humanities and social sciences (geography or history or economics/law)
- Elective (computer sciences or philosophy or an additional language or an additional subject from category 4 or 5)
The general admission requirements to the bachelor programmes at the University of Fribourg for holders of foreign school-leaving certificates as well as the admission requirements for individual countries are to be found on the webpages of swissuniversities: http://studies.unifr.ch/go/en-admission-countrylist
In addition, foreign candidates must present proof of sufficient language skills in French or German.
The assessment of foreign school-leaving certificates is based on the «CRUS Recommendations for the Assessment of Foreign Upper Secondary School-Leaving Certificates, 7 September 2007» (http://studies.unifr.ch/go/crus07en). The admission requirements are valid for the respective academic year. The Rectorat of the University of Fribourg reserves the right to change these requirements at any time.
Also offered as a minor study programme (60/30 ECTS credits).