
Our Economics Program
Algoma University’s three-year Bachelor of Arts in Economics is a unique program, different from other university programs found across the province.
Are you a college student? Visit the ONTransfer website to view more of our pathway agreements.
Our program concentrates on theory, applications, and explorations in current and policy-related issues at the regional, national, and international level. Students will study the roles of governmental, business, and financial institutions, as well as individuals as they interact to determine the distribution of a country’s total range of goods and services. Courses cover a wide array of topic areas, including environmental economic policies, microeconomics, urban economics, economic development, economics of finance, elementary statistical methods for economists, among others.
Our faculty is committed to a hands-on learning experience where students are able to establish a personal relationship with their professors. This fosters a very intimate and interactive learning environment.
Upon graduation, students will have a solid foundational working knowledge of various economic and financial terms, concepts, and principles. Students will know how to solve complex problems and distinguish between correct and incorrect applications of economic concepts. They will be able to review, present, and interpret quantitative and qualitative information and will thoroughly understand the limits that exist within the realm of finance and economics. By graduation, they will also have perfected their communication skills and be able to conduct themselves in a professional manner in the work world.
What You Can Expect
Hands-on learning, a close-knit campus community, and caring faculty.
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Global Perspectives
With over 24 percent of our students coming from outside of Canada, our student body is reflective of today’s global marketplace. By having such a diverse classroom, students are exposed to new and different ideals and opinions in regards to finance. Thus, our classrooms reflect the real world.
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Cooperative Education
Take advantage of the University’s lucrative co-operative education program to make some extra money and build your resume. Coop options include the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), Brookfield Power, the Government of Canada, the City of Sault Ste. Marie, Logos Financial, Yes You Can Employment Services, BDO Canada, the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, and many more.
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A bright career path
With an economics degree, our graduates have become financial planners, economists, financial advisors, market researchers, financial managers, loan officers, statisticians, budget analysts, investment analysts, bankers, and more.
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Flexible programming
Whether students want to study on a full-time or part-time basis, students can complete the requirements for their economics degree day or night. Spring and summer term courses also provide added flexibility.




Experience Maps
Are you ready to apply theory and academic content to real-world experiences? It's time to make your plan!
START NOWOur Courses
For more detailed information on our courses, please visit our courses schedule section
Get Started NowMeet our Faculty
Our Economics faculty are experts in the field. Get to know them!
Cathy Denomme
Associate Professor

Department of Applied Business Studies and Executive Education (ABSE)
Sault Ste. Marie Campus
[email protected]
705-949-2301, ext. 4343
Credentials: BBA Hons (Algoma University), MBA (University of Windsor)
Areas of Expertise: Human resources, health and safety, managed systems, ISO registration and ISO internal auditing.
Pelham Matthews
Faculty Member, Faculty of Business and Economics

Sault Ste. Marie Campus
[email protected]
705-949-2301, ext. 4329
Credentials: BSc (McGill University), MBA (Concordia University)
Areas of Expertise: Marketing, small business and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Nusrate Aziz
Full Professor; Chair, Department of Finance and Economics

Finance, Economics, and Decision Sciences (FEDS) department
Department of Applied Business Studies and Executive Education
Brampton Campus
Personal Website: click here.
Dr. Nusrate Aziz is a Full Professor of Finance and Economics in the Department of Finance, Economics, and Decision Sciences, under the Faculty of Business and Economics. With over 25 years of experience in academia, research, and consultancy, Dr. Aziz has made significant contributions to his field. He is recognized as a Fellow of the Global Labor Organization (GLO) and holds memberships with esteemed organizations such as the International Migration Research Centre (IMRC) and the NORDIK Institute. Additionally, he was a Visiting Researcher and has been serving as an Adjunct Faculty at Thompson Rivers University.
Dr. Aziz has a rich academic background, having held positions at renowned institutions including the University of Bath, University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham, Multimedia University, and University of Chittagong. His research prowess is evident through numerous publications in prestigious journals such as the International Review of Financial Analysis, International Review of Economics and Finance, European Journal of Political Economy, The World Economy, and Applied Economics. His work has garnered over 665 citations on Google Scholar, reflecting its impact and significance in the academic community.
Dr. Aziz has successfully secured funding for his research projects from various sources, including recent grants such as the SSHRC Insight Development Grant, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), the Mitacs Globallink Research Internship (GRI) program, and the SSHRC Institutional Grant, among others. As the principal consultant, Dr. Aziz has led projects funded by organizations such as DFID (UK), AusAid (Australia), and technical support provided by the Government of Bangladesh, demonstrating his expertise in applying research to real-world challenges. He also contributed as a Research Associate for the Job Market Need Assessment for Newcomers and Refugees project for the Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation.
In his current role, Dr. Aziz imparts knowledge to students through courses in Financial Management, Corporate Finance, Macroeconomics, International Trade, and International Finance.
His research interests include International Finance, International Trade, Labour Migration, Climate Action, and Monetary Economics. His technical skills encompass Time Series, Hierarchical and Panel Data estimation, Discrete Choice Models, Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling. His proficiency in data analysis and econometrics is also demonstrated by his skill in using a range of statistical software, including STATA, Eviews, NLOGIT, PcGive, OxMetrics, GRETL, SPSS, and SmartPLS.
Dr. Omar Abou Kasm
Assistant Professor

Finance, Economics, and Decision Sciences (FEDS) department
Sault Ste. Marie Campus
[email protected]
Omar Abou Kasm is an Assistant Professor of Decision Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Transportation Planning and Engineering from New York University, and his main research focus is on logistics optimization. His teaching interests revolve around Quantitative Methods, Management Science, and Probability & Statistics subjects. Finally, prior to joining Algoma University, Omar worked in teaching and research at multiple institutions and worked in logistics management for project-based supply chains.
Dr. Farzana Alamgir
Assistant Professor

Finance, Economics, and Decision Sciences (FEDS) department & Department of Applied Business Studies and Executive Education
Email: [email protected]
website: https://farzana-alamgir.github.io/
Dr. Farzana Alamgir is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Algoma University, specializing in international macroeconomics. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from McMaster University, with a focus on sovereign default in emerging nations. Prior to joining Algoma University, Dr. Alamgir gained extensive experience in both teaching and research, contributing to various areas in macroeconomics.
Her academic interests centre around macroeconomic theory, sovereign default, and oil price uncertainty. Dr. Alamgir is passionate about engaging students in critical discussions and encourages active participation in the learning process.
Dr. Robert Xu
Associate Professor

Department of Finance, Economics and Decision Sciences
Brampton Campus
[email protected]
Professor Robert Xu has established a remarkable academic and professional trajectory since completing his PhD in Finance in 2004. As a Chartered Financial Analyst since 2009, he has contributed extensively to esteemed journals such as the Journal of Political Economy and the Journal of Corporate Finance, amassing over 600 citations on Google Scholar. His work, which spans critical areas of financial markets, corporate finance, and economic policy, is characterized by a keen ability to merge theoretical rigor with practical relevance. In the classroom, Professor Xu is celebrated for his dynamic and accessible teaching approach, and he is deeply invested in equipping students with both a robust theoretical framework and practical skills for successful careers in finance. His dedication extends beyond lectures as he mentors students, navigating them through the complexities of financial concepts and their real-world applications.
Dr. Hari Luitel
Chair, Department of Finance, Economics and Decision Sciences

Finance, Economics, and Decision Sciences (FEDS) department & Department of Applied Business Studies and Executive Education
Sault Ste. Marie campus
[email protected]
705-949-2301, ext. 4757
Credentials: BA (Tribhuvan University), MA (Tribhuvan University), PhD (West Virginia University)
Areas of Expertise: Public finance, environmental and natural resource economics, fiscal policy, applied tax incidence, international tax system, monetary policy, macroeconomics, and time series econometric analysis.
Dr. Ahmed Aziz
Assistant Professor

Finance, Economics, and Decision Sciences (FEDS) department & Department of Applied Business Studies and Executive Education
Sault Ste. Marie campus
[email protected]
705-949-2301, ext. 4229
Credentials:
- PhD (Economics), Iowa State University, Iowa, USA
- MA (Economics), Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA
- BSS (Honours) & MSS (Economics), University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Area of Expertise: Labour Economics, International Economics
Ahmed Aziz is currently a Assistant Professor in the School of Business and Economics at Algoma University. He has a Ph.D. in Economics at Iowa State University and received his M.A. from Rutgers University. Prior to joining the Algoma faculty, he was an NOHFC Fellow at Algoma University and has also served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. His current research projects focus on the impact of Canadian interprovincial migration on interprovincial trade. His areas of expertise include labour, international, and development economics and the intersection between these fields. Mr. Aziz has coauthored a number of journal publications, conference articles in the aforementioned topics, and has received several national and international academic awards.
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