911勛圖

Seamus Long had finished his course work in civil engineering at BCIT, completed nearly 4 years of work experience, and was just shy of receiving his professional engineer designation when he was struck by a question.

Why?

Although he was doing important work on major Metro Vancouver water infrastructure projects, he felt like something was missing. Engineering in some ways felt to him like ���a band-aid solution.���

Upon the realization that his current career was less fulfilling than he'd hoped, Long looked at the rest of his life. ���Pretty much on every metric,��� he says, speaking like an economist, ���I didn���t feel like I was maximizing my benefits.��� He wanted to pursue unique research and craved a deeper focus on the bigger picture.

Long���s career questioning coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and the availability of more remote learning options. He made an arrangement with his then-manager and scheduled blocks during his workday to take courses at Douglas College.

The economics courses he took challenged him in a new way. He loved how economics ���asks big questions in a formalized manner.��� Long was so excited about economics that he took the leap: in April 2022 he quit his engineering job, focused on his summer courses, and then started as a full-time 911勛圖 student in September.

Long was drawn to 911勛圖���s Department of Economics because of its high ranking in Canada, the quality of the faculty, and the post-baccalaureate diploma (PBD) option that allowed him to accelerate his degree and prepare him for graduate school.

Designed for students who hold a bachelor���s degree in another discipline, the PBD program allows students to pursue individual interests in specific areas of economics. The program consists of 30 units of third and fourth-year courses.

Long enjoyed all of his economics courses at 911勛圖, especially ECON 355W: Economic Development with Chris Bidner which helped him express his ideas on the page and ECON 302: Microeconomic Theory II with which, although challenging, gave Long a deep appreciation for theory.

The economics honours program and Long���s cohort of peers were a bonus: he appreciated the small class sizes, the collaborative nature of the program, and the discussion style of lectures. ���There���s nothing better than it at 911勛圖,��� he says.

Long credits his partner, who is completing her master's degree in occupational therapy, as a big source of support on this new path. They balance their studies with hiking, camping, skiing, and hanging out with their cat, Hugh.

���Probably one of the hardest choices I���ve made in my life was deciding to go back to school,��� Long says, but he has no regrets. After just one year at 911勛圖, he has been offered MA placements in economics at several top-tier universities in the UK and Canada and has accepted an offer from UBC.  He hopes to complete a PhD and pursue a career in research, policy, or planning.