Why you should study BS Economics with Data Science at ITU?

Introduction to the Program

The Science of Economics today is in a crisis. This is because mainstream economics, as it has been taught over the last century, has failed to adequately address so far some of the principal challenges faced by the human community at the global and national levels: recurrent economic crises, growing inequality, widespread violence and the environmental crisis that has placed our planet in peril. As Thomas Kuhn has pointed out, science progresses through paradigm changes. When new questions emerge, which the prevailing paradigm is unable to investigate, and then a new paradigm emerges. This is why the leading universities in the world are engaged in rethinking economics, crossing its conventional boundaries and bringing teachers and students together in the great endeavor of developing a new paradigm for the subject.

In this historic juncture, the aim of an undergraduate programme in Economics should be to combine rigorous training in mainstream economics with data science together with exposure to a wide range of fields in the Social Sciences and Humanities. Through such multidisciplinary training around hardcore economics, the students can be stimulated to form connections across subjects in addressing the central challenges that impact society, economy and polity. Students of economics can thereby participate in the exciting venture of transforming the economics paradigm and help build a better future for the human community.

The undergraduate programme in economics with data science has been designed with this aim in view. Rigorous training is provided in economics through courses such as Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Mathematics, Econometrics, International Trade and Finance. Emerging fields in economics are also included in the programme. For example, the New Political Economy, Sustainable Development, Evidence Based design of Policy for Urban and Rural Development. A key dimension in the economics programme is Data Science which has two components: (i) Big Data Techniques and (ii) Machine Learning. This relatively new field is becoming increasingly important in the design of projects and policies. This corpus of courses in economics and data science is combined with courses in the fields of Philosophy, Politics and Literature.

It is hoped that systematic training in economics and data science, combined with a broad understanding of Social Sciences and Humanities, will equip students to contribute to research and policy thinking. They will thus be able to participate in the process of developing a new paradigm in economics and building a better world.

Eligibility Criteria

Who can apply?

Applicants who have completed 12 years of education, or will do so in the 2025 session.

  • Scored 40% marks or above in Matriculation or equivalent examination
    AND
  • Scored 40% marks or above in Intermediate or equivalent examination*
  • Minimum score for eligibility is 40% in the ITU Admissions Test
    OR
    To be exempted from the ITU Admissions Test:
    SAT I with at least 550 score in each section: Math and EBRW (Verbal)
    OR
    USAT (all types) test with minimum required score 50%
    OR
    NTS (all types) test with minimum required score 50%

Details*

  • Successfully cleared 3 subjects in A’ Levels
  • A GPA of at least C in American High School Diploma
  • Scored at least 24 out of 45 points in International Baccalaureate

General Notes

Note: Per HEC rules, candidates who have completed 12 years of education and obtained degrees other than Matriculation (SSC) or Intermediate (HSSC) may be required to obtain an equivalence certificate from the Inter Board Committee of Chairman (IBCC), Islamabad.

AS Level and General Studies are not accepted

Admission Test

Applicants can take the ITU Admission Test, SAT, USAT, OR NTS for admission to ITU.

ITU Admission Test

The ITU Admission Test will be held at the ITU campus in Arfa Software Technology Park in Lahore.
The test will be 90 mins. long and will comprise mostly of Multiple-Choice Questions. A minimum score of 50% is required.
For information about dates please click here here.
Entry Test Pattern
Sample Test

SAT

Applicants who have taken the SAT (through Collegeboard USA) during the last two years, can be exempted from the ITU Admissions Test. SAT scores can be reported to ITU officially from the testing agency. The college code for reporting SAT scores to ITU is 7537. Please refer to the Collegeboard website for details about the SAT test and score report delivery.
You must have to upload the result card and payment proof after declaration of result on ITU admission portal.

Discipline Required SAT Test Minimum Score
BS-Economics with Data Science
SAT I – Verbal
SAT I – Math
550
550

For information about dates please click here.
Validity: July 2023 – June 2025

USAT

Applicants who have taken the USAT USAT (all types) test with minimum required score 50% during the last one year, can be exempted from the ITU .
You must have to upload the result card after declaration of result on ITU admission portal.
Validity: July 2024 – June 2025

For information about dates please click here.

NTS

Applicants who have taken NTS (all types) test with minimum required score 50% during the last one year, can be exempted from the ITU Admissions Test.
You must have to upload the result card after declaration of result on ITU admission portal.
Validity: July 2024 – June 2025

For information about dates please click here.

Fee Structure

New Intake 2025

Semesters Tuition Fee University Dues Semester Wise Total Fee
First Semester 157,000 45,000 202,000
Second Semester 157,000 38,250 195,250
Third Semester 164,000 40,000 204,000
Fourth Semester 164,000 40,000 204,000
Fifth Semester 173,000 42,000 215,000
Sixth Semester 173,000 42,000 215,000
Seventh Semester 181,000 44,000 225,000
Eight Semester 181,000 44,000 225,000
Total Degree Fee 1,350,000 335,250 1,685,250
  • A lump sum tuition fee will be charged for the semester as per the total required credit hours according to the approved roadmap/program structure of the respective degree program.
  • The fee for a summer semester, course repeat/improvement will be charged Rs.9,200/per credit hour.

Total Annual Cost Per Student (Approx.)

Cost Per Student (2025-2026) in PKR
Total Annual Cost Per Student (Approx) 673,775
Subsidy from Provincial Government 145,264
Subsidy from Federal Government 66,161
Subsidy from ITU Endowment & investment incomes 98,565
Average Per Student Fees Contribution 363,785

For BS Batches (2023, 2024)

Semesters Tuition Fee Other Dues Semester Wise Total Fee
Fall-2025 157,000 38,250 195,250
Spring-2026 157,000 38,250 195,250
Fall-2026 164,000 40,000 204,000
Spring-2027 164,000 40,000 204,000
Fall-2027 173,00 42,000 215,000
Spring-2028 173,000 42,000 215,000
988,000
240,500 1,228,500
  • A lump sum tuition fee will be charged for the semester as per the total required CR hrs according to the approved roadmap/program structure of the respective degree
  • The fee for a summer semester, course repeat/improvement will be charged For BS Programs: Rs.9,200/per credit hour.

For BS Batch 2022

Semesters Tuition Fee Other Dues Semester Wise Total Fee
Fall-2025 137,000 35,500 172,500
Spring-2026 137,000 35,500 172,500
274,000 71,000 345,000
  • A lump sum tuition fee will be charged for the semester as per the total required credit hours according to the approved roadmap/program structure of the respective degree
  • The fee for a summer semester, course repeat/improvement will be charged For BS Programs: Rs.8,000/per credit hour.

Fee for International Students

Particular Fee for the International Students
Admission Fee 50$
University Dues (Per Semester) 200$
  • A 5% annual increment has been implemented on all dues.
  • Revised approved fee structure will be implemented from Fall-2025 session.

Program Structure

BS Economics with Data Science (with minors in Data Science, Development Studies, and Global Studies)

Scheme of Studies for Eight Semesters

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
Semester I Semester II
GEE100 Functional English 3 GEB100 Entrepreneurship 3
GES100 Social Sciences 3 GEQ101 Quantitative Reasoning II 3
GEC100 Civics and Community Engagement 3 GEE101 Expository Writing 3
GEH100 Arts and Humanities 3 GEI100 Islamic Studies & Ethics 3
GEP100 Ideology and Constitution of Pakistan 3 GEC100 Applications of ICT 3
GEQ100 Quantitative Reasoning I 3 GEN100 Natural Sciences 3
QT101 Quran Translation I Non Credit QT102 Quran Translation II Non Credit
Total Credits: 18 Total Credits: 18
Semester III Semester IV
Interdisciplinary/Allied 3 Interdisciplinary/Allied 3
ECO200 Principles of Microeconomics 3 ECO201 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
ECO202 Statistics and Probability 3 ECO303 Mathematical Economics 3
ECOxxx Economics Elective I 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective III 3
ECOxxx Economics Elective II 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective IV 3
QT103 Quran Translation III Non Credit QT104 Quran Translation IV Non Credit
Total Credits: 15 Total Credits: 15
Semester V Semester VI
ECO300 Intermediate Microeconomics 3 ECO301 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3
ECO302 Econometrics 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective VII 3
ECO304 Research Methods 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective VIII 3
ECOxxx Economics Elective V 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective IX 3
ECOxxx Economics Elective VI 3 EIN300 Internship (Summer) 3
Total Credits: 15 Total Credits: 15
Semester VII Semester VIII
ECOxxx Economics Elective X 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective XIII 3
ECOxxx Economics Elective XI 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective VIV 3
ECOxxx Economics Elective XII 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective XV 3
ECO498 Capstone Project 3 ECOxxx Economics Elective XVI 3
Interdisciplinary/Allied 3 Interdisciplinary/Allied 3
Total Credits: 15 Total Credits: 15
Degree Total Credit Hours 126

List of Economics Elective Courses

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
ECO210 Institutions, Violence, and Development 3 ECO319 Energy Economics 3
ECO211 International Political Economy 3 ECO410 Economic Sociology 3
ECO212 Competing in the Global Economy 3 ECO411 Monetary Economics 3
ECO213 Philosophy and Economics 3 ECO412 Applied Econometrics 3
ECO214 Issues in Pakistan’s Economy 3 ECO413 Public Sector Economics 3
ECO215 Research Methodology in Economics 3 ECO414 Labor Economics 3
ECO216 Economic Data Analysis 3 ECO415 Economics of Poverty and Inequality 3
ECO217 History of Economic Thought 3 ECO416 Economics of Health and Education 3
ECO310 Development Economics 3 ECO317 Economics of Climate Change 3
ECO311 International Economics 3 ECO418 Financial Economics 3
ECO312 Institutional Economics 3 ECO419 Economic Growth 3
ECO313 Globalization and Economic Integration 3 ECO420 Time Series Analysis and Forecasting 3
ECO314 Population Economics 3 ECO424 Managerial Economics 3
ECO315 Islamic Economics 3 ECO422 Agriculture Economics 3
ECO316 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics 3 ECO417 Economics of Happiness and Well-Being 3
ECO318 Data Visualization and Statistical Analysis 3 ECO421 Econometrics Analysis of Cross-Section and Panel Data 3
ECO499 Thesis 3

*Electives are offered as per the availability of faculty members and according to the recommendation of the Curriculum Review Committee, finally followed by the approval of the Board of Faculty.

List of Interdisciplinary/Allied Courses

Sr. No. Course Code Course Title Credit Hour
1 EBS200 New Product Development 3
2 EBS201 Business Proposal Writing 3
3 EBS202 Principles of Management 3
4 EBS203 Principles of Marketing 3
5 ELL100 Language 3
6 EBS300 E-Commerce and Digital Businesses 3
7 EDS400 Machine Learning 3
8 EDS401 Problem Solving with Data Science 3
9 EDS402 Data Mining 3+1
10 EDS202 Object Oriented Programming 3
11 GGS200 Introduction to Global Studies 3
12 GGS201 The Making of the Modern World 3
13 GGS202 Development of Political Thought 3
14 GGS203 Media, Development, and Governance 3
15 GGS204 Lahore: History and Culture 3
16 GGS300 The EU and the World Federation 3
17 GGS301 Public Administration and Institutional Reform:  A Comparative Perspective 3
18 GGS302 Climate Policy in a Comparative Perspective 3
19 GGS303 Environment, Technology, and Governance 3
20 DEV200 Introduction to Development Studies 3
21 DEV201 Introduction to the Political Economy of Development 3
22 DEV202 Key Thinkers in Development 3
23 DEV203 Cities and Global Development 3
24 DEV204 Gender and Development 3
25 DEV300 Development Economics 3
26 DEV301 Economic Anthropology 3
27 DEV302 Economic Development of South Asia 3
28 DEV303 China and World Development 3
29 ELL200 Academic Writing 3

*Interdisciplinary/Allied courses are offered as per the availability of faculty members and according to the recommendation of the Curriculum Review Committee, finally followed by the approval of the Board of Faculty.

List of Minors

  1. Data Science Minor

Students can take any 4 offered courses from the following list.

Sr. No. Course Codes Courses Credit Hours Pre-requisite
1 EDS200 Introduction to Programming 3+1 (Compulsory course for Data Science minor)
2 EDS201 Data Structures 3+0 Introduction to Programming
3 EDS202 Object Oriented Programming 3+0
4 EDS300 Databases 3+1
5 EDS301 Data Science Fundamentals 3+1
6 EDS400 Machine Learning 3+0
7 EDS401 Problem Solving with Data Science 3+0
8 EDS402 Data Mining 3+1
  1. Development Studies Minor

Students can take any 4 offered courses from the following list.

Sr. No. Course Codes Courses Credit Hours Pre-requisite
1 DEV200 Introduction to Development Studies 3 (Compulsory course for Development Studies minor)
2 DEV201 Introduction to the Political Economy of Development 3
3 DEV202 Key Thinkers in Development 3
4 DEV203 Cities and Global Development 3
5 DEV204 Gender and Development 3
6 DEV300 Development Economics 3
7 DEV301 Economic Anthropology 3
8 DEV302 Economic Development of South Asia 3
9 DEV303 China and World Development 3
  1. Global Studies Minor

Students can take any 4 offered courses from the following list.

Sr. No. Course Codes Courses Credit Hours Pre-requisite
1 GGS200 Introduction to Global Studies 3 (Compulsory course for Global Studies minor)
2 GGS201 The Making of the Modern World 3
3 GGS202 Development of Political Thought 3
4 GGS203 Media, Development, and Governance 3
5 GGS204 Lahore: History and Culture 3
6 GGS300 The EU and the World Federation 3
7 GGS303 Public Administration and Institutional Reform:  A Comparative Perspective 3
8 GGS302 Climate Policy in a Comparative Perspective 3
9 GGS301 Environment, Technology, and Governance 3

*Minor courses are offered as per the availability of faculty members and according to the recommendation of the Curriculum Review Committee, finally followed by the approval of the Board of Faculty.