I very much enjoyed the variety of modules on offer, but the course is not only about theory. I had the great opportunity to work for a London-based firm in my Professional Training year, and this proved to be an invaluable life-learning experience.
Economics is the study of scarcity, choice and incentives. Every society faces the problem of how to allocate scarce resources and ensure that individuals use them responsibly. Economists use scientific methods of observation, experimentation and research in providing answers to these problems.
If you enjoy problem solving and thinking clearly about domestic and international contemporary issues, these programmes will be of interest to you. Our employment record is excellent and our teaching and degree content have received high praise in external assessments.
Our Economics degrees help you to master the full range of skills practised by professional economists. You will develop analytical problem-solving skills, quantitative and data analysis skills, computing skills, and written and oral presentation skills. The emphasis is on being able to use these skills, and ultimately on specialising in areas that interest you.
The Economics and Finance programme will provide you with an understanding of the important economic roles played by the business and financial sectors in modern economies. You will understand how they operate and develop key tools for analysing them. These are placed within the framework of core economic and quantitative principles to provide a strong set of analytical skills, highly relevant to the worlds of business and finance.
In Year 1 the programmes share common content to provide a sound foundation for later choice and specialisation. You will be introduced to core principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics, and encouraged to discuss topical economic issues and practise giving presentations. Data Analysis, Statistics and Mathematics for Economics are also introduced, with additional support available if you do not have A-level Mathematics (or equivalent). You can also study languages.
Modules include:
Year 2 continues these core themes, as well as emphasising computer-aided data analysis. Specialist modules are introduced and you will also gain a foundation for professional placement and for choosing your final-year options. Both Economics and Finance and Business Economics focus on the role of business and financial institutions within the economy, and allow you to study accounting and work on a team project designing a business plan to be evaluated by professional business assessors
Economics and Finance modules include:
Our Professional Training placement year offers you the opportunity to out your new found skills into practice and to develop your understanding. The employment and career prospects for our graduates are very wide, with employers ranging from the private to the public sector and from the financial to the corporate sector.
During Year 3, each programme has compulsory modules designed to enhance your specialism, with additional optional modules ranging from theoretical, quantitative and computer-oriented modules to those involving applications of economic theory in major areas of policy. They cover domestic, European and international topics, including those in business economics and finance. As such, they allow for either increased specialism or a more varied menu of subjects.
You may choose to write a 5,000-word project, allowing you to work intensively on a topic of particular interest and helping prepare you for the sort of activity you may be engaged in after graduation. Our inspiring, challenging programmes aim to prepare you fully for further study or a successful career.
Modules include:
Economics, and Economics and Finance modules include:
Students choose a total of eight modules
** Compulsory for Economics and Finance
Our Professional Training placement year gives you the chance to spend a year as a salaried employee, gaining invaluable work and life experience while putting your economics, statistics and operational research knowledge into practice for a large corporation, City institution or government department. Some placements are in economics, statistics or operational research departments of large corporations, some are in City institutions and some are in government departments. A workplace supervisor is appointed, and you are visited at least twice by one of our tutors. Your work is assessed throughout the placement and you will also complete a 3,000-word report.
Recent employers include the Bank of England, JP Morgan, Nomura, State Street Bank, Oxford Economics, Lloyds TSB, IBM and Walt Disney Co.
Teaching on the programme is by lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshop sessions, which absorb about 15 hours each week. The purpose is to use, rather than just study, economics. In tutorials we encourage you to present your own ideas and to develop the verbal skills that will stand you in good stead for the future. Classes and workshops are practical sessions in which you will develop the ability to apply and use economics. For each hour of teaching, you are expected to spend two to three hours in private study. There are also modules where you are required to work in groups.
The final degree classification is based on your performance in the written examinations in Years 2 and 3 of the programme, in coursework and in a final-year project (if selected). Assessments taken in Year 1 do not count towards your final degree classification.
Satisfactory completion of all Year 1 assessments is necessary for entry into Year 2. Performance in Years 2 and 3 contributes 35 per cent and 65 per cent respectively to your final degree award. Coursework is typically worth a minimum of 30 per cent of marks, and examinations 70 per cent.
Graduates from our programmes are highly successful in securing quality jobs. The ‘problem-solving’ nature of the subjects, the topical and applied focus of our programmes and the experience gained on the professional placement greatly appeal to employers. Computing skills are often an additional asset.
Our graduates go on to work in the finance sector (including banking, accountancy and investment analysis), the corporate sector (including management training) and the public sector. Recent graduates are now working for the Bank of England, the Government Economic Service (in a variety of government departments), numerous City firms (such as JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, KPMG and Ernst & Young) and other commercial organisations (such as Cornhill Insurance, Legal and General, and British Airways). Their job roles range from economic policy advisor, investment manager, financial economist and statistician to airline pilot. A number of graduates each year go on to study for higher degrees, both in the UK and abroad.
Graduates over the last few years entered employment in roles such as:
Come to one of our Open Days, when you can tour the campus, speak to students and academic staff, see our student accommodation and ask as many questions as you like. In the meantime, order a personal prospectus – tailored to only include the subjects that interest you.
GCSE English Language at grade C or above and GCSE Mathematics at grade A or above (or equivalent)
A-level Economics and/or Mathematics preferred, but not essential.
Offers are normally made in terms of grades. Suitable candidates may be invited to an Applicant Day. During the visit to the University the candidate can find out more about the programme and meet staff and students.
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each sub-skill (or equivalent).
We offer intensive English language pre-sessional courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
| Award | Course Length | Professional Training | UCAS code | KIS code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) | 3 years | L111 | View KIS data set | |
| BSc (Hons) | 4 years | L111 | View KIS data set |
We offer a range of bursaries, scholarships and other financial support.
See course information for students applying to start in September 2013.
Phone: +44 (0)1483 681 681
