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Published: 07 November 2023

Five reasons to study a course within the School of Economics at Surrey

Subject leaders for our economics programmes reveal what makes our degrees in economics different, and the secret behind our graduates’ success.

1. Taught by world-leading experts

The School of Economics consists of an international community of world-leading researchers. You will be taught by academics who are research active, and some who are advisers to world-renowned organisations. Our research is at the forefront of the field and informs our teaching, ensuring that what you learn is topical, relevant and has practical implications. The School was ranked in the UK’s top 10 for world-leading research in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

2. Employability and a Professional Training placement

Our Economics courses provide you with a wide range of valuable transferable skills to prepare you for your future career. You will develop analytical, problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and acquire proficiency in quantitative and data analysis.

Our students can also choose to take part in Surrey's renowned Professional Training placement, through which many students go on to receive a graduate job. We draw from a large network of placement organisations, and our students have done placements in places such as

  • Morgan Stanley
  • The Bank of England
  • Hewlett Packard Enterprise
  • Microsoft
  • Ericsson.

The skills you will receive on our courses, along with experiences gained from your Professional Training placement means that our graduates are highly employable across a range of industries and organisations. Recent graduates have gone on to work for:

  • The Bank of England
  • Ernst & Young
  • Deloitte
  • The Home Office
  • Morgan Stanley.

3. A friendly community

Studying with us puts you at the heart of a friendly, international community of staff and students. We hold annual events such as Malthus Dinner, a black-tie event co-organised by society students and staff as a way to celebrate your hard work and to network with your peers.

We encourage a two-way dialogue, and really value your input to help shape the way our courses are delivered. You will receive excellent support and a warm and dynamic environment in which to study. You’ll benefit from a personal tutor, providing one-on-one academic and pastoral support whilst studying here. Students and staff are also connected remotely via a virtual learning environments and Microsoft teams, so any course questions and problems you have can be addressed quickly, even when you’re not on campus.

4. Flexibility throughout your programme

Choosing the right Economics degree can be difficult, and sometimes things become clearer once you've started your studies. Whether you opt for Economics BSc (Hons)Business Economics and Data Analytics BSc (Hons) or Economics and Finance BSc (Hons), you'll study a common first year, building up a broad foundation of economic theory. This means that after your first year, you can still switch between these degrees ensuring that you're specialising in the areas that best suit you.* If you opt for the Economics and Mathematics BSc (Hons) you will be able to transfer to another Economics programme at the end of the first year.

There is also flexibility with your placement year. You can decline your placement or apply for one until very late in your second year, so there’s no need to worry about making last-minute decisions.

*Please be aware that due to the large number of core mathematics subjects taught in the first year, you will not be able to transfer to the BSc Economics and Maths programme from another Economics programme.

5. Modules to suit your ambitions

Our academics are engaged in a wide range of research areas, offering you access to a variety of modules. These cover a full range of academic expertise and current topics, helping you shape both your studies and your expertise for industry. Whatever programme you are on in your third year, you will choose at least five optional modules in order to tailor your degree to your interests. The list of options is updated regularly to reflect the research interests of our staff and currently includes modules* such as: 

  • Behavioural Economics
  • Family Economics and Policy
  • Economics of Corruption.

* We continually review our modules so please refer to the modules list on the individual course page

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