Economics BSc Honours

Course summary

What is the UK government doing to mitigate the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic? How is the global community tackling poverty? What will Brexit mean for trade? How can companies embrace the opportunities of a decarbonised world? On this degree, you’ll explore these and more questions, crises and controversies as we uncover the far-reaching impact of economics on our world.

Economists tackle anything from interpreting and forecasting market trends or individual business performance by country, region or market, to advising businesses, governments and individuals on everyday and strategic decisions. These can encompass areas as diverse as international trade, profit maximisation, pricing decisions, forecasting revenues or consumer demand, to managing the national health service, tackling unemployment or inequality.

You’ll learn to analyse and predict the impact of economic, social and public policy issues on a variety of stakeholders, including consumers, investors, businesses, and how to source and provide the most appropriate insight to inform future decision-making and strategy.

As the role of data in informing decision-making grows, this degree expands your crucial skills in data gathering, handling and interpretation, quantitative analysis and forecasting. You will use industry-standard software, including SPSS, Excel,Eviews, Minitab and other statistical packages, to analyse data, build models and produce forecasts. You will also develop key soft skills such as communicating complex economic ideas to a non-expert, a logical approach to formulating and solving problems, presentation skills and teamwork.

As our economics degrees share a common first year, you’ll gain a solid foundation in economic concepts, principles, analysis, techniques and knowledge and, if you choose Introduction to Financial Economics as an option, you may be eligible to change to the Financial Economics course at the start of your second year. A variety of optional modules also enable you to tailor your studies to suit your interests, for example you can choose specialist economics modules in the digital economy, in international trade, money banking and finance. You can also choose option modules in other areas of the business school such as entrepreneurship, human resource management, marketing or accounting. Our degree also offers the flexibility of studying one language module per year.

Our vibrant economics community has strong links to employers, including the Government Economic Service. You’ll also have the opportunity to gain Bloomberg professional certification. 

You will also be encouraged to participate in an array of extracurricular activities. Previous activity includes the IBM University Business Challenge (2020 Winners, Finalists 2018 and 2017, Semi-finalists 2016) and Microsoft University App Challenge (Winners 2019, Runners-up 2019). EDI Microsoft BAME University Business Challenge (3rd place 2021)

Top reasons to study

• Study at one of London’s leading centres for business education based in the heart of London and its political, media and financial services scene
• Access to one of the largest financial databases in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg virtual trading room
• Outstanding facilities and access to the software widely used in industry: Bloomberg, SAGE, FAME, NVivo and SPSS
• Option to undertake a paid placement year with previous economics students employed by organisations such as Goldman Sachs, Boxington Corporate Finance and Government Economic Service, to name just a few
• Opportunity to study a foreign language as an optional module in each year of study and spend one year overseas at one of our partner institutions
• Opportunity to apply for up to 4 exemptions entering into the CIMA operational level

• In the REF 2021, 75% of our business school impact case studies in the Business and Management Unit of Assessment scored 4* whilst 25% scored 3*. Read how our research is shaping the world

Course structure

This degree aims to provide you with a solid understanding of economic theories, economic policy making, econometric techniques, quantitative analysis and analytical reasoning. You’ll learn to appreciate the decision-making process and develop your critical thinking, graduating with a unique skillset sought-after by future employers.

In each year of study, you will be offered a choice of applied economic modules, as well as specialist economics or more general business modules. You also have the opportunity to study a foreign language, including Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese or Spanish. This is an excellent idea if you want to broaden your horizons and experience another culture, particularly if you see yourself working abroad or for an international company in the future. Recent students have visited partner institutions including Copenhagen Business School in Denmark and the University of Technology Sydney in Australia.

The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course. 

• Year 1
• Year 2
• Placement year
• Year 3

Professional recognition

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world's largest professional body of management accountants offering the most relevant accounting qualification for a career in business. If you are considering a career in finance and business, the CIMA qualification will open doors with employers all over the world. 

This course will give you the opportunity to apply for up to 4 exemptions entering into the CIMA operational level.