Check upcoming open days and book your place arrow
Subject Guides

Studying economics degree guide

Economics combines maths, science and social theory to study the distribution of things like wealth, services and goods. In basic terms, it’s how people and businesses control and distribute the resources that are available to them, which is a pretty important area of expertise.

Eleanor Foulds
by Eleanor Foulds
Last Updated:
03 Nov 2022

The study of economics is perfect for anyone interested in how money and the world of commerce works. It’s not about how to make money but how and why goods and services are produced and distributed within a capitalist society. Many of the most influential people throughout history have backgrounds in economics, so if you’re looking to make your mark in the world, this is the perfect place to begin following in their footsteps.

Find economics courses

What do you need to get on an economics degree?
 


Average entry requirements for economics are:

  • UCAS points: 144 – 165 
  • A-levels: AAA 
  • Scottish Highers: AAAAA
  • BTEC Nationals: DDD
  • International Baccalaureate: 37 

Please be aware that these are average entry requirements and may change depending on the course and institution you select. Always confirm this for the particular university/course you're interested in. 

Most economics courses will ask for an A-level (or equivalent) in maths.  

What economics degrees can you study?
 


Degrees in economics include:

  • BA Accounting and Economics 
  • BA Economics and Finance  
  • BA Economics with a foreign language  
  • BSc Maths and Economics 

 

Most unis will offer the subject as part of a joint or combined honours programme with other related subjects like business, law, journalism or politics. 

What topics does an economics degree cover?
 


Common modules for economics include:

  • Principles of macroeconomics 
  • Principles of microeconomics  
  • Global economic environment 
  • Financial accounting 
  • Development of economic thought
  • Banking and finance
  • Business management  

What do you learn studying an economics degree?
 


Studying an economics degree will help you gain industry-specific skills like:

  • Interpreting data
  • Financial analysis
  • Knowledge of commerce and markets
  • Report writing

More general, transferable skills you’ll pick up include:

  • Presentation
  • Research
  • Communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Information-processing

“I think what's good about economics is that it builds really useful skills for potential employers without forcing you down a specific career path. You get the numerical skills, but there's also the researching, and trying to pick out key pieces of information from longer documents. You find there's a lot of reasoning to be done and you have to build strong cases for your interpretations of the information you've got. I think it's a very rounded skill set overall.” –Alex, Economics and Finance graduate at Queen Mary, University of London 

What can you do with an economics degree?


With an economics degree you can get a whole range of jobs like:

Where to study economics?

How long is an economics degree?


An economics degree usually takes three years to study. However, many unis will give the option of a sandwich year (a placement year spent working in industry), which will increase your course to four years.

How will you be assessed?
 


Economics courses usually involve assessment through:

  • Exams
  • Coursework
  • Final year dissertation
  • Presentations

What are the postgraduate opportunities?
 


Examples of master’s degrees you can do include:

  • MA Economics
  • MSc Accounting and Financial Economics
  • MSc Computer Science
  • MSc Applied Econometrics
  • MSc Development Economics

What alternatives are there to an economics degree?
 


Not sure if an economics degree is right for you? Check out these related subjects: