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Economics

Entry requirements


A level

A*,A,A

Specific subjects/grades required for entry: Mathematics at grade A. Specific subjects excluded for entry: General Studies and Critical Thinking. Information: Applicants are encouraged to avoid studying both Economics and Business Studies. A-Level Economics is not required though for anyone taking this subject this will form part of the offer made to you. Applicants taking Science A-levels that include a practical component will be required to take and pass this as a condition of entry. This refers only to English A-Levels.

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15

60 credits with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3 (or equivalent). At least 30 level 3 credits at Distinction and in addition at least 15 level 3 credits at a minimum of merit. Specific subjects/grades required for entry: A-level Maths Grade A.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

D2,D3,D3

Specific subjects/grades required for entry: Mathematics at grade D3.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

38

Eighteen points (6, 6, 6) at Higher Level to include Mathematics or Standard Level grade 7. Maths Analysis & Approaches and Maths Applications & Interpretation at Higher or Standard Level are accepted. Mathematical Studies at Standard Level is not accepted.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H1,H2,H2,H2,H2

Specific subjects/grades required for entry: Mathematics at grade H2.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma

D*DD

Specific subjects/grades required for entry: Mathematics at grade D.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

D*DD

Specific subjects/grades required for entry: A-level Maths Grade A.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,A,A

Specific subjects/grades required for entry: Advanced Higher Mathematics at grade A. Advanced Higher Statistics is not accepted as a substitute for AH Mathematics. If both of these subjects are taken at this level then a further Advanced Higher is necessary.

Scottish Higher

A,A,A,A,A

Offers are normally based on Advanced Highers. If an applicant has not been able to take 3 Advanced Highers, offers may be made with a combination of Advanced Highers and Highers, or on a number of Highers.

At Durham we welcome applications from students of outstanding achievement and potential from all educational backgrounds.  We will consider applicants studying T level qualifications for entry to many of our courses.   Where a course requires subject specific knowledge and this is not covered within the T level being studied, you may need to supplement your T level studies with a suitable qualification to meet this requirement, for example at A level.  Where this is needed this will be clearly stated in our entry requirements.   Detailed entry requirements can be found on individual course entries on our courses database.

UCAS Tariff

152-168

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Economics

Have you ever wondered why some musicians earn so much money? Or the costs and benefits of a country hosting the Olympics? If you have a natural curiosity about the way the world works and you enjoy maths and problem-solving, BA (Hons) Economics might be the course for you.

Economics is at the heart of decision-making across every aspect of society. From individuals and businesses to public bodies and multinational organisations, economists examine available resources and work out how they can be used efficiently and effectively.

BA (Hons) Economics has been developed to meet the needs of the business world and equip you with the skills to succeed in a range of industries. As well as preparing you for a career in the financial services sector, the critical and analytical skills developed during the degree provide a springboard into the worlds of journalism, policy, education and international development.

Central to the course is the real-world application of economics. The curriculum includes lectures from expert speakers and projects where you will have a chance to investigate a range of contemporary economics issues. Learning from industry experts you’ll develop a solid grounding in economic analysis, applied economics and statistical techniques.

Year 1 provides a foundation in domestic and international economics. In subsequent years you will further develop your understanding of core areas such as macroeconomics, microeconomics and data analysis.

The flexible structure coupled with the wide range of optional modules across all years allows you to tailor your studies as your interests evolve. You have the option to complete the course in three years, add a placement year or spend a year abroad. It may also be possible to spend the third term of your second year at the University of Pisa.

The degree culminates in a final-year dissertation on an area of economics of your choice. The dissertation draws on skills developed throughout the course and is worth one-third of your final-year marks.

Modules

Year 1
Core modules:
Principles of Economics provides a sound foundation for modules in micro- and macroeconomics. You will cover areas including methodology of economics, supply and demand, consumer spending choices, competition and growth theories.

Economic Methods familiarises you with the use of mathematical and statistical tools in solving economic problems. You will look at equations, matrix algebra, calculus, statistics, distribution, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing.

The World Economy provides knowledge and understanding of the features of different types of economy, and of world trade and the international financial system. You will learn about international trade theory, economic growth and cover some of the key concepts relating to developments and crises in the world economy using real-world case studies.

Examples of optional modules:
The Economics of Sustainability
Introduction to the History of Economic Thought
Foundations of Finance.
Year 2
Core modules:
Macroeconomics uses real-world examples to analyse the general equilibrium of an economy both in the short term, with a static model, and in the medium to long term, with a dynamic model.

Microeconomics develops your knowledge and understanding of the essential components of microeconomics, with a particular focus on the analytical skills relevant to consumer and production theories, general equilibrium and welfare.

Econometrics equips you with the skills to understand the type of empirical analysis used in economic literature. You will also write a report based on econometric analysis.

Examples of optional modules:
Behavioural and Experimental Economics
Intermediate Methods for Economics and Finance
Microeconomic Applications and Policy
Macroeconomic Applications and Policy
Intermediate Finance.
Year 3 (Year 4 if undertaking a placement or year abroad)
The Dissertation is a detailed and critical examination of a relevant area of economics. It develops your ability to plan and manage your own learning and provides you with an opportunity to research a specific topic and present your findings and conclusions.

Examples of optional modules:
Advanced Macroeconomic Theory
Advanced Microeconomic Theory
Applied Econometrics
Developmental Economics
Environmental Economics and Policy
International Economics
Monetary Economics
Game Theory and Applications
Financial Theory and Corporate Policy
Security Investment Analysis.

Assessment methods

Modules are assessed via a combination of examinations, written assignments and reports, investigative projects and presentations.

The range of assessment methods is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of the material, test your critical thinking skills, enhance your written and oral communication skills, and assess your ability to relate your learning to real-world issues.

The 12,000-word dissertation makes up one-third of your final-year marks.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£27,600
per year
International
£27,600
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course locations:

Durham City

College allocation pending

Department:

Economics and Finance

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

77%
Economics

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Economics

Teaching and learning

72%
Staff make the subject interesting
79%
Staff are good at explaining things
77%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
67%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

78%
Library resources
88%
IT resources
85%
Course specific equipment and facilities
65%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

62%
UK students
38%
International students
64%
Male students
36%
Female students
94%
2:1 or above
2%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
A
A

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Economics

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£29,000
high
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education
88%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

35%
Business, research and administrative professionals
29%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
7%
Functional managers and directors

This is a degree in demand, as business increasingly needs workers who can examine and explain complex data. And yet the number of economics graduates fell by nearly 10% last year, which means demand is even greater. As so many economic grads go into banking and finance, it's not surprising that over half of all 2015's economics graduates who did go into work were working in London. And don't think it's just the finance industry that's interested in these graduates - there's a significant number who enter the IT industry to work with data as analysts and consultants. It's quite common for economics graduates to go into jobs such as accountancy and management consultancy which may require you to take more training and gain professional qualifications - so don’t assume you won’t have to take any more exams once you leave uni. And the incentive to take them, of course, is better pay, which will be on top of an already healthy average starting salary of over £30,000 for graduates working in the capital.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Economics

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£30k

£30k

£40k

£40k

£58k

£58k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here