Why study economics?
There has never been a better time to study Economics. Understanding how the economy works has rarely seemed so important, and as a student you will have access to a phenomenal stream of high-quality daily comment in the media
Economics has long been a very popular subject in the Sixth Form, and the skills, insights and perspectives that you learn are things that stay with you for the rest of your life.聽 You should find yourself continuously challenged and taken by surprise as you develop an all-round economic awareness, and we would hope that right from the outset you will feel confident about offering up your own thoughts and experiences for re-examination.
Economics is a lot more than just numbers and graphs, economists are integral in many business, financial and political decisions. Having an understanding of economics can assist in a wide variety of roles
If you have the slightest interest in 鈥渉ow the world works鈥 then you will really enjoy this subject. Quite apart from sheer interest and enjoyment, you will also be acquiring skills and understanding that will be of benefit to you in both your career and your private life.
A high percentage of economics graduates enter employment immediately upon graduation, one third of these in the business and finance sectors. Salaries for economics graduates tend to be higher than the average for all graduates. Economists have the second highest salary ten years after graduation, second only to medics.
What our students say
“Economics is a key subject for gaining a truly deeper understanding about the real world and how it works.”聽Frank
鈥淓conomics is a challenging yet rewarding subject that gives you a better understanding of current affairs. The lessons provoke interesting discussions over different matters that affect us in day to day life, giving you a different perspective to tackle problems鈥. Beth
鈥淓conomics gives you the knowledge to analyse and evaluate the repercussions of policies implemented by governments in both the domestic and worldwide economies.鈥澛Andrew
鈥淓conomics allows you to understand current affairs on the news using theory from the course. You learn all different types of economics from looking at inflation and the UK to understanding how international politics could change global trade.鈥澛Elise
鈥淓conomics gives us an understanding of how the economy operates, how markets interact and the impact of our cognitive decisions on the economy. It never ceases to be interesting and relevant.鈥澛Georgia
Entry requirements
Grade 6 in mathematics and English at GCSE.
Potential courses
- Economics
- Economics and management
- Politics, philosophy and economics
- Business economics
- Econometrics
- Economic history
- Land economics
- International development
- Economics and finance
Potential careers
- Accountancy
- Investment banking
- Corporate finance
- Financial journalism
- Education
- Politics
- Civil service
- Law
- Business
- Management consultancy
The A-level course
Unit | % of A-level | Content |
---|---|---|
Paper 1 | 33.3 | A 2 hour written paper covering: 鈥 Economic methodology and economic problems 鈥 Individual economic decision making 鈥 Price determination in a competitive market 鈥 Production, costs and revenue 鈥 Perfect competition, imperfectly competitive markets and monopoly 鈥 The labour market 鈥 The distribution of income and wealth: poverty and inequality 鈥 The market mechanism, market failure and government intervention in markets |
Paper 2 | 33.3 | A 2 hour written paper covering: 鈥 The measurement of macroeconomic performance 鈥 How the macro economy works 鈥 Economic performance 鈥 Financial markets and monetary policy 鈥 Fiscal policy and supply-side policies 鈥 The international economy |
Paper 3 | 33.3 | A 2 hour written paper, no additional content is required from that covered for Paper 1 and Paper 2 |
Alumni – where are they now?
- Richard (1999) Partner, Deloitte
- Georgia (2013) Analyst, JP Morgan Chase
- Urvashi (2012) Analyst, Goldman Sachs
- Annabel (2013) Equity Analyst, Morgan Stanley
- Alistair (1994) Analyst, RBC Capital Markets
- Haydon (2010) Analyst, RBC Capital Markets
- Rachel (2010) Vice President, Park Square Capital
- Alex (2012) Journalist, MoneyWeek
- Daniel (2008) Europe Analyst, Capital Economics, studying for MPhil at Oxford University
- Adam (2010) Head of Research for the Conservative Party
- Sam (2010) Civil Service, working in the Department for International Trade
- Simon (1999) Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
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