Overview
Studying economics provides you with a greater understanding of the world around you. It teaches you how the economy functions, how people make decisions, why an economic crisis occurs and what the different solutions are. Economics at Essex is not only about stocks, shares and financial markets; it is concerned with the material wellbeing of human societies. Moreover, Economics isn’t optional to study right now: it’s vital to our future well-being in a post COVID-19 global society. The skills you learn at Essex will be in high demand from employers in the coming years to tackle the post-pandemic world.
At Essex we push the frontiers of accepted wisdom, critically examining the decisions of individuals, the strategies of firms, and the policies of governments to understand and challenge the standard paradigms of economics. On this course, you build a thorough understanding of the key areas of economics from first-year undergraduate to post-graduate level. Throughout the course you will study modern macroeconomics and microeconomics with applications to policy, as well as econometric methods and the use of data. Within and beyond these core areas you will study topics such as:
- Strategic behaviour
- Public choice
- Labour markets
- Fiscal and monetary policy
- Theories of growth
In addition to learning the essentials of microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometric methods, you also have the option to explore a wide set of selected topics in economics to hone your skills, such as Management Economics and Market Analysis, International Trade and Financial Economics. We are top 5 in the UK for research, with over 90% of our research rated as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” (REF 2014). Much of this world-class research is related to policy, and we have particular strengths in the areas of, game theory and strategic interactions, theoretical and applied econometrics, and labour economics. The quality of our work is reflected in our stream of publications in high-profile academic journals, including American Economic Review, Econometrica, and Review of Economic Studies.
Study abroad
Your education extends beyond the university campus. We support you in expanding your education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of our partner universities. The five-year version of our degree allows you to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the four-year course. Studying abroad allows you to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised.
If you spend a full year abroad you’ll only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year. You won’t pay any tuition fees to your host university.
Placement year
Alternatively, you can spend your third year on a placement year with an external organisation, where you learn about a particular sector, company or job role, apply your academic knowledge in a practical working environment, and receive inspiration for future career pathways. You will be responsible for finding your placement, but with support and guidance provided by both your department and our Employability and Careers Centre.
If you complete a placement year you’ll only pay 20% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year.
Our expert staff
Study and work alongside some of the most prominent economists.
Our researchers are at the forefront of their field and have even received MBEs, with students coming from across the globe to study, research or work with us. Our Department of Economics is a richly diverse home to staff and students from all over the world who have a strong sense of belonging and want to think, learn and change the world together.
Many of our researchers also provide consultancy services to businesses in London and other major financial centres, helping us to develop research for today’s society as well as informing our teaching for the future.
Specialist facilities
Take advantage of our extensive learning resources to assist you in your studies:
- Extensive software for quantitative analysis is available in all computer labs across the university
- Access a variety of economics databases and multiple copies of textbooks and e-books in the Albert Sloman Library
- A comprehensive online learning environment (moodle) for each module
- A top class computer Lab (ESSEXLab) to run economic research experiments
Your future
Many employers want economists with critical thinking skills who can tackle large data sets and practical problems. Our course helps you to become more employable and takes you closer to that dream job or postgraduate course when you graduate.
Our students are in demand from a wide range of employers in a host of occupations, including financial analysis, management, public administration and accountancy.
Our recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies including:
- Bank of England
- Barclays Capital
- Citigroup
- Deloitte
- Ernst and Young
- Morgan Stanley
- Bank of New York
- Santander
We also work with the University’s Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.
Why we’re great
- We are Top 5 in the UK for our research excellence – you can learn from the best. (REF 2014)
- Our Department of Economics is a richly diverse home to staff and students from all over the world
- Top 25 for economics (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021)
Structure
Course structure
We offer a flexible course structure with a mixture of core/compulsory modules, and optional modules chosen from lists.
Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The course content is therefore reviewed on an annual basis to ensure our courses remain up-to-date so modules listed are subject to change.
Teaching and learning disclaimer
Following the impact of the pandemic, we made changes to our teaching and assessment to ensure our current students could continue with their studies uninterrupted and safely. These changes included courses being taught through blended delivery, normally including some face-to-face teaching, online provision, or a combination of both across the year.
The teaching and assessment methods listed show what is currently approved for 2022 entry; changes may be necessary if, by the beginning of this course, we need to adapt the way we’re delivering them due to the external environment, and to allow you to continue to receive the best education possible safely and seamlessly.
Teaching
- Teaching is arranged to allow freedom in how you organise your learning experiences
- After receiving a general overview of a topic in your two-hour weekly lecture, you discuss and solve the issues it raises in a class with 15 to 20 fellow students
- Optional support classes
Assessment
- You are assessed each year through a mixture of coursework and end-of-year examinations
- The balance is set at 50% coursework and 50% exam
- For many of your second- and final-year modules, coursework takes the form of an extended essay
- Complete your final year project in consultation with a personal supervisor