Economics and Finance
Entry requirements
A level
A level or AS level Mathematics at grade B. Statistics can be accepted but only when studied alongside Physics and/or Economics
Access to HE Diploma
Distinction in at least 12 level 3 Mathematics Units.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
M2 in Mathematics
Extended Project
In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification provides to students for University study, we now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer. Eligible applicants would receive two offers, our usual offer plus an alternative offer of a B in the EPQ and one grade lower in their A level subjects
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE English at grade B (or 5)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
5 in one of the following subjects: Standard level Mathematics Standard level Mathematics: analysis and approaches Standard level Mathematics: applications and interpretations Higher level Mathematics Higher level Mathematics: analysis and approaches Higher level Mathematics: applications and interpretations
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
H3 in Mathematics
OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
The OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma cannot be accepted on its own to cover the Maths subject requirement. A level or AS level Mathematics at grade B is also required. A level or AS level Statistics can be accepted but only when studied alongside Physics and/or Economics.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
The Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma cannot be accepted on its own to cover the Maths subject requirement. A level or AS level Mathematics at grade B is also required. A level or AS level Statistics can be accepted but only when studied alongside Physics and/or Economics.
Scottish Advanced Higher
Mathematics at grade B
Scottish Higher
Mathematics at grade B
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
The Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A Level at the grade achieved, except Mathematics.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Study modern economics and its applications to financial markets with our BSc Economics and Finance degree.
This three-year course will provide a rigorous foundation of economics and financial systems. Learn to apply economic theories to real-life problems in financial markets.
- How do investors make their investment decisions?
- Why did the financial crisis of 2007-2008 happen?
- What can be done to prevent the next financial crisis?
You will engage with specialist topics including:
- financial economics
- financial modelling
- corporate finance.
The programme will equip you with analytical skills, decision-making skills, and advanced financial techniques for a successful career in the financial services sector as a banker, investment analyst, advisor, economist, or other related roles.
**Access to real-world facilities**
You will learn advanced analytical methods using relevant industry-specific software and data sources such as simulation software, Bloomberg, and Thompson Reuters.
Moreover, you will have opportunities to practise your knowledge in asset pricing and risk management by participating in the CME Group University Trading Challenge under the guidance of our academics, who are experts in the field.
**Interdisciplinary study**
Your studies will cover a range of topics, including:
- Financial economics
- Microeconomics
- Macroeconomics
- Derivative securities/trading simulation
- Financial modelling/trading simulation
- Portfolio management
- Corporate finance.
Optional modules will bring your studies to life and relate to life outside the classroom, with interactive modules.
- Fintech and Cryptocurrencies asks how and why firms are implementing blockchain technology in their day-to-day business, as well as addressing the challenges they face. You will also learn about the nature of popular cryptocurrencies and their governance.
- Economics of Banking explores the weaknesses in the banking sector, the strategies adopted by banks to address risks, and the rationale for government intervention in the financial sector and banking regulation.
- Economics of Sport and Games dissects how competitive and controlled environments within sport can provide laboratories to study human behaviour, test theories, and observe the impacts of policy.
Modules
The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2024/25. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change. Core modules for this course: Introductory Economics, Introductory Securities and Markets, Introductory Quantitative Techniques for Business and Finance, Core Competencies in Economics, Introductory Finance/Trading Simulation I, Mathematical Methods for Economists, Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Corporate Finance, Introductory Econometrics for Finance, Financial Economics, Financial Modelling, Derivative Securities. The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of the final approved modules will be available between May and July 2023. We suggest that you regularly revisit this webpage during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.
Tuition fees
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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.
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.
Finance
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Economics
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Finance
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.
Top job areas of graduates
Over 2,000 students graduated with a degree in finance in 2015, and a sign of the strength of the finance industry, numbers are on the up. Over half of finance graduates go into the finance industry, with accountancy and financial advice roles particularly popular. It's also quite common for finance graduates to go into jobs which require you to take more training and gain professional qualifications — finance graduates who take further study are more likely to be studying accountancy than finance. About a third of graduates start their careers in London - but Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham are other popular locations for finance graduates to work.
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
Finance
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£26k
£35k
£44k
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.
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.
£26k
£32k
£41k
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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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
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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