Undergraduate 2013

A place to inspire you / An approach to challenge you


Economics

Key facts
Start year: 2013
Location: Canterbury
Award/s: BSc (Hons), BA (Hons)
Type: Full-time and part-time
Options: Year in industry/abroad

Economics examines some of the profound issues in our life and times, including: economic growth and sustainable development, emerging market economies, financial and monetary crises, environmental and natural resource problems, international trade and aid to poor countries. When you study at Kent, you have the chance to learn about these issues from economists who are highly regarded within the profession for emphasising the practical application of economics in all of these arenas.

Student satisfaction with our programmes is very high and we consistently appear in the top ten economics departments in the National Student Survey. Students particularly like the ability of staff to explain complex things, efficient assessment arrangements and marking, and the organisation and running of the course.

The School has a strong international reputation for research in key areas of economics and was ranked 16th in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, where 75% of our submitted research was awarded a top rank of internationally excellent. Many staff advise government bodies including the UK's Department of Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Department for International Development (DFID), and the European Commission. Staff also advise international organisations including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Central Bank (ECB), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Modules

Stage 1

Core modules
  • Economics
  • Mathematics for Economics and Business
  • Statistics for Economics and Business
  • Data Analysis for Economists (compulsory for single honours only)

Plus any other compulsory modules for your chosen programme. For example, students on a European programme take language modules.

Options offered in Economics
  • The Contemporary European Economy
  • Strategy and Games

And other optional modules drawn from a list available in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Stage 2/3

Core modules
  • Macroeconomics
  • Microeconomics
  • Quantitative Economics

Plus other compulsory modules depending on your chosen programme.

Options

Including, but not limited to:

  • Applied Economics Project
  • Development Economics
  • Dissertation
  • Econometrics 1: Foundations of Econometric Theory
  • Econometrics 2: Topics in Time Series
  • Economic Integration in the EU
  • Economics of Finance 1: Financial Markets and Instruments
  • Economics of Finance 2: Asset Pricing
  • Economics of Gender, Children and the Family
  • Education, Skills and Earnings
  • Extended Essay
  • Games for Economics and Business
  • Industrial Economics
  • International Finance
  • International Trade
  • Monetary Economics
  • Public Sector Economics.

Plus other options depending on your chosen programme.

Year abroad

You can spend a year working in industry with all of our undergraduate degrees, with the exception of the European Economics programmes.

Alternatively, our European Economics programmes provide an opportunity to study at a partner university in France, Germany, Greece or Spain. The year out is between Stages 2 and 3. The School has a Placement Officer who can offer advice and guidance.

Year in industry

You can spend a year working in industry with all of our undergraduate degrees, with the exception of the European Economics programmes.

Alternatively, our European Economics programmes provide an opportunity to study at a partner university in France, Germany, Greece or Spain. The year out is between Stages 2 and 3. The School has a Placement Officer who can offer advice and guidance.

Teaching and assessment

All of our modules are taught by a combination of lectures and small group sessions, which include seminars, computing practicals, problem sets, debates and role-play games. On average, you have a total of 12-14 hours of lecture, seminar and other formal contact time per week.

The School of Economics is committed to making sure that you leave Kent with much more than just a degree in Economics. We put great emphasis on the development of transferable skills, including numeracy, analytical problem solving, data analysis, and written and oral communication, as well as subject-specific skills for further study at postgraduate level.

The modules are assessed by continuous assessment of coursework throughout the year and an end-of-year exam in the final term. A number of modules at each stage are assessed solely through coursework.

Entry requirements

The Kent IFP is open to overseas students who narrowly miss our Stage 1 entry tariff or who fail to meet the University's English Language matriculation requirement. Passing the IFP with an overall average of 65%, including passing all components, and achieving 65% in the Mathematics and Economics modules, guarantees you entry onto the first year of these degree programmes.

Not sure? How about...
  • Accounting and Finance
  • Business Administration
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Politics and International Relations

    • Offer levels

    ABB at A level, IB Diploma 33 points inc 4 in Mathematics (5 in Mathematics Studies) or IB Diploma with 16 points at Higher inc 4 in Mathematics (5 in Mathematics Studies).

    Required subjects

    All programmes: Economics grade B (or Business Studies grade A if taken without Economics) at A level, where taken.

    Minimum of GCSE Mathematics grade A or AS Mathematics grade C.

    L141, L142: Mathematics grade B at A level.

    L174: German grade B at A level.

    L176: French grade B at A level where taken or GCSE grade B French.

    L177, L1R4: Spanish grade B at A level where taken or GCSE grade C modern European language other than English.

    For the most up-to-date information on entry requirements for Economics, visit www.kent.ac.uk/economics/undergraduate/entry.html

    Careers

    Kent graduates have a high success rate in the graduate employment market, with past students going on to careers in accountancy, banking, finance, journalism, management consultancy and business. The range of modules available on the programme gives you the opportunity to tailor your degree to support your particular career choice, giving you a competitive edge in the employment market.

    Employers who have recruited our graduates in recent years include the Government Economic Service, Bank of England, the Financial Services Authority and Pricewaterhousecoopers.

    For more information on the services Kent provides to improve your employment prospects, go to www.kent.ac.uk/employability

    Further information

    Student profile

    Subject leaflet (pdf)

    School:

    Enquiries:

    T: +44 (0)1227 827272

    E: information@kent.ac.uk

    Publishing Office - © University of Kent

    The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, T: +44 (0)1227 764000

    Last Updated: 08/11/2011