This is an archived page and for reference purposes only
Economics examines some of the profound issues in our life and times: economic growth and sustainable development, unemployment, inflation, poverty, emerging market economies, financial and monetary crises, environmental and natural resource problems, international trade and aid to poor countries, currencies and the balance of payments, the impact of minimum wages and the problems of global economic change are just some of the areas covered.
Overview
Economics
Economics at Kent is consistently ranked in the top 10 economics departments in the UK for student satisfaction and teaching quality. Our passion for the subject and research-led approach to teaching helps provide students with a first-class academic experience, as well as building personal skills and enhancing career prospects. Our cosmopolitan academic and student community, coupled with a thriving research culture, creates an inspiring and challenging environment to study economics.
Politics and International Relations
Politics and international relations is an exciting, fast-changing, broad-based discipline. Our programmes are extremely flexible and offer extensive module choice, reflecting the research interests of our staff, including conflict resolution, federalism, comparative politics, European integration, ethnic conflict, terrorism, the theory of international relations, political theory, and the politics of countries such as China, Japan, Russia and the USA.
Independent rankings
Economics at Kent was ranked 9th in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2016, and 10th in the National Student Survey 2015, with 93% of our students satisfied with the overall quality of their course.
In the National Student Survey 2015, 92% of Politics students were satisfied with the overall quality of their course. Kent was ranked 10th in the UK for politics in The Guardian University Guide 2016.
Course structure
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.
Teaching and assessment
Economics
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.
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.
Politics
Our main teaching methods are lectures, seminars, working groups, PC laboratory sessions and individual discussions with your personal tutor or module teachers. Assessment is through continuous feedback, written examinations, assessed essays and oral presentations.
Politics Open Forum
We hold a weekly extra-curricular Open Forum organised by our School research groups, where students and staff have the opportunity to discuss and debate key issues of the day that affect higher education and politics in the world today.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- provide a stimulating education in the principles of economics and their application, in which high-quality teaching motivates students to achieve their full potential.
- provide a flexible and progressive curriculum that is suitable for students who have or have not studied economics before.
- develop in students the ability to apply economic knowledge, analytical tools and skills to theoretical, applied and policy problems.
- provide a range of options to enable students to study selected areas of economics in depth. The teaching of these options is informed by the research and scholarship of teaching staff.
- provide students with the knowledge, analytical and other skills from which they can proceed to employment in a related area to economics or further study in economics.
- develop in all students, through the study of economics, a range of skills that will be of value in future employment.
- provide information and advice on future employment and higher education opportunities.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You develop knowledge and understanding of:
- the main concepts, principles, theories, models and methods of modern economic analysis and their application in different areas of economics.
- the analytical skills that allow students to formulate and consider economic problems and issues.
- the mathematical and statistical methods used in economics.
- some areas of the economic anlaysis of policy.
- specific problems, issues and policies in a selection of areas in economics.
- key concepts affecting decision-making.
- critical discussion of selected economic problems, issues and policies in politics and media.
- the study of other social science subjects.
Intellectual skills
You develop the ability to:
- abstract the essential features of a complex system.
- think about what are the important variables and fixed parameters in solving a problem.
- ability to analysis complex issues using deductive and inductive reasoning.
- ability to organise and use information to analyse complex issues and test different hypotheses.
- ability to review critically alternative explanations and analyses of a problem.
Subject-specific skills
You develop the following subject-specific skills:
- Analytical skills in economics
- Ability to apply economic principles and analysis to selected issues, problems and policies
- Ability to abstract the essential features of an economic issue, problem or system.
- Knowledge and ability to make and provide advice on how to make economic decisions
- Ability to synthesise and compare critically different economic analyses of an economic issue
- Ability to research the literature on an economic issue.
Transferable skills
You develop the following transferable skills:
- Effective communication of analysis and ideas both orally and in written form.
- Ability to assemble, analyse, use and present data.
- Understanding and ability to use economic, mathematical and some quantitative methods to analyse issues and problems.
- Ability to analyse and make decisions using economic concepts, eg opportunity cost and strategic behaviour.
- Development of some information technology skills.
- Independence in initiating and executing work.
- Ability to think critically about proposed analyses and solutions to a problem or issue.
- Become responsible for managing own learning and academic performance.
Careers
Economics
Economics at Kent has 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. Our range of modules provides the opportunity to tailor your degree to support your particular career choice, giving you a competitive edge in the employment market. Additionally, there are modules that concentrate on preparing you for life as a professional economist.
Our degrees not only provide you with economics training but also with many transferable skills. Most employers are looking for skills such as good communication, initiative and proactiveness, team working, time management, planning and organisation, analysing information and problem solving.
Economics at Kent has been recognised for its excellent employability record in the national league tables:
- 7th for Graduate Prospects (based on 88% of full-time, first degree UK graduates taking up professional level employment or further study within 6 months of graduation) in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016
- 5th for career prospects in the The Guardian University Guide 2016
Recent Economics graduates have gone on to work for Deloitte, the Government Economic Service, HMRC, Citibank, KPMG, PwC, Bank of America, Schroders, Goldman Sachs and Barclays.
Politics
Through your study, you acquire many of the key qualities that graduate employers expect, including: the ability to plan and organise projects; to analyse and summarise complex material, and to express your opinions coherently and with sensitivity. Those students who choose to take advantage of our study abroad options find it gives them a definite advantage in the employment market.
Recent graduates have gone into areas such as teaching, publishing, practical politics, local and central government, the diplomatic service, EU administration, financial services, non-governmental organisations, journalism, international business or international organisations. Many have also gone on to postgraduate study.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | ABB from 3 full A levels, or BBB if A level Mathematics is included. |
| GCSE | Mathematics grade B |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | BTEC National Diploma at DD or BTEC Extended Diploma at DDD plus A level Mathematics at grade B. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 16 points at HL, including Mathematics SL or HL at 4, or Mathematical Studies at 6. |
International students
The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.
Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | ||
| Part-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk
Funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page.