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BA ECONOMICS WITH A PLACEMENT YEAR

  • UCAS code
    L102
  • Typical offer
    ABB
  • Year of entry
    2021
  • Course duration
     4 years
  • Year of entry
    2021
  • Course duration
     4 years
View all

COVID-19 update


Find out about how we'll be delivering our courses in 2020.

Study BA Economics with Placement Year and apply economic analysis to international problems.

On this course you will explore and develop a deep understanding of the increasingly critical economic and related issues that dominate the news agenda and shape the world in which we live. You will study practical issues in economics and explore the relationship between economics and society more widely.

This course places less emphasis on mathematical and statistical content, and instead you will focus on the relevance of these techniques to applied problems. You will still learn necessary maths skills in your core modules with extensive support, should you need it.

Each year you will be able to choose from a wide range of specialist optional modules and tailor the degree to your own interests. These span a number of topics, including business, policy, economic history and even the economics of climate change. You can also choose to do modules in other subjects such as history and politics, some of which cover topics and issues related to economics.

In addition to traditional lectures, you will take part small group tutorials in which you can discuss and analyse theory and practice through case studies, exercises, group presentations and open debate. You will have the opportunity to extend your study of economics beyond the classroom through our student-run Economics Society, which has arranged lectures on topics ranging from 'How happy are you?' to 'Are you a Marxist economist?' as well as conversations with economists on topical matters such as the economics of health and feminism.

For more information, please visit the Department of Economics website.

Placement

During the first two years of this course you will have additional timetabled support for pursuing and applying for internships and placements. You will then have the opportunity to do a paid placement at a company or organisation in your third year (please note that a placement cannot be guaranteed). The Department of Economics also has a specialist placement officer who can provide you with one-to-one support in your placement applications and preparing for a placement.

For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.

Overview

On this course you will explore and develop a deep understanding of the increasingly critical economic and related issues that dominate the news agenda and shape the world in which we live. You will study practical issues in economics and explore the relationship between economics and society more widely.

This course places less emphasis on mathematical and statistical content, and instead you will focus on the relevance of these techniques to applied problems. You will still learn necessary maths skills in your core modules with extensive support, should you need it.

Each year you will be able to choose from a wide range of specialist optional modules and tailor the degree to your own interests. These span a number of topics, including business, policy, economic history and even the economics of climate change. You can also choose to do modules in other subjects such as history and politics, some of which cover topics and issues related to economics.

In addition to traditional lectures, you will take part small group tutorials in which you can discuss and analyse theory and practice through case studies, exercises, group presentations and open debate. You will have the opportunity to extend your study of economics beyond the classroom through our student-run Economics Society, which has arranged lectures on topics ranging from 'How happy are you?' to 'Are you a Marxist economist?' as well as conversations with economists on topical matters such as the economics of health and feminism.

For more information, please visit the Department of Economics website.

Placement

During the first two years of this course you will have additional timetabled support for pursuing and applying for internships and placements. You will then have the opportunity to do a paid placement at a company or organisation in your third year (please note that a placement cannot be guaranteed). The Department of Economics also has a specialist placement officer who can provide you with one-to-one support in your placement applications and preparing for a placement.

For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.

Entry requirements A Level ABB | IB 32 points overall

Typical offer

ABB

International Baccalaureate

32 points overall including standard level Maths at grade 4 minimum. 

GCSE

Maths at grade B (6) minimum

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDM 

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.

  • Learn more about our International Foundation programme

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

  • Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Structure

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3
  • Year 4

Core modules include:

  • Introduction to economic institutions and policy
  • Introductory quantitative methods in economics and business 1
  • Introductory mathematics for economics 1
  • Introductory macroeconomics
  • Introductory microeconomics
  • British and European economies since WW2

Optional modules include:

  • The economics of climate change
  • Economic policy and social problems
  • Economy, politics and culture in the Roman world
  • Economy, politics and culture from the fall of Rome to the rise of feudalism
  • Introductory mathematics for economics 2
  • Introductory quantitative methods 2 and study skills
  • Introduction to contemporary democracy

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Core modules include:

  • Economics of social policy
  • Empirical methods for economics and social sciences
  • Intermediate macroeconomics
  • Intermediate microeconomics

Optional modules include:

  • Economic history
  • Business economics
  • Economics of the environment and energy
  • Comparative government and politics
  • British government and politics

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

During your third year, you may have the opportunity to do a paid placement at a company or organisation (please note that a placement cannot be guaranteed). In your first and second year, you will receive plenty of support with applying for internships and placements. The Department of Economics also has a specialist placement officer who can provide you with one-to-one support in securing and preparing for a placement.

Past students have undertaken placements with Rolls-Royce, the Government Economic Service and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Core modules include:

  • Further microeconomics and macroeconomics
  • Dissertation

Optional modules include:

  • Banking in emerging economies
  • Economics land, development and planning
  • Economics of labour
  • European economic integration
  • European urban and regional economics
  • International economics
  • Macroeconomics for developing countries
  • Microeconomics for developing countries
  • Money and banking
  • Processes of long-term political and economic change
  • Public economics
  • International political economy
  • History of economic thought
  • Industrial organisation
  • Behavioural economics
  • Business history

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250* per year

New international students: £17,320 per year

*UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes

UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government’s guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Placement Year fees

If you spend a full year on placement – including professional and research placements and industrial experience – you’ll pay a discounted tuition fee for that year.

For more information, please contact placements@reading.ac.uk.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Careers

Our graduates are in high demand as a result of the analytical skills and specialist knowledge of economics they develop through this course. 92% of graduates from the Department of Economics are in work or further study within 15 months of the end of their course [1]. 

Our recent graduates have secured roles as economists with the Government Economic Service and consultancies such as PwC and KPMG. Others have entered related and non-related careers in finance, business, marketing, publishing, PR and media.

You can choose to study your degree over four years with a paid Professional Placement Year or by applying to spend a full academic year studying abroad. The University provides support to applicants in securing their placements. This includes timetabled support and training from the Department of Economics placement coordinator and focuses on the search, application and selection processes associated with placements.

Past and current students have undertaken placements with 3M, Bank of England, Deloitte, Disney IBM, Johnson and Johnson, NHS England, Nissan, Oracle, and the Government Economic Service (including the Treasury, the Office for National Statistics and Foreign & Commonwealth Office).

[1] Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017/18; First Degree responders from Economics.

Contextual offers


We make contextual offers for all our courses.

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Related Courses

  • BA Politics and Economics LL12
    Full Time: 3 Years
  • BA International Relations and Economics LL21
    Full Time: 3 Years
View all Economics degree courses at University of Reading courses
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Subjects A-B

  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Science
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Building and Surveying
  • Business and Management, Accounting and Finance

Subjects C-E

  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Classical Studies
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management
  • Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
  • Creative Writing
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environment

Subjects F-G

  • Film & Television
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Foundation programmes
  • French
  • Geography
  • German
  • Graphic Communication and Design

Subjects H-M

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • International Development
  • International Foundation Programme (IFP)
  • International Relations
  • Italian
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Medical Sciences
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Museum Studies

Subjects N-T

  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate Studies
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Psychology
  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Spanish
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Surveying and Construction
  • Teaching
  • Theatre

Subjects U-Z

  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Zoology

Subjects A-C

  • Agriculture
  • Ancient History
  • Animal Sciences
  • Archaeology
  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences
  • Business (Post-Experience)
  • Business and Management (Pre-Experience)
  • Chemistry
  • Classics and Ancient History
  • Climate Science
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Management and Engineering
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Creative Enterprise

Subjects D-G

  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Energy and Environmental Engineering
  • Engineering
  • English Language and Applied Linguistics
  • English Literature
  • Environmental Science
  • Film, Theatre and Television
  • Finance
  • Food and Nutritional Sciences
  • Geography and Environmental Science
  • Graphic Design

Subjects H-P

  • Healthcare
  • History
  • Information Management and Digital Business
  • Information Technology
  • International Development and Applied Economics
  • Languages and Cultures
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Management
  • Medieval History
  • Meteorology and Climate
  • Microbiology
  • Nutritional Sciences
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physician Associate
  • Politics and International Relations
  • Project Management
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy

Subjects Q-Z

  • Real Estate and Planning
  • Social Policy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Strategic Studies
  • Teaching
  • Theatre
  • Typography and Graphic Communication
  • War and Peace Studies
  • Zoology

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