BA(Hons) Economics (with Foundation Year)

Through thematic projects, this module will help you develop the academic, practical and professional foundations needed for undergraduate study in business and law. You'll work collaboratively and independently, using academic theory and professional practice to address relevant problems and societal issues. Indicative themes include a business simulation focused on organisational processes and teamwork, and a societal issue explored through values, research, debate and persuasive writing. Along the way, you'll strengthen your project management, digital, decision-making, presentation, feedback and self-management skills while exploring areas connected with your interests.

This module will support your professional and personal development by helping you evaluate your skills, set meaningful goals and monitor your progress. You'll explore self-management, reflective thinking and writing, wellbeing, resilience, social development and networking. Indicative themes include understanding yourself through skills audits, mindset and goal setting; working in teams through group roles, dynamics, motivation and feedback; and considering your wider context through personal mission, vision, values and future plans. Reflective practice will help you learn from experience, take responsibility for your development and prepare for collaborative project work.

In this module, you'll examine how individuals, firms, industries and governments make economic decisions. You'll apply microeconomic models from a pluralist perspective, exploring consumer behaviour, utility, production, costs, revenues and firms' objectives. Topics will include demand and supply, elasticities, market structures, externalities, pricing and market failure, alongside behavioural and post-Keynesian perspectives. Using mathematics, diagrams and data, you'll develop analytical and problem-solving skills while considering technology, productivity, sustainability and the consequences of microeconomic policy.

This module will introduce you to the nature and scope of macroeconomics. You'll explore major questions about output, distribution, investment, consumption, employment and inflation, considering how expenditure and production fit together within a domestic economy. Topics will include macroeconomic indicators, money, credit, financial systems, the Keynesian cross, the multiplier, labour markets, pricing and income distribution. You'll begin to use models, algebra and data analysis, while examining policy, sustainability, distributive justice, the open economy and longer-term questions of growth and development.

This module will introduce you to the history of economic ideas and the different schools of thought that have shaped the discipline. You'll explore how economic theories emerged within particular historical and social contexts, and compare alternative perspectives on how economies work. By examining debates between schools of thought, you'll develop an appreciation of economics as a contested subject rather than a single, fixed body of knowledge. Along the way, you'll strengthen your ability to interpret arguments, compare viewpoints and connect economic ideas with contemporary questions.

This module will explore the relationship between culture, technological change and economic progress across time. You'll investigate how these forces have interacted to shape the economic development of different civilisations and the evolution of capitalism. Topics may include international comparisons, colonisation, the spread of industry, market expansion and relationships between governments and industries. You may also examine business cycles, economic crises and the creation and use of economic surplus, developing your ability to connect historical change with contemporary economic structures and debates.

This module will develop the economic reasoning, statistical and professional skills needed for further study and a career as an economist. You'll learn how to evaluate economic arguments and express ideas verbally, geometrically and algebraically, using logic, basic mathematics and simple formal models. Statistical topics will include data types, descriptive statistics, graphical analysis, probability distributions, hypothesis testing, correlation, causation and introductory linear regression. Working with data in Excel, you'll also explore the labour market for economists, reflect on your competencies and identify relevant professional skillsets.

This module will develop your understanding of how individuals, firms and markets make economic decisions. You'll use intermediate microeconomic theory to analyse consumer choice, production, costs, market structures and strategic behaviour. Topics may include welfare, market failure, information problems and the effects of government intervention. Mathematical and graphical techniques will help you build and interpret economic models, compare outcomes and evaluate policy choices. Through applied examples, you'll strengthen your ability to use economic reasoning to explain behaviour and assess real-world business and policy questions.

In this module, you'll deepen your understanding of the forces that shape economies over time. You'll examine macroeconomic models of output, employment, inflation, interest rates and economic growth, considering how households, firms, governments and financial systems interact. Topics may include business cycles, monetary and fiscal policy, expectations and open-economy relationships. You'll learn how to use diagrams, data and theoretical models to interpret economic developments, compare competing explanations and evaluate the likely effects and limitations of different policy responses.

This module will develop the analytical and professional skills needed to conduct economic research. You'll typically study questionnaire design, qualitative data collection and analysis, and foundational econometrics using primary or secondary data. Econometric topics will include linear regression, estimation, hypothesis testing, functional form, dummy variables, multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation. Practical research activity will strengthen your critical thinking and methodological confidence, while professional development will help you communicate findings effectively and prepare for graduate selection processes and future economic analysis roles.

The Economics Project will enable you to undertake an independent investigation into an economic issue that interests you. You'll identify a focused question, critically review relevant literature and use appropriate economic or quantitative methods to analyse evidence. Throughout the project, you'll manage an extended programme of work, consider methodological and ethical choices, and interpret your findings in relation to existing knowledge. The module will strengthen your research, problem-solving and analytical skills, helping you communicate clear, evidence-based conclusions to an appropriate audience.

This module will engage you with current debates in economic policy and the evidence used to inform public decisions. You'll examine contrasting economic perspectives, evaluate policy objectives and consider the trade-offs involved in responding to complex challenges. Drawing on theory, data and contemporary examples, you'll learn how to analyse policy arguments, identify underlying assumptions and assess likely consequences. The module will strengthen your ability to form independent, well-supported views and communicate economic reasoning clearly within academic and professional discussions.

This module will develop your ability to research, analyse and communicate economic or financial information in response to a client-facing brief. You'll learn how to identify the client's needs, select relevant evidence and translate technical material into clear, concise and accessible recommendations. The module will strengthen your professional judgement, audience awareness and ability to explain complex ideas to non-specialists. Through a practical briefing context, you'll gain experience of balancing analytical depth with the communication, professionalism and responsiveness expected when working with clients and stakeholders.