BA Economics
What will a post COVID-19 world look like? Can you predict when the economy will recover? How will we adapt to overcome the challenges posed by pandemic uncertainty? Economics isn't optional to study right now: it's vital to our future well-being in a post COVID-19 world. The skills you learn at Essex will be in high demand from employers in the coming years.
At Essex we have a unique strength in public policy measures to stimulate and manage the economy, including the behavioural techniques to get messages across. You could combine study of health economics with public economics and development economics to get a broad view of how one can respond to a threat such as Covid-19, balancing home and global needs.
Economic recovery is probably one of the most pressing and urgent challenges right now and studying an economics degree gives you the unique tools to take on this challenge, find a solution, and improve well-being.
Studying economics provides you with a greater understanding of the world around you. It teaches you how the economy functions, how people make decisions, why an economic crisis occurs and what the different solutions are. Economics at Essex is not only about stocks, shares and financial markets; it is concerned with the material wellbeing of human societies.
Our course gives you a thorough introduction to all aspects of economics, including micro and macroeconomics, and qualitative and mathematical research methods. Examine the decisions of individuals, the strategies of firms and the policies of individuals to understand and challenge the standard rules of economics.
BA Economics offers you a large degree of flexibility, giving you freedom to focus on a broad range of areas which inspire you. You'll study all of the major mainstream fields, but we have particular strengths in these areas:
- Game theory and strategic interactions
- Theoretical and applied econometrics
- Labour economics
We are 4th in UK for research power in economics and econometrics (Times Higher Education research power measure, Research Excellence Framework 2021).
Your education is inspired and informed by this pioneering research, so that you graduate with a strong training in economics.
- 13th for economics for overall positivity score (National Student Survey 2024, English broad- discipline higher education institutions)
- Get hands-on experience in the world of investment banking with the Essex Equity Fund (EEF) - a unique initiative in the East of England. Participate in an investment bootcamp run by Essex alumni who are now investment bankers, before pitching your investment recommendations and monitoring their success.
- 7th in UK for economics (The Guardian University Guide 2025)
Study abroad
Your education extends beyond the university campus. We support you in expanding your education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of our partner universities. The four-year version of our degree allows you to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the three-year course.
Studying abroad allows you to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised.
If you spend a full year abroad you'll only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year. You won't pay any tuition fees to your host university.
Placement year
Alternatively, you can spend your third year on a placement year with an external organisation, where you learn about a particular sector, company or job role, apply your academic knowledge in a practical working environment, and receive inspiration for future career pathways. You will be responsible for finding your placement, but with support and guidance provided by both your department and our Employability and Careers Centre.
If you complete a placement year you'll only pay 20% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year.
Our expert staff
Study and work alongside some of the most prominent economists.
Our researchers are at the forefront of their field and have even received MBEs, with students coming from across the globe to study, research or work with us. Our Department of Economics is a richly diverse home to staff and students from all over the world who have a strong sense of belonging and want to think, learn and change the world together.
Many of our researchers also provide consultancy services to businesses in London and other major financial centres, helping us to develop research for today's society as well as informing our teaching for the future.
Specialist facilities
Take advantage of our extensive learning resources to assist you in your studies:
- Extensive software for quantitative analysis is available in all computer labs across the university
- Access a variety of economics databases and multiple copies of textbooks and e-books in the Albert Sloman Library
Your future
Many employers want economists with critical thinking skills who can tackle large data sets and practical problems. Our course helps you to become more employable and takes you closer to that dream job or postgraduate course when you graduate.
Our students are in demand from a wide range of employers in a host of occupations, including financial analysis, management, public administration and accountancy.
Our recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies including:
- Bank of England
- Barclays Capital
- Citigroup
- Deloitte
- Ernst and Young
- Morgan Stanley
- Bank of New York
- Santander
We also work with the University's Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.
“I found staff in my Department very helpful, and someone was always available to help. Since leaving Essex I have trained as an accountant at A4G Accountants, and many of my modules help with my day-to-day understanding of the job. My time at Essex was the best three years of my life so far.”
Kate McGarry, BSc Financial Economics
At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.
The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.
Want to quiz us about your course? Got a question that just needs answering? Get in touch with us on live chat!