Economics (Industry)

BSc Economics (Industry) begins by introducing the foundational principles of economic theory. The BSc then focuses on the mathematical and statistical methods employed in economics. Whether your goal is to use economics in finance or policy, this course is flexible enough to allow you to pursue either.

Course overview
As a student who is comfortable and fluent in mathematics, BSc Economics (Industry) provides you with the analytic skills and intellectual toolbox to help answer some of the most pressing economics questions.

You will learn how to interpret data, understand (and quantify) the decisions made by individuals, organisations, and governments and evaluate economic policies.

You will cover the fundamentals of economic theory and practice, and as your degree progresses and you discover more about both the subject and yourself, you have the opportunity to flex this degree in ways that speak to your changing interests and strengths. This might lead you to choose modules in:

• International trade

• Environmental economics

• Health economics

• Behavioural economics

Amongst many other specialisations. This leads to a degree unique to you, where you have played a major part in building the degree you want.

In the second year, you will deepen your understanding of topics such as micro and macroeconomics, as well as taking modules in econometrics and research methods.

Your third year is spent in industry. You’ll be supported in securing a placement, with past students joining companies such as IBM, Lloyds Bank, Microsoft, PwC and the Bank of England. Roles on offer range from project management and logistics to investment, business development and risk. Most placements are in the UK, but there are some options overseas.

In your final year, we offer a wide range of economics modules, from Public Economics to International Trade, from Health Economics to Game Theory, so you can tailor your studies to suit your aspirations.

Key facts
What separates Lancaster from the crowd is the flexible nature of our Economics degree. Not only can you choose more and more of your modules as you progress through your degree, but economics can also be combined with:

Politics
International Relations
Geography
Politics and Philosophy (the E in PPE)
Many of these subjects are great complements to economics.

Throughout your degree, we’ll supply training in CV writing, interview assessment centres and telephone interviews. We are proud of our aspiring economists and aim to nurture the potential in every one of them.

You do not need an A level in Economics to enrol in this course.

Course outcomes
BSc Economics (Industry) offers a grounding in the fundamentals of economics. The most powerful aspect of economics is that it teaches a way of thinking which can then be applied to a specific field. You need specific knowledge and skills if you want to be a government economist advising on tax or social/welfare costs. The same is true for a career in finance. You need specific finance models – how much to invest here or advise clients to invest there. But the mode of thinking is the same for both: it is the critical, disciplined way of thinking that you will get from an Economics degree at Lancaster University. Economics opens up the world because the critical and analytical thinking skills that it inculcates apply to whatever your passion, whether it is politics, finance, the trading floor, or working for a Non-governmental organisation; all use the same skills.