BSc Economics and Politics

Our graduates have said that with the BSc Economics and Politics you get two degrees – and two sets of career options – for the price of one. And it’s true that much of the time we keep economics and politics as separate subjects with separate methods, but it’s important to bring them together as well. Our BSc Economics and Politics has an interdisciplinary spine running down each length, with a special interdisciplinary module in each year looking at the relations between economics and government policy, whether it be the ideological content of economics or the economic motives governing politicians. Keynes claimed the world was ruled by little else but the ideas of economists and political philosophers. He exaggerated, but not by all that much, and among other things, your degree will illuminate where he was right and where he was wrong.

In the first year, you take introductory modules in economics and politics and in statistical analysis. During the second and final years, a variety of modules are taken, some of which are especially concerned with policy-making processes in economic and social affairs. As one of your final examination papers, you select an option from modules offered by the two disciplines, and can, therefore, specialise to some extent in either politics or economics; alternatively, you have the opportunity to present a dissertation on a suitable topic.

Programme structure

The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

You may take option modules as long as any necessary prerequisites have been satisfied, where the timetable allows and if you have not already taken the module in question or an equivalent module.

Learning and teaching

Our undergraduate programmes utilise a range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars and tutorials.

Lectures

Lectures of either one or two hours in length are held once a week for the duration of each module. The aim of lectures is to give you information on ideas that are central to the module and to help you in developing your understanding of complex ideas. Many of the teaching materials for lectures are made available to you electronically to accompany the notes you take during the lecture. Lectures are given by a range of staff members, including leading professors, who integrate their latest research findings into the teaching that you receive. Guest lecturers, including members of industry, also contribute to some modules.

Seminars and tutorials

Seminars and tutorials are held either every week or every other week throughout the duration of each module. They involve an in-depth exploration of the issues covered in lectures as well as giving you the opportunity to discuss various concepts and theories and receive feedback on your written assignments. Some modules do not have tutorials and others in the final year are taught solely by tutorials.

Study hours

Timetabled contact hours, made up of lectures, seminars and tutorials, vary over the duration of programmes and between programmes and are on average between 11 and 14 hours. In addition, you will be expected to complete an average of 20-25 hours of independent or group study per week.

Assessment

Modules are assessed through a mixture of group work, coursework, project work and examinations; the weighting of each of these components will vary according to the academic requirements of the module. Coursework assignments are typically between 2,500 and 6,000 words in length and examinations are normally held at the end of the module, in January and May/June.

You must pass your first year assessments in order to proceed to the second year. There is provision for students to be referred to in examinations in August/September if they fail any exam in any year. Degree classification is awarded on the basis of performance in assessments at the end of the second and final years.

Entry requirements 2020

Typical offer

A*AA-AAA; IB 38-36; BTEC National D*DD-DDD

Required subjects

GCSE Maths grade A or 7 or GCE AL/AS Maths, Pure Maths or Further Maths; or Core Maths; GCSE English Language grade B or 5.

Additional selection criteria

We are looking for well-qualified students with a genuine interest in and enthusiasm for the subject.

In addition to the specific requirements listed above, we look for excellent A level results/predictions and we may also take into account results up to and including GCSEs and AS Levels* as part of our holistic assessment of an application.

*Equivalent qualifications will be considered.

International students

International students should check the details of our English language requirements.

If your academic qualifications or English language skills do not meet our entry requirements our INTO University of Exeter centre offers a range of courses to help you reach the required language and academic standards.

Careers

A degree in Economics from Exeter will help you to develop a wide range of essential skills such as analytical problem solving, teamwork, research and organising and communicating information.

The majority of graduates from the Business School follow their degree with a career in finance, banking, accounting or management both in the commercial and public sectors. A large number of graduate recruiters in these sectors visit Exeter to recruit our students. Some of our graduates pursue their interest in their studies to a greater depth by following a higher degree, often here at Exeter.

Developing your skills and career prospects

The University of Exeter Business School provides a range of support to help you develop skills attractive to employers.

The University of Exeter , in the south-west of the UK, is one of the top universities in the world. Our two locations in Exeter and Cornwall offer beautiful campuses in vibrant communities and are ideal environments in which to study and live.

We received our Royal Charter in 1955, although our predecessor institutions, the Royal Albert Memorial College and the University College of the South West of England, were established in 1900 and 1922 respectively.

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Why Exeter?

Here are just a few reasons to choose the University of Exeter:

• TEF Gold award for teaching excellence
  • Consistently delivering outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for our students
• Research excellence
  • 98% of our research is of international quality, with 82% rated world-leading or internationally excellent
• Top 200 of universities worldwide
• Graduate employability
  • 95% of graduates in employment or further study six months after graduation (DHLE Survey 2015/16)
• Member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities
• Sporting success
  • 5th in the 2016-2017 British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) championship
• International reputation
  • winner at the What Uni? Student Choice awards 2015 & 2017
• Support for students
  • our support staff are on hand to support you throughout your degree, from our Wellbeing and Disability Services, to support for care leavers, mature and estranged students
• Beautiful campuses
  • the University of Exeter has won Green Flag Awards for its picturesque and eco-friendly campuses
• A perfect location
  • choose from a vibrant city centre location (Exeter) or the quirky seaside community of Penryn, near Falmouth (Cornwall), both with coast and countryside on the doorstep, offering an abundance of outdoor activities.