- UCAS course code
- L100
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Early clearing information
This course is available through clearing for home and international applicants
If you already have your exam results, meet the entry requirements, and are not holding an offer from a university or college, then you may be able to apply to this course.
Contact the admissions team
Bachelor of Arts (BAEcon)
BAEcon Economics
Duration: 3 or 4 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: L100 / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Study abroad
Industrial experience
- Typical A-level offer: AAA including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: ABB including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBB including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 37 points overall with 6,6,6 at HL, including specific subjects
Course description
In today's world, it is important to have skills that go beyond classroom knowledge.
The ability to critically analyse and communicate are skills highly valued by employers, and the variation and flexibility of the economics degree provides a platform for developing these areas.
Lucas Hille / BAEcon Economics and Social Studies
The BA(Econ) in Economics is an interdisciplinary course that allows you to specialise in Economics, plus another social science with units such as philosophy, politics, and sociology.
You have the flexibility to either delve into technical units in Economics such as Econometrics and Mathematical Economics or combine economics units covering inequality and climate change with social science units to develop a well-rounded understanding on social issues.
Economics and all joint social science pathways share a common first year, allowing you to switch to a different pathway after Year 1 if you want to.
Special features
Leading research
World-leading research and teaching in economics has been at the heart of higher education in Manchester since the early days of the University. Three winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics have worked at Manchester: Sir John Hicks (1904-1989), Sir Arthur Lewis (1915-1991) and Prof Joseph Stiglitz. We are proud to offer research-led teaching in all areas of the discipline, including microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, financial economics, and environmental and development economics.
Study abroad
If you would like to broaden your horizons and your degree, you can apply to study overseas for a year at one of our partner universities. You apply in Year 2 to spend a year abroad in Year 3. If successful, you will put together a programme of study at the host university in consultation with your Academic Exchange Advisor, to complement your studies at Manchester. You will then come back to Manchester to study for a fourth year and graduate with a degree title including 'with International Study'. See The University of Manchester Study Abroad pages for more information.
Professional Experience Year Opportunity
You apply in year 1 to boost your employability through a paid Professional Experience Year.
If you meet the criteria, the Professional Experience Team and Careers Service will work with you to find a suitable placement in your 2nd year.
You will then complete your Professional Experience Year in 3rd year extending your degree to four years, before returning to University to finish your final year.
Your degree title will be extended to include 'with Professional Experience', giving you the added advantage of relevant work experience when entering the competitive graduate jobs market.
Teaching and learning
Course units feature formal lectures supported by smaller tutorials or seminars, where you explore the contents of lectures and recommended reading in greater depth.
Tutorials and seminars are key in improving your written and oral communication skills through group discussions, essay-writing, and presentations.
You are assigned an Academic Advisor who takes a friendly interest in your progress, and can advise you on selecting course units and career opportunities.
Coursework and assessment
The way that you study and are assessed will depend on which course units you choose. Our methods are designed to promote in-depth learning and understanding, including:
- essays, coursework, and other mid-term evaluations;
- dissertations;
- presentations;
- group projects;
- exams.
Course content for year 1
Year 1 gives you a broad introduction to Economics and Social Sciences. This will help you decide what to study in Years 2 and 3.
You will take 120 credits overall made up of:
- 40 credits of Economics;
- 20 credits of either Introductory or Advanced Mathematics/Statistics (depending on your A-level qualifications or equivalent);
- 10 credits of an introductory core unit in Social Sciences;
- 40 credits from a list of Social Sciences optional units (eg, Politics, Philosophy, Sociology, Social Anthropology and Data Analytics);
- 10 credits other optional courses (e.g., Introduction to Mathematical Economics, Economic History, Development Studies, accounting and Finance).
At the end of Year 1, you have an option to switch to a different pathway such as Economics and Philosophy.
Course units for year 1
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microeconomics 2 | ECON10232 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Macroeconomics 1 | ECON10241 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Macroeconomics 2 | ECON10262 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Microeconomics 1 | ECON10331 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Power and Value: Perspectives from Social Sciences | SOCS15001 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Fundamentals of Finance | BMAN10552 | 10 | Optional |
| Fundamentals of Financial Reporting B | BMAN10621B | 10 | Optional |
| An Introduction to Development Studies | ECON10002 | 10 | Optional |
| Introductory Mathematics | ECON10061 | 10 | Optional |
| Advanced Mathematics | ECON10071A | 10 | Optional |
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Course content for year 2
In Year 2 you study your chosen pathway in depth and take 120 credits over the year.
Single pathway
If you specialise in one pathway, you take a maximum of 80 credits in that pathway and up to 40 credits from other pathways.
If you choose to specialise in Economics, you will take compulsory units in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, as well as Econometrics or Quantitative Methods in Year 2.
You also need to take advanced Mathematics and Statistics units if you did introductory Mathematics and Statistics in Year 1.
Joint pathway
If you specialise on a joint pathway, you take a maximum of 80 credits in any one pathway, but you have the freedom to split these between the two disciplines depending on what you want to study.
Free choice units
You can also take up to 20 credits from across the University. For example:
- Study a language and improve your career prospects.
- Go beyond the boundaries of your degree with University College for Interdisciplinary Learning
- Expand your business and entrepreneurship skills with Business and Management for all Programmes
Course units for year 2
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microeconomics 3 | ECON20021 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Microeconomics 4 | ECON20022 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Macroeconomics 3 | ECON20031 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Macroeconomics 4 | ECON20032 | 10 | Mandatory |
| Fundamentals of Finance | BMAN10552 | 10 | Optional |
| Fundamentals of Financial Reporting B | BMAN10621B | 10 | Optional |
| Fundamentals of Management Accounting | BMAN10632 | 10 | Optional |
| Investment Analysis | BMAN20072 | 10 | Optional |
| Financial Statement Analysis | BMAN20081 | 10 | Optional |
| Financial Markets and Institutions | BMAN21011 | 10 | Optional |
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Course content for year 3
In Year 3 you take 120 credits depending on your chosen pathway.
Single pathway
There are no compulsory units in Year 3. You will choose at least 80 credits of advanced Economics units that you are interested in.
You will also have an option to do an applied economics dissertation where you will work with an Economics Supervisor to develop your thesis.
Joint pathway
If you specialise on a joint pathway, you will choose a selection of units in each of the two pathways.
Free choice units
You can also take up to 20 credits from across the University. For example:
- Study a language and improve your career prospects.
- Go beyond the boundaries of your degree with University College for Interdisciplinary Learning
- Expand your business and entrepreneurship skills with Business and Management for all Programmes
Course units for year 3
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Law 2: Law and the Modern Corporation in an International Context | BMAN24052 | 10 | Optional |
| Business Law 1: Common Law and Common Business Liabilities | BMAN24761 | 10 | Optional |
| Contemporary Issues in Financial Reporting and Regulation | BMAN30030 | 20 | Optional |
| International Finance | BMAN30060 | 20 | Optional |
| Share Prices and Accounting Information | BMAN30071 | 10 | Optional |
| Financial Derivatives | BMAN30091 | 10 | Optional |
| Advanced Corporate Finance | BMAN30111A | 20 | Optional |
| Accountability and Auditing | BMAN30131 | 10 | Optional |
| Corporate Governance in Context | BMAN30211 | 10 | Optional |
| Financial Engineering | BMAN30242 | 10 | Optional |
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Course content for year 4
If you are selected for the Professional Experience opportunity in Year 3, then you will take Year 3 course content in Year 4.
If completing a year abroad, you will take the Year 3 course content in Year 4.