- UCAS course code
- LL15
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course description
During the BA (Econ) in Economics and Data Analytics course, you will learn the traditional curriculum in economics, but also learn how to translate these theories into empirical questions that can be studied using real-life data.
Specifically, you learn data analytic and data science techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of economic policy, understand economic behaviour, predict and classify economic phenomena and describe and analyse networks of relationships between economic agents, firms, institutions and society.
By completing the core and optional units, you gain general sought after skills, including:
- how to collect, describe and visualise data;
- how to build quantitative models to explain phenomena;
- how to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of policies;
- how to map and analyse complex social networks;
- how to implement key machine learning algorithms;
- how to implement data analytic techniques and data science algorithms using statistical software including R, as well as proprietary packages such as SPSS.
The pathway emphasises the application of modern data analytic methods to real-life problems. You will also learn some of the underlying theory, enabling you to progress further in your career to more advanced postgraduate courses in either Economics or Data Science and to more challenging scenarios in policy and industry.
Aims
Data analytics has a wide range of applications in practice (from social science, to natural sciences; from the evaluation of economic policies, to prediction and classification of economic phenomena).
You will learn how to use data analytic methods to combine data (from survey, census, social networks, text, sounds, images, memories, or experiences) and study human behaviour and social environments.
Specifically, we will help you to translate economic theories into empirical questions that can be answered with data, and that can inform debates about the economy, society, and the impact of economic policies.
Special features
The Economics Department is proud to be a leading centre for economic research, scholarship and research-led teaching in all areas of the discipline, including financial economics, economic theory and econometrics.
The Manchester Accounting and Finance Group is one of the leading and largest accounting and finance units in Europe and rated among top three in the UK. We have strong links with the three main UK accounting bodies: ACCA, CIMA and ICAEW, as well as the 'Big 4' accounting companies.
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
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 Year 2.
You will complete your Professional Experience Year in Year 3 extending your degree to four years, before returning to University to finish your final year.
Your degree title will include 'with Professional Experience', giving you an advantage of work experience when entering the 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
- 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;
- 20 credits of core Applied Statistics;
- 20 credits of other Social Sciences - (eg, Politics, Philosophy, Sociology, Social Anthropology and Data Analytics)
- 10 credits from other options from either Development Studies, Economic History, Finance or Accounting.
At the end of your Year 1, you would have an option to switch to a different pathway within this programme, if you want to.
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 |
Applied Statistics for Social Scientists | SOST10142 | 20 | 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 |
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Course content for year 2
In Year 2, you begin to study your chosen pathway in greater depth and take 120 credits over the year.
In the Economics and Data Analytics pathway, you'll take two core units:
- Essentials of Survey Design and Analysis - learn to provide an overview of the process of survey planning, management, and analysis. You'll learn how to present the design and testing of questionnaires, how to introduce the key decisions in survey planning and management, including questions of research ethics and be introduced to a range of UK and international social sciences surveys
- Answering Research Questions using Statistical Models, this unit will show you how to use commonly used multivariate statistical models to answer theory-based social research questions and communicate findings to non-specialists.
Free choice units
You can also take 20 units from across the University:
- Go beyond the boundaries of your degree with the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning
- Stand out from the crowd and give something back through the Manchester Leadership Programme
- Study a language and improve your career prospects.
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 |
---|---|---|---|
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 Markets and Institutions | BMAN21011 | 10 | Optional |
Financial Reporting and Accountability | BMAN21020A | 20 | Optional |
Intermediate Management Accounting | BMAN21040A | 20 | Optional |
Foundations of Finance A | BMAN23000A | 20 | Optional |
Mergers & Acquisitions: Financial Perspectives | BMAN24102 | 10 | Optional |
FinTech, Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies | BMAN24582 | 20 | Optional |
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Course content for year 3
In your final year, you take 120 credits overall.
On the Economics and Data Analytics pathway, you take two core modules of 20 credits each:
- Data Science Modelling - this enables you to implement a battery of methods and models to address different classification and forecasting problems (both in supervised and unsupervised settings). The unit gives you an assertive command of the statistical package R and provides an understanding of how to handle high dimensional and complex data sets.
- Quantitative Evaluation of Policies, Interventions and Experiments - an introductory course on Causal Inference that will give you an understanding of the challenges arising when estimating the effect of a policy, experiment or intervention on a particular outcome. After completing this unit, you will be able to select the most appropriate estimator to unveil a particular causal effect, and implement a battery of techniques to estimate the effect of a policy, experiment or intervention in R.
In addition, you can also study other exciting course units offered by the Department of Social Statistics, including Social Networks Analysis and Demography.
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 |
---|---|---|---|
Essentials of survey design and analysis | SOST20022 | 20 | Mandatory |
Answering Social Research Questions with Statistical Models | SOST20131 | 20 | Mandatory |
Data Science Modelling | SOST30062 | 20 | Mandatory |
Causal Inference for Policies, Interventions and Experiments | SOST30172 | 20 | Mandatory |
Business Law 2: Law and the Modern Corporation in an International Context | BMAN24052 | 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 |
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Course content for year 4
If completing a year abroad, you will take the Year 3 course content in Year 4.