Overview

Course overview

  • Interdisciplinary foundation: A distinctive programme combining rigorous economics training with cutting- edge data science, enabling you to analyse, model and interpret complex real- world data.
  • Strong economics and data science specialisation: Develop core economic theory alongside advanced data analytics, including programming, data visualisation, machine learning and network analysis.
  • Evolution of a successful pathway: An enhanced pathway building on the former Economics and Data Analytics specialisation, reflecting the growing importance of data science across economics, policy and industry.
  • Applied and future- focused: Learn to use data- driven approaches to evaluate policy, understand macroeconomic trends, predict economic behaviour and analyse networks linking firms, institutions and society.
  • Highly employable skill set: Gain hands-on experience with Python, R and other statistical software, alongside strong quantitative and analytical skills valued across sectors.
  • World- leading teaching: Study in a UK Top 10 and Global Top 50 department for Business and Economics (Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026), home to four Nobel Prize winners.

Open days

Join us on campus to learn more about your course, grab a chat with current students and academics, and explore our campus with its fantastic facilities.

It’s an invaluable opportunity to explore, discover, and enjoy some of the vibes that attract so many students to Manchester.

Find out more about our upcoming open days .

Not in the UK or can’t make it? Not a problem. Check out our virtual open day content .

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Social Sciences
School/Faculty overview

See: School Subjects

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

A-level

AAA, including at least one of the following A-Level subjects (preference will be given to applicants studying two of these subjects):

Accounting; Economics; Finance; Business Studies; Development Studies; Government and Politics; Economic and Social History; Mathematics; Anthropology; Sociology; Philosophy; Religious Studies; English Language; English Literature; Geography; Psychology; Classical Civilisation; History; Archaeology; Communication Studies; Environmental Studies; World Development; Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Modern Languages.

We accept native language A Levels providing they are taken in the same sitting as your other subjects. We will not accept thecombination of Mathematics, Further Mathematics and a native language.

We accept the Level 3 Diploma in Financial Studies (DipFS) as equivalent to an A-level if taken alongside two full A-levels from the list of acceptable subjects above

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

Please check for specific GCSE / iGCSE subject entry requirements below.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

A-level contextual offer

ABB, including at least one of the following A-Level subjects (preference will be given to applicants studying two of these subjects):

Accounting; Economics; Finance; Business Studies; Development Studies; Government and Politics; Economic and Social History; Mathematics; Anthropology; Sociology; Philosophy; Religious Studies; English Language; English Literature; Geography; Psychology; Classical Civilisation; History; Archaeology; Communication Studies; Environmental Studies; World Development; Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Modern Languages.

We accept native language A Levels providing they are taken in the same sitting as your other subjects. We will not accept thecombination of Mathematics, Further Mathematics and a native language.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

Contextual offers are available for applicants who:

  • live in the UK and will be under the age of 21 on 1 September of the year they will start their course; and
  • live in an area of disadvantage or with low progression into higher education; and
  • have attended a UK school or college for their GCSEs or A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) that has performed below the national average over multiple years.

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

UK refugee/care-experienced offer

BBB, including at least one of the following A-Level subjects (preference will be given to applicants studying two of these subjects):

Accounting; Economics; Finance; Business Studies; Development Studies; Government and Politics; Economic and Social History; Mathematics; Anthropology; Sociology; Philosophy; Religious Studies; English Language; English Literature; Geography; Psychology; Classical Civilisation; History; Archaeology; Communication Studies; Environmental Studies; World Development; Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Modern Languages.

We accept native language A Levels providing they are taken in the same sitting as your other subjects. We will not accept thecombination of Mathematics, Further Mathematics and a native language.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

UK refugee/care-experienced offers are available for applicants who:

  • have been looked after in care for more than three months; or
  • have been granted refugee status by the UK government or have been issued a UK visa under one of the Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension Scheme).

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

International Baccalaureate

36 points overall. 6,6,6 in Higher Level subjects

Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.

GCSE/IGCSE

Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including acceptable levels of Literacy and Numeracy, equivalent to at least Grade C or 4 in GCSE/iGCSE English Language and Grade B or 6 in GCSE/iGCSE Mathematics. GCSE/iGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/iGCSE English Language.

Other entry requirements

Other entry requirements exist for this course. You may view these by selecting from the list below.

English language requirements

All applicants to the University (from the UK and Overseas) are required to show evidence of English Language proficiency.   The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:

  • GCSE/iGCSE English Language grade C.
  • IELTS 6.5 overall with no lower than 6 in any component.
  • TOEFL (IBT) 90 overall with a minimum of 20 in each subset.
  • iGCSE English (Second Language) grade B
  • An acceptable equivalent qualification.

Please note that if you hold English as a second language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of   our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications   or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above. Please contact the academic School for clarification.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Fees and funding

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Application and selection

How to apply

Apply through UCAS .

Home-schooled applicants

If you have followed a non-standard educational route and have been, for example, educated at home, your application will be considered against the standard entry criteria of the course to which you applied. You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the academic entry requirements as specified for the course. We will also require a reference which should be written by somebody who knows you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. Please refer to UCAS for further information: UCAS reference guidelines

Course details

Course description

Our BA (Economic and Social Studies), known as the BA (Econ), is a flagship interdisciplinary degree designed for students who want to understand data science and economics in their full social, political and technical context. The programme’s Data Science and Economics specialisation provides you with a rigorous education in core economic theory and quantitative methods, while equipping you with the broader perspectives needed to address today’s most complex global challenges.

The BA (Econ) is the parent programme to eight distinctive specialisations:

Economics; Economics and Politics; Economics and Philosophy; Economics and Sociology; Economics and Finance; Data Science and Economics; Accounting and Finance; and Finance. This structure allows students to gain a strong shared foundation in economics while benefiting from the intellectual richness of other social science disciplines.

The BA (Economic and Social Studies) with specialisation in Data Science and Economics is designed for students who want to combine economic reasoning with advanced data science techniques to address complex, data- rich problems.

Data increasingly drives decision- making across economics, finance, government, policy and industry. This programme equips you with both strong foundations in core economic principles and cutting- edge data science expertise, allowing you to go beyond numbers to discover patterns, build predictive models and generate evidence- based insights.

You will learn how to apply data science to economic and social questions, including collecting and managing diverse forms of data (from traditional datasets to Big Data), visualising and modelling economic relationships, evaluating the impact of public policies, predicting and classifying economic outcomes, and analysing complex networks of relationships between economic and social actors.

The pathway places equal emphasis on economics and data science. Through core and optional units, you will develop highly sought- after quantitative and analytical skills, including:

  • collecting, describing and visualising empirical evidence;
  • building data- driven models to explain real- world phenomena;
  • evaluating policy effectiveness using quantitative methods;
  • mapping and analysing complex social and economic networks;
  • applying machine learning and algorithmic techniques;
  • using AI tools, programming languages and statistical software responsibly and effectively.

You will be taught by experts across Economics, Social Statistics and the wider Social Sciences, ensuring a genuinely interdisciplinary learning experience.

The programme also provides strong theoretical foundations, preparing you for competitive careers in policy and industry, or for advanced postgraduate study in Economics, Data Science and related fields.

Special features

Learn from the best in the field

Data Science and Economics at Manchester brings together internationally recognised expertise across economics and quantitative social science.

Economics at Manchester is ranked Top 10 in the UK and Top 50 globally for Business and Economics (THE World University Rankings by Subject 2026) and has been home to four Nobel Laureates, including Professor Simon Johnson, awarded the Nobel Prize in 2024 for his work on global inequality.

You will also benefit from teaching informed by strengths across Social Statistics and the Social Sciences, exposing you to diverse data sources, research questions and analytical approaches.

Study economics through data

This pathway is ideal for students who want to understand economies through data- intensive, computational and quantitative approaches.

You will explore how data can be used to test economic theories, inform policy, understand behaviour and uncover patterns that are invisible to traditional approaches- while also learning to think critically about data quality, ethics and interpretation.

Shape your degree around your interests

While specialising in Data Science and Economics, you retain flexibility to tailor your degree through optional units across economics, Social Statistics and the wider University.

This allows you to align your studies with interests in policy, finance, development, business, social research or advanced analytics.

Global Opportunities

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

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

Your learning experience combines lectures with interactive tutorials, programming workshops and seminars, giving you the best of both structure and discussion. Lectures introduce key ideas and tools, while smaller group sessions let you dig deeper into the material, debate real- world issues, and make sense of core readings together.

Tutorials and seminars are where you build confidence. Through group discussions, presentations and essay- based work, you will sharpen your communication, critical thinking and problem- solving skills- skills that matter just as much as technical knowledge in today’s job market. Programming workshops in Python and R will give you hands- on experience in data collection, analysis, and visualisation.

You will also be supported by a dedicated Academic Advisor who gets to know you as an individual. They will help you make smart choices about course units, talk through career options, and support you throughout your time on the programme- so you’re never navigating your degree on your own.

Course content for year 1

Year 1 provides a strong foundation in both economics and the principles of data science. You will study 120 credits, including:

  • 40 credits in Economics - introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics
  • 40 credits in Data Science - foundational principles, data types and analytical thinking
  • 20 credits in Mathematics and Statistics - introductory or advanced, depending on prior qualifications
  • 10 credits in a core Social Sciences unit
  • 10 credits in pathway optional units

One of the big advantages of the BA (Econ) programme is flexibility. You may be able to switch to a different specialisation at the end of Year 1, such as, for example, Economics and Politics or Economics, if your interests change. Switching isn’t automatic, but your Academic Advisor and the Programme Director will talk you through whether it’s possible and what conditions apply- so you can make the choice that’s right for you.

Course content for year 2

In Year 2, you deepen your training in both economics and data science, studying 120 credits across the year.

You will take compulsory units including:

  • 20 credits in Economics - further study in microeconomics and macroeconomics
  • 40 credits in Data Science - using statistics and computational methods to answer research questions and model more complex data

You will also choose:

  • 20 credits of pathway optional units in Economics or Social Statistics
  • 40 credits of optional units from relevant disciplines such as Business Management, Sociology, Politics or Social Anthropology, including up to 20 credits of free choice

These choices allow you to broaden your expertise and apply data science techniques across different domains.

Free choice units

You can also take up to 20 credits from anywhere across the University, giving you the freedom to personalise your degree even further. Popular choices include:

  • Studying a language to boost your global employability.
  • Interdisciplinary units through the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning.
  • Business, management and entrepreneurship units designed for students from all programmes.

Year 2 is where your Data Science and Economics degree really comes into its own- deepening your technical skills while letting you explore what matters most to you.

Course content for year 3

In Year 3, you move on to advanced topics, completing 120 credits in total.

Your studies include:

  • 40 credits in Data Science - advanced methods such as network analysis and quantitative text analysis
  • 40 credits (or more) of pathway optional units in Economics or Social Statistics

You may also choose to complete a year- long Data Science project (40 credits), applying advanced techniques to an economic or social science problem. Project outputs may include statistical reports, visualisations, code repositories and interactive dashboards.

Remaining credits may be drawn from optional units or up to 20 credits of free choice.

You will also be eligible to apply for Q- Step Data Fellowships, offering paid summer internships and further applied experience.

Free choice units

You can also take up to 20 credits from anywhere across the University, giving you the freedom to personalise your degree even further. Popular choices include:

  • 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

Year 3 is all about owning your degree- developing advanced data science and economics expertise, showcasing your interests, and graduating with a profile that sets you apart.

Course content for year 4

If you are selected to take up 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.

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and bursaries, including the Manchester Bursary , are available to eligible home/EU students.

Some undergraduate UK students will receive bursaries of up to £2,000 per year, in addition to the government package of maintenance grants.

You can get information and advice on student finance to help you manage your money.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

The University of Manchester has an excellent reputation for employability. For the past 6 years, we have been in the UK's Top Two most targeted universities by the UK's top 100 employers (High Fliers Graduate Market Report, 2020- 2026).

Graduates of Data Science and Economics develop a rare combination of economic insight and advanced data skills, highly sought after across public and private sectors.

Manchester is consistently ranked among the UK’s most targeted universities by top employers. Graduates have gone on to roles in:

  • Finance, banking and professional services
  • Government and the Government Economics Service
  • Policy analysis and research
  • Media, technology and data analytics
  • Recent employers include Morgan Stanley, KPMG, Royal Bank of Canada, the BBC, IBM, Thomson Reuters and the House of Lords.

For more information, visit our careers and employability page

Thinking about a postgraduate study?

The pathway keeps you open to postgraduate study in Economics, Data Science, Social Statistics and related interdisciplinary fields. Manchester offers a wide range of specialist taught master’s programmes to support your next step.

Careers support that’s with you all the way

You will have access to our award- winning Careers Service from day one- and for two years after you graduate. The service offers tailored advice, employer insights, skills workshops and networking opportunities, including specialist support for careers in economics, finance and professional services.

You can also boost your CV through optional personal development programmes like The Stellify Award and the Manchester Leadership Programme, helping you stand out in a competitive graduate job market.

Ready to shape your future with a Data Science and Economics degree from one of the UK’s most employable universities?

Your journey starts here.

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The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.