BA (Hons) Politics, Philosophy and Economics Bachelor's degree at the Open University
BA (Hons) Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Open University. You'll develop critical thinking across all three disciplines whilst building research skills, exploring real-world applications and pursuing specialist interests.
About this course
BA (Hons) Politics, Philosophy and Economics is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the Open University. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For Economics graduates from this provider, 70% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 75% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £39,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Economics, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 70% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 58% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
A typical UK Economics degree builds from foundations to specialist options and a final project. An indicative structure:
| Stage | Module |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Microeconomics Consumers, firms and markets, the core toolkit of economic reasoning. |
| Year 1 | Macroeconomics Growth, inflation, unemployment and what policy can do about them. |
| Year 1 | Mathematics & Statistics for Economics The quantitative foundations used across the degree. |
| Year 2 | Intermediate Micro & Macro Formal models of behaviour, markets and the aggregate economy. |
| Year 2 | Econometrics Regression and causal inference with real datasets. |
| Year 2 | Applied Economics Policy questions, labour, health, environment, analysed with data. |
| Year 3 | Specialist options Typically development, behavioural, financial or international economics. |
| Year 3 | Advanced Econometrics / Economic Policy Deeper methods and their use in live policy debates. |
| Year 3 | Dissertation An independent empirical or theoretical research project. |
Typical structure for this subject (indicative). Modules vary by university. Check the provider's course page for the exact curriculum.
Specialisations & pathways
Tip: click a specialisation → current jobs in that area.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study the intersection of economic theory, political systems and philosophical reasoning. A course like this normally moves from foundations, microeconomics, macroeconomics and quantitative methods, through intermediate formal models and applied policy analysis, before moving into specialist options and independent research. You'll usually encounter specialisations such as behavioural economics, development, financial economics, econometrics and data, public policy, and international trade. The study progresses from core economic reasoning and statistics in the first stage, through applied analysis of real policy questions, to advanced methods and a final dissertation or capstone project where you pursue your own research question.
Who it's for
You'll thrive on this course if you're curious about how societies work, why people vote the way they do, how economies function, what makes a good life, and want to examine these questions rigorously. You're comfortable with abstract reasoning and enjoy reading widely across social sciences. Part-time study suits your circumstances, whether you're working, caring for others, or prefer a flexible pace. You'll find yourself wrestling with competing ideas, testing them against evidence and real cases, and developing your own informed perspective. If you want intellectual flexibility and the space to explore what interests you most, this structure works well.
Careers & job market
Across economics courses nationally, 87% of graduates are in work or further study fifteen months after completing their degree. Of those working, 75% are in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies. Starting salaries for economics graduates range from £26,500 to £35,000 at fifteen months post-graduation. After five years, the range is £36,125 to £51,000. These are national figures from the Graduate Outcomes survey and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes dataset; individual outcomes vary by role, sector and location.
University & format
The Open University is a public university founded in 1969. This BA (Hons) degree is studied part-time, with instruction in English. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body, and the degree is nationally recognised. The Open University holds Gold in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 for teaching quality.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 41% |
| another higher-education qualification | 22% |
| Other | 19% |
| a previous degree | 15% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 3% |
| a Baccalaureate | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at Open University →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Economics graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £39,000 | £30,000 – £50,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £33,500 | £24,000 – £46,500 | 75 |
| 5 years after | £40,000 | £26,500 – £57,500 | 75 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in economics · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Economics nationally
National figures for Economics graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Economics courses at the same study level.
Compared with 594 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Managers, directors and senior officialsSOC 2020 1 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £51,733
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
- Teaching ProfessionalsSOC 2020 231 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,660
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 55; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Economics graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Economics graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Banks & consultancies
- Bank of England
- Government Economic Service
- Think tanks
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Economics graduates.
Economics Associate / Director - ManchesterPegasus GroupEconomics Graduate AssistantSt Edward's School, OxfordEconomics ExaminersEduqasEconomics SpecialistVella RecruitmentEconomics AnalystOFWATEconomics PhD Scholarship (ESRC-Funded)Royal Holloway, University of LondonIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Home tuition is regulated and the cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Eligible students can apply for a tuition fee loan and living-cost support from the student-finance body for the UK nation they live in. Repayment thresholds differ by nation.
Where graduates go
70% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £39,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.2 out of 10: NSS 87.4% · in work or study 70% · continued 58%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The Open University
Social sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Economics right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Open University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Open University; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Open University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Open University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Open University
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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