BSc (Hons) Economics Bachelor's degree at the University of Birmingham
BSc (Hons) Economics at University of Birmingham. Studying economics at the University of Birmingham means engaging with cutting-edge economic thinking alongside practical, applicable skills, with the explicit aim of helping you understand and tackle real global issues rather than simply…
About this course
Unlock your potential with the University of Birmingham’s BSc Economics programme. Gain cutting-edge economic insights and practical skills to tackle global issues From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Economics is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Birmingham, based in Edgbaston campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Economics graduates from this provider, 88% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 81% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £32,500. (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)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 88% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 98% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 6 modules
- Foundations of EconomicsCore20 credits
- Global Economic ChallengesCore20 credits
- Introductory Econometrics with Data AnalyticsCore20 credits
- Discovering Economics: Academic and Professional DevelopmentCore20 credits
- Microeconomic Modelling and AnalysisCore20 credits
- Macroeconomic Modelling and AnalysisCore20 credits
Year 2 12 modules
- EconometricsCore20 credits
- MacroeconomicsCore20 credits
- MicroeconomicsCore20 credits
- Addressing Real World Challenges: Development EconomicsCore20 credits
- Addressing Real World Challenges: Environmental EconomicsCore20 credits
- Addressing Real World Challenges: Labour EconomicsCore20 credits
- China and the World EconomyOptional20 credits
- Behavioural and Experimental EconomicsOptional20 credits
- The Economics of FinanceOptional20 credits
- Mathematical and Statistical Foundations of EconometricsOptional20 credits
- Economics with Machine LearningOptional20 credits
- Public EconomicsOptional20 credits
Final year 18 modules
- Economics DissertationCore40 credits
- Topics in MicroeconomicsOptional20 credits
- Topics in MacroeconomicsOptional20 credits
- Political EconomyOptional20 credits
- Advanced Behavioural and Experimental EconomicsOptional20 credits
- The Econometrics of Cross-sectional and Panel DataOptional20 credits
- Time-series Econometrics with ApplicationsOptional20 credits
- The Economics of Financial Markets and InstitutionsOptional20 credits
- Health EconomicsOptional20 credits
- The Economics of IndustryOptional20 credits
- International TradeOptional20 credits
- Economics of Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies and Web3Optional20 credits
- Professional DevelopmentOptional20 credits
- History of Economic ThoughtOptional20 credits
- Economics HistoryOptional20 credits
- The Economics of Crime and JusticeOptional20 credits
- Natural Resource EconomicsCore20 credits
- Topics in Labour EconomicsCore20 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The degree is structured to take you from grounding to independence. You'll begin with core theory, building the analytical foundations of microeconomics, macroeconomics and quantitative methods that underpin the discipline. Alongside this, you'll be introduced to research & methods, learning how economists actually gather evidence, test hypotheses and interpret data rather than just reading about conclusions. As you progress, applied practice modules connect theory to real markets, policy questions and institutions, and you'll be able to choose specialist options that let you shape the degree around your own interests, such as areas within economics that connect to your intended career or postgraduate direction. In the final stages, an independent project gives you the chance to research a question of your own choosing in depth, working more autonomously than in earlier years. Professional skills are woven through the course too, so you leave not just with subject knowledge but with the communication, teamwork and analytical presentation abilities that employers and further study both expect.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who is naturally curious about why economies behave the way they do, why prices move, why some policies succeed and others fail, why inequality persists or narrows, and who wants to answer those questions with evidence rather than opinion. If you enjoy working with numbers and logical argument but also want to connect that reasoning to real-world debates in politics, business or global development, you'll find plenty to engage with here. It suits students who are comfortable with a degree of mathematical reasoning and who are willing to build that comfort further, since the course develops quantitative skills progressively rather than assuming expertise from day one. Most students accepted onto Birmingham's economics courses arrive with A-levels or equivalent qualifications, typically in the 144–159 UCAS tariff range, though this reflects what past entrants held rather than a fixed requirement. You should expect a mix of independent study and structured teaching, discussion-based seminars, and increasing responsibility for directing your own work as the degree progresses, particularly when you reach the independent project. If you're someone who likes turning abstract models into practical understanding of real issues, and who wants a subject that opens doors into a wide range of sectors rather than a single fixed career path, this is a good fit.
Careers & job market
Nationally, across Economics courses, 87% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and of those in work, 75% are in highly skilled roles or further study, figures that reflect the discipline's broad applicability across finance, government, business, consultancy and beyond, rather than a single career track. National Graduate Outcomes and LEO data also show typical earnings patterns for economics graduates: starting salaries around £26,500–£35,000 at 15 months after graduation, rising to roughly £26,775–£37,800 after three years and £36,125–£51,000 after five years. These figures describe the national graduate population for the field, not a guarantee tied to any individual or this university specifically, and outcomes vary depending on sector, role and location. Separately, 92% of students nationally continue into their second year or complete their studies, indicating that most who start this kind of degree stay the course. The breadth of the curriculum, from quantitative analysis to applied policy work, is designed to keep multiple career routes open as you progress, rather than narrowing you towards one destination too early.
University & format
The BSc (Hons) Economics is delivered full-time over three years at the University of Birmingham's Edgbaston campus, with all teaching conducted in English. Birmingham is a public, research-intensive university and a member of the Russell Group, founded in 1900, with a total student population of over 30,000. The degree carries recognised UK degree-awarding status, meaning the qualification is nationally recognised, and the Business School holds AACSB and EFMD Quality Improvement System accreditation. Teaching quality was rated Silver in the Office for Students' TEF 2023, and the university was.
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.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 85% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 9% |
| Other | 5% |
| another higher-education qualification | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
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 (code L100). 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 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. 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
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Birmingham →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
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 | £32,500 | £28,500 – £37,000 | 50 |
| 3 years after | £34,500 | £28,500 – £41,500 | 290 |
| 5 years after | £50,500 | £36,000 – £63,000 | 315 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. 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. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 50; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. 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.
- Finance ProfessionalsSOC 2020 242 · 35% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,173
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 12% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 11% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
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: 130; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Is BSc (Hons) Economics worth it?
Yes, for most students BSc (Hons) Economics is well worth it. On its graduates’ median earnings, the course is worth about +£235,630 more over the first ten years of work than going straight to a job, after the fees you pay.
Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 3 years of wages given up while studying. The line clears zero around year 9.2. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.
Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £9,790/yr over 3 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.
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
Published home tuition is £9,790/year for this course. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
88% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £32,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.9 out of 10: NSS 82.3% · in work or study 88% · continued 98%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Birmingham
Social sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Edgbaston campus
1,313 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Economics right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Birmingham from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Birmingham; 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 University of Birmingham’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 University of Birmingham and gov.uk before you apply.
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Common questions
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