BSc (Hons) Economics and Sustainable Development (with a professional placement year) Bachelor's degree at the University of Sussex
BSc (Hons) Economics and Sustainable Development (with a professional placement year) at University of Sussex integrates core theory, research methods, applied practice and specialist options, culminating in an independent project.
About this course
Integrate economics, geography and international development to gain a multidisciplinary perspective on sustainable development. From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Economics and Sustainable Development (with a professional placement year) is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Sussex, based in Falmer Campus, Falmer. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 60% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £28,000. (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)
Stronger evidence Published sample: 125. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 80% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 94% (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 9 modules
- Global Challenges and InnovationsCore
- Introduction to EconomicsCore
- Introduction to Mathematics for Finance and EconomicsCore
- Understanding Climate ChangeCore
- Business School Career PreparationCore
- Development Policies and PoliticsCore
- Macroeconomics 1Core
- Microeconomics 1Core
- Sustainable Development: Big Ideas for Global ActionCore
Year 2 8 modules
- Critical Approaches to Development EconomicsCore
- Global Climate ChangeCore
- Introduction to EconometricsCore
- Microeconomics 2Core
- Data Coding & VisualisationCore
- Environmental EconomicsCore
- Environmental Perspectives on DevelopmentCore
- Geographies of the Living EarthCore
Year 3 11 modules
- Climate Change EconomicsCore
- Economics and Data ScienceCore
- The Economics of DevelopmentCore
- Advanced Sustainable Development: Sustainability in Policy and PracticeOptional
- Applied EconometricsOptional
- Disasters, Environment and DevelopmentOptional
- Environment and Development in World PoliticsOptional
- International TradeOptional
- Topics in Growth and InequalityOptional
- Global Food SecurityOptional
- Political Ecology and Environmental JusticeOptional
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
This course integrates economics, geography and international development to give you a multidisciplinary perspective on sustainable development. You'll usually start with foundational economics, microeconomics, macroeconomics, and quantitative methods, then progress to intermediate theory and applied work on real policy questions. From Year 2 onwards, a course like this normally moves toward specialist options, such as behavioural economics, development, financial economics, econometrics and data, public policy, or international trade. You'll develop practical skills in regression analysis and causal inference with real datasets, and typically complete an independent research project in your final year. The course includes a professional placement year, giving you work experience alongside your studies.
Who it's for
This course suits students with A-level qualifications or equivalent, typically holding a UCAS tariff between 112 and 127 points. You should be interested in how economic systems interact with environmental and social sustainability. The placement year makes it particularly valuable if you want practical experience in policy, development, business or research before graduating.
Careers & job market
Across Economics courses nationally, 87% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating, with 75% in highly skilled roles or continuing study. National earnings data shows starting salaries of £26,500–£35,000 at 15 months, rising to £26,775–£37,800 after three years and £36,125–£51,000 after five years. These figures reflect the broader graduate population, not a guarantee. The university holds Silver status for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
University & format
The University of Sussex is a public university founded in 1961, located on Falmer Campus, Falmer. This BSc (Hons) degree is taught full-time in English over 4 years, incorporating a professional placement year. The university holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is a recognised UK degree-awarding body.
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.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Professional placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
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 | 100% |
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.
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 LL18). 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
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at University of Sussex →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 | £28,000 | £24,000 – £34,500 | 125 |
| 3 years after | £25,500 | £19,500 – £31,000 | 470 |
| 5 years after | £33,000 | £25,000 – £42,500 | 515 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 125. 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. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 125. 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.
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Finance ProfessionalsSOC 2020 242 · 18% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,173
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Conservation and environment professionalsSOC 2020 215 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,520
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
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: 20; response rate: 65%. 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
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. 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
80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £28,000. 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 8.7 out of 10: NSS 87% · in work or study 80% · continued 94%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Sussex
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 Falmer Campus, Falmer
133 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 Sussex from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Sussex; 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 Sussex’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 Sussex and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Sussex
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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