Chinese Studies - Economics

Chinese Studies and Economics is a combination that rewards intellectual ambition and an appetite for depth. China is the world's second largest economy and a civilisation of remarkable continuity and complexity, and understanding it requires both the linguistic and cultural tools of sinology and the analytical frameworks of economics. This joint degree at the University of St Andrews gives you genuine competence in both, equipping you to engage with China not superficially but with the nuance that knowledge of the language, history and culture makes possible, alongside the quantitative and theoretical rigour that economics demands.

Over four years of full-time study, you will build your Chinese language skills from the level appropriate at entry, progressing toward the advanced reading and speaking ability needed to engage with primary sources, contemporary media and professional contexts. Alongside language and literature, you will explore Chinese visual and popular cultures, and move beyond traditional models of area studies toward a broader engagement with how contemporary China is shaped by its history, politics and social formations. The economics component covers microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, quantitative methods, development economics and international trade, giving you the tools to analyse China's economic trajectory and its role in the global economy.

A year abroad is a central feature of the programme, giving you the opportunity to develop your language skills in a Chinese-speaking environment and experience a very different educational and cultural context first-hand. Typical entry is around 232 UCAS tariff points.

Graduates are well positioned for careers in international business, finance, diplomacy, journalism, consultancy, research and public policy, particularly in organisations operating across Asia-Pacific contexts. The combination of Chinese language and economic analysis is highly valued by employers who need people who understand China as it actually is. Further study in Chinese studies, economics, international relations or area studies is a natural progression.