Economics and Data Analytics

Economics is a discipline concerned with how individuals, organisations, and governments make decisions under conditions of scarcity, and what the consequences of those decisions are for wellbeing, inequality, and growth. Data analytics is the set of quantitative methods, including statistical modelling, machine learning, and data visualisation, that increasingly allow those questions to be answered rigorously using the vast datasets generated by modern economies. Together they form a combination that is at the forefront of how economics is actually practised in research, government, and industry.

At the University of Leicester, this three-year full-time programme includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and a work placement, giving you a genuinely substantial period of professional experience alongside your academic studies. You will develop core economic theory, both microeconomics and macroeconomics, while building real competence in quantitative methods, data science tools, and the programming and statistical skills that modern economic analysis requires. The degree responds to the recognition, articulated clearly in the programme's own framing, that large datasets and data science insights are now central to understanding the complex decisions of governments, businesses, and households.

You will graduate with both the theoretical grounding to reason carefully about economic problems and the technical skills to handle real data and communicate your findings clearly. This combination is highly sought after across a wide range of sectors.

Graduates move into careers in economic consulting, financial analysis, government economic service, the Bank of England and related institutions, data analysis and business intelligence roles in the private sector, international organisations, and development economics. The placement year and year abroad significantly strengthen your professional profile and often lead directly to employment. Postgraduate study in economics, econometrics, finance, or data science is also a well-trodden path for graduates who want to pursue research or specialist professional qualifications.