Economics and Finance

Economics and finance together cover the terrain between theory and practice in the management of money, markets and resources. Economics provides the analytical frameworks for understanding how individuals, firms and governments make decisions under conditions of scarcity and uncertainty; finance applies those frameworks to the management of assets, liabilities, risk and value in real financial markets and organisations. At the University of Sussex, this three-year full-time degree includes a foundation year option and incorporates sandwich, year abroad and work placement opportunities, providing a programme that is both academically rigorous and practically grounded.

You will study micro and macroeconomic theory at a level that demands genuine mathematical engagement, alongside finance topics including corporate finance, investment, financial markets, risk management, portfolio theory and the economics of international capital flows. Sussex's programme develops your ability to apply economic and financial models to real data, and the quantitative skills you build, including econometrics and financial modelling, are among the most transferable the degree produces. The placement and year abroad give you professional experience and international perspective, both of which are valued by employers in the financial services sector.

A typical tariff of around 120 points is expected for entry to the standard programme; the foundation year provides an additional route in.

Graduates are well placed for careers in investment banking, asset management, financial analysis, corporate finance, accounting, economic consulting, central banking and public finance. Sussex graduates also enter the civil service, international organisations such as the IMF, and technology firms where financial and economic expertise is increasingly required. Many go on to postgraduate study in finance, economics or a professional qualification route such as the CFA or chartered accountancy.