Economics and Philosophy

Economics and philosophy is a combination that gets to the heart of some of the most important questions about how human societies function and what they are for. Economics examines how resources are allocated, how markets work, how wealth is created and distributed, and how individual and collective decisions aggregate into the patterns we observe in the economy. Philosophy asks deeper questions about the values and assumptions that economic analysis takes for granted: what counts as welfare or wellbeing, what is a fair distribution of resources, what obligations do individuals and societies have to each other, and how should we reason under uncertainty?

At the University of Aberdeen this four-year full-time programme explores the global economy through the lens of both economic analysis and philosophical inquiry, examining the many factors that influence wealth from social and financial perspectives while asking the fundamental questions to which philosophy seeks answers. You will develop a strong grounding in economic theory and quantitative methods alongside the analytical and argumentative skills that philosophy cultivates. A year abroad gives you the chance to study in an international context, broadening your perspective on both economic systems and philosophical traditions.

The intellectual skills you develop on this programme, including rigorous analysis, careful argument, the ability to reason about complex systems and the capacity to evaluate competing values, are among the most transferable in higher education. Aberdeen describes this combination as making you a highly attractive graduate with very wide career options.

Graduates move into finance, consulting, economic analysis, public policy, the civil service, law, research, journalism and business. Many also pursue postgraduate study in economics, philosophy, public policy, law or related fields, and the combination of rigorous analytical training and philosophical depth supports a wide range of academic and professional pathways.