Economics

Economics is the study of how individuals, firms, and societies allocate scarce resources, make decisions under uncertainty, and respond to incentives. It is a discipline that sits at the intersection of mathematics, social science, and philosophy, combining formal models with empirical investigation to explain the behaviour of markets, the causes of economic growth and inequality, the effects of government policy, and the forces that shape income and wellbeing across the world.

At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year, full-time programme gives you a thorough grounding in both microeconomics and macroeconomics, developing your understanding of economic theory alongside the quantitative skills needed to test it against data. You will explore how markets work and why they sometimes fail, how firms and consumers make decisions, how monetary and fiscal policy shape economic outcomes, and how international trade, financial systems, and institutions affect the global economy. A year abroad is available, giving you the opportunity to study economics in another national context and to broaden your intellectual perspective in a way that enriches both your academic and personal development.

Economics graduates are among the most sought-after in the graduate labour market, and for good reason. The combination of rigorous analytical thinking, quantitative competence, and the ability to reason about complex systems is valued across a wide range of industries and public institutions. Graduates go on to careers in finance, investment banking, economic consulting, government, international organisations, central banking, and the technology sector, among many others.

Many continue to postgraduate study in economics, finance, or public policy, and some pursue research careers that contribute directly to our understanding of how economies work and how they can be made to work better.