Economics

Economics is a social science concerned with how individuals, firms, governments, and societies make decisions about scarce resources, and with the consequences of those decisions for markets, welfare, inequality, and growth. It combines rigorous analytical methods with engagement with some of the most consequential questions in public life, from how wages are set and firms compete, to how governments should respond to recessions, climate change, and inequality. Studying economics develops quantitative reasoning, model-building, and empirical skills that are widely valued across a range of careers.

At Newcastle University, this three-year full-time programme covers the core areas of microeconomics and macroeconomics, econometrics, and the application of economic reasoning to a range of policy and market questions. You will develop facility with economic models and statistical tools, learn to evaluate evidence about economic questions, and engage with the theoretical debates that shape how economists understand the world. The programme offers exceptional scope for professional and international experience, incorporating both a sandwich year with a work placement and a year abroad.

The placement year takes you into a professional environment, whether in finance, government, the public sector, or business, giving you direct experience of economics in practice. The year abroad provides a different academic and cultural perspective on the discipline.

Economics graduates are among the most sought-after in the graduate labour market, entering careers in finance, banking, economic consultancy, government, the civil service, international organisations, and business analysis. The combination of analytical rigour and quantitative skills means economics graduates are effective in roles that require data-driven reasoning and clear thinking under uncertainty. The placement and year abroad experience that this programme provides further enhance employability.

Postgraduate study in economics, finance, or public policy is a common next step for those who want to develop their expertise further.