Economics with Foundation Year

Economics is the study of how individuals, organisations, and governments make decisions in the face of scarcity, and how those decisions aggregate into the patterns of production, distribution, and consumption that shape economic life. It is a discipline that is both rigorous and applied, requiring strong quantitative skills alongside the conceptual understanding to interpret what the numbers mean. A degree in economics equips you to engage analytically with the forces shaping the global economy, from interest rates and inflation to trade policy, environmental regulation, and financial markets.

At Birkbeck College this part-time programme includes a foundation year, designed to build the mathematical and analytical foundations you need before engaging with degree-level economic content. Birkbeck has a long tradition of offering high-quality university education to students who study in the evenings alongside work or other commitments, and the programme is structured to serve exactly that population. You will develop a core of rigorous, technically demanding, and applications-oriented skills in economics, covering both micro and macroeconomic theory and the quantitative methods that underpin empirical economic analysis.

The degree is designed with employability firmly in view, equipping you with the skills and knowledge needed to compete in a demanding graduate jobs market.

You will develop analytical thinking, quantitative literacy, and the ability to evaluate economic arguments and evidence critically. The foundation year and the part-time mode together make the degree accessible to a broad range of students without compromising on academic standards.

Graduates of economics programmes go on to work in finance, the civil service, consultancy, banking, policy research, development economics, and international organisations. Postgraduate study in economics, econometrics, finance, or public policy is a natural next step for those seeking to specialise.