Financial Economics

Financial economics occupies the territory between economics and finance, asking both the macroeconomic questions about how financial markets function and affect economic outcomes, and the more technical questions about how financial assets are priced, how risk is measured and managed, and how financial decisions are made under uncertainty. It is a discipline that combines rigorous economic theory with quantitative methods, and it is highly valued by employers in banking, investment, and financial services who need graduates who can think analytically about markets and economic conditions.

At the University of St Andrews, this four-year programme includes a year abroad, reflecting the Scottish undergraduate degree structure and the university's strong international connections. St Andrews is one of the UK's oldest and most prestigious universities, and the economics department has a well-established record in research and teaching across economics and financial economics. You will study microeconomics and macroeconomics in depth, monetary economics, financial markets and institutions, econometrics, and the core financial theory that underpins the pricing of equities, bonds, derivatives, and other instruments.

The quantitative skills you develop, including econometric analysis and financial modelling, are directly relevant to professional practice in finance and economics.

The year abroad gives you the opportunity to study at a partner institution in another country, experiencing a different academic approach to financial economics and broadening your international perspective, which is increasingly relevant in global financial markets.

Graduates of financial economics programmes from St Andrews go on to careers in investment banking, asset management, central banking, financial consulting, economic research, and public policy. The combination of rigorous economics training and financial theory is valued by employers across the financial services sector, and the degree also provides excellent preparation for postgraduate study in economics, finance, or quantitative finance.