Industrial Economics
Industrial economics applies the tools of economic analysis to the behaviour of firms, markets and industries. Where macroeconomics concerns itself with aggregate output, employment and price levels, industrial economics zooms in on the competitive dynamics within and between industries: how firms make pricing and investment decisions, how market structures from perfect competition to monopoly shape outcomes for consumers and producers, how regulation and competition policy intervene to correct market failures, and how innovation and technology change the landscape of economic activity. It is a field with immediate practical relevance to business strategy, public policy and legal analysis.
At Nottingham this three-year full-time programme includes both a sandwich year and a year abroad, giving you substantial professional and international experience alongside your academic studies. You will study microeconomic theory, econometrics, market analysis, game theory, industrial organisation, regulation and competition policy, and the economics of innovation, developing quantitative and analytical skills that are applicable in both private and public sector contexts. The sandwich year allows you to apply your economic reasoning in a professional setting and to develop the network and skills that make you immediately valuable to employers.
The year abroad extends your economic education into a different institutional context. Work placement is embedded in the programme. A typical entry tariff of 152 points reflects the course's rigour.
Graduates of industrial economics programmes are well suited to careers in economic consultancy, competition and regulatory authorities, financial services, strategy consulting, government economic services, the energy sector and technology firms where market analysis is central to commercial decisions. The quantitative and analytical training the degree provides transfers readily to roles in data analysis, policy research and management. Postgraduate study in economics, competition economics, public policy or finance is a natural continuation for those who want to specialise further or pursue academic careers.