Economics BSc (Hons)

This course is in clearing

Why study at UEL?

Top 40 UK university

Guardian University Guide 2026

1st in England

Overall Positivity, National Student Survey 2026

Fastest Rising in England for graduate employability

Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025

Overview

Course modules

Our extended Economics foundation course is perfect if you want an economics degree but don't have the standard entry requirements. We prepare you for your economics degree during the foundation year, bringing you up to speed with academic skills and a firm grounding in the subject. You can then go on to study for a full economics undergraduate degree.

In year 1 of the Economics degree, you will deepen your knowledge of core topics such as microeconomics, macroeconomics, and international economics, enhancing your ability to analyse global markets and decision-making processes. The economics programme includes hands-on learning through econometrics and financial economics, equipping you with the tools to analyse empirical data and understand capital markets. This economics course also focuses on employability skills to prepare you for professional success.

Year 2 of the BSc Economics degree offers a structured economics programme that develops a strong foundation in key areas such as microeconomics, macroeconomics, financial economics, and international economics, essential for decision-making in business and government. Core modules like Introduction to Econometrics provide statistical tools for data analysis, while Mental Wealth 2 enhances employability skills, preparing you for a successful career in economics across diverse sectors.

The BSc Economics degree's final year expands on its economics programme with advanced modules like Behavioural Economics, exploring non-standard models and policy implications, and Applied Econometrics with Introduction to Programming, focusing on forecasting economic and financial variables. Modules such as International Political Economy and Corporate Social Responsibility & Ethics examine globalisation, power shifts, and ethical principles in business.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Download course specification

Entry requirements

Degree:

112 UCAS points

This is the standard advertised entry requirement for most students applying to this course.

Degree with contextual offer:

96 UCAS points

You may be eligible for a reduced offer based on your personal, educational or socioeconomic background.

Degree with foundation year:

64 UCAS points

If you do not meet the standard entry requirements, you can apply for a foundation year. This additional year prepares you with the academic skills needed to progress to the full undergraduate degree.

 

Missing some qualifications? 


We have a range of pre-entry programmes to help you meet the entry requirements for this course.  

Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Your previous qualifications, uncompleted study or industry experience may mean you can start your studies at a later point in the course and influence your eligibility for entry

What makes this course different

High Employability Rate

100% of our students go on to work and/or study within 15 months after the economics degree.

(Source: discoveruni.gov.uk)

See full NSS survey results

Top Partnerships

We are a Bloomberg Experiential Learning Partner and have accreditations from the CISI and CMI.

2nd in the UK

Our Accounting and Finance courses ranked 2nd in the UK for student satisfaction in the 2026 Complete University Guide (Complete University Guide 2026).

See the full list of rankings

The Royal Docks School of Business and Law at the University of East London (UEL), has been shortlisted for Business School of the Year at the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2025

UEL shortlisted for Business School of the Year Award

Accredited by the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI)

The CISI Education Partner accreditation aims to help students obtain a professional qualification that is recognised worldwide while pursuing their degree. This accreditation ensures that students have a competitive advantage upon completing their studies.

Course options

Start date

Degree

UCAS code: L100

Economics BSc (Hons), home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • This course is in Clearing,
  • Full time, 3 years
  • £ 9,790 per year. Subject to change, see Fees, Funding and Additional Costs below

Economics BSc (Hons), international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant
  • Full time, 3 years
  • £ 16020 per year

Degree with foundation year

with foundation year
UCAS code: L101

Economics BSc (Hons), home applicant, full time

  • Home Applicant ,
  • This course is in Clearing,
  • Full time, 4 years
  • £ 9,790 per year. Subject to change, see Fees, Funding and Additional Costs below

Economics BSc (Hons), international applicant, full time

  • International Applicant
  • Full time, 4 years
  • £ 16020 per year

Careers Guarantee

The UEL Careers Guarantee is the University’s commitment to supporting you with your career development during your studies and after you graduate. It brings together careers guidance, employability support and opportunities designed to help you prepare for work or further study.

What can I do with this degree?

Graduates from UEL have gone on to work at organisations including Accenture, Ernst & Young, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, KPMG, Deloitte and PwC. Roles graduates have moved into include banker, asset manager, reinsurance broker, data analyst and financial analyst, across sectors from investment banking to public policy.

If you want to keep studying after graduation, you can progress to:

Official student data from Discover Uni

The banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).

How you'll learn

Economics is a dynamic subject, and we will help you learn in a variety of ways that will stimulate your interest and motivate you. Some of these include lectures, seminars, field trips, guest speakers and practical tasks.

Teaching staff on this programme are passionate subject matter experts. Through ongoing support, there will be opportunities to meet with personal tutors for advice on how to work through a problem or assignment, providing regular consultation and feedback.

Guided independent study

When not attending timetabled lectures or workshops, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This will typically involve skills development through online study, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, and preparing coursework assignments and presentations.

Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, and specialist facilities, such as edit suites, the library, the full Microsoft Office software, including MS Teams, and Moodle: our Virtual Learning Environment.

Some students have worked as volunteer community support officers, while others have volunteered in local community groups. If you choose this approach, you'll be able to count your community experience towards your degree and it will help prepare you for your future career.

Academic support

If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, English, maths, or statistics, our Academic Tutors offer workshops, drop-in sessions, and one-to-one appointments to help our students achieve their potential.

You can receive advice and guidance on all aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks located on all three campuses.

Our Student Support hubs in Docklands and Stratford feature centralised helpdesks to cater to your every need. UEL provides also support and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties (SPDs).

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of the academic course team who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at UEL and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer.

Workload

Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars, and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.

The approximate hours for this course are:

  • Year 1: scheduled teaching - 288 hours; guided independent study - 912 hours
  • Year 2: scheduled teaching - 288 hours; guided independent study - 912 hours
  • Year 3: scheduled teaching - 288 hours; guided independent study - 912 hours

Your timetable

Your individualised timetable is normally available within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9.00am and 6.00pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.

Class sizes

To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally attracts 40 - 50 students a year. Lecture sizes are normally 40 plus students.

In workshops, you will be taught in groups of 12 - 15 students. However, this can vary by academic year.

How you'll be assessed

We’ll assess you in a way that will mirror some of the tasks you will be expected to carry out during your financial career. These include preparing and delivering reports and presentations. You will produce a portfolio of work, deliver a business pitch, analyse a case study, do a literature review, conduct a business simulation or produce a financial analysis and plan. More details will be included in the student handbook and module guides. You will always receive detailed feedback outlining your strengths and how you can improve.

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 15 working days, although you will receive immediate feedback following many of our face-to-face assessments.

Campus and facilities

What our students and staff say

Catalina Lungu in front of a poster about the Journal of Balkan & Near Eastern Studies
This course helps me develop strong analytical skills, understand complex economic systems, and apply theory to real-world situations. With expert guidance, I'm exploring specialised areas like finance and international economics, fuelling my passion for the subject and shaping my future."

Catalina Lungu

BSc (Hons) Economics student

Finance hero banner
Taking the course at UEL was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was a world-class educational environment, which helped me to grasp integrated skills and advanced knowledge of banking and finance. This gave me great confidence in fulfilling all of the requirements of my job."

Tuan Anh

MSc Finance and Risk, now working at Central Bank of Vietnam

Economics FAQs