BA (Hons) Applied Economics
- UCAS code: L110
- Mode of study: Full time or sandwich (optional)
- Duration: 3 years full time, 4 years sandwich
- Entry requirements 2012/2013: 240-280 points from 3 A levels or equivalent.
Find out more:
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 8200
Email: bus.admissions@port.ac.uk
Department: Economics
Course overview
Focusing upon how economics shapes the modern world, this course explores the influence of national and international climates in which businesses operate. It seeks to emphasise that economic analysis underpins almost every field of public and commercial policy, from the financing of higher education to London's traffic congestion charge.
On this course you will study the fundamentals of economics as well as business-related subjects such as strategic management, equipping you with skills that will be useful in a diverse range of business environment and organisations. Compared to our BSc programmes reduced weight is given to economic theory and econometrics.
Within the Department of Economics there are five undergraduate programmes. The three BSc courses contain a distinctive core of economic theory and the BA (Hons) Business Economics with Business Law enables you to study the fundamentals of economics alongside the subject of business law.
Concerning entry requirements, your academic potential and willingness to make a positive contribution are more important to us than the subjects that you have previously studied. However, you will need to have an interest in economics and a reasonable aptitude for working with numbers. You will also be dealing with current topics and issues, so an awareness of business and financial developments would be an advantage.
Applications are also welcomed from appropriately qualified candidates who are seeking direct entry onto a programme.
Course content
Year one
In the first year core subjects are:
- economics for business
- business accounting
- quantitative economics
- foundations of management
- contemporary and historical issues in economics
Also, an essential feature of year one is a unit that is designed to equip you with general study skills and offer careers advice.
Year two
In the second year, you will take units in:
- business economics
- international economics
- managerial economics
Units that are devoted to research methods and spreadsheet modelling are designed will also enhance your practical skills. There is also the option of learning a language.
Work placement
You will have the option to undertake a one-year placement in a paid, full-time role consisting of continuous progression and a suitable level of responsibility.
With employers now requiring graduates to have the key business competencies and experience alongside a good degree, work experience is more vital than ever. Due to its very nature, a placement year is the best and most involving type of work experience you can do during your time at University. As such a placement will help insure you are as employable as possible upon graduation.
It will also allow you to return to your studies for the fourth year with contemporary business experience. This will enable you to engage in debate and develop your strategic thinking, which could boost to your degree classification. Upon successful completion of your work placement you can also obtain an external employability Senior Award from the City & Guilds Institute.
The PBS Placements Office will not only support you during your placement search and the subsequent recruitment processes, but also once you secure your placement and are working away from the University.
Don’t just take our word for it though, see what our students think.
Year three
In your final year, the emphasis is more upon business than economics, with compulsory units in strategic management and business competition and regulation. An essential feature of the final year of all is your independent study project, which requires you to work as a group in order to perform in-depth research in a selected area of economics.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning are usually undertaken in lectures supported by smaller group seminars, workshops, tutorials and practical sessions which enable you to discuss issues in greater depth. The delivery of the lectures and seminars involves extensive use of information technology and other teaching innovations. Staff research and consultancy expertise also actively contribute towards our degree programmes.
You will encounter a variety of assessment methods. Many units use a combination of formal examinations and coursework assessment. Coursework can be the analysis of topical case studies, written reports or essays and formal presentations. The assessed work you complete from the start of the second year onwards can count towards the class of degree you will be awarded.
The Department of Economics places a considerable emphasis on student support. At the beginning of each academic year you will be assigned a personal tutor, who will be available for regular meetings in order to discuss your progress, as well as help resolve any problems that you encounter throughout your degree course. The University has a range of additional support facilities such as the Academic Skills Unit, the Maths Café, Careers and Recruitment unit, and counselling that you can access if you need to.
In addition, if English is not your first language, there are free courses available to help familiarise you with the use of English for academic purposes.
Career prospects
A good class of economics degree should enable you to obtain a fulfilling and financially rewarding job. It is possible to use this qualification as a basis for a career as an economist in either central government or the private sector. With an economics degree you will also be well placed to enter into the financial and business sector.
Moreover, some of our graduates have been appointed to respected positions within the local government sector, while others have elected to pursue a career in teaching.
Many of our graduates choose to continue with their academic studies. Some proceed to register on taught postgraduate courses, while others seek to achieve a higher qualification by means of research.
The University of Portsmouth is an accredited Centre for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and the Business School is a member of the European Foundation of Quality Management.
Facilities and features
The University has substantially invested in modern facilities. You will attend lectures in the purpose-built Richmond Building, where the Business School is located. Our lecture theatres are equipped with the latest multimedia audiovisual equipment and we have a computer drop-in centre equipped with state-of-the-art computers and software.
The University Library is at the centre of academic life and is only a short walk away. Open from 8am until midnight every day during term-time, it provides a variety of information to help with study and research.
The library has also invested heavily in the purchase of electronic resources. There are thousands of electronic journals and ebooks which can be accessed across campus, from home or wherever there is an internet connection.