Overview

The Brunel Economics BSc combines a thorough grounding in economic theory with the practical skills needed to apply that knowledge to business, industrial, financial or government environments.

You’ll learn how economic exchange shapes the way societies function. You’ll develop the analytical, quantitative, statistical and computing skills used to predict how societies, governments, businesses and households respond to events, trends and market behaviour.

You'll study statistics and econometrics and develop skills in data presentation, analysis and modelling. This training will use analytical packages, such as R and Python, which are widely used by business and financial institutions.

Our economics faculty bring a wealth of research and teaching expertise across a wide spectrum of fields, including economic theory, labour economics, development economics, gender economics, the economics of crime, the economics of innovation and growth, political economy, the economics of immigration, monetary and financial economics, behavioural economics, environmental economics and econometrics.

We have particular strength in the study of inequality - examining disparities in income, wealth, and gender, making our curriculum especially relevant to today’s most pressing societal challenges. As a result, you’ll have access to a diverse range of thought-provoking modules that explore the economic forces shaping policymaking, society, and the modern workplace.

We offer two study options. You can choose three years full-time or four years full-time with a one-year professional placement between years two and three that will give you hands-on experience in a real-life working environment. You can also tailor the final year of your course to specialise in an area of particular interest.

Our diverse and dynamic academic staff are not only experts in their fields, they’re passionate educators committed to inspiring the next generation of economists. We embrace innovative and inclusive teaching methods that encourage free thinking, creativity, and the open exchange of ideas in every classroom.

This dedication to high-quality teaching is reflected in our student feedback. According to the National Student Survey (NSS), 71% of students on the Economics BSc (Hons) programme agreed that Brunel staff are effective at explaining complex concepts and that the courses are intellectually stimulating. Additionally, 88% felt the programme successfully introduces new subjects and skills in ways that build on prior knowledge. Overall, three-quarters of students are positive about the support provided by our teaching staff.

Here at Brunel, we're very proud of our continuation rates and the job prospects of our graduates. After one year, 90% of Economics BSc students are still on the course or have successfully completed it.

Our economics undergraduate degree is accredited by ACCA and CIMA, and graduates will receive exemptions from professional papers should you wish to continue your study to become a chartered accountant.

As a proud member of the University of London federation, Brunel offers you a degree that's respected and recognised both nationally and internationally - enhancing your academic profile and boosting your career prospects worldwide. As a Brunel student, you’ll gain access to Senate House Library - one of the UK’s premier academic libraries for the arts, humanities, and social sciences, along with a network of libraries across the University of London. These exceptional resources support your learning and research throughout your studies.

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.

Course content

This course is designed to give you a solid understanding of economic theory, statistics, econometrics and finance as well as the practical and transferable skills needed to apply your knowledge to real-world problems.

Our Economics BSc consists of compulsory and optional modules. In the final year students can furthermore choose whether to write a dissertation or take additional modules instead. The optional dissertation project is a year-long project students write under close supervision by a dedicated academic supervisor in one-on-one meetings.

Year 1

Compulsory

EC1603 - Financial Markets
This module aims to give students an understanding of the roles and functions of financial markets and an awareness of the financial system, in order to provide a necessary basis for further study.
EC1700 - Introduction to Employability
This module aims to enable students to understand the job market for students of economics, finance, banking and accountancy, to develop their employability and the skills required to access insight events.
EC1604 - Introduction to Financial Accounting
This module aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the underlying principles and concepts relating to financial accounting and technical proficiency in the use of double-entry accounting techniques including the preparation of basic financial statements.
EC1607 - Macroeconomic Principles
This module provides students with a firm foundation in the principles of macroeconomics at the theoretical level, which will provide the basis for further core modules at level 2 and level 3. It aims to demonstrate the application of theory to current issues in macroeconomics.
EC1602 - Mathematics for Economics and Finance
This module is designed to provide students of all academic backgrounds with strong mathematical foundations necessary for further study in Economics, Finance and Accountancy. Students will strengthen their understanding of basic algebra and differential calculus and the way they are applied in Economics, Finance and Accountancy.
EC1606 - Microeconomic Principles
The aim of this module is to introduce students to core concepts, methods and techniques of modern microeconomics. The course prepares students for more advanced topics to be studied in following years.
EC1605 - Statistics and Data Analysis
This module is designed to build numerical and data analysis skills which are in high demand in industry. It aims to provide an understanding of key statistical concepts and methods, such as descriptive statistics, probability theory, inference, testing and sampling. Students will have the chance to develop hands-on expertise with analysing data sets and utilising software tools to draw meaningful insights from real-world data.

Year 2

Compulsory

EC2DDD - Microeconomic Principles II
The objective of this module is to provide students with the essential analytical tools which are used in standard economic analysis. The aims of the module are to build on the foundations of Level 1 microeconomics and to develop analytical skills and to learn to use microeconomic tools for the analysis of economic problems which are expected to be seen in other courses of economics.
EC2EEE - Macroeconomic Principles II
The main aims of the module are to understand forces behind long-term prosperity and fluctuations in economic activity. To identify the role of banks, features of financial markets and labour markets, their interaction as well as consequences of the increasing globalisation for the economy. And to explore the role central bank and government play in stabilising macro economy.
EC2FFF - Mathematical Economics
The aim of this module is to provide mathematical tools needed to analyse economic problems, and to understand the role of mathematical modelling and how to translate economic problems into the language of mathematics.
EC2JJJ - Money and Banking
This module aims to provide students with a good grasp of both the theoretical and practical issues related to the modern financial markets and intermediaries. The topics covered include financial system, banking, financial institutions and money. Special attention will be given to the topics of financial crisis and the need and role of regulation.
EC2612 - Introduction to Econometrics
The aim of this module is to provide students with the theoretical skills needed to understand and analyse econometric studies and the practical skills needed to construct and estimate such models.
EC2NNN - Monetary Economics
The main aims of the module are to familiarise students with functions of money, interaction of money supply and demand, operations of financial intermediaries and banks, to enable students to understand the effect of monetary policy on welfare, business cycles, inflation and other macroeconomic variables in the short- and long-run and to explore inconsistencies and uncertainties in relation to monetary economics.
EC2554 - Economics Pre-Placement
This module aims to enable students to further develop their employability and to successfully obtain a suitable placement position by introducing students to the recruitment and selection methods used by organisations, enabling students to understand the range of placement and internship opportunities available to them, and enhancing the employability of the student into the placement and internship market.

Year 3

Compulsory

EC3WWW - Advanced Macroeconomics
The main aims of the module are to familiarise students with an exposition of modern micro-founded macroeconomics, to enable students to understand decisions made by representative consumers and producers and to explore the role of government policies on the economy.
EC3HHH - Further Econometrics
This course will examine the basic regression model before considering how models should be specified and recent developments in the time series theory. The aim of the course is to provide students with the theoretical skills needed to understand and analyse econometric studies and the practical skills needed to construct and estimate such models.
EC3QQQ - Game Theory
The aim of this module is to equip students with the advanced knowledge and analytical skills associated with game theory and its economic applications.
EC3LLL - Panel Data
This course will examine the basic regression model before considering how models should be specified and recent developments in panel data methods. The aim of the course is to provide students with the theoretical skills needed to understand and analyse econometric studies and the practical skills needed to construct and estimate such models.
EC3700 - Employability and Careers
This module will enable students to refine their employability skills and to learn strategies to assist their entry into the graduate job market.

Optional

EC3OOO - Applied Research in Economics, Banking and Finance
The module aims to provide final-year undergraduates with the opportunity to provide evidence of their ability to independently pursue research in the area of the topics chosen by them, with the assistance of, and the recommendation by, members of the Department. Students will be expected to develop their analytical ability and skills to conduct a general investigation into issues relating to economics and finance.
EC3NNND - Managerial and Industrial Economics
This module introduces students to the latest theories on the organisation of the firms and industries. Practical examples will illustrate the role of each theory in current policy debates. The focus is on recent developments in the theory of oligopoly, including the study of cooperative and non-cooperative oligopoly behaviour based on game theory. In addition, the course covers some advanced topics in pricing and strategic behaviour. Case studies will indicate how and why industrial economics models are valuable tools for competition policy and antitrust activity.
The Economics of Labour Markets
The aims of this course are to survey the broad area of Labour Economics and to analyse how individuals, families, firms and governments operate within a contemporary labour market. The approach is a two-fold one: a theoretical survey with the incorporation of empirical evidence from several developed countries.
EC3EEE - Behavioural Economics
The module aims to provide students with an understanding of the principles of behavioural economics, to apply behavioural economics tools to public policy and private sector business decision-making and to interpret their findings and to engage students in critically evaluating the theories and tools of behavioural economics and finance.
EC3FFF - International Money and Finance
The module aims to provide students with an understanding of the key issues in International Money, International Macroeconomics, and International Finance.
Developmental Economics
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the main features of developing economies, how developing economies function, constraints and opportunities of the development process, economic growth in theory and practice, and the causes and consequences of extreme poverty and vulnerability. It also looks at how markets and institutions operate in developing economies, and the role of the household, ethnic and other networks, rural-urban migration.
Political Economics
This module aims to introduce students to formal economic models of politics, provide students with the tools to apply economic principles and analytical techniques to the study of politics, and enable students to use these tools to analyse real world observations and practical economic problems in politics and other areas.
Economic History and Thought
The course will provide a broad outline of the history of the British economy through the last few centuries, and some additional understanding of the European economy. It will discuss many of the ideas about Economics that have been held by Economists in the past, and their contemporary relevance. The link between Economic Theory and Economic Policy will be discussed. There will be an evaluation of how Economic Policy affected the Economy, and how discussion about policy informed Economic theory.
EC3JJJ - Economics of Information
This module aims to introduce students to the economics of information, provide students with the conceptual and analytical tools to analyse the role of asymmetric information in the determination of market outcomes, the design of contracts, and the provision of incentives, and enable students to use these tools to analyse real world observations and practical economic problems related to the design of contracts, compensation schemes, pricing menus, and more.
Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
This module aims to provide an understanding of the behaviour and interconnections between economic agents, markets and the environment, to apply economic tools and theory to problems relating to the environment and natural resources and interpret their findings. It also engages students in critical evaluation of these tools and theories against real-world phenomena.
Public Economics and Finance
This module investigates the role of the government in the economy. It will explore the rationale for/against government interventions and evaluate the impacts of policy choices on individuals and the economy. It will investigate the provision of services by the public sector (e.g. health insurance or disability benefits) and how a tax system may be designed in order to provide funding for such services.
Data Analysis for Microeconomic Policies
This module will provide the theoretical and methodological tools to identify the causal impact of an event or policy on outcomes of interest. The module will introduce students to the potential outcome framework and the casual effects of interests, then study the ideal scenario: randomized control experiments, linking them to regression techniques. The module will also cover mainstream methods to overcome selection issues, such as instrumental variables and difference-in-difference. Economically relevant applications will be provided throughout the course.

This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.

This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Careers and your future

Our aim is to teach you ‘employable knowledge’, which can be applied to real-world situations giving you the skills you need to find the right role after you graduate. You’ll be well prepared for work, especially if you undertake a work placement. Securing economics and finance degree jobs is highly competitive, so we’ll support you to gain a strong foundation in the skills employers are looking for. We offer opportunities within the Department of Economics and Finance as well as through the University’s Student Professional Development (SPD) to help you build skills and experience.

The analytical, quantitative and transferable skills you’ll gain from your Brunel degree are highly valued by employers and will prepare you for a wide range of career and postgraduate study options in the areas of economics, business and finance. 15 months after completing the BSc Economics (Hons), two thirds of students are employed and/or engaging in further study. After five years, students on the course earn, on average £41,000 a year.

Our graduates are employed in many fields, with roles at NatWest (Financing Futures), PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG, the Treasury and Bank of England. Within industry, graduates are working at businesses like BP, Xerox and Marks and Spencer.

UK entry requirements

2026/7 entry

For Brunel Foundation of Economics and Maths with Integrated Foundation Year progression requirements, see the course page.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants as well as our full GCSE requirements and accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.

GCSEs

A minimum of five GCSEs are required including GCSE Mathematics (grade B/5), and either GCSE English Language (grade C/4) or GCSE English Literature (grade B/5).

A-level

Standard Offer: GCE A level ABB

Contextual Offer: GCE A level BBB