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Economics with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Course summary

Our BSc Economics provides you with a core of rigorous, technically demanding, yet applications-oriented, skills in economics. It is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to successfully compete in a competitive jobs market.

  • You will be taught by academics who are professional practitioners in the world of economics and who provide specialist advice and in-house training for government departments and City firms and banks including the Treasury and Bank of England.
  • Your tutors actively work to extend the boundaries of knowledge. Many of our academics are recognised as world-class experts in their fields and their research feeds directly into our teaching programmes.
What you will learn You will learn the fundamentals of microeconomics and macroeconomics and understand the core principles driving economic systems. You will gain proficiency in statistics and econometrics to analyse real-world data and make informed decisions. Option modules give you the opportunity to specialise, tailoring your degree to your interests. You will develop critical-thinking, problem-solving and communication skills essential for success in diverse career paths, from finance and consulting to government and beyond. How you will learn You will learn via a combination of lectures which provide foundational knowledge and small-group tutorials which offer hands-on learning. On this course will be able to choose between full-time or part-time study. It has an evening timetable with classes taking place in the evening. Foundation Year If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Highlights
  • Birkbeck was ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for its Economics and Econometrics research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • We bring together research and teaching across economics and finance, mathematics and statistics which creates significant interdisciplinary synergies.
  • Goldman Sachs and Birkbeck Diversity Scholarships are available for this course for students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
Careers and employability On successfully graduating from this BSc Economics, you'll have a gained an array of important transferable skills, including:
  • the ability to analyse data and evaluate trends
  • the capacity to assess information critically and solve problems
  • effective communication of ideas, findings and recommendations to diverse audiences.
Studying our course will prepare you for roles in a range of fields:
  • finance: roles in investment banking, asset management or financial consulting
  • government: economic policy analysis, research, or roles in central banks, treasury departments or international organisations
  • business: business analyst, market researcher, or roles in strategic planning and corporate finance
  • data analysis: data analyst or econometrician in industries such as banking, insurance or market research firms
  • nonprofit and NGOs: roles in economic development, policy advocacy, or research positions
  • academia: pursuing further education with a postgraduate degree for roles in research or academia.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

For most modules, you will do coursework and sit examinations. The relative weights of these components will vary from module to module and you will be given this information on the individual module syllabus/reading list. Coursework assignments will vary, but may include essays, problem-solving (modules involving quantitative techniques are likely to involve exercises designed to test your ability to apply these techniques to solve problems) and in-class and mid-term tests.

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential. You may be invited to complete a short test in English and mathematics.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
65%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
80%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
International £18060 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Economics with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS