Course details

Study options

Full-time: 3 years, Part-time: Up to 6 years

UK fee

£9,250 per year (2024/25)

International fee

£14,900 per year (2024/25)

UCAS points

112-120 (September 2024 entry)

UCAS code

L346

Course level

Undergraduate

Qualification

BA (Hons)

Start date

September

Location

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

If you do not achieve the typical entry points required, you may want to consider studying this course with foundation year.

View with foundation year optionView with foundation year option

Course description

Key highlights

Top5for Student Satisfaction - Economics**Complete University Guide 2024
Top5for academic support - Economics**National Student Survey 2023
Top10for learning opportunities - Economics**National Student Survey 2023

We develop forward-thinking economists renowned for their strategic vision and analytical thinking. You'll gain a solid grounding in economic theory. You'll become skilled in handling economic data and completing research and analysis. You'll learn how to meet the high standards of professional practice you need to shape an organisation’s success.

We'll give you plenty of opportunities to strengthen your skills. You could be:

An artists impression of the new Derby Business School.

New Derby Business School in the city centre

We're building a new Derby Business School, serving as an international centre of excellence. The superb new teaching facilities will build on our established reputation for inspirational teaching and research excellence, as we shape the next generation of qualified business leaders.

Find out more about our new Derby Business SchoolFind out more about our new Derby Business School

Hands-on learning

You will engage with employers throughout your studies. This will help you develop the full toolkit of skills the applied economist needs. You’ll solve real problems for real organisations. Our hands-on approach will deepen your understanding of the wider business world.

We encourage and support you to take an optional year-long work placement or summer internship. This will give you a better understanding of how economic analysis can improve organisational performance and practice. And it will raise your professional profile. Our students have secured placements in roles such as data analyst.

And, in your second year, you could take part in our Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme. Successful project proposals receive bursary support.

Economics and Finance – your questions answered

Senior Lecturer Dr Weiwei Yang answers your frequently asked questions about Economics and Finance. 

Dr Weiwei Yang, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Finance

View Economics and Finance - your questions answered video transcript

Kiran Kular

I participated in the Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme. This scheme has increased my confidence when it comes to dealing with data and research. The experience allowed me to work with my lecturers to investigate what factors impact innovation.

Kiran Kular
BA (Hons) Economics

You could also take part in optional overseas study trips. Recent trips for students include:

Facilities and resources

Our Financial Markets Lab will give you a whole new perspective on what it’s like to work at the cutting edge of economics. You'll get hands-on experience with the software used in financial markets worldwide. You'll work with up-to-the-minute data. You'll gain vital insights into financial market analysis.

The lab puts a wealth of data at your fingertips. You can access company and director profiles plus analysis of current affairs from financial intelligence. You’ll receive training from Bloomberg specialists and have access to their helpdesk. You can even work towards the Bloomberg Market Concepts Certificate. This will complement your degree qualification.

bloomberg student

Financial Markets Lab

University of Derby students have access to real live financial data and can experience what it’s like to work on a trading floor in our Financial Markets Lab.

Explore our Financial Markets LabExplore our Financial Markets Lab

Expert teaching

We have an enthusiastic and experienced teaching team. You'll learn within a friendly, supportive learning community. Small class sizes allow scope for one-to-one advice so that you are motivated to achieve at a high level.

Our lecturers are conducting influential research into pressing economic issues facing society:

They publish widely, including one of the main economics textbooks used in universities. Their findings will enrich your learning to keep it up to date.

You’ll also meet and interact with industry experts. For instance, you’ll hear about latest developments in the City from visiting professor Trevor Williams. And you'll have networking opportunities such as:

An extra qualification: the Futures Award

We have developed our Futures Award specifically for our Economics students. This additional qualification showcases your versatility and professionalism to potential employers. It recognises any extra-curricular activities you undertake to improve your employability and career development, such as:

Professionally accredited 

On graduating, you will also gain exemptions towards the CIMA qualifications. This means you can achieve membership of this professional body quicker. This, in turn, will speed up your career progression.

What you will study

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus entrance

Undergraduate Open Days

The best way to find out if studying at Derby is right for you is to experience an Open Day. Get a feel for the city and campus, tour our first-class facilities and see where you could be living.

Book your Undergraduate Open DayBook your Undergraduate Open Day

How you will learn

Real world learning is at the heart of this programme, with the focus on solving genuine business problems as well as engaging with external experts to discuss economic concepts. You’ll learn through a compelling combination of:

At the start of the course, you will benefit from substantial direction from our teaching team. As your studies progress, you are expected to work more independently, taking greater responsibility for your own learning – but always with the support and advice of your tutors.

Examples of projects

As the culmination of the course, the Applied Economics Project module enables you to apply your research and statistical skills to a theme of your choice. Recent projects have seen our students exploring the role of sanctions in the economic performance of Russia; examining the potential economic impact of large sporting events; looking into contemporary issues relating to migration; and investigating the UK's housing market, international trade and productivity. 

Showcasing your skills

You could showcase your know-how and raise your professional profile in prestigious competitions. Our students have scooped major awards at the University Trading Challenge, pitting their wits against fellow undergraduate and postgraduate students from leading institutions countrywide. The competition comprises a simulated trading market which tests students’ abilities to strategise, analyse and present their ideas to a panel of traders and bankers in the City of London. There are opportunities to enter other competitions such as the IBM University Business Challenge and the CIMA Global Business Challenge too.

How you are assessed

You’ll be assessed in a number of ways, including:

Who you will meet

At Derby you’ll discover a friendly and supportive learning community, with small classes where you will receive plenty of one-to-one advice.

You will be taught by an enthusiastic team who are experienced in all aspects of economics and whose research will enrich your learning. They are supported by industry experts, including our Visiting Professor of Banking, Professor Trevor Williams who is Chief Economist at Lloyds Bank PLC.

The teaching team includes:

Dr Sayantan Ghosh Dastidar - Programme Leader for the BA (Hons) Economics, Sayantan conducts research into areas such as international trade, economic development and public policy. He has published on various aspects of trade, economic growth and public expenditure in India.

Melanie Powell - As well as teaching on this course, Melanie leads our MSc International Business and Finance and our MSc International Business and HRM. She is widely published and the joint author of a leading Economics textbook, published by Pearson Education and used extensively in universities. Her research focuses on applied economics, behavioural economics and financial market behaviour. As a teacher, she is committed to giving students a new way of looking at the world which nurtures their confidence, decision-making skills and a lifelong fascination with economics. She is the co-author of the University’s monthly Economic Bulletin.

Dr Eugene Michaels - Eugene leads our suite of International Business programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His focus is on encouraging students to apply economic reasoning and critical thinking. His academic interests are centred on behavioural economics and their implications for personal financial wellbeing (particularly pensions) and the application of behavioural insights to macroeconomic and business policymaking. He is the co-author of the University’s monthly Economic Bulletin.

Dr Weiwei Yang - Senior Lecturer inEconomics and Finance, Weiwei teaches various modules on the course. Her research interests lie in areas such as banking efficiency, market competition, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. Her teaching philosophy is to inspire students to move from passive to active learning.

Dr Daphne Athanasouli - Senior Lecturer in Economics and Business, Daphne has research interests which span applied economics, public economics, corruption, business performance, management practices and e-government. She gained valuable consulting and research experience at the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Dr Doyin Babajide – Lecturer in Economics, currently lead the Introductory Microeconomics module and Current Debates in Applied Economic Theory.

Dr Mehdi Hasan – Lecturer in Economics and Programme Leader for International Business and International Business and Finance.

Dr Ghulam Mustafa – Lecturer in Economics. He leads and teaches a module in Econometrics, which is about understanding empirical research and how we can use applied econometric techniques to understand economic issues. 

Dr Sharanya Basu Roy - Lecturer in Economics

Dr Yiling Zha – Lecturer in Economics

Personal academic tutoring

Your personal academic tutor will work with you to help you get the most out of your time at university. Having someone to talk to about your academic progress, your university experience and your professional aspirations is hugely valuable. We want you to feel challenged in your studies, stretched but confident to achieve your academic and professional goals.

Find out more about personal academic tutoring

Who will teach you

Sayantan wearing a suit and tie with black framed glasses.

Dr Sayantan Ghosh Dastidar
Programme leader

Dr Sayantan Ghosh Dastidar joined the University of Derby as a Lecturer in Economics in January 2016. Before joining here, he was working as a Research Assistant at the University of Huddersfield. Currently, he is the Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Economics for Business and the Subject Leader for Joint Honours Economics.

View full staff profileView full staff profile

Entry requirements

2024 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2024 entry. Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

RequirementWhat we're looking for
UCAS points112-120
A LevelBBB-BBC
T LevelMerit
BTECDMM
GCSEGCSE Maths and English Grade 4/Grade C (or above) or equivalent qualification
Access to HEPass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 15, Merit: 24, Pass: 6

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each skills area)

Fees and funding

2024/25

 Full-timePart-time
UK

£9,250 per year

£1,155 per 20 credit module

International

£14,900 per year

N/A

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

How to apply

Please look at our application deadlines before you apply.


UK students

If you are in Year 13 and applying for a full-time undergraduate course (including our joint honours courses), we recommend that you apply through UCAS.

Apply through UCAS

If you are applying to study part-time, or already have your qualifications, or wish to join at Year 2 or 3, you should apply directly to the University.

Apply directly to the University

Careers

An Economics degree adds prestige to your CV and could be your stepping stone to a lucrative graduate training scheme or a well-rewarded financial consultancy role. Economics is among the top three subjects to take for delivering a ‘professional premium’ – the difference in salaries between graduates and non-graduates – of almost £10,000 (Complete University Guide statistics for 2017 graduates).

Economics graduates with an understanding of business and leadership are in great demand across the public, private and voluntary sectors worldwide. As well as roles in international business, consultancy and finance, you could pursue opportunities in government departments, development agencies, charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Our focus on problem-solving and practical economic analysis extends your career scope further still, opening doors to a much broader range of opportunities than with a more conventional Economics qualification. Some graduates go on to follow careers in areas such as HR, marketing, PR and sales.

Our Careers and Employment Service will provide you with support from day one of your course to ensure you leave Derby as a ‘work-ready’ graduate – industry aware, motivated and enterprising. Throughout your studies, you’ll also benefit from our Personal Development Planning (PDP) scheme which enables you to reflect on your learning and develop your career ambitions. In addition, the BA (Hons) Economics features specialist career sessions for economists to help you build your CV and social media profile and to assist in your applications for placements, internships and jobs. 

The support continues once you’ve completed your course too: you are entitled to further help and guidance from the Careers and Employment Service for up to three years after leaving the University.

Further study

Many of our Economics graduates decide to take their studies to the next level with us. You can consider progressing to exciting masters programmes such as the MSc International Business and Finance or MBA Global Finance. You may be entitled to an alumni discount if you decide to extend your time studying with us.

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

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† Additional information about your studies

4 years with a placement year

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Additional costs and optional extras

We’re committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

Included in your fees
Optional costs not included in your fees

Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

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