Economics

Economics is the study of how individuals, firms, and governments make decisions in a world of scarce resources, and how those decisions aggregate into the patterns of production, exchange, and distribution that shape society. It combines rigorous mathematical and statistical reasoning with a concern for how the real world works, making it one of the most analytically demanding and practically applicable disciplines available at university.

At the University of Reading, this three-year full-time degree equips you to tackle a diverse range of economic issues and problems, developing the skills, knowledge, and understanding required to work as an economist or to use economics as a major dimension of your career. You will work extensively with data throughout the programme, learning to apply economic theory and quantitative models to real-world questions, from labour markets and monetary policy to trade, inequality, and environmental economics. Reading's well-established economics department provides a rigorous training in both microeconomics and macroeconomics alongside the econometric and analytical tools that professional economists rely on.

The sandwich year allows you to spend an extended period in a professional environment, applying your economic knowledge in a real organisation, and a year abroad broadens your perspective on how economic ideas are applied in different national and institutional contexts. Work placement experience is integrated throughout.

You will develop not just technical economic skills but the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly, which is essential in any professional role that requires economic reasoning.

Graduates go on to careers in finance, banking, the civil service, consultancy, economic research, international organisations, and public policy. Economics is one of the most versatile degrees available, and the combination of analytical skill and practical placement experience Reading provides prepares graduates for competitive roles across a wide range of sectors. Postgraduate study in economics, finance, or public policy is also a common next step.