BSc Mathematical Economics and Statistics

Start date
September
Duration
3 years
UCAS code
LG13
Course Type
Undergraduate, Single Honours
Fees
For 2024-2025:
£9,250 (UK students)
£24,660 (International students)

More detail.

By tightly integrating the study of economics and statistics, our BSc Mathematical Economics and Statistics programme meets the increasing demand from industry, the professions and public bodies for informed and talented graduates who can apply skill and imagination to real world problems.

Responsible for your learning

Economics is important, it means passing on our state-of-the-art knowledge to the next generation as part of our responsibility to the profession and to you. Our responsibility is to help teach you to communicate what you have learnt and how it can be applied - to prospective employers, to your parents, to all the people who benefit from the making of informed decisions. 

As a graduate you will emerge with an excellent, professional training in economics allied with advanced technical and quantitative skills that you can readily apply to a host of social science concepts and problems. This programme emphasises developments in modern economic and social theory and takes account of the growth of mathematical and statistical tools in the analysis of economic and social problems.

Your programme of study

An important feature of this programme is the rigorous grounding in mathematics and statistics in your first year, along with a good foundation in economics. There are also modules in study skills to equip you for university-level work, and practical information technology courses to enable you to use our excellent computer-based facilities.

You build on your first year with compulsory modules in Economics and Quantitative Methods. You are also introduced to econometrics – applying statistics to test and evaluate economic theories and policies. You pursue your own developing tastes and preferences by choosing an optional module from a list that includes Economic Development and Environmental Economics.

You can apply for a placement year during your second year and undertake a year-long placement during your third year. If you successfully secure a placement you will be moved on to the four-year BSc Mathematical Economics and Statistics with Placement Year degree.

In your third year you take a core course in advanced econometrics along with specialised areas of applied economics. Most of this third year, however, is taken up with optional modules, in which you can branch out into a totally new area of study or develop your second-year options in greater depth. In this year you also write an extended essay resulting from individual research.

As well as learning the detail of your subject, you will develop the all-round skills needed for a modern working world - critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and creativity. For many students this is a big transition but you can be reassured that right across campus support and help is available if you need it. University is a time for self-discovery and adventure - shape your own experience and discover who you are.

Birmingham Business School continues to climb the rankings for its Economics courses and is currently ranked 16th in the Complete University Guide (2024)

Experience a year abroad on this course

Polaroid photos of students on their year abroad

If you choose to study on this programme, you will be offered the exciting opportunity to study for an additional year at one of our highly regarded partner institutions across the world. This gives you the chance to continue to study a language you have already taken at GCSE or AS level, or even to start a new language. You may choose to study in countries where English is the spoken language, but some of our European partners also offer programmes in English.

If you take up this option, this international study will take place in your third year and you will then return to the UK for your fourth year to complete the final (3rd year) year of your programme. Find out more about the process

The number of places at each institution varies from year to year so you will need to be flexible about where you go, but remember there are many advantages of choosing to go to a country outside your comfort zone. A Year Abroad tutor within the Business School will provide you with support before and during your international study experience.

'I chose the BSc Mathematical Economics and Statistics programme because I wanted to study on a programme that could be practically and realistically applied in the real world. I’m very happy I chose this programme because it was perfect for that.'

Sohaib Ahmad, Mathematical Economics and Statistics BSc

Modules

Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2024.

First year

Core modules

Second year

Core modules

Optional modules

One module from the following list:

Final year

Core modules

Optional modules

If taking one of the above (Advanced Macroeconomics or Advanced Microeconomics), you will pick two modules from the optional module list below. If taking both, then one module is taken from the list. Optional modules include: 


Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Fees

Fees for students starting in 2024-2025

UK students

Full-time £9,250

International students

Full-time Band 2 £24,660

Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Scholarships

At Birmingham we ensure that fears about finance do not constrain prospective students from considering university and that excellence is rewarded.

The University offers a range of additional financial support for students studying at Birmingham in the form of bursaries, grants and scholarships.

Learn more about our scholarships and awards. 

How To Apply

Apply through the UCAS website using code LG13.

UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) is a UK organisation responsible for managing applications to university and college.

View further information on How to apply for undergraduate courses, including advice for UK and overseas applicants.

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
AAA
Required subjects and grades:
A level Mathematics grade A
General Studies:
Not accepted

 

BTEC Extended Diploma 

Only the following subjects can be considered: Business, Information Technology (Note that the above are not suitable for LG13 unless offering Maths at A Level.  Not suitable for language options unless also offering a modern language in an appropriate subject and at appropriate level).

BTEC Diploma 

Only the following subjects can be considered (in combination with 1 A Level): Business, Information Technology. 

BTEC Subsidiary Diploma 

Only the following subjects can be considered (in combination with 2 A Levels): Business, Information Technology.

T-Levels

Only the following subjects can be considered: Management and Administration; Accounting; Finance. 

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

International Baccalaureate Diploma: 6,6,6 at Higher Level with a minimum of 32 points overall.

Standard English language requirements apply.

Learn more about international entry requirements.

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

As part of the Birmingham Business School, you will be supported to achieve your best and that includes all aspect of your wellbeing. This includes making sure you have access to our extensive welfare services, mentoring programmes, student societies, including the Economics Society, and more. You will be part of a warm and extensive community in a vibrant city, building personal and professional relationships to last a lifetime.

How you will learn

In your first two years you will undertake courses in mathematics and statistics/econometrics, giving you the foundation to study advanced topics in economic theory and practice, and read more widely in economics and other social sciences. The programme’s compulsory courses are designed to provide you with a firm grounding in the main principles and techniques, leaving you free to build on these in accordance with your interests via a wide range of optional modules.

Our aim is to equip you with specific skills in economics, but also generic skills that can be applied right across the job spectrum, such as analytical and data analysis. You’ll be taught using a combination of lectures and tutorials with lecturers using innovative teaching techniques where possible.

At the end of this degree, you should have a good appreciation of economics relating to financial markets and institutions; quantitative techniques for empirical analysis of economic and financial data; accounting concepts relevant to financial market analysis; the legal aspects of financial services; and the history, culture, political structure and economy of the relevant European country, allied to a high level of linguistic skill.

How you will be assessed

Modules are assessed using a combination of exams, tests and coursework, the mix of which will be dependent upon the modules you select.

If you choose to take up a year abroad in your third year, it will be worth 120 credits, accounting for 12.5% of the final degree award. Assessment will be conducted by the host institution, and your marks will be translated and transferred to your programme.

Your personal tutor

From the moment you begin your studies, you’ll be allocated a personal tutor who is a member of the academic staff. He or she will take an interest in your general wellbeing and academic progress, meeting you on a regular basis either individually or in a small group throughout the year.

Contact hours

Undergraduate students can expect around 15 contact hours per week, depending on year of study and optional module choices made. The remainder of the working week consists of self-guided study based on degree programme content and requirements of specific modules.

Relationships for life

Your life at university isn’t just about study and work. Whilst your degree is at the heart of your time here, the relationships you build will last you a lifetime. Whether they are friends you live with in accommodation, from your course or from clubs, societies and activities, there is no shortage of opportunity to build your own community of like-minded people. Your journey through university is personal, but it will be made special by the people around you.

We have over 300 societies and clubs at Birmingham, from baking to skydiving, you can build on your existing passion or trying something brand new. We have a thriving Economics Society within the department that offers so much to our students, both professionally and personally. Choose to participate and get to know your fellow students. Choose to lead and challenge yourself in developing new skills. 

A place to call home

University is your next step on the road to independence and with at least three years ahead of you, it’s important that you choose a place that you can call home. At Birmingham the accommodation is on the doorstep of a stunning campus, which itself is within touching distance of a major, vibrant city centre, making this a truly unique place to live and study. If you choose to stay at home, you can ensure you are plugged in to campus life through the range of events and activities on offer to you.  You will join a large and diverse student community and our campus is constantly evolving with exceptional facilities, plenty of space to study and peaceful grounds to relax so that you can build your life here.

As for Birmingham itself, we are proud of our city. Our community is diverse and friendly, our people are down to earth, and as one of the original pioneering cities Birmingham has developed into a melting pot for shopping, food and drink, nightlife, sport, culture, and industry. Visit us and we know you will love it here.

As a graduate of Birmingham Business School and a Russell Group University, you are an attractive prospect to employers, of which there is an impressive pool within Birmingham itself: for example, ONS, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Bank of England, KPMG, Ernst and Young, etc. Economics also gives you a wealth of transferrable skills that will be desirable if you decide to go on to work in a different field: from strategic, logical thinking to clear communication. 

Ready for work

You understand just how competitive the graduate job market can be, and you will be looking for opportunities to ensure that you stand out from the crowd. In your first year alone the Birmingham Project gives you the opportunity to work with academics and leading employers from the world of business, industry and the arts to tackle a ‘real world’ challenge. As you shape your ambition throughout your time at university, or simply want to explore what your options might be, opportunities to undertake summer internships, gain work experience, work with an alumni mentor, take part in research projects and seek careers advice are all open to you. 

Careers Network

The University offers advice through our award-winning Careers Network. They have specialists who can advise you on what the possibilities are on graduating. Joining one of the Department’s student societies is also a good way of finding out about future careers. Local firms often sponsor events for our students (such as business games, seminars on interview techniques and how to write a CV, and, of course, more social events) so that they can get to know you and vice versa. This is a further indication of the attractiveness of our students to prospective employers. 

Visit the Careers Network website for more details

Exclusive to Birmingham - the Capgemini Challenge

Global consultancy firm Capgemini works exclusively with Birmingham Business School every year to create and deliver a second-to-none consultancy training experience that you won’t find at any other UK university. Our undergraduates have the opportunity to apply to take part in the unique Capgemini Community Challenge in their first or second year. This takes place over one week at Capgemini’s world-renowned client-solutions facilities, with students carrying out tangible solutions-based consultancy projects for actual third-sector clients. Participation will enhance your CV, professional development and work experience. It’s also an amazing opportunity to make a real difference to the charitable organisation you’re assigned to help.

Learn more about the challenge here