Economics, BA (Hons)

Teaching

Teaching is provided through lectures, practical classes and small-group supervisions.

In your first year you can usually expect 10 to 15 lectures each week.

Assessment

You’ll be assessed through formal written examinations at the end of each year and the compulsory dissertation in the third year.

Typically, you have one 3-hour exam for each paper covered that year.

In your first year:

• British Economic History paper is assessed through an exam paper and a project.

In your second year:

• Econometrics paper is assessed through a project
• History and Philosophy of Economics paper is assessed through essay work

You won't usually be able to resit any of your exams.

Year 1 (Part I)

You get an introduction to the subject, a common core of knowledge which can subsequently be extended.

You take 5 compulsory papers:

• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Quantitative Methods in Economics, an introduction to the use of mathematical and statistical techniques in economics
• Political and Social Aspects of Economics
• British Economic History

These papers cover topics such as:

• supply and demand
• the role of prices and markets
• employment
• inflation
• the operation of financial institutions
• monetary policy

Year 2 (Part IIA)

You take 3 compulsory papers:

• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Theory and Practice of Econometrics I

You also take one optional paper, chosen from:

• International Trade and Development
• Mathematics and Statistics for Economists
• Labour
• Modern Societies
• The Modern State and its Alternatives
• International Conflict, Order and Justice
• History and Philosophy of Economics, also available as an optional paper in the third year
• World Depression in the Interwar Years

Through these papers you:

• acquire a knowledge and understanding of a range of key topics and analytical techniques in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory
• develop knowledge of key econometric techniques
• learn the IT skills needed to undertake a project in applied econometrics

Year 3 (Part IIB)

You take 2 compulsory papers:

• Microeconomic Principles and Problems
• Macroeconomic Principles and Problems

You also take 2 optional papers and write a compulsory dissertation of 7,500 words.

Optional papers can vary from year to year. Recent examples include:

• Economic Theory and Analysis
• Political Economics
• Banking and Finance
• Public Economics
• The Economics of Developing Countries
• Industry
• Theory and Practice of Econometrics II
• Global Capitalism
• International Trade and Development
• History and Philosophy of Economics, also available as an optional paper in the second year
• World Depression in the Interwar Years

For further information about this course and the papers you can take see the Faculty of Economics website.

Changing course

It’s really important to think carefully about which course you want to study before you apply. 

In rare cases, it may be possible to change course once you’ve joined the University. You will usually have to get agreement from your College and the relevant departments. It’s not guaranteed that your course change will be approved.

You might also have to:

• take part in an interview
• complete an admissions test
• produce some written work
• achieve a particular grade in your current studies
• do some catch-up work
• start your new course from the beginning 

For more information visit the Faculty website.

You can also apply to change to:

• Management Studies at the Judge Business School

You can't apply to this course until you're at Cambridge. You would usually apply when you have completed 1 year or more of your original Cambridge course.

You should contact your College’s Admissions Office if you’re thinking of changing your course. They will be able to give you advice and explain how changing courses works.