Postgraduate students in Highfields House postgraduate centre

Politics and Economics BA

University Park Campus, Nottingham, UK

Course overview

Are you curious about understanding the relationship between politics and economics? Are you interested in how political systems shape the economic decisions that affect our daily lives? 
  
On our BA Politics and Economics degree, you'll delve into the world of global and comparative politics and learn about the micro and macroeconomic principles that underpin our economic society. You'll gain an understanding of the choices we make as individuals, as well as the decisions that are made by governments on our behalf. You'll explore the complex political and economic processes that impact us on a local, national, and global scale. 
  
You can tailor your studies to your career aspirations with our optional modules. Whether you're interested in international trade, global security, or any other area, we provide you with the opportunity to specialise and follow your career interests. 
  
Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in the private, public, and charitable sectors. Whether you're interested in working as a parliamentary assistant, councillor, civil servant, researcher, or data analyst, our course can help you achieve your career goals. Our alumni have secured jobs at top organisations such as AON, the BBC, Citibank, Civil Service, House of Commons, and Unison. 

 

Indicative modules

Mandatory

Year 1

Foundations of Economics

Mandatory

Year 1

Introduction to Comparative Politics

Mandatory

Year 1

Problems in Global Politics

Mandatory

Year 1

Understanding Global Politics

Optional

Year 1

Current Economic Issues

Optional

Year 1

Mathematical Economics and Econometrics

Optional

Year 1

Mathematical Economics and Statistical Methods

Optional

Year 1

Quantitative Economics

Optional

Year 1

Quantitative Methods

Mandatory

Year 2

Principles of Macroeconomics

Mandatory

Year 2

Principles of Microeconomics

Optional

Year 2

Applied Econometrics I

Optional

Year 2

British Party Politics

Optional

Year 2

Democracy and its Critics

Optional

Year 2

Development Economics

Optional

Year 2

Econometric Theory I

Optional

Year 2

Econometric Theory II

Optional

Year 2

Environmental and Resource Economics

Optional

Year 2

Experiencing National Identity

Optional

Year 2

Experimental and Behavioural Economics

Optional

Year 2

Financial Economics

Optional

Year 2

Global Security

Optional

Year 2

How Voters Decide

Optional

Year 2

Industrial Economics

Optional

Year 2

International Political Economy and Global Development

Optional

Year 2

International Politics in the 20th Century

Optional

Year 2

International Trade

Optional

Year 2

Labour Economics

Optional

Year 2

Monetary Economics

Optional

Year 2

Political Economy

Optional

Year 2

Politics and Public Policy in China

Optional

Year 2

Public Sector Economics

Optional

Year 2

Social and Global Justice

Optional

Year 2

The Transformation of European Politics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Development Economics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Econometric Theory

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Experimental and Behavioural Economics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Financial Economics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Industrial Economics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced International Trade I

Optional

Year 3

Advanced International Trade II

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Labour Economics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Macroeconomics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Mathematical Economics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Microeconomics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Microeconometric Methods

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Monetary Economics

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Political Economy

Optional

Year 3

Advanced Public Economics

Optional

Year 3

African Politics

Optional

Year 3

China in Global Politics

Optional

Year 3

Dissertation

Optional

Year 3

Economic Policy Analysis I and II

Optional

Year 3

Economic Policy Analysis II

Optional

Year 3

Ideas and Politics in Contemporary Britain

Optional

Year 3

Inside Out: The UK and the EU

Optional

Year 3

International Money and Macroeconomics

Optional

Year 3

Left and Right in Contemporary Politics

Optional

Year 3

The Middle East and the World

Optional

Year 3

Numerical Methods in Economics

Optional

Year 3

Political Parties and Party Systems Around the Globe

Optional

Year 3

Political Violence

Optional

Year 3

Politics Placement

Optional

Year 3

Race and Politics

Optional

Year 3

Responding to Extremism: Politics, Power, and Ethics

Optional

Year 3

Secret Intelligence and International Security

Optional

Year 3

Special Relationship? Anglo-American Security Relations

Optional

Year 3

The EU as a Global Power

Optional

Year 3

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Morality of Capitalism

Optional

Year 3

The Politics of Ethnic Conflict

Optional

Year 3

The Politics of Human Rights

Optional

Year 3

The Politics of Inequality

Optional

Year 3

The Russo-Ukranian War

Optional

Year 3

The Struggle for Democracy

Optional

Year 3

Theories of the Modern State

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About modules

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. This content was last updated on Thursday 25 July 2024. Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.

Politics

Teaching is primarily by lecture and seminar. In lectures, all students taking the module are introduced to a topic. In seminars, students are split into smaller groups to discuss prepared work. 
  
This means that one hour you might be sitting in a big lecture hall listening to a lecture; the next, you could be in a small group trying to work out the meaning of a key political text or tract. In seminars, we also utilise individual and group presentations, films, role-plays and simulations. 
  
As part of our commitment to research-led teaching excellence, we make widespread use of internet-based teaching strategies to complement lectures and seminars. These may be core texts, chapters, articles, video clips or visual materials such as propaganda posters and election manifestoes. This approach will enable you to develop crucial IT skills as you learn the discipline of politics. 

Economics

Most teaching is delivered through lectures, tutorials, seminars and computer laboratory classes. 
  
We aim to provide a learning environment that will enrich your life and live up to the ideal of a global education. You will engage directly in our common pursuit of cutting-edge, policy relevant and curiosity-driven research. 
 
Economists study the world around them by applying both mathematical and statistical methods. You will be required to learn both to ensure you have the most up to date skills. In year one, our courses offer a choice of quantitative pathways, which differ in their level of mathematical difficulty (for example, there is a separate stream for students without maths A level), but by year two all three streams come together since students will have been brought to the same level of mathematical skill required. 

Teaching methods

  • Computer labs
  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Tutorials
  • Workshops

Politics

We present you with a variety of different challenges and types of assessment, including exams, essays, verbal presentations and projects. Each unit is assessed separately, meaning there are no daunting final exams at the end of your degree. 
  
You will be given a copy of our marking criteria which provides guidance on how your work is marked. Your work will be marked in a timely manner, and you will receive feedback on the tasks you are given. 

Economics

During each semester you will be examined on the modules you have taken. Modules typically have exam-based assessment at the end of the semester (or year), and some have seminar or essay-based elements, including group work.

Assessment methods

  • Coursework
  • Dissertation
  • Essay
  • Examinations
  • Presentation
  • Project work

Students must take 120 credits in a year, which are typically spread across semester and year-long modules. Each 20 credits of modules assume roughly 200 hours of taught and independent study. In your first year, taught study will include a mix of lectures, small-group seminars, and lecture engagement sessions.

At Nottingham, you will acquire a strong academic foundation and a range of excellent transferable skills, such as the ability to study independently and communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.

You will leave us with specialist knowledge of international issues and political systems that will enhance your global career prospects. You will also have the capacity to grasp complicated economic concepts, whether they are mathematical or philosophical in nature.

Graduate destinations

Our graduates develop careers across the private, public and charitable sectors. Private sector destinations include print and television journalism, broadcasting, television and film production, advertising, marketing and personnel as well as the commercial and financial sectors. Some go into party politics as parliamentary assistants, councillors in local government and even MPs; others work for the civil service and in research and data analysis.

Third-sector careers include working for non-governmental organisations, charities and development agencies. Some graduates opt for further study or take vocational qualifications in postgraduate law or teaching.

Recent graduates have go on to work at organisations such as AON, the BBC, Citibank, Civil Service, House of Commons, Liberal Democrats, Perrett Laver, Policy Exchange and Unison.

Average starting salary and career progression

85.70% of undergraduates from the Faculty of Social Sciences secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £29,197.

HESA Graduate Outcomes (2017-2021 cohorts). The Graduate Outcomes % is calculated using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.

Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.

Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.

Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students.

The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in 2013-2020, High Fliers Research).

University undergraduates studying in the Monica Partridge building. Friday November 5th 2021.Sara Bintey Kabir (yellow top)and Zoe Markham-Lee (ponytail).

The course is unique in that it provides you an opportunity to improve your mathematical skills, whilst also gaining a much greater perspective of the world than you would do on pure politics or economics courses.

Briony Tilsley

BA Politics and Economics

Course data

Open Day June 2022