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BSc (Hons) Business Economics

Shape the ever-evolving business landscape with an understanding of the economic decisions that companies must make. Hone your ability to examine the economic and social context in which these choices are made.

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Typical offer: 112–120
Entry requirements
Fees: £9,250 per year (UK)
Full details
UCAS code: L112
Course length: Various
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Location:
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
Institute code: H36
Work placement option
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Study abroad option
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Economics Scholarship
£2,000 scholarship available with the ‘Economics’ scholarship.

100% satisfaction for academic support (NSS, 2024, based on the average of Q15-16)

1st in the UK for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide, 2024)

8th in the UK for Economics (Guardian University Guide, 2023)

Economics at Herts

Course overview

The future will be shaped by educated economists who can look at problems, come up with workable answers, and adapt to our fast-paced, always-changing world, which is driven by big data and AI.

Every choice we make affects our lives and the world around us. Our highly regarded course examines the impact of these choices in detail.

Discover the information and ideas you need to use microeconomics and macroeconomics in a variety of business settings.

Learn to think like an economist, rationally, carefully, and analytically. Embrace the opportunity to apply your new skills in areas that really interest you, like the environment, protection, or technology.

Delve into economics, accounting, and management, and then use what you've learned to explore the challenges business leaders are dealing with today.

Explore a wide range of modern problems that people, groups, and governments face, and discuss possible solutions.

Conversations about the real-world effects of mainstream and non-mainstream economic ideas will make you think. Learn both the popular ideas and alternative ways of doing things.

Be empowered to think critically and independently, questioning established ideas and your own thought processes.

“My 2nd and 3rd years of my Herts Economics course is where I really began to love the subject - and there were some great lecturers who covered fascinating topics. I thoroughly enjoyed expanding my knowledge into Microeconomics, as well as delving into relatively new concepts such as Game Theory and Econometrics” (Henry Finbow, 2017).

*based on an average of questions 1-25 of the NSS survey 2023.

Why choose this course?

This is a student-centred course, as shown by our high NSS rankings and the fact that external examiners and students always have good things to say about it.

Take advantage of our large network of business partners, successful alumni, and professional ties. Use our partnerships to learn from the views and stories of people who are widely respected in the field.

Hear from former students who are now in government, running their own businesses, or working as creative academic economists in search of knowledge.

Make the most of your time before you graduate by taking part in a range of extracurricular activities that will help you build your network and improve your skills.

You can enter our yearly 'Flare Ignite' competition for people who want to start their own businesses, take part in the national University Business Challenge, or join our prestigious Enactus society, which works on projects that help people and the environment.

We are proud to be a welcoming and helpful institution, and our community team is here to help you overcome any problems you may face in your studies or daily life.

Your future career

People well versed in economics are in high demand in business, and our up-to-date course can help you get into several related fields. You will improve all your skills, so you can follow your passions in areas like protecting the environment, technology, or sustainability.

Possible roles of employment include:

Business economist
Risk manager
Underwriter
Investment banker
Sustainability consultant
Financial consultant

Our graduates have gone on to prominent positions in both the public and private sectors, including at HM Treasury, the Bank of England, Western Union, Sky, Mercer & Hole, PWC, Content Guru, the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR), and Anglian Water.

This challenging course will help you develop the economic and business sense you need to be commercially successful. It will also help you improve your analytical and practical business skills.

You'll be prepared for success, with a myriad of opportunities to boost your CV and work readiness.

See what recent graduates are up to

What you'll study

“I really valued the wide range of optional modules to choose from on the course, which allowed me to explore different avenues in the first two years, and then cater the course to my specific interests and competencies in final year ” (C.Godding, 2021).

Learn economics through a combination of modern heterodox and more classic approaches, giving you the tools to apply economic ideas to a wide variety of real-world problems.

You’ll study four subjects each semester, with a minimum of eight hours of in person teaching per week. As an independent learner, you will access online content with recommended books, videos, and podcasts to help you.

Module leaders offer weekly drop-ins and feedback, and you will work together with your classmates on tasks and group assignments.

In your first year, study introductory modules on microeconomics, macroeconomics, and essential quantitative skills.

In your second year, deepen your knowledge further by studying techniques of economic analysis and econometrics. You also have the option to apply your learning and experience in professional life on work placement.

In your final year, study contemporary economic issues and performance and focus on key interest areas with a variety of optional modules such as game theory, political economy of climate change and anatomy of financial crises.

Enrich your personal development through internships, placements, study abroad and our Future Success networking events.

Assessments are via essays, work based reports and group presentations, which gives you a head-start in developing the practical skills needed for your career.

Level 4

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Introduction to Microeconomics	15 Credits	Compulsory
Microeconomics is concerned with the behaviour of individual firms, markets and consumers in their economic activity. Microeconomics considers choice-making within the context of a market mechanism. The module covers the nature of markets including the determinants of demand and supply and the competitive environment within industries. The role of the government in intervening in markets is also considered.
Introduction to Macroeconomics	15 Credits	Compulsory
The module aims to provide students with an introductory grounding in the principles and concepts of macroeconomic analysis, including consideration of: unemployment; inflation; money; banking; government policies in terms of taxes and interest rates, for example; and international trade. Indicative content: - Basic macroeconomic models - income - expenditure approach - Theories of consumption and savings - Aggregate demand and aggregate supply - Unemployment - Inflation - Money and banking - Fiscal and monetary policies - Introduction to open-economy macroeconomics
Economy and Society	15 Credits	Compulsory
This engaging contextual module showcases the scope and power of economics in understanding many of the key issues which face society. It explores globalisation, economic development and the onward march of the market in societies such as the UK and elsewhere. The module also considers the limits of the market and economic analysis itself, in considering some ethical and moral issues in contemporary business and the economy. The module will appeal to economics and non-economics students in considering the value of economics in tackling some of the big issues facing modern economies and societies, thus providing valuable context for the theory they will learn elsewhere. Topics will include: A brief economic history of the world economy Globalisation Important economic institutions, e.g. government, the legal system, WTO The market in modern society The limits of the market Financial crisis Can economics explain everything? Ethical considerations environment, social responsibility.
Principles of Finance	30 Credits	Compulsory
The module provides a basic underpinning and introduction to financial markets, financial management and accounting. The need for capital by organisations is explored and the different sources of available finance are examined along with the requirement for financial reporting. Structures of financial statements are explained in order for students to be able to analyse the financial health of the business. Commonly used analytical techniques in finance are introduced to enable students to make recommendations regarding a business decision. Topics may include: The growth and nature of financial markets and institutions The nature of financial instruments Differences between financial accounting, management accounting and financial management Structure and interpretation of financial statements The difference between profit and cash Budgeting and planning Sources of finance Investment appraisal techniques Working capital management Business objectives, value and agency issues.
Foundations of Economic Analysis	30 Credits	Compulsory
The module presents some of the founding principles of economics and provides students with a series of academic skills and study strategies which will underpin their subsequent studies. The module is composed of several themes which will include communication, analytical thinking, critical evaluation, research methods, IT-literacy and numeracy. These will allow students to effectively match problem-solving techniques to different scenarios. The module selects a series of issues that are pertinent to the economist, the economics profession and economics practice.
Quantitative Methods in Economics	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module is an introduction to important statistical techniques that are used in economics. The module typically covers statistical sampling, measures of location and dispersion, presentation of statistical data, basics of probability theory, probability distributions, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing.
Help Build Success in Economics	0 Credits	Compulsory
This module will support students as they transition onto their undergraduate degree. It will encourage students to articulate their individual learning requirements, so we can signpost opportunities for personal, professional and peer support. This module will nurture their personal skills in resilience, self-care, and time management to secure their wellbeing. It will introduce students to a wide range of academic skills to enable them to succeed, ensuring they are aware of the regulations and relevant policies and procedures in support of their learning and success.

Level 5

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Techniques of Economic Analysis	15 Credits	Optional
Economic analysis in practice inevitably entails the identification, collection, interpretation and processing of empirical evidence in various forms. This module will, first of all, introduce students to a range of essential quantitative techniques for economic analysis, such as solving simultaneous equation systems, differentiation, optimisation, and solving growth, discounting and data envelopment analysis problems. The quantitative prerequisites are limited to simple algebra and basic statistics. The module will then enable students to apply relevant techniques to the study of a range of economic issues concerning firms, markets and the macroeconomy using real-world datasets.
Management Accounting for Business Decisions	15 Credits	Optional
The module is aimed at prospective managers to enable them to understand the benefits and potential pitfalls of using management accounting information when making managerial decisions.
International Trade and the Open Economy	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module builds on the foundation provided by the Level 5 macroeconomics module, which develops macroeconomic tools of analysis in the context of a closed economy. These analytical tools and approaches, such as the IS-LM-BP model and the AS-AD framework, are further developed and employed to explain the international economy and growth. The module also provides an insight into some of the principal models that have been devised to explain macroeconomic events in an open economy and to predict the consequences of certain actions by economic agents. Finally, the module evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the various models constructed to explain international trade and the development of an open economy.
Consumers, Firms and Markets	15 Credits	Compulsory
The modern capitalist economy can be viewed as an enormous collection of consumers and firms who engage in markets. How effective these markets are and what it means for society will, in large part, depend upon how consumers and firms actually behave. This module explores this behaviour, employing both standard economic analysis, i.e. how rational agents make decisions, as well as alternative approaches which acknowledge limits on rationality while also proposing more realistic psychology. The impact upon decision-making is further considered. The success of the economy is reliant upon the efficiency of the markets within it. This crucial economic aspect will be explored for the different types of market structures. Further, the causes and consequences of market failures will also be addressed.
Labour Economics	15 Credits	Optional
This course will analyse topics of behaviour and outcomes in labour markets and other related markets. We will discuss the way in which labour markets are organised and what implications this has for individual outcomes. We begin by considering the behaviour of firms (labour demand) and workers (supply) and evaluate the concept of labour market equilibrium. We continue with a variety of topics including, inter alia, education and skills, labour mobility and segmentation, information approaches to recruitment and selection, incentive design, gender and racial discrimination, and unemployment (search and matching). The main analytical tools will be theoretical but we will also make use of real-world policy examples and applied techniques. This module will complement L5 microeconomics; basic competence in algebra and introductory econometrics will be developed, as required, within the module.
Business Finance	15 Credits	Optional
The module will introduce students to the main theory and practice of the financing of companies, the allocation and management of financial resources within a company and the rewarding of the providers of a company's financing. Specific topics covered include: the financial environment; sources of business finance; capital budgeting; cost of capital and capital structure; dividend policy; investment risk, portfolio theory and the capital asset pricing model; valuation of assets, shares and companies; mergers and acquisitions.
Skills for Economists	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module aims to develop and enhance the student skill set with an appropriate focus on academic, employability and research skills which will equip students both for continuing study and for future employment in a range of posts. It will harness and develop these skills in the context of key economic issues thus offering tangible application. It will build on skills introduced and developed in L4, particularly the Economics Professional. The following will be covered: The scope and method of the economist. The key academic skills. Employability skills and the graduate labour market. Developing and articulating the skills set and planning your personal development. Research skills for economists.
History of Economic Thought	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module aims to chart out key figures and ideas from the history of economic thought from before Adam Smith to the current time. The variety of economic ideas and opinions is evident in much current debate, which itself is often revisiting the events of the past where famous economists like Smith and Ricardo in the 18th and 19th centuries and Keynes and Friedman in the 20th centuries attempted to grapple with the key issues facing them and their economic environment. For example, how to deal with financial crises and depressions are problems which have stimulated much debate in the past as well as in the current day. Economic thought has a rich history to explore and much insight to offer. The dominant thinking before Adam Smith is considered, along with Malthus, Marx and Mill. Early economists who made their mark in the early twentieth century like Marshall, Veblen and Schumpeter are also discussed. The different schools of thought that have emerged in economics and their methodological character are explored.
Macroeconomics	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module builds on the foundation provided by the first-year module Introduction to Macroeconomics to examine macroeconomic issues on a more rigorous basis. It introduces and develops analytical apparatuses such as the IS-LM model and the AS-AD framework that are employed in the macro analysis. It also provides an insight into some of the principal models that have been devised to explain macroeconomic events and to predict the consequences of certain actions by economic agents. Finally, the module evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the various models in relation to macroeconomic developments that are necessary to understand the financial world.
Business Economics Techniques	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module examines how economic concepts, tools and techniques can be usefully applied to the analysis of business problems and issues, thus enabling effective business decision-making. Organisations ultimately survive according to the demand for their product or service, so estimating this is an essential prerequisite for other decisions such as those concerning investment. This module will explore what techniques and concepts the economist can apply in these and other important business scenarios. The following issues, inter alia, may be covered: The scope and method of business economics Competition in the industry Tools and techniques of the business economist Demand estimation Investment appraisal Cost-benefit analysis
Business Analytics	15 Credits	Optional
The explosion of high-quality data has provided organisations with opportunities to make data-driven decisions. This has increased the interest in the use of analytics and businesses are now looking for those with analytical skills to understand, analyse and draw insights from the data. The aim of this module is to equip students with analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to assist business decision-making.
Business Operations	15 Credits	Optional
This module is designed to provide a solid understanding of business operations methods. Students will gain experience together with knowledge of techniques and tools to support decisions made within the context of business operations in a contemporary environment.
Marketing Insights, Analysis and Planning	15 Credits	Optional
The ability to identify, analyse and interpret data from a variety of sources will enable students to gain a greater understanding of how marketing decisions are made and how marketing plans are developed to maximise identified market opportunities. This module will support students seeking to gain a career in marketing planning, customer and market analysis, and marketing management.
Innovation and Business Model Design	15 Credits	Optional
Students will develop an understanding of innovation, entrepreneurship and value creation through effective business model design. It allows students to foster their creativity and enhance their entrepreneurial mindset by considering a variety of problems and or opportunities across different business contexts. Students generate and validate a viable commercial or social proposal/project by developing evidenced arguments, drawing on research (including numeracy and data analysis skills), and industry insights. Elements of financial analysis will be utilised to support the business model design as part of the proposal, in order to demonstrate feasibility and economic sustainability. The module provides students with opportunities to expand their professional network through participation in real world initiatives (e.g. Business Incubators, local community and extra-curricular University activities).

Level 6

Module	Credits	Compulsory/optional
Anatomy of Financial Crises	15 Credits	Optional
This module provides an opportunity to explore the major financial crises that have taken place across the globe since the early 20th century. It aims to reconstruct some of the financial theories on the basis of the empirical evidence as opposed to 'the theory first application later' approach.
Dissertation - Economics	30 Credits	Optional
The dissertation offers the opportunity to undertake an individual piece of work that is designed to develop research skills relevant to a specific area of study. Students will be allocated an academic supervisor who will meet with students on a regular basis. On completion of the research, students will be required to produce a dissertation of 6,000 words. The dissertation will be assessed using the Business School dissertation criteria that cover the management of the dissertation, the methodology used, the intellectual quality and originality, and the structure and coherence of the report.
International Production and Governance	15 Credits	Optional
This module explores key changes in the global economy by examining recent trends in international trade, production, investment and labour. Theories of international production are examined alongside the competitive strategies of large transnational firms. There is a focus on the changing patterns of governance with regards to different varieties of capitalism and the relationship between different levels of governance; the global, the national and the local. The module emphasises the way in which both academic and business literature offer competing interpretations of the nature of these changing trends, their outcomes and their implications for policy. The module explores a wide range of current issues, moving beyond some of the standard economic concerns, to consider the sustainability and ethics of some economic approaches. Wider societal impacts are also considered by highlighting socioeconomic imbalances, the impact of migration and exploring health outcomes under different political economy models. The informal economy is addressed, particularly within an economic treatment of sex work and the sex industry.
Employment Relations	15 Credits	Optional
The module encourages students to critically evaluate different theories and perspectives on employment relations. It also equips students to be able to practically undertake important aspects of the employment relationship such as bargaining and conflict resolution. The module considers the roles of the key actors in employment relations: management, trade unions and the State. The module evaluates different employment relations approaches and the design and application of processes, policies and procedures in areas such as: discipline and grievance, dismissal, collective bargaining, individual and collective negotiation, employee engagement, conflict and industrial sanctions, conciliation, mediation and arbitration and diversity management. The module also focuses on the impact of legislation, both European and domestic, on employment relations.
International Human Resource Management	15 Credits	Optional
The module provides contemporary, applied and critical insights into the management of people across borders and in multinational corporations (MNCs). The HR implications of managing international assignments are investigated, and in-depth exposition provided of HR contexts and features in major global regions. The module specialises in HRM and International Business and is relevant students studying HRM or general business programmes and for those students working/planning to work in an international environment. Module contents include; Analysis of the differences between National and International environment. Examine structures and strategies of MNC's including ethical issues impinging upon international business in the field of employment. Considering the management of the expatriation cycle-recruitment, training, pay, performance management and repatriation. Analysis of industrial relations, structures/systems for employee participation in North America, Europe and Australasia and major. Exploration of political and economic environments and the major features of HR/ employment practices in North America, Europe, Australasia and developing countries.
Forecasting Methods for Managers	15 Credits	Optional
The process of making decisions in organisations is based, in most cases, on future values of many variables. Therefore, it is vital that these future values are predicted in the most accurate possible ways. This module introduces students to a variety of forecasting techniques used to predict future values. Much of the module will be devoted to the use of software, especially spreadsheets, to calculate forecasts and their associated errors. A particular emphasis will be on the pitfalls associated with the application of different forecasting techniques. The module includes the following: the purpose of business forecasting; data collection and review; measuring the accuracy of forecasts; a range of methods presented for dealing with stationary time series, trend, seasonality and multi-variate models; demographics; communication of results to a business audience. Students will use a calculator and a computer to calculate forecasts and related error measures and statistics.
Creative Problem Solving for Managers	15 Credits	Optional
This module is very practical and hands-on. It is aimed at students intending to become an effective manager, consultant or business analyst. The really important problems and crucial decisions faced by professionals in their work are often complex and ill-defined. They are known as wicked problems or messes. Problem-structuring (or soft systems) methods have been developed to help us cope in these challenging, unstructured situations. Often much of the difficulty is due to people's differing perspectives, the worrying uncertainties or the multiple interacting and dynamic factors. Imaginative approaches are needed to rigorously analyse messy, qualitative issues. Problem-structuring methods take a holistic view and are highly effective. The three methodologies selected are: SODA Soft Systems Methodology System Dynamics With the right expertise and a suitable toolkit of methods, the manager or consultant can choose appropriate techniques, and creatively combine and tailor them to tackle any problem with confidence.
Social Networking and Enterprise	15 Credits	Optional
Social networking is a rapidly growing phenomenon, and it is one of the most influential media in web technology today. Hundreds of companies globally use social media to gain credibility, foster employee relationships, build a forum for communication with customers and, often, to boost sales. Businesses receive inquiries directly from consumers and other businesses without advertising, which results in lower costs and higher conversion rates. Therefore, this module explores insights of the social networking sites and opportunities they present for organisations.
Money, Banking and Finance	15 Credits	Optional
The financial sector is vital to all economies. It is a major and successful part of the UK economy. This module provides the techniques and concepts to analyse and understand this sector. The major theoretical underpinnings of the financial sector are explored. Thus, the module considers portfolio theory, the term structure of interest rates, demand and supply of money, monetary policy, exchange rate systems, insurance markets and the efficient markets hypothesis.
Contemporary Issues in Economics	15 Credits	Optional
This module aims to enhance students' understanding of different theoretical frameworks and research methodologies in order for them to develop their understanding of how knowledge is created and developed in the area of economics. Students will then study selected key contemporary issues from an economic perspective. The exact topics will, by definition, change depending on the issues of the day, but, in all cases, students will be able to see the benefit of using appropriate tools of economic analysis. Issues will be evaluated on the basis of the quality of the economic explanation offered, both in terms of theory and evidence. In this way, students can appreciate how theory can be effectively translated into real policy action.
Industry Practice for Economic Professionals	15 Credits	Optional
In this module, students will assess, develop and evaluate their employability skills through work-based learning. Students will use the professional framework relevant to their specialism to demonstrate competencies. Through their work, students will have opportunities to apply and critically evaluate academic theories and current business school research. Work-based learning opportunities include placement, part-time work, internship, project work and involvement in research or volunteering.
Corporate Financial Strategy	15 Credits	Optional
This single semester module is designed to provide an insight into the area of financial strategy. The module will begin by examining the life cycle and the various sources of funding available at each stage and will move on to an analysis of major business changes, e.g. restructuring, mergers/acquisitions. The module will enable students to build on their business analysis and reporting writing skills, and the knowledge gained about business should significantly enhance their employability.
Behavioural Finance	15 Credits	Optional
The module will typically cover: An introduction to Behavioural Finance. Comparisons between behavioural and traditional finance. Key developments in Behavioural Finance. Heuristics and framing. Reasons for using heuristics for decision-making and associated problems. Prospect theory. An introduction to key decision-making variables such as the differential treatment of losses and gains, reference points and loss aversion. Disposition effect. A review of empirical evidence related to the disposition effect in trading behaviour and its implications. Overconfidence and other behavioural biases. Emotion and market bubbles. Exploration of how the subtle and complex way people's feelings affect their investment decisions and how markets periodically break down. Familiarity bias, herding and trust. The role of social influences in finance and investor behaviour. Experimental economics/finance. A discussion of the basic methods and challenges of experimental finance, and its close connection to research in behavioural finance.
Public Finance	15 Credits	Optional
The economics of public finance deals with some fundamental current economic issues. The module focuses on present-day debates on the subject of the provision of public goods and the role of the government in the economy. It provides a review of the principal theories of the effective provision of social services, the welfare state, social security, national debt and the pricing of public and merit goods. Opinions on these topics and the impact of government economic activities on the allocation of resources and on the distribution of income are divided and are a gulf apart. This module will offer students a deep understanding of public finance and the budgetary process, and the implications of government borrowing and expenditures on the economy. Students during the course of this module will discover the importance of the public sector in the economy. They will learn to recognize the part played by the public sector in the global financial crisis and the changes that globalization has brought in, raising tax revenue, due to global tax competition and mobility.
Economics of Strategy	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module aims to explore the contribution of economics to organisational strategy and decision-making. A rich and wide-ranging economics literature will be explored, including organisation theory, the economics of information, agency, and the economics of the firm (including Coasian, transaction cost, behavioural and managerial approaches). Students will evaluate a range of economic approaches to the governance and operation of firms and markets.
Industrial Organisation	15 Credits	Compulsory
This module develops the ability to use the tools of modern microeconomic analysis, taught in level 5, to examine the strategic interactions and the performance of firms in industrial and commercial markets. In particular, the module provides the students with a working knowledge of the current thinking in Industrial Organisation and prepares students who wish to embark on research in this field, or to pursue careers in business, consultancy and government. The module has a special emphasis on imperfectly competitive markets and it will be covering, in particular, various aspects of monopolistic competition and oligopolistic industries, including: price and quantity competition; collusion and cartel stability; entry deterrence and predation; product differentiation; and vertical relationships. Recent developments in industrial organisation and competition policy are incorporated into the material, including current cases.
HBS Placement	0 Credits	Compulsory
This activity is self-directed by the student and carries no credits. Students will be supported by the Professional Experience Module Leader, Professional Experience Visit Co-ordinator, an Academic Mentor and the Centre for Academic Skills Enhancement (CASE). Successful completion of the Professional Experience Module leads to the appropriate suffix on students degree title stated on the programme specifications. Student are required to complete at least 30 weeks of full-time equivalent (at least 35 hours per week) placement activity.
Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity	15 Credits	Optional
Students first gain insights into the role and importance of entrepreneurs and the traits, attitudes, and skills they possess. A wide range of theoretical models and frameworks will be considered, evaluated and critiqued. They then learn about the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation for organisations to continue to prosper, to remain competitive and for economic growth. Students will consider what drives innovation, including creativity, evolving human needs, technology, and changes in the competitive and macro environments. Students will creatively explore how to develop products and services, including planning how to turn an innovative idea into commercial/social reality.
Work Placement (AB)	0 Credits	Optional

Work Placement (A)	0 Credits	Optional

Work Placement (B)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Asia (AB)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Asia (A)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Asia (B)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Africa (AB)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Africa (A)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Africa (B)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Australia (AB)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Australia (A)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Australia (B)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Europe (AB)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Europe (A)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Europe (B)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad North America (AB)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad North America (A)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad North America (B)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Latin America (AB)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Latin America (A)	0 Credits	Optional

Placement Study Abroad Latin America (B)	0 Credits	Optional

Undergraduate Research Skills and Preparation	0 Credits	Optional
This non-credit bearing module of study is designed to provide students with sufficient research practice knowledge within business studies. The purpose is to facilitate a broad understanding which can then be applied to conduct an independent research project (assessed under a different programme-specific module). Key themes covered by the module include: The research process. Formulating a research project (including theoretical underpinning). Ethics considerations. Research methods. Critical skills for conducting a research project. Writing up an undergraduate research project.
Political Economy of Climate Change	15 Credits	Optional
This module explores the challenge of climate change from a political economy perspective. It provides an opportunity to assess the causes and consequences of climate change and evaluate potential solutions, utilising appropriate economic analysis. Climate change is the biggest challenge of the 21st century. It affects ecosystems, resources and livelihoods and threatens future sustainability of all living organisms. It is recognised that economics has a crucial role to play in meeting this challenge and this module will critically apply the requisite knowledge and skills to evaluate these issues. Topics may include: Introduction to climate change Capitalist development and anthropocene Mitigation vs adaptation Sectoral manifestations of Climate Change Conflicts and uneven impacts of Climate Change Which political economy? Power in the context of climate change Climate change and the commons Sustainable growth, green growth and degrowth Markets (incentives and pricing) vs state / private vs public

What if I need support?

You'll benefit from an academic support team, wellbeing team and a personal tutor to help you adjust to the demands of university learning and living.

Additional support is available from our Student Success team focused on inclusive learning and our dedicated Future Success network who will help you with work experience, placements and graduate jobs.

You can also join and reach out to the Business School Student Voice community, a team of student representatives who regularly meet with staff to provide feedback and ensure teaching remains effective.

Our in-house Centre for Academic Skills Enhancement (CASE) is open to all Business School students, for extra support with academic writing, numeracy and referencing.

Optional sandwich year

At the end of your second year, you have the option to experience a year of working life with a placement, or a shorter internship, a huge CV booster!

Professional work experience is the biggest contributor to your future employability. It allows you to put your knowledge into action while learning how a business operates and making some handy professional connections.

We'll help you make the most of the experience, holding your hand from start to finish. You also get assistance with your CV, plus help preparing for interviews and presentations, at our groundbreaking mock Assessment Centre Experience.

A work placement is a fantastic opportunity to build your professional network. “We employed an economics undergraduate on a one year placement, he has proven to be a good communicator and analyst and performed all tasks at a high standard” (ENGIE, 2020).

Find out more about work placements

You can take a sandwich year abroad, making that decision in your second year. Studying at one of our international partners is a huge personal development opportunity and an amazing experience.

More and more companies are now working internationally, the experience of living in another country will make a great impression on future employers. Put knowledge into action, learn how a business operates and make professional connections.

With over 100 partners in 40 countries, the world really is your oyster! Our dedicated study abroad office advises you on your options, to help you make the most of this opportunity.

If you study abroad between your second and third year of study, you’ll pay no tuition fee, either to the partner university or us.

The enhanced cultural perspective from a year abroad enhances your understanding of the social elements that impact economics.

Find out more about study abroad options

At the end of your second year, you have the option to experience a year of working life with a placement, or a shorter internship, a huge CV booster!

Find out more about work placements

You can take a sandwich year abroad, making that decision in your second year. Studying at one of our international partners is a huge personal development opportunity and an amazing experience.

With over 100 partners in 40 countries, the world really is your oyster! Our dedicated study abroad office advises you on your options, to help you make the most of this opportunity.

If you study abroad between your second and third year of study, you’ll pay no tuition fee, either to the partner university or us.

The enhanced cultural perspective from a year abroad enhances your understanding of the social elements that impact economics.

Find out more about study abroad options

Where you'll study

You'll be taught on our modern de Havilland Campus, with our 24/7 Learning Resources Centre, offering open and private study spaces. You also get online self-study materials to further support you.

There are dining options, a bar, and a recreational space on campus where you can shoot some pool or play video games. It also houses Hertfordshire Sports Village, featuring a gym, swimming pool, coffee shop and climbing wall.

Discover the Enterprise Hub, a vibrant destination where local firms and students work and learn in comfort.

The Student Union bar and additional facilities are only a 20 minute walk (or short bus ride) away at our second campus, on College Lane. Student housing is available at both campuses.

A train to central London takes just over 20 minutes, and you are also conveniently located on the A1(M) with access to the road network, making travel quick and convenient.

Who you'll learn from

Active researchers (including many writers) on staff will help you appreciate how what you are learning has a direct effect on the problems and issues we are dealing with in the world, right now. You will also learn from people from the business world who come as guest lecturers.

Your teachers have many different backgrounds and interests. They include experience in governments around the world and extensive academic experience and commercial experience.

The members of your faculty include a department head who loves business economics, economics of organisations, and new ideas. Enthusiasts of the idea that economics can help people and groups excel when faced with modern problems, by combining different points of view and methods and also tutors well-versed in Game Theory, Social Choice Theory, Behavioural Economics, and Political Economy.

All of them love what they do and want you to push yourself to learn, and achieve, more.

How we support our students

At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible.

We offer a range of support services, from childcare to counselling, ensuring that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying, having fun, and have the support you need.

Find out more about support and wellbeing

Entry requirements

The University of Hertfordshire is committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. The entry requirements listed on the course pages provide a guide to the minimum level of qualifications needed to study each course. However, we have a flexible approach to admissions and each application will be considered on an individual basis.

Typical offer (UCAS points)	112–120
Typical A Level offer	BBC–BBB
Typical IB offer	112–120
Typical BTEC offer	DMM–DDM
Typical T Level offer	Design Survey and Planning for Construction; Design Production, Design and Development; Education and Childcare; Healthcare Science; Health; Science; Digital Support Services; Digital Business Services; Onsite Construction; Building Services Engineering for Construction; Accounting; Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing; Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control; Finance; Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing; Management and Administration; Agriculture, Land Management and Production; Legal Services.
GCSE	Grade 4/C in English Language and Mathematics.
Access courses	An overall merit profile in 45 credits at Level 3.
Additional information	Find out more about our standard and contextual Undergraduate Entry Requirements.

English language	All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band. If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.
Additional information	Find out more about International Entry Requirements.

English language

All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band.

If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level.

Additional information

Find out more about International Entry Requirements.

Ready to apply?

UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

Start date	Study type	Apply
September 2024	Full time	Apply via UCAS
	Full time with placement year	Apply via UCAS
	Full time with study abroad year	Apply via UCAS
September 2025	Full time	Apply via UCAS
	Full time with placement year	Apply via UCAS
	Full time with study abroad year	Apply via UCAS

International and EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through our international/EU application portal

Apply through Clearing

Make sure you've got your UCAS number, if you've got one (you can find this on your UCAS Hub), your results (including GCSEs, A levels, BTECs or equivalent) and the course(s) you'd like to apply for.

Apply online and get an instant response

Click to call or dial 0300 303 6300

Find out more before you apply

Our Clearing hotline is open Monday – Thursday, 09:00 – 16:45, and Friday 09:00 – 15:45. To apply you will need your UCAS number, if you've got one (you can find this on your UCAS Hub), your results (including GCSEs, A levels, BTECs or equivalent) and the course(s) you'd like to apply for.

Fees and funding

At Herts, we’re dedicated to providing world-class teaching supported by industry-level facilities and incredible social spaces. We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to higher education, and we strive to keep both our standard and additional costs as low as possible.

Economics Scholarship
£2,000 scholarship available with the ‘Economics’ scholarship.

	Study type	Fees
UK students	Full time	£9,250 for the 2025/2026 academic year
EU students	Full time	£15,965 for the 2025/2026 academic year
International students	Full time	£15,965 for the 2025/2026 academic year

Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.

Scholarships, grants and bursaries	Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a non-repayable scholarship, grant or bursary to support your studies.
Disabled Students' Allowance	The Disabled Students’ Allowance can cover any study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability.
Student loans	Find out about securing a student loan, from how much you could be eligible for to when you need to start making repayments.
Accommodation costs	We offer a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.
Additional course fees	Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet.

More about the course

Course fact sheets
BSc (Hons) Business Economics (Revised 2024)	Download PDF

Programme specifications
BSc (Hons) Business Economics (Revised 2024)	Download PDF

Additional information
Applications open to international and EU students	Yes
Course length	Full Time, 3 YearsSandwich, 4 Years

Search everything:

BSc (Hons) Business Economics

Shape the ever-evolving business landscape with an understanding of the economic decisions that companies must make. Hone your ability to examine the economic and social context in which these choices are made.

Typical offer: 112–120

Fees: £9,250 per year (UK)

UCAS code: L112

Course length: Various

Location: University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

Institute code: H36

Work placement option

Study abroad option

Scholarships available on this course

Course overview

Why choose this course?

Your future career

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A fantastic student experience

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What you'll study

What if I need support?

Optional sandwich year

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Where you'll study

Who you'll learn from

How we support our students

At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible.

Entry requirements

UK applicants

International applicants

Ready to apply?

UK applicants

UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK

International applicants

International and EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK

Apply through Clearing

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Additional information

More about the course

Further information

Not ready to apply?

Undergraduate degrees and courses

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Location:
University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield