Program Overview

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Explore the driving forces behind human behaviour. Discover how human psychology can guide people to make economic decisions. How do people get in debt? Why do people choose to get a mortgage rather than rent? Why did the economic crisis affect the UK more than the US? Economics at Essex explores how economics relates to the real world and asks the difficult questions. On BSc Economics with Psychology you develop key mathematical skills and explore how you can use data to interpret the global economy, economic drivers behind human behaviour and the human mind. Through combining economics with psychology you gain a deepened knowledge as to why individuals are not always behaving in their own best interests. Understanding this and the frameworks of behavioural economics can help policymakers create environments that nudge people towards making wiser decisions and healthier lives. Studying this course you will explore a wide variety of topics across economics and also have the opportunity to include some modules of psychology. Topics include:

• Macroeconomics
• Behavioural economics
• Mathematical methods in economics
• Personality and individual differences
• Social psychology

Your education is inspired and informed by leading economics research, so that you graduate with a strong training in economics. We are 4th in UK for research power in economics and econometrics (Times Higher Education research power measure, Research Excellence Framework 2021). Our Department of Psychology provide one of the most immersive experiences of studying the human mind in the UK. You have the opportunity to work alongside researchers with our Research Experience Scheme (RES) and gain hands on experience in our dedicated psychology labs. Why we're great.

• You’re taught by world-leading academics who are experts in their field
• We give you diverse employment potential and the chance to meet future employers
• Our Department of Psychology have exceptional specialist labs and research facilities for you to gain hands on experience

Study abroad

Your education extends beyond the university campus. We support you in expanding your education through offering the opportunity to spend a year or a term studying abroad at one of our partner universities. The four-year version of our degree allows you to spend the third year abroad or employed on a placement abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the three-year course. Studying abroad allows you to experience other cultures and languages, to broaden your degree socially and academically, and to demonstrate to employers that you are mature, adaptable, and organised. If you spend a full year abroad you'll only pay 15% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year. You won't pay any tuition fees to your host university.

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Placement year

You can also undertake a placement year in which you gain relevant work experience with a business, giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market and providing you with key contacts within the industry. You will be responsible for finding your placement, but with support and guidance provided by both your department and our Employability and Careers Centre. If you complete a placement year you'll only pay 20% of your usual tuition fee to Essex for that year.

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Our expert staff

Our economics staff are at the forefront of their field and have even received MBEs. Our department is a richly diverse home to staff and students from all over the world who have a strong sense of belonging and want to think, learn and change the world together. Our psychology lecturers include award-winning teachers and prize-winning researchers who are international experts in their own research areas. We have specialists within our three main research groups: the Cognitive and Developmental Psychology Group; the Social and Health Psychology Group; and the Cognitive and Sensory Neuroscience Group.

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Specialist facilities

• Extensive software for quantitative analysis, available in all computer labs across the university
• Access to a variety of economics databases and multiple copies of textbooks and e-books in the Albert Sloman Library
• Dedicated laboratories including a virtual reality suite and an observation suite
• Specialist areas to study visual and auditory perception, developmental psychology and social psychology
• Study the development of perceptual and cognitive abilities in infants in our Babylab
• Our multimillion pound Centre for Brain Science (CBS) allows staff to investigate brain activity, and to measure eye movements and other physiological responses

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Your future

Many employers want economists with critical thinking skills who can tackle large data sets and practical problems. Our course helps you to become more employable and takes you closer to that dream job or postgraduate course when you graduate. Our students are in demand from a wide range of employers in a host of occupations, including financial analysis, management, public administration and accountancy. Our recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies including:

• Bank of England
• Barclays Capital
• Accenture
• Deloitte
• Ernst and Young
• The Crown Prosecution Service
• Bank of New York
• Santander

We also work with the University’s Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.