Program Overview

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Our BSc Economics with Data Science (including foundation year) is open to Home and EU students. It will be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for the three-year version of this course and you want a programme that increases your subject knowledge as well as improves your English language and academic skills. On your four-year Economics and Data Science (including foundation year), we work with you to help you develop your subject-specific knowledge and to improve your academic skills. You receive a thorough grounding in these areas during your foundation year (known as Year Zero) to prepare you for a further three years of undergraduate study at Essex. You are an Essex student from day one, a member of our global community based at the most internationally diverse campus university in the UK. After successful completion of Year Zero in our Essex Pathways Department , you progress to complete your course with our Department of Economics. Our BSc Economics with Data Science course allows you to build a comprehensive knowledge of economics whilst developing relevant computing and programming skills. Through exploring these two subject areas you apply your computing skills to the real world economic and financial problems and perform complex analysis on individuals’ economic behaviour. Economics at Essex is not only about stocks, shares and financial markets; it is concerned with the material wellbeing of human societies. Our course gives a thorough introduction to all aspects of economics, including micro and macro-economics, whilst also introducing you to programming languages and algorithms. You’re supported by both our Department of Economics and School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, and will explore a wide range of topics from both subject areas, including:

• Mathematical methods for solving economic and financial problems
• Object-oriented programming using java
• Commonly used algorithms
• How to apply macro-economic analysis to macro-policy issues

Our Department of Economics is ranked 4th in UK for research power in economics and econometrics (Times Higher Education research power measure, Research Excellence Framework 2021). You also study within our School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering who play a leading role in technological research and development. Your education is inspired and informed by our pioneering research, so that you graduate with a strong training in economics and computing skills. Why we're great.

• You gain a solid understanding in both economics and computing, which is a combination highly valued by employers
• Our students are extremely happy – we receive consistently high student satisfaction scores
• We’re home to many of the world's top scientists and researchers in their field

Our expert staff

Study and work alongside some of the most prominent economists and computer scientists of our time. Our economics researchers are at the forefront of their field and have even received MBEs , with students coming from across the globe to study, research or work with us. Our Department of Economics 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. Many of our researchers also provide consultancy services to businesses in London and other major financial centres, helping us to develop research for today's society as well as informing our teaching for the future.

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Specialist facilities

Take advantage of our extensive learning resources to assist you in your studies. Our facilities and tools include:

• Extensive software for quantitative analysis, which is available in all computer labs across the University
• Access a variety of economics databases as well as multiple copies of textbooks and e-books in our Albert Sloman Library
• We have six laboratories that are exclusively for computer science and electronic engineering students. Three are open 24/7, and you have free access to the labs except when there is a scheduled practical class in progress
• All computers are dual boot Windows 10 and Linux. Apple Mac computers are dual boot MacOS and Windows 10
• Software includes Java, Prolog, C++, Perl, Mysql, Matlab, DB2, Microsoft Office, Visual Studio, and Project

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Your future

Many employers want economists with computing skills who can tackle large data sets and real- world problems. Our course helps you to become more employable and takes you closer to that dream job or postgraduate study 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
• Citigroup
• Deloitte
• Ernst and Young
• Morgan Stanley
• 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.