Our Economics department, among the oldest in the UK, conducts cutting-edge research covering various economic topics, aiming to enhance understanding and practical applications.
93%
of our research outputs rated world-leading or internationally excellent
We are one of the oldest Economics departments in the UK with a long track record of world-leading research, which spans the entire range of modern economics. Our mission is to advance economic understanding and its real-world applications.
We produce innovative research that explores economic behaviour and societal problems. Our research:
informs and influences economic and social policy at both national and international levels
explores interdisciplinary approaches to big questions
maintains global recognition within the field
Our insights have shaped UK migration and European Union merger policies. We also advise government bodies on the behavioural impacts of water usage.
We foster an inclusive community which enriches our research and promotes teaching excellence. Our department offers rewarding experiences at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Our economics degrees give students transferable skills, such as critical thinking, research, statistical and problem solving skills. We have a 96.5% employment rate for graduates, 15 months after graduation (2020/2021 data, published 2023, sourced from 87 responses).
Join our diverse community where academics and students from many different nationalities work together.
Undergraduate students on our Economics course.
Research culture
Our research enhances our teaching, influences policy and has societal impact. We nurture and empower our staff to carry out global research, tackling intricate economic challenges. Our academic team come from 15 countries around the world so we have a diverse perspective. We encourage cross-disciplinary dialogue.
We structure our research around 4 interconnected research groups:
Our priority is to produce high-quality research with global impact. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 found that 93% of our outputs are world-leading or internationally excellent.
We have expertise across a broad range of subjects such as:
time series and financial econometrics
behavioural economics
game theory
quantitative and theoretical macro
labour economics
applied micro-econometrics
We host weekly seminars with external speakers and internal seminars where existing staff or students present their work. Many of our alumni are now themselves academics in prestigious UK and European universities.
We present our research at:
worldwide conferences
seminars
institutions
governmental bodies across the UK, Europe, and the USA
Teaching culture
Our commitment to teaching excellence is recognised in our rankings. Our Economics and Econometrics course ranks 15th in the UK in the QS World University rankings 2023 and 10th in the UK in the Times Higher Education survey 2024.
In addition the latest National Student Survey found that 90% of our students think staff are good at explaining things. Equally, 90% agree that our course is intellectually challenging.
We nurture the intellectual leaders of tomorrow. We ensure that our students graduate with strong numeracy skills and the ability to interpret data. Our graduates are valued in fields such as:
finance
business consulting
policy development
data science
In particular, our BSc in Economics with Data Science offers a unique opportunity to gain in-depth proficiency in economics. It supplements classical training in economic theory and its application, with knowledge of methods in data science. These include algorithmic, machine learning and computational economics tools used to analyse large datasets. They are skills that are increasingly highly rewarded in the labour market in economics and finance.
We also have excellent facilities for students. They can design decision-making experiments in our experimental laboratory. The Bloomberg suite simulates a trading room environment.
We are excited for the future of our recent graduates. In addition to the 96.5% employment rate, the average full-time salary for our graduates, 15 months after graduation, is £33,100. (2020/2021 data, published 2023, sourced from 46 responses).
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
We’re committed to fostering inclusivity. Our diverse community includes 15 nationalities. The principle of equality and a culture of inclusion are the heart of all the practices followed within the department.
Some of our initiatives include:
peer mentoring students
supporting students from varied school level educational systems with maths in preparation for studying economics
supporting flexible working patterns
Athena SWAN
Our Athena SWAN Bronze Award highlights our dedication to gender balance, as well as our comprehensive plan to address areas where we need to improve.
Our Athena SWAN Bronze Award demonstrates our commitment to gender equality.
Our world class quality research in the core areas of economics informs a rigorous undergraduate and postgraduate training with a strong emphasis on quantitative skills and state-of-the-art methods.
I am proud to be part of an academic community that has been my home for the past 20 years. Over the course of my time here, I’ve experienced firsthand the vibrant and collegial environment that makes this university a great place to teach and conduct research.
As a dynamic department attracting students and staff from all over the world, an environment of diversity, the principle of equality, and a culture of inclusion lies at the heart of all the norms and practices designed and followed within the department.
Find out about career opportunities. We aim for an inclusive environment that attracts, supports and retains the best students and staff from diverse backgrounds and experiences from across the world.
