Studying Economics gives you the opportunity to analyse some of today's profound problems, such as poverty and economic growth, developing economies, environmental protection, and financial and monetary crises. You also consider the dilemmas facing households, firms and governments, such as the provision of education, roles of labour markets and regulation of markets. On this programme you also explore the economic tools used in financial and money markets.

As a Kent Economics student, you develop the skills to analyse and discuss these crucial areas and are challenged to contribute and defend your own theories and solutions.

Our School of Economics is ranked highly among UK universities for graduate prospects. Our economists are internationally recognised for their research and are also exciting and innovative teachers who place a particular emphasis on making economics relevant to the real world.

The School provides outstanding academic support. Each student has a dedicated academic adviser and we also run a peer mentoring scheme where experienced final-year students offer advice and support to new students.

We are an international community with academic staff and students from many countries so you develop a global perspective on your subject.

Our degree programme

Our Financial Economics degree introduces you to the tools that economists have developed in financial and money markets. This work has been enormously influential in contributing to the development of financial instruments used by households, firms and governments when making decisions about saving or borrowing. The use of real-world examples is a particular feature of this course.

In your first year, you learn how economists think and become familiar with the tools they use for analysing real economic problems. You can also study modules in professional economics, as well as strategy and games.

In your second and final years, you take compulsory modules in macroeconomics, microeconomics, quantitative economics, the economics of money and banking, and the economics of finance, together with a number of specialised optional modules. Our wide range of modules means you can tailor your degree to support your particular career ambitions; for example, you can choose modules that prepare you for life as a professional economist.

Year in Industry

You have the option to take this programme with a year in industry. In previous years students have worked at:

• Bank of England
• Government Economic Service (GES)
• Deloitte
• Ernst & Young
• PwC
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

You don’t have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions apply.

Year in Computing / Year in Journalism

The Year in Computing and the Year in Journalism are both free-standing, self-contained years and can be taken after stage 2 or 3 (that is, between your second and final year, or after your final year). You can take a Year in Computing or a Year in Journalism if you are a current undergraduate student at the University of Kent, studying a non-computing or non-journalism degree programme respectively.

You can only apply for a Year in Computing or a Year in Journalism once you are a student at Kent.

Extra activities

You may wish to join the following student-run societies:

• the Economics Society, which organises lecturers and conferences, as well as social events
• Kent Investment Society, which focuses on the financial markets. It is made up of analysts, head analysts and committee members, who each cover a particular financial market. In previous years, the Society has organised an annual virtual trading competition.

The School of Economics also hosts events that you are welcome to attend. These include:

• public lectures and seminars
• employability workshops
• networking events.

Professional network

Many of our staff advise UK, European and international organisations. These include:

• the Treasury (UK)
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) (UK)
• Bank of England
• European Commission
• European Central Bank
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• European Central Bank (ECB)

These links mean we can bring real-life examples and scenarios into our teaching, ensuring it is up to date and relevant.