Economics

Why Study Economics at University of Essex

Two Nobel laureates on faculty, fourth in the UK for research power, and live trading sessions right on campus.

• Top 200 globally for economics (QS Rankings 2025), 9th in the UK (Guardian 2026)
• Over 100 researchers at the Centre for Behavioural Science
• Student Investment and Trading Fund — the only such initiative in the East of England region
• 92% of master’s graduates secure employment; employers include Bank of England, Goldman Sachs, HM Treasury, Deloitte

BSc in Actuarial Science

The Actuarial Science undergraduate degree, accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, automatically exempts students from six professional exams—CS1, CS2, CM1, CM2, CB1, and CB2—significantly accelerating their path to full qualification. Practicing actuaries from AXA and Buck Consultants teach stochastic processes, financial mathematics, and other disciplines, drawing on a department ranked sixth nationally for mathematics. Graduates typically launch their careers at £30,000 in insurance, banking, or the public sector.

BSc in Economics with Data Science

This interdisciplinary undergraduate degree bridges two departments: students master Java, algorithms, and databases alongside micro- and macroeconomics, building quantitative tools for market analysis. University of Essex ranks first in the UK for student academic progress (Guardian 2024), while the Student Investment and Trading Fund offers intensive sessions with alumni bankers. Graduates find roles at Barclays Capital, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, or Deloitte.

BSc in Economics

The Economics undergraduate program explores market behavior, economic incentives, and quantitative analysis—from behavioral economics and labor markets to independent research supervised by leading faculty. Teaching staff include Professor Piero Gottardi, who specializes in financial markets, and Professor Katharine Rockett, whose work examines innovation and competition. Graduates join JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Financial Conduct Authority, or pursue doctoral studies.

MSc in Economics

This one-year master’s combines econometric and mathematical methods with micro- and macroeconomic theory, culminating in a supervised dissertation—delivered by a department ranked fourth in the UK for research capacity (REF 2021). A dual-degree partnership allows students to earn two master’s qualifications across different universities worldwide within two years. Graduates work as analysts at HM Treasury, Fitch Ratings, or Schroders Investment Management.

MSc in Financial Economics

Financial Economics merges economic thinking with applied finance: asset valuation, portfolio management, and optimization theory are examined through econometric and mathematical lenses, shaping understanding of capital market equilibrium. The curriculum emphasizes analysis of complex financial data, statistics, and computational modeling. Graduates serve as financial analysts and consultants at Santander, Ernst & Young, and investment research firms.