Courses / Economics
Economics
Economics will suit students who are interested in the reasons that individuals, firms and governments make the decisions they do. In particular you will learn about how these economic agents make their choices in the face of significant scarcity – of resources, of time and of adequate information. You will be adept at manipulating and handling data but primarily you will want to be able to put together well-structured, compelling written arguments to support a case that you are making.
If you choose this course you would benefit from:
- Experienced teachers who will give you the highest quality learning experiences
- A significant degree of challenge. Only sign up if you are committed to, and will actually relish, a serious independent workload
- A combination of theoretical work – sometimes somewhat challenging to grasp initially – and a highly practical analysis of real-world economic issues
In the first year you will study:
- The basic economic problem
- The free market – supply and demand
- Costs, revenue and profit
- Why markets fail
- Introduction to macro-economics
- Objectives of government, such as employment, stable prices and growth
- Government policy: fiscal, monetary and supply-side
- Policy conflicts
In the second year you will build on the above and also study:
- Behavioural economics
- Market structures
- Labour markets
- Poverty and inequality
- Financial economics
- International trade
- Globalisation
- Development issues
What will I be taught?
The class teachers will be adept at explaining theory and finding engaging case study material to illuminate and challenge that theory. Students will be required to do a considerable amount of reading/viewing to both cement that core work as well as taking it further/deeper. There will be an expectation that each student is capable of pushing towards the highest grades.
Classroom activities will include:
- Dissecting current economic news items
- Group and paired work on theory and practical applications of that theory
- Student-led sessions, or parts of sessions
- Timed essays, data-question and multiple-choice questions
- Online quizzes and multiple-choice tests
Based on research into how students learn best, each subject will set independent work to allow you to recap what you have done in the past, consolidate understanding for what you are studying in the present and develop the skills and experiences which will help you for the future. You can read more about the college’s approach to independent study here
The Past
Click here for the suggested ongoing revision activities in this subject which research has shown are most likely to boost your achievement
The Present
Each subject will set weekly homework tasks to help you consolidate your understanding and prepare for your next lesson. This work is typically set through Microsoft Teams, so you will have an electronic log of all your work, notes and feedback.
The Future
A key part of your independent work in this subject will be to prepare for a range of potential jobs and higher education courses when you leave us. To get started, look below at the top higher education courses and jobs which previous students of this course have gone on to do.
As part of a wider programme this course provides an excellent basis for progression to many careers or university courses. Former students of this college have gone on to follow degrees in Economics, Politics, Business, Marketing and Finance at many of the best universities in the country. Some choose to take up employment/apprenticeship opportunities, for example with Santander, KPMG and the Coventry Building Society.
5 x GCSE grades 4-9 (incl. English Language)
Additional Requirements
5 in English Language
5 in Maths
Not essential but it will help your success…
You enjoy following topical current affairs issues, particularly those to do with finance and business. You want to explore how governments intervene in these worlds.
Pairs well with many other A-levels, including Business, Politics and Mathematics. You must be strongly numerate but also capable of writing evaluative essays. You are recommended to take Mathematical Studies if not taking A Level Mathematics.
Teaching contact time is 4 hours and 20 minutes per subject. Workshops will be available throughout the year, including over some holiday periods. Students are expected to complete approximately 6 hours per week of independent study. Much of this will be supplementary reading, watching economics in the news, following economics themed blogs and watching relevant topic videos. Some, of course, will be in the form of traditional written assignments, varying in length from an extended paragraph to a full essay
This course is 100% written examination
The three examinations at the end of the second year are equally weighted.
- Markets and market failure
- National and international economy
- Economic principles and issues