BSc Development Economics
SOAS University of London
Key Information
Campus location
London, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 9,250 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* full-time fees per academic year: UK £9,250; Overseas £20,350
Introduction
Mode of Attendance: Full-time
The Department of Economics is one of the country's leading departments specialising in the economics of growth and development as well as in political economy and heterodox approaches to Economics. Research and teaching is pursued on a variety of topics and is unique in its depth and range of regional and specialising coverage, including topics from contemporary banking and finance, the economics of the environment, gender economics, global economic theory, as well as the economic development of a variety of regions from Japan to the Middle East.
Studying BSc Development Economics will provide you with a thorough grounding in economic theory, analysis and policy while studying the economics of a wide range of developing and emerging countries.
Why study Development Economics at SOAS?
- Our unrivalled focus on the study of developing and emerging economies provides you with a more critical approach to economic theory.
- Our academic staff are specialists within an unparalleled range of emerging and developing economies, and a broad spectrum of theory and policy debates.
- Theoretical concepts and debates are expertly applied to real issues within the countries of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as in the global economy and interdependencies therein.
- You will be able to flexibly structure your programme using our Open Options modules to take advantage of the expertise of our other departments, including the opportunity to learn a language.
- We are specialists in the delivery of languages. Your command of a language from SOAS will set you apart from graduates of other universities.
Gallery
Admissions
Curriculum
Structure
Students take 120 credits composed of Core, Compulsory and Optional modules.
Core modules: These are mandatory and must be passed in the year they are taken before the student can progress to the next year.
Compulsory modules: These are mandatory but in the case of a failure, students may carry this into their next year provided that they retake and pass the failed element or exam.
Optional modules: These are designed to help students design their own intellectual journey while maintaining a strong grasp of the fundamentals.
After the introductory modules in Year 1, you will then advance into more specialised modules in Years 2 and 3 that dive deeper into economic theory, specific regions in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and specialised fields. In your final year, you should take at least 30 credits from the Regional Development Optional Modules.
Year 1 (For students with A-level or equivalent in Maths)
Core Modules
- Introduction to economic analysis
Compulsory Modules
- Statistics
- Comparative Growth: Theoretical Approaches
- Comparative Growth: Contemporary Debates
- Essay Writing Workshop - Undergraduate Economics
plus
Choose modules from LIST A to the value of 30 credits
or
Choose Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits
Year 2 (For students with A-level or equivalent in Maths)
Core Modules
- Microeconomic Analysis
- Macroeconomic Analysis
- Issues in Development Economics
Compulsory Modules
- Employability and Career Planning Workshop
plus
Choose modules from List B to the value of 30 credits
or
Choose Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits
Year 3 (For students with A-level or equivalent in Maths)
Core Modules
- Global Economic Policy
Compulsory Modules
- Survey and Data Literacy Workshop
plus
Choose modules from List C to the value of 105 credits
or
Choose modules from List C to the value of 75 credits AND Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits
Year 1 (For students without A-level or equivalent in Maths)
Core Modules
- Introduction to economic analysis
Compulsory Modules
- Introductory Mathematics for Economists
- Comparative Growth: Theoretical Approaches
- Comparative Growth: Contemporary Debates
- Essay Writing Workshop - Undergraduate Economics
plus
Choose modules from LIST A to the value of 30 credits
or
Choose Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits
Year 2 (For students without A-level or equivalent in Maths)
Core Modules
- Microeconomic Analysis
- Macroeconomic Analysis
- Issues in Development Economics
Compulsory Modules
- Statistics
- Employability and Career Planning Workshop
Year 3 (For students without A-level or equivalent in Maths)
Core Modules
- Global Economic Policy
Compulsory Modules
- Survey and Data Literacy Workshop
plus
Choose modules from List C to the value of 105 credits
or
Choose modules from List C to the value of 75 credits AND Language or Non-Language open option modules to the value of 30 credits
List of modules (subject to availability)
List A
- Statistics
- Intermediate Mathematics for Economists
List B
- Econometrics
- Banking and Finance
- International Economics
- Intermediate Mathematics for Economists
List C
- The Economics of the Environment
- Gender Economics (UG)
- Independent study project in Economics
- Banking and Finance
- International Economics
- Econometrics
- Intermediate Mathematics for Economists
Students must take at least 30 credits and can take no more than a total of 90 credits in the following regional economic development modules
- Economic development of Africa: macroeconomic approaches
- Economic development of Africa (UG)
- Political Economy of Development and Change in the Middle East
- Political Economy of Development and Change in South Asia
- China's Economic Transformation
- China and World Development
- Economic Development in the Asia Pacific region
Important notice
The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session.
Career Opportunities
Employment
An undergraduate degree in Development Economics from SOAS gives students a solid grounding in analytical and critical thinking, statistical and computing skills and knowledge of economic principles and their application to concrete situations.
Skills gained include:
- Expertise in key economics and political economy theories from a pluralist stance, appreciating both orthodox and heterodox views.
- Expertise in the emerging economies of Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
- The ability to think laterally, to take a global perspective, and employ critical reasoning.
- Statistical and computing skills.
- Analytical skills.
- Communication and presentation skills.
Graduates from the Department have pursued a variety of successful careers, often with Asian or African links, in international organisations, business and industry, banking, accountancy, journalism, consultancy, teaching and higher education.
Alternatively, many others have gone on to read for postgraduate degrees either in the Department’s own thriving masters’ and research degree programmes or elsewhere.
Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:
- BBC World Service
- Bloomberg LP
- Capital Economics
- Deloitte
- Goldman Sachs
- Grant Thornton
- Myers Clark Chartered Accountants
- PWC
- Standard Chartered Bank
Types of roles that graduates have gone on to do include:
- Assistant Economist
- Equity Derivative Worker
- Financial Analyst
- Freelance Broadcast Journalist
- Graduate Tax Trainee
- Policy Data Manager
- Monitoring Analyst
- Risk Consultant
- Sustainability Consultant
- Trainee Chartered Accountant
English Language Requirements
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