Why can a cup of coffee cost as little as £1 in Morrisons’ café but up to £3.75 in Starbucks?

Why were there shortages of flour during the coronavirus crisis?

Is the £100bn+ to be spent on HS2 a waste of money?

How might Brexit affect your opportunities to travel, study, or work in Europe?

Economics is more than the study of money. It is about the world around us and the choices that we make every day; from what we have for breakfast, to where we buy our clothes, to what subjects we take at school.

The two strands of the A level course are microeconomics and macroeconomics.

In microeconomics we look at supply and demand in individual markets.  We might consider why the price of oil rises and falls, and the impact that this has on motorists and firms who transport goods.  We might consider the environmental impacts of using fossil fuels and look at how a government might use taxation to reduce the use of these and what they could do to promote more sustainable alternatives.

In macroeconomics we look at economies as a whole.  We might consider what the impact of changing oil prices would be on jobs, inflation, and the money that governments receive in taxation.  We look at globalisation and international trade and would consider how a move to a carbon-free world might affect countries such Saudi Arabia or Nigeria that are heavily dependent on exports of oil, as well as those such as the UK and China who currently need to import oil.

Students who have studied Economics are in high demand by universities and employers.  Taking Economics will help you to develop skills including:

• thinking logically and critically
• the ability to simplify complex issues and extract the relevant pieces of information
• the ability to distinguish facts from opinions
• data analysis
• written and spoken communication
• problem-solving using your initiative
• time management
• commercial and cultural awareness
• teamwork and interpersonal skills

Most students taking A level won’t have studied Economics before, but if you are curious about the world around you, can think logically, and enjoy a challenge, then Economics could be the course for you.  Economics complements the study of many other A level subjects including Maths, Geography, History, Psychology, and Philosophy.

Note: if you are considering studying Economics at degree level it is essential to take A level Maths.

Studying Economics can help you to enter a career in many fields including:

• Professional economist
• Accountancy
• Management
• Risk analysis
• Banking and finance
• Civil Service

For more information about where a degree qualification in Economics can take you, follow the links below:

http://www.studyingeconomics.ac.uk/where-next/jobs-and-careers/money-you-could-earn/

http://whystudyeconomics.ac.uk/

At the end of the two year course you will sit three two hour written exams.

Each exam will be worth one third of the A level paper.

The paper will feature a range of question styles including multiple choice questions, short answer questions, essay questions, data response questions and case studies.