BA (Hons)

Business Economics

Teaching & Learning

The tabs below detail what and how you will study in each year of your course. The balance of assessments and overall workload will be informed by your core modules and the option modules you choose to study – the information provided is an indication of what you can expect and may be subject to change. The option modules listed are also an indication of what will be available to you. Their availability is subject to demand and you will be advised which option modules you can choose at the beginning of each year of study.

What you'll learn

Explore fundamental microeconomic concepts and principles and some of the essential mathematical techniques used in economic analysis. Gain knowledge of modern microeconomic theories and methods, the ability to apply those methods to analyse government policies and understand and apply relevant mathematical methods.
Firms, organisations and other economic actors are part of a ‘structurated’ construct of socio-economic, political and legislative dynamics. Institutions form the rules of the game within society (North, 1991). This module will develop your knowledge and understanding, and ability to analyse, formulate and discuss the institutional factors that organisations face in all aspects of their activities.
This module will provide you with a sound understanding of the recent behaviour and performance of key aspects of the British economy. You'll focus on relevant policy responses and will develop capacity for critical analysis of economic phenomena.
Create, manipulate, and interpret business data using the appropriate basic statistical methods.
Gain an overview of macroeconomics by exploring and debating issues such as unemployment, exchange rates, economic growth and inflation amongst others. You will understand the role of fiscal and monetary policy and the need for a stable macroeconomic environment for business.
Examine how managers can understand and use different financial information. You'll consider how shareholders can use financial statements as a means of evaluating a firm's performance.
This module will help you to understand contemporary economic and political debates. You'll explore the origins of these different perspectives / world views / ideologies and what the different views mean when we look at real world issues in economics and finance.
Learn to create, manipulate, and interpret business data using the appropriate basic mathematical methods.
Explore fundamental microeconomic concepts and principles and some of the essential mathematical techniques used in economic analysis. Gain knowledge of modern microeconomic theories and methods, the ability to apply those methods to analyse government policies and understand and apply relevant mathematical methods.
Firms, organisations and other economic actors are part of a ‘structurated’ construct of socio-economic, political and legislative dynamics. Institutions form the rules of the game within society (North, 1991). This module will develop your knowledge and understanding, and ability to analyse, formulate and discuss the institutional factors that organisations face in all aspects of their activities.
This module will provide you with a sound understanding of the recent behaviour and performance of key aspects of the British economy. You'll focus on relevant policy responses and will develop capacity for critical analysis of economic phenomena.
Create, manipulate, and interpret business data using the appropriate basic statistical methods.
Gain an overview of macroeconomics by exploring and debating issues such as unemployment, exchange rates, economic growth and inflation amongst others. You will understand the role of fiscal and monetary policy and the need for a stable macroeconomic environment for business.
Examine how managers can understand and use different financial information. You'll consider how shareholders can use financial statements as a means of evaluating a firm's performance.
This module will help you to understand contemporary economic and political debates. You'll explore the origins of these different perspectives / world views / ideologies and what the different views mean when we look at real world issues in economics and finance.
Learn to create, manipulate, and interpret business data using the appropriate basic mathematical methods.

What you'll learn

Gain a rigorous grounding in the essentials of microeconomic analysis and start to explore some of the essential data analysis techniques used in economic analysis. You will develop a sound knowledge of modern microeconomic theories and methods, the ability to apply those methods to analyse government policies, and a sound understanding of and the ability to apply relevant quantitative methods.
This module will provide theoretical viewpoints on business and market scenarios in a modern capitalist economy. This will include perspectives on forces shaping big business; understanding how firms interact with each other strategically; and gaining knowledge of how firms address internal problems of information, agency and multiple stakeholders.
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the main concepts, debates, and theories in the study of contemporary political economy. You'll begin to appreciate the range of perspective that inform economic theory and policy, providing a foundation for the formal study of economics.
This module will provide an historical introduction to the methodology of economics. You'll study the history of the subject, using examples to show how the practice of economics has developed over time and how changes in the methods and techniques have been used to analyse reality.
Understand recent developments in economics theory and policy through the examination of national economies and the relationships between international economies. You will study topics including economic growth, theoretical models, aggregate supply and demand in the open economy and stabilisation polices.
This module will enable you to develop an understanding of elementary econometric techniques and principles. You'll be able to apply these techniques appropriately in the statistical testing of business and economic theories and models. You'll gain hands-on experience and familiarity with econometric software packages. The module will provide a basis for further work in business and economic forecasting in future employment. It will allow you to explore more advanced areas of econometric theory as you progress through your studies. You'll gain the ability to critically assess published applied econometric studies. You'll also undertake quantitative analysis of business and economic data as an integral part of your dissertation.
Gain a rigorous grounding in the essentials of microeconomic analysis and start to explore some of the essential data analysis techniques used in economic analysis. You will develop a sound knowledge of modern microeconomic theories and methods, the ability to apply those methods to analyse government policies, and a sound understanding of and the ability to apply relevant quantitative methods.
This module will provide theoretical viewpoints on business and market scenarios in a modern capitalist economy. This will include perspectives on forces shaping big business; understanding how firms interact with each other strategically; and gaining knowledge of how firms address internal problems of information, agency and multiple stakeholders.
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the main concepts, debates, and theories in the study of contemporary political economy. You'll begin to appreciate the range of perspective that inform economic theory and policy, providing a foundation for the formal study of economics.
This module will provide an historical introduction to the methodology of economics. You'll study the history of the subject, using examples to show how the practice of economics has developed over time and how changes in the methods and techniques have been used to analyse reality.
Understand recent developments in economics theory and policy through the examination of national economies and the relationships between international economies. You will study topics including economic growth, theoretical models, aggregate supply and demand in the open economy and stabilisation polices.
This module will enable you to develop an understanding of elementary econometric techniques and principles. You'll be able to apply these techniques appropriately in the statistical testing of business and economic theories and models. You'll gain hands-on experience and familiarity with econometric software packages. The module will provide a basis for further work in business and economic forecasting in future employment. It will allow you to explore more advanced areas of econometric theory as you progress through your studies. You'll gain the ability to critically assess published applied econometric studies. You'll also undertake quantitative analysis of business and economic data as an integral part of your dissertation.

Option modules may include

Explore the global dimensions of environmental impacts and a broad range of environmental concerns with a focus on global climate change. You will learn about competing perspectives on sustainable development and evaluate the policies that seek to enable individuals, businesses and governments to behave in an environmentally sustainable way.
Develop an understanding of key aspects of corporate finance and investigate the legal and governance framework within which businesses operate.
Examine complex businesses and organisations to determine how its operations and supply chain produce competitive advantage and improve performance. You will use a range of real-life scenarios along with qualitative and quantitative data to understand, apply and analyse concepts and principles from the field.
Develop your understanding of the nature and complexities of managerial decision making including the tensions between ethics and cost effectiveness. You will study the role of cognition, perception and motivation in decision making and the managerial negotiation skills needed in effective decision making.
This module will introduce you to the basic concepts and theories of ecological economics. You'll examine the relationship between economic activity and the environment.
This module will introduce old and new approaches to the study of institutions in economics. Emphasis will be placed on applications to economic history, evolution and development, and to theories of institutional stability and change.
Develop the key mathematical and statistical techniques to understand the models and arguments used both within economic theory and application, and applied topics within business and finance.
Explore the global dimensions of environmental impacts and a broad range of environmental concerns with a focus on global climate change. You will learn about competing perspectives on sustainable development and evaluate the policies that seek to enable individuals, businesses and governments to behave in an environmentally sustainable way.
Develop an understanding of key aspects of corporate finance and investigate the legal and governance framework within which businesses operate.
Examine complex businesses and organisations to determine how its operations and supply chain produce competitive advantage and improve performance. You will use a range of real-life scenarios along with qualitative and quantitative data to understand, apply and analyse concepts and principles from the field.
Develop your understanding of the nature and complexities of managerial decision making including the tensions between ethics and cost effectiveness. You will study the role of cognition, perception and motivation in decision making and the managerial negotiation skills needed in effective decision making.
This module will introduce you to the basic concepts and theories of ecological economics. You'll examine the relationship between economic activity and the environment.
This module will introduce old and new approaches to the study of institutions in economics. Emphasis will be placed on applications to economic history, evolution and development, and to theories of institutional stability and change.
Develop the key mathematical and statistical techniques to understand the models and arguments used both within economic theory and application, and applied topics within business and finance.

What you'll learn

Learn to apply the approaches and tools of microeconomic analysis and broaden and deepen your understanding of issues important to business success and public policy. This module will focus on enterprise and the competitive process to strengthen your understanding of industrial dynamics and will highlight aims and limitations of the social oversight of business.
Develop a critical understanding of the process of economic globalisation and the role played by Transnational Corporations as both cause and consequence of this process through control of global production networks and foreign direct investment.
Develop awareness of current macroeconomic issues and the challenges they pose for policymakers. This module will introduce you to macroeconomic models and the insights into policy solutions they can provide. You will consider how different policies around the world are able to complement one another.
Develop your understanding of the nature and application of the financing and management of organisations other than private businesses. You'll build the skills and knowledge necessary to manage them to contribute to social sustainability.
Learn to apply the approaches and tools of microeconomic analysis and broaden and deepen your understanding of issues important to business success and public policy. This module will focus on enterprise and the competitive process to strengthen your understanding of industrial dynamics and will highlight aims and limitations of the social oversight of business.
Develop a critical understanding of the process of economic globalisation and the role played by Transnational Corporations as both cause and consequence of this process through control of global production networks and foreign direct investment.
Develop awareness of current macroeconomic issues and the challenges they pose for policymakers. This module will introduce you to macroeconomic models and the insights into policy solutions they can provide. You will consider how different policies around the world are able to complement one another.
Develop your understanding of the nature and application of the financing and management of organisations other than private businesses. You'll build the skills and knowledge necessary to manage them to contribute to social sustainability.

Option modules may include

Improve your understanding of econometric principles and modern methods, and learn how to apply these techniques in the statistical testing of economic theories and models, and forecasting of economic and financial variables.
Study the ways in which the decision-making process influences decisions that are made in practice. This module will combine psychology and economics while you learn about the emerging field of behavioural economics.
This module will explore the theoretical and empirical perspectives of the economics of energy demand, energy supply, energy markets, policy instruments affecting energy, and carbon markets. It applies economic analysis to energy policy and covers subjects such as energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, the design of policy instruments, smart grids, electricity market structures and externalities associated with energy generation and use.
This module will provide you with a detailed introduction to some key issues, actors, organisations, processes and instruments in the finance system. Exploring these issues will highlight how regulation creates spaces for aspects of finance, but also creates vulnerabilities that are systemic. You'll consider how different parts of the system are currently regulated and how that regulation is changing.
This module is the culmination of your degree studies and involves a major piece of independent research. You'll have the option to undertake academic research in the form of either a) a dissertation or b) an academic journal article.
This module will improve your understanding of the banking sector. It will introduce you to some of the key concepts, principles and practices in modern banking regulations and the resolution of modern banking crises.
This module will examine fundamental concepts of international business finance and international trade. You'll learn about the formation of multinational corporations and the business challenges that they face in a dynamic global context.
Study the main theoretical models used by labour economists and applications to policy making. You'll explore how labour economics informs the discussion of many social and sustainability issues such as causes and implications of unemployment; the role of human capital investment in income inequality, the causes of gender and racial wage and employment gaps.
Gain insights into the decision-making processes of multinational/transnational businesses. You'll study how businesses appraise and enter global markets and you’ll develop an appreciation of the ethical consequences of their actions in respect of stakeholders.
Social economy is a study of the reciprocal relationship between economic activity and society. This module will focus on how this relationship can progress, stagnate, or regress contemporary society through economic exchange by adopting a pluralist position. You'll explore the influence of economic activity on behaviour, institutions, ethics and human dignity.
Apply for a placement and undertake a period of paid employment to give you the opportunity to develop business contacts and gain understanding of the jobs and career market.
Improve your understanding of econometric principles and modern methods, and learn how to apply these techniques in the statistical testing of economic theories and models, and forecasting of economic and financial variables.
Study the ways in which the decision-making process influences decisions that are made in practice. This module will combine psychology and economics while you learn about the emerging field of behavioural economics.
This module will explore the theoretical and empirical perspectives of the economics of energy demand, energy supply, energy markets, policy instruments affecting energy, and carbon markets. It applies economic analysis to energy policy and covers subjects such as energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, the design of policy instruments, smart grids, electricity market structures and externalities associated with energy generation and use.
This module will provide you with a detailed introduction to some key issues, actors, organisations, processes and instruments in the finance system. Exploring these issues will highlight how regulation creates spaces for aspects of finance, but also creates vulnerabilities that are systemic. You'll consider how different parts of the system are currently regulated and how that regulation is changing.
This module is the culmination of your degree studies and involves a major piece of independent research. You'll have the option to undertake academic research in the form of either a) a dissertation or b) an academic journal article.
This module will improve your understanding of the banking sector. It will introduce you to some of the key concepts, principles and practices in modern banking regulations and the resolution of modern banking crises.
This module will examine fundamental concepts of international business finance and international trade. You'll learn about the formation of multinational corporations and the business challenges that they face in a dynamic global context.
Study the main theoretical models used by labour economists and applications to policy making. You'll explore how labour economics informs the discussion of many social and sustainability issues such as causes and implications of unemployment; the role of human capital investment in income inequality, the causes of gender and racial wage and employment gaps.
Gain insights into the decision-making processes of multinational/transnational businesses. You'll study how businesses appraise and enter global markets and you’ll develop an appreciation of the ethical consequences of their actions in respect of stakeholders.
Social economy is a study of the reciprocal relationship between economic activity and society. This module will focus on how this relationship can progress, stagnate, or regress contemporary society through economic exchange by adopting a pluralist position. You'll explore the influence of economic activity on behaviour, institutions, ethics and human dignity.
Apply for a placement and undertake a period of paid employment to give you the opportunity to develop business contacts and gain understanding of the jobs and career market.

This course offers the opportunity to take a ‘sandwich’ year – a year of paid employment in industry which will build your skills and experience. This is usually taken between the second and third year of your degree, typically making your course four years in total.

Students who choose the sandwich route find it helps with both their studies and getting a job after graduation. It can build your confidence, contacts, and of course your CV. Leeds Beckett advertise lots of placement opportunities and provide support in helping you find the right placement for you.