Overview
Economics is not simply all about numbers. It is the study of the world around us from a social, financial and cultural perspective, gaining an understanding of economic theories and interrelationships between macro and micro economic issues. You will develop your analytical, numeric, communication, problem solving skills and cultural awareness.
Key Facts
- 5 September 2022
- 3 January 2023
- Bournemouth
- Brighton
- London
- Oxford
- Academic: Completed 10 years of schooling (GCSE or equivalent)
- English: IELTS 5.5 or equivalent
- 2 Academic Years (3 terms)
- We also offer a One-Year A-level in Economics and an entry from Year 12.
- Average 7 hours per week for each A-level subject (plus homework and private study)
Learning outcomes
- Gain UK national university entrance qualification
- Raise English to university level
- Develop study skills required at degree level
- Develop specialist subject expertise
Course content and structure
The following syllabus outline is based on AQA exam board content. Please note that exam boards may vary from college to college.
Year 1
Economics as a social science
- Positive and normative statements, plus value judgements
- Demand for a product
- Factors that determine the supply of a product
- Relationships between markets and how this applies in the real world
- Production and productivity
- Economies and diseconomies of scale
The meanings and calculation of different types of costs and revenue
- Market structure and differing objectives
- The price mechanism
- How and why market failure occurs
- How and why governments intervene in markets
- Objectives and indicators used to measure economic performance
- How index numbers are calculated and used
- The circular flow of income, injections and withdrawals
- AD/AS analysis
Aggregate demand and supply
- Fluctuations in economic activity and economic growth
- Unemployment: meaning and causes
- Inflation: meaning and causes
- Conflicts between macroeconomic policy objectives
- Monetary policy, its effects, and the role of the Bank of England
- Fiscal policy and its effects
- The meaning and effects of a variety of supply-side policies
Year 2
The possible relationships between inputs and output
- Different costs and revenues, and how they can be affected by technological change
- The conduct and performance of firms
- Influences on the demand and supply of labour
- Wage rates and levels of employment
- Why income and wealth are unequally distributed
Genetics, populations, evolution and ecosystems
- Inheritance
- Populations
- Evolution and speciation
- Populations in Ecosystems
The advantages and disadvantages of the price mechanism
- How and why governments intervene in markets
- The uses and limitations of national income data
- The multiplier and an alternative view of the AS curve
- The causes and effects of economic growth and unemployment
- The Quantity Theory of Money
- Monetary policy
- Different types of tax and government spending
- The variety of supply-side measures and how they impact on the economy
The meaning and causes of globalisation
- How and why countries trade
- The role of the WTO
- The Single European Market
- The composition of the balance of payments and the significance of imbalance
- The characteristics of less-developed countries
Typical A-level subject combinations with Biology
- Economics, Geography and Maths
- Economics, Geography and Politics
Sample enrichment activities
- Business Enterprise
- Bank of England visit
- Coca Cola factory tour
- BMW factory visit
Sample academic calendar (2021-2022)
Year 1
- 6th: term starts
- Student induction
- 18th – 22nd: half term
- Progress tests
- University fairs and talks
- 10th: term ends
- End of term exams
- 10th – 11th: half term
- Progress tests
- University fairs
- End of term exams
- 18th: term ends
Year 2
- 17th – 21st: half term
- 15th October: UCAS deadline (Medicine)
- Progress tests
- University fairs and talks
- 9th: term ends
- End of term exams
- 2nd: term starts
- 15th January: UCAS deadline (other subjects)
- 9th – 10th: half term
- Progress tests
- 17th: term ends
- Mock exams
- 3rd: term starts
- Progress tests
Recommended reading
Below is a list of books which may help you prepare for your studies prior to arrival. Please note that additional books, and online resources such as websites and journals will be shared once you begin your course.
- Anderton, A. (2008). Economics 5th ed. for AQA. Causeway
- Lawrence, J. et al. (2008). AQA Economics AS. Nelson Thornes..
- Lawrence, J. et al. (2009). AQA Economics A2. Nelson Thornes
- Powell, R. (2013). AQA Economics AS 2nd ed. Phillip Allan
Degree progression
A-level Economics opens up many options for students at university, and there are many courses available with permutations of Business/Management/Administration/ Economics/Accounting and Finance.
Economics also stands up as a strong social science for students who wish to pursue this route and is ideally coupled with the human geography element and the statistics element of mathematics.
Sample alumni progression
- Economics/Geography/Maths
- University of York (Economics)
- Economics/Maths/Further Maths
- University of Warwick (Economics)
- Economics/Maths/Physics
- Durham University (Accounting and Finance)
- Economics/Geography/Maths
- LSE (Government with Economics)
- Economics/Maths/Further Maths
- University of Warwick (Economic Studies and Global Sustainable Development)
- Economics/Maths/Further Maths/Geography
- UCL (Maths with Economics)
- Economics/Geography/Maths
- UCL (Mathematics with Modern Languages)
- Economics/Geography/Maths
- Durham University (Marketing)
