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A-level Economics factsheet

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

Start Dates:

  • 8 January 2024
  • 9 September 2024

Colleges:

  • Bournemouth
  • Brighton
  • London
  • Oxford

Entry level:

  • Academic: Completed 10 years of schooling (GCSE or equivalent)
  • English: IELTS 5.5 or equivalent

Minimum age:

  • 16

Length:

  • 2 Academic Years (3 terms)
  • We also offer a One-Year A-level in Economics and an entry from Year 12.

Lessons:

  • 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

Sample enrichment activities

  • Business Enterprise
  • Bank of England visit
  • Coca Cola factory tour
  • BMW factory visit

Sample academic calendar (2021-2022)

Year 1

Sept

6th: term starts
Student induction

Oct

18th – 22nd: half term
Progress tests

Nov

University fairs and talks

Dec

10th: term ends
End of term exams

Jan

3rd: term starts

Feb

10th-11th: half term
Progress tests
University fairs

Mar

End of term exams
18th: term ends

Apr

4th: term starts

May

Progress tests

June

Exams
10th: term ends

Year 2

Sept

5th: term starts

Oct

17th – 21st: half term
15th October: UCAS deadline (Medicine)
Progress tests

Nov

  • University fairs and talks

Dec

9th: term ends
End of term exams

Jan

2nd: term starts
15th January: UCAS deadline (other subjects)

Feb

9th – 10th: half term
Progress tests

Mar

17th: term ends
Mock exams

Apr

3rd: term starts
Progress tests

May

Final exams

June

9th June: term ends

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

    Giorgi Abalaki

    • Economics/Geography/Maths
    • University of York (Economics)

    Artur Begyan

    • Economics/Maths/Further Maths
    • University of Warwick (Economics)

    Jinhao Jiang

    • Economics/Maths/Physics
    • Durham University (Accounting and Finance)

    Ya Gan

    • Economics/Geography/Maths
    • LSE (Government with Economics)

    Aigerim Kossymova

    • Economics/Maths/Further Maths
    • University of Warwick (Economic Studies and Global Sustainable Development)

    Yueqi Li

    • Economics/Maths/Further Maths/Geography
    • UCL (Maths with Economics)

    Kan Xu

    • Economics/Geography/Maths 
    • UCL (Mathematics with Modern Languages)

    Gaochuan Zhang

    • Economics/Geography/Maths
    • Durham University (Marketing)
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