Economics and Chinese

Economics and Chinese is a combination that reflects both the practical importance of China in the global economy and the intellectual depth of studying two demanding disciplines together. Economics equips you with tools to understand how resources are allocated, how markets function, and how governments, firms, and households make decisions under constraint. Chinese, studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies, draws on one of the world's great scholarly traditions and opens access to the literature, thought, and contemporary culture of the Chinese-speaking world.

Together, the two subjects give you an unusually sharp analytical and linguistic lens on one of the most consequential economies of our time.

You will develop rigorous quantitative and theoretical skills through your economics study, engaging with micro and macroeconomic frameworks, data analysis, and the political economy of development and trade. Your Chinese language work will build towards genuine proficiency, supported by SOAS's specialist expertise in the language, history, and politics of East Asia. This four-year programme includes a foundation year, which gives you the grounding to succeed across both disciplines before the degree itself begins.

You will study full-time throughout, with entry requirements reflecting the combined demands of the joint degree.

Graduates of this combination go on to roles in international financial institutions, trade policy, investment and banking, development organisations, the civil service, and international business. Fluency in Mandarin alongside a grounding in economics makes you competitive in sectors where analytical rigour and cross-cultural understanding matter. Further study in economics, Chinese studies, international relations, or public policy is also a natural next step for those who wish to specialise or pursue research.