Economics with Foundation Year

Economics is the discipline that asks how individuals, organisations, and governments allocate scarce resources, and what the consequences of those allocations are for prosperity, inequality, and social wellbeing. It is both a theoretical discipline, working through models and logical frameworks, and an empirical one, using data and statistical methods to test those frameworks against reality. A degree in economics develops the quantitative skills and analytical thinking that are increasingly essential in almost every professional domain where decisions matter.

At York St John University this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, designed to give you the mathematical and conceptual grounding needed to engage successfully with degree-level economics. The foundation year makes the degree accessible to a broader range of students while ensuring rigorous preparation for the main programme. Across the full degree you will develop your understanding of the world of economics, building numerical skills alongside the ability to analyse and problem-solve in contexts from personal finance to global business.

The course includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and a work placement component, giving you substantial structured opportunities to develop professional experience before you graduate. The typical entry tariff of 104 points reflects the accessible entry the foundation year provides.

You will develop analytical and quantitative reasoning, research skills, and the capacity to apply economic thinking to real-world problems across finance, business, policy, and development.

Graduates of economics programmes pursue careers in finance, banking, the civil service, business analysis, consultancy, international development, economic policy, and commercial management. Postgraduate study in economics, finance, public policy, or data science is a common and well-supported next step.