Politics and Economics

Politics and economics are disciplines whose subject matter is deeply intertwined, and studying them together gives you a distinctly richer understanding of both. Political choices shape economic outcomes, and economic conditions shape political behaviour. Tax policy, public spending, central bank independence, trade agreements, and regulatory regimes are all simultaneously economic instruments and political decisions, and understanding them properly requires the tools of both disciplines.

At Surrey you will study this three-year full-time programme, developing analytical skills in both political science and economic reasoning. You will examine how political systems, institutions, and ideologies operate and interact, alongside the theoretical frameworks and quantitative methods that economists use to understand markets, incentives, and the effects of policy. The curriculum is designed to develop both the qualitative analytical abilities of political science and the formal, data-driven rigour of economics, producing graduates who can move confidently between the two modes of inquiry.

The programme reflects Surrey's commitment to building digital skills and professional competencies that employers across the private and public sectors value.

The combination of politics and economics is valued by a wide range of employers. Financial services, economic consultancy, policy research, the civil service, think-tanks, journalism, international organisations, and politics itself are all common career destinations. The ability to analyse both the political and economic dimensions of complex situations is particularly useful in roles that require understanding how policy is made and what its effects are likely to be.

Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in economics, public policy, political science, or international relations, building on the analytical foundation the degree provides.