Economics

The Economics course at Cambridge does not provide a vocational training in management or business. Instead, the course teaches a range of skills which will enable students to analyse complex economic, political and social questions. These skills include the use of economic theory, interpretation of economic data, mathematical model building, as well as political, ethical and historical analysis of economic issues.

The questions examined and methods employed are wide-ranging. The course is divided into three parts; Part I, Part IIA and Part IIB. Part I, taken in the first year, provides an introduction to micro- and macro-economics, mathematics, statistics, political aspects of economics, and British economic history. Typically, a week’s teaching involves 12-15 lectures provided by the Economics Faculty on the Sidgwick Site, and two to three supervisions provided by the College. Economics supervisions at Emmanuel are usually attended by two or three students, and for Part I the majority of the supervisors are usually Economics Fellows from the College. Students are required to prepare written work for each supervision, which involves solving mathematical economic problems or writing an essay. The supervisions are informal, and provide an excellent opportunity for students to ask questions and deepen their knowledge. Part IIA is taken in the second year and Part IIB in the third year. Part IIA tends to concentrate upon extensions to economic theory, while Part IIB includes some applications of that theory. In both years there is scope to specialise in varied aspects of the subject. In Part IIA, options include trade and development economics, the economics of the labour market, mathematical economics and econometrics, history and philosophy of economics, as well as several papers in politics and sociology provided by the Faculty of Human Social and Political Sciences. In Part IIB students choose two specialist papers (from the wide selection available) and also write a dissertation. The option papers can be divided between those that are mathematical, those that are sociological, and those that apply economic theory to particular markets or problems, for example the economics of the public sector or development economics. The full range of options is shown on the Faculty website. In Parts IIA and Part IIB, supervisions are provided by a combination of the Economics Fellows at Emmanuel and specialist supervisors often from other colleges. Economics graduates go on to a wide range of jobs, but especially to jobs in finance, government, technology and industry. While the Economics course at Cambridge is not focused upon business or management, it nevertheless teaches some skills which are valuable in any working environment and which make economics graduates attractive to employers. Just as the Economics course can encompass many different interests and views, so the careers followed by Economics graduates are extremely varied.