Metadata
Title
Undergraduate study
Category
undergraduate
UUID
ed7b19a57bba4acfa1de6a13d4f5a6af
Source URL
https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/economics/
Parent URL
https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/
Crawl Time
2026-03-24T07:20:16+00:00
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Undergraduate study

Source: https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/economics/ Parent: https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/

Undergraduate

Economics MA(SocSci)/BAcc/BSc/MA

In studying economics you will learn how individuals and society make choices about how scarce resources are used, what products are produced and who gets to consume them. These choices depend on evaluating costs, benefits, risks and effects on others.

You will gain a deep understanding of how markets function and you will have the opportunity to explore fields such as government policy, developing countries, the economics of business and international trade and finance.

Coupled with a diverse, inclusive community and access to cutting-edge resources, our programme empowers you to analyse and address real-world economic challenges, preparing you for impactful careers in a range of industries.

Adam Smith Business School is triple accredited

Triple-crown accreditation signals the Adam Smith Business School meets the highest global standards in education and research. This recognition validates the quality of education provided and enhances graduates’ employability, placing us in the top league of international business schools.

Apply via UCAS

Programme structure

Year 1

You will study:

Year 2

You will study:

You will also study other subjects in years 1 and 2: see Flexible degrees.

Years 3 and 4

If you progress to Honours (years 3 and 4), you will take advanced courses in microeconomic analysis and macroeconomic analysis. There is also the opportunity to take courses in econometrics, which involves the statistical techniques of economic analysis.

You will also choose courses from a range of electives on specific topics to develop your analytic understanding of key aspects of economics and government policy formulation, putting the skills you have developed into action. Specialist subject areas may include:

You can structure your studies to select and combine subjects relevant to your individual career path. You will also research and write a dissertation in your final year.

Course details

Single / Joint Honours Economics

Economics Year 1

Economics Year 2

You will also study other subjects in years 1 and 2: see Flexible degrees.

Single Honours Economics

Economics Year 3

Economic and Social History courses for Single Honours students

The following course is available to students on a Single Honours Economics or Business Economics plan as an outside option even if they have not previously studied Economic and Social History.  Students should be aware though that this course is worth 20 credits.

Year 3: non-Honours

These courses are compulsory to students who are completing an MA (Social Sciences) Ordinary Degree, for which 60 credits of level 3 courses are required.

Economics Year 4

Economics Dissertation

Joint Honours Economics and another subject

Year 3

At least 2 from the following:

Note: BAcc and LLB students follow a slightly different curriculum.

Year 3: non-Honours

These courses are compulsory to students who are completing an MA (Social Sciences) Ordinary Degree, for which 60 credits of level 3 courses are required.

Year 4

Economics Honours Optional Courses

Note: the portfolio of Honours optional courses is subject to review and change each academic year.

Service courses

This course is available only to students studying engineering degrees.

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Programme alteration or discontinuation\ The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.

There are opportunities for you to go abroad for up to a year as part of your undergraduate studies.

We currently have links with partners across Europe, the United States, Canada, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore. Courses taken overseas through our exchange programmes form part of your degree. There are no additional tuition fees and you receive support and recognition for your time abroad through the programme.

Find out more

Entry requirements

for entry in 2026

You should refer to the entry requirements for both subjects and the degree award when applying for a joint honours degree programme. The higher entry requirement (where applicable) and additional requirements must be met for both subjects.

Summary of entry requirements for Economics

SQA Higher entry requirements

SQA Higher adjusted entry requirements* (by end of S5 or S6)

* See Access Glasgow for eligibility.

A-level standard entry requirements

IB standard entry requirements

Note: No previous knowledge of economics is required for entry to first year.

Admissions guidance

Glasgow International College

International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of foundation certificates.

English language

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

English language requirements

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

+++

Common equivalent English language qualifications for entry to this programme

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

Tests taken up to 20 January 2026

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

Pearsons PTE Academic

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

Oxford ELLT

LanguageCert Academic SELT

Password Skills Plus

Trinity College Tests

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

School Qualifications

International School Qualifications

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Alternatives to English Language qualification

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

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Pre-sessional courses

We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

FAQs

What do I do if...

my language qualifications are below the requirements?

The University's School of Modern Languages and Cultures offers a range of Pre-sessional courses to bring you up to entry level. The course is accredited by BALEAP, the UK professional association for academic English teaching.

my language qualifications are not listed here?

Please contact External Relations

If you require a Tier 4 student visa, your qualification must be one of the secure English language tests accepted by UK Border Agency:

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Visa requirements and proof of English language level

It is a visa requirement to provide information on your level of English based on an internationally recognised and secure English language test. All test reports must be no more than 2 years old. A list of these can be found on the UK Border Agency website. If you have never taken one of these tests before, you can get an initial idea of your level by using the Common European Framework self-assessment grid which gives you a level for each skill (e.g. listening B1/writing B2 etc.) However, please note that this is not a secure English language test and it is not sufficient evidence of your level of English for visa requirements.

Further information about English language: School of Modern Languages & Cultures: English for Academic Study

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Career prospects

Our graduates develop skills in research, analysis, communication, teamworking, decision making and problem solving. Recent graduates have been employed, among many other organisations, by:

Accreditation

The Adam Smith Business School has specialised international accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Our teaching provision is accredited by the Association of Business Schools and the Association of MBAs (AMBA). We have also been awarded accreditation under the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), operated by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). The triple-crown accreditation puts us in the top league of international business schools.

Degrees and UCAS codes

Due to high demand, if you wish to be considered for Honours Economics you must apply using a UCAS code for Economics, either as a single subject or as a Joint Honours combination.

When applying you will need to know the UCAS code for the subject or subject-combination that you wish to apply to:

MA(SocSci) (Hons)

Economics: L150 (4 years)

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Apply to L150

Economics/Business & Management: LN12 (4 years)

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Apply to LN12

Economics/Economic & Social History: LVC3 (4 years)

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Apply to LVC3

Economics/Geography: LL17 (4 years)

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Apply to LL17

Economics/History: LV11 (4 years)

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Apply to LV11

Economics/Mathematics: GL11 (4 years)

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Apply to GL11

Economics/Philosophy: LVC5 (4 years)

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Apply to LVC5

Economics/Politics: LL12 (4 years)

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Apply to LL12

Economics/Psychology: CL81 (4 years)

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Apply to CL81 \ Applicants must meet the Psychology requirements

BAcc

Economics/Accountancy: LN14 (4 years)

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Apply to LN14

BSc (Hons)

Economics/Mathematics: LG1D (4 years)

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Apply to LG1D

Economics/Statistics: GL31 (4 years)

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Apply to GL31

MA (Hons)

Economics/Comparative Literature: LQC2 (4 years)

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Apply to LQC2

Economics/English Language & Linguistics: LQ1H (4 years)

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Apply to LQ1H

Economics/English Literature: LQD3 (4 years)

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Apply to LQD3

Economics/French: LR11 (5 years)

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Apply to LR11

Economics/German: RL21 (5 years)

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Apply to RL21

Economics/Greek: LQ17 (4 years)

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Apply to LQ17

Economics/History: LVC1 (4 years)

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Apply to LVC1

Economics/Latin: LQ16 (4 years)

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Apply to LQ16

Economics/Music: LW13 (4 years)

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Apply to LW13

Economics/Philosophy: LVD5 (4 years)

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Apply to LVD5

Economics/Russian: LR17 (5 years)

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Apply to LR17

Economics/Scottish History: LVD1 (4 years)

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Apply to LVD1

Economics/Spanish: RL41 (5 years)

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Apply to RL41

Economics/Theatre Studies: LW14 (4 years)

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Apply to LW14

Economics/Theology & Religious Studies: LV16 (4 years)

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Apply to LV16

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

How and when you pay tuition fees depends on where you’re from: see Tuition fees for details.

Scholarships

The University is committed to supporting students and rewarding academic excellence. That's why we've invested more than £1m in additional scholarship funding in recent years.

The Ann Dodgson Foundation Grant

Young people between 16-25 years of age whose intentions for the grant fall within the Foundation's Aims are encouraged to apply for a grant. Through the provision of grants, The Ann Dodgson Foundation endeavours to further the following aims:

To advance in life and help young people in particular by:\ - encouraging young people in the United Kingdom to be comfortable beyond the boundaries of their own culture and by promoting French culture.\ - helping young people as well as aspiring, training and practising teachers and others involved in education, to enjoy, understand and be inspired by France – its people, its language, its history and its culture.\ - helping young people learn about the United Nations – its Charter, its purpose, its range and its value.\ - advancing the education of young people in the subject of France – its people, its language, its history and its culture.

University of Glasgow/Glasgow International College University Degree Progressi

The University of Glasgow has a number of University Degree Progression Scholarships available to international students progressing directly from Glasgow International College (GIC) to register on a full-time Undergraduate degree at the University of Glasgow in Academic Year 2026/27.

World Changers Glasgow Scholarship UG (EU)

The University of Glasgow continues to be committed to ensuring a strong relationship with our existing and future EU students, and supporting EU talent to make their home at the University of Glasgow. 

We appreciate the challenging financial implications that have arisen for our European applicants, and are therefore delighted to offer the World Changers Glasgow Scholarship UG (EU) to new incoming EU students starting an undergraduate programme for Academic Session 2026-27. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount of £5,000 for every year of study and is subject to satisfactory progress for consecutive years of study. This discount cannot be combined with another University scholarship.

World Changers Global Excellence Scholarship

The University of Glasgow has a number of World Changers Global Excellence Scholarships available to new International and EU Undergraduate students for 2026 entry.

The scholarship is awarded as an annual tuition fee discount, based on the academic college of your chosen degree:

Scholarships are renewable each year, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

World Changers RUK Excellence Scholarship

The RUK Excellence Scholarship of £1,000 for each year of study will be awarded to first degree new entrants who have attained academic excellence in one sitting at A Level.

Beaconhouse Schools

The University of Glasgow offer a 15% discount on the first year of tuition fee to students from Beaconhouse Schools and who enrol on an undergraduate programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount does not apply to Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Dentistry programmes.

World Changers RUK Access Bursary

The bursary supports talented students who may not be able to take their place at University for reasons of financial hardship. It is available to new entrant full-time, undergraduate students of the University of Glasgow who are fully registered for the up coming academic session, ordinarily domiciled in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and paying full annual tuition fee.

Care Experienced and Estranged Student Bursary

The University of Glasgow is offering five bursaries specifically for Care Experienced and Estranged Students. These bursaries aim to support students who have been in care or are living independently due to family estrangement. Definitions of these terms are provided below, and further details are available here.

Care Experienced\ "Care-experienced" refers to anyone who has ever been in care, regardless of the duration. This includes individuals who have been in the care of a local authority at any stage, whether through residential care, foster care, kinship care, or under a supervision requirement at home. This category also includes those who have been adopted from care.

Estranged\ Estranged students are young people studying independently without family support due to a breakdown in family relationships. These students often have limited or no contact with their families, and any contact that does occur is usually infrequent or strained. Causes of estrangement may include emotional or physical abuse, conflicting family expectations, personality clashes, or differing values.

Each bursary is typically valued at £1,500 per year for each consecutive year of the degree programme.

James McCune Smith Undergraduate Scholarship

The University of Glasgow has up to 30 undergraduate scholarships available for students of African/African-Caribbean backgrounds. The scholarship supports students who could face financial difficulties taking up their place to study at the university. The value of the scholarship is £4,000, paid in instalments for year one of undergraduate study. The scholarship is open to new applicants to the university for 2026 entry. Current students who have previously been in receipt of the award may reapply, however, preference will be given to applicants entering their first year of study.

Undergraduate Talent Scholarships

The University of Glasgow is awarding c.50 undergraduate Talent Scholarships to support students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University for 2026 entry. The value of each scholarship is typically £1,500 p.a. for each year of the degree programme, subject to satisfactory progress. Talent Scholarships are available to students entering any of the University's Colleges.

Dental School students are eligible for a Talent Scholarship in their first year of study only. They are eligible for the NHS Dental Student Support Grant in the following years.

Cowrie Foundation Scholarship - CLOSED

The University of Glasgow and The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation (CSF) will offer a scholarship to support Black African and Caribbean heritage applicants from socio-economically challenged backgrounds.  Applicants must be ordinarily resident in the UK and commencing an undergraduate study programme.

The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation wants to fund 100 Black British students through UK universities in the next decade. More information on the Foundation can be found here.

Travel Bursaries

The University of Glasgow is offering travel bursaries to assist with public transport travel costs, to support undergraduate students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University for 2026 entry. The value of the bursary is 50% of your monthly public transport travel costs to get to University, up to a maximum value of £50 per month. Priority is given to new entrants to the Univeristy. Continuing students previously in receipt of the bursary can apply, however, preference will be given to new entrants.

The Scottish Government’s Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel scheme gives free bus travel to young people under 22 years of age. Please note that if you are under 22 years of age and can reasonably travel to Campus by bus, you will not be considered for the travel bursary.

GyanDhan Scholarship

The GyanDhan Scholarship 2026 is a test-based program for students across the globe, reflecting GyanDhan’s commitment to rewarding talent fairly. Open to students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, it supports higher studies in India and abroad, ensuring that ambition isn’t limited by past academic scores.

Sanctuary Scholarships

The University of Glasgow Sanctuary Scholarship has been created to support applicants with Refugee or Asylum Seeker status who are currently living in the UK and hold an offer to study with us in the 2026/27 academic year. The scholarship is open to prospective undergraduate and postgraduate taught students at the University of Glasgow applying for entry in September 2026/27. Please note that you must have applied to the University before submitting an application for this scholarship.

As a University of Sanctuary, we are committed to ensuring that those with the ambition and determination to pursue higher education have the opportunity to do so. This scholarship provides a full tuition fee waiver along with financial support for living costs, helping recipients focus on their studies and thrive both academically and personally.

Through this initiative, we aim to offer meaningful opportunities to talented individuals seeking sanctuary, enabling them to rebuild their futures and become part of our global #TeamUofG community. Full eligibility criteria can be found below.

The scholarship will meet the cost of tuition fees for the duration of your programme, for applicants who are unable to access mainstream funding through Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) or Student Finance. The Sanctuary Scholarship also provides a £5,000 per year stipend, to assist with study costs.

This scholarship is not available to PGdip, PDGE or part time programmes.

Undergraduate students with refugee status (or equivalent) and access to funding, are eligible to apply for the scholarship and would receive the £5,000 stipend towards study costs only, if successful.

Postgraduate Taught Masters students with refugee status (or equivalent) and access to funding, are eligible to apply for the scholarship and would receive the £5,000 stipend towards study costs and a partial tuition fee waiver, to cover any shortfall not met by your Postgraduate Masters tuition fee loan.

The Clan Gregor Society Prize

The Clan Gregor Society is offering an award incoming students to the University of Glasgow who descend from Clan Gregor. Students will be asked to submit an application highlighting areas of consideration such as academic excellence and financial need. The award is open to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate applicants who are joining us for 2025/26 entry.

The Dima Alhaj Scholarship

The Dima Alhaj Scholarship was set up in 2024 in memory of a University of Glasgow alumna. After graduating, Dima worked in Gaza with the World Health Organization as a patient administrator at the limb reconstruction centre, as part of the trauma and emergency team and was tragically killed in Gaza in November 2023.

The University is offering the Dima Alhaj Scholarship to 1 undergraduate applicant and 1 postgraduate taught applicant joining us in September 2026. Please note that you must have a programme application in progress before applying for this scholarship. If you have not yet started a programme application, please submit this first and then return to complete the scholarship application process.

This scholarship is not available to PhD, PGdip, PDGE or part time programmes.

This scholarship can not be combined with any other University of Glasgow scholarship. In the event you are offered 2 scholarships, the lower value scholarship will be removed from your student account.

Travel Bursary for Forced Migrants

The University of Glasgow is offering travel bursaries to assist with public transport travel costs, to support undergraduate and postgraduate students are currently asylum seekers and who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University for 2026 entry. The value of the bursary is 50% of your monthly public transport travel costs to get to University, up to a maximum value of £50 per month.

Glasgow Highland Society Scholarship

The University of Glasgow is excited to promote this scholarship opportunity on behalf of the Glasgow Highland Society. 

The Glasgow Highland Society is offering multiple grants of up to £500 for new and continuing students of Glasgow university who fit the eligibility requirements of the scholarship

The scholarships above are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

How to apply

Due to high demand, if you wish to be considered for Honours Economics you must apply using a UCAS code for Economics, either as a single subject or as a Joint Honours combination.

Full-time students must apply through the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

SQA applicants who are eligible for our Widening Participation programmes are encouraged to participate in one or more of these programmes, including Summer School, to support your application and the transition to higher education.

International students to Arts, Engineering, Law, Nursing, Science, and Social Sciencescan also apply using The Common Application: however, if applying to more than one UK university, we recommend using UCAS. Applications to Dentistry, Education, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine must be made through UCAS.

Application deadlines

We do not usually accept any applications after these deadlines.

It's your responsibility to ensure the accuracy of your application before submission. Requests to correct application content, change degree programme or change college of entry, will not be accepted after these deadlines. This policy is in place to ensure fairness and consistency to all applicants, and no exceptions will be made.

Apply via UCAS

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