Education Studies and Economics

Apply economic theory to real-life scenarios to gain a solid understanding of how economic theory can be applied to a multi-disciplinary social science approach to current educational curricula, policy and trends.

You’ll examine education through the lens of history, sociology, philosophy and psychology, exploring whether ‘traditional’ and ‘progressive’ approaches to education, often seen as opposing philosophies, can complement and enhance each other.

As a student of Economics at Derby, you’ll develop an understanding of key economic concepts and enjoy the opportunity to apply this knowledge to current economic data and live research projects. The programme will build your understanding of contemporary economics both in the UK and overseas, as well as the private and public sector.

Gain real world experience

You’ll have the opportunity to put your skills to the test in the real world before you graduate – you could take a year long Economics placement between your second and third year, a Summer internship, or Education placements to develop your employability skills. Our Education placements are built around the ethos of being a force for positive change, so that students not only gain transferable knowledge and valuable life experience from the opportunities, but also contribute positively to the local community in return.

Research informed teaching

Research is visible in the programme through the creative input of teaching staff, who are experts in their curriculum areas and incorporate latest research in taught sessions and resources. Staff are active researchers and scholars and are well-placed to bring in their own research interests to teaching, as well as sharing their awareness of the wider field of educational and economics research. This provides an interactive and personable way to engage students with research. As a student at Derby, you’ll be encouraged to pursue your own interests in many module seminars and assignments, which will support you in becoming an active researcher in your own right.

Boost your employability with a placement year

Take an optional placement year to put your skills into practice in a real-world setting. We’ll support you in finding a placement and throughout your time in industry. It’s a great way to gain valuable experience for your CV, build contacts, and explore career options before you graduate.

What is a Joint Honours degree?

A Joint Honours degree offers students the opportunity to study two subjects.

A Joint Honours degree is a great option if:

• You want to study two subjects you’re passionate about
• You’ve got a specific career in mind and want to create a tailored degree to prepare you for the future
• You want to study a new subject alongside one you’re already familiar with

The modules below indicate the range of modules you may study as part of this combination, however prescribed and optional modules will vary depending on whether you choose to study both subjects equally, or choose to major or minor in a subject. To find out exactly which modules you would study as part of your chosen combination please contact StudentHub@derby.ac.uk.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Real world learning is at the heart of our Economics degrees, with the focus on solving genuine business problems as well as engaging with external experts to discuss economic concepts. You’ll learn through a compelling combination of:

• interactive lectures
• expert speakers
• problem-solving seminars
• group work
• group discussion
• workshops
• case study analysis
• computer lab work
• practical analysis

At the start of the course, you’ll benefit from substantial direction from our teaching team. As your studies progress, you’re expected to work more independently, taking greater responsibility for your own learning – but always with the support and advice of your tutors.

Our Education Studies modules are taught through methods such as directed study, lectures, seminars, and tutorials.

How you are assessed

You’ll be assessed in a number of ways on your Economics modules, including:

• computer-based assessments
• business reports
• applied economics projects to showcase your analytical and quantitative skills
• data retrieval and quantitative analytics using Bloomberg
• computer-based analysis harnessing Excel and SPSS
• poster presentations and reports to assess your research and consultancy skills

Your Education Studies modules will be assessed through course work such as essays, presentations, portfolios, reports and case study analysis.

Economics graduates with an understanding of business and leadership are in great demand across the public, private and voluntary sectors worldwide. As well as roles in international business, consultancy and finance, you could pursue opportunities in government departments, development agencies, charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Our focus on problem-solving and practical economic analysis extends your career scope further still, opening doors to a much broader range of opportunities than with a more conventional Economics qualification. Some graduates go on to follow careers in areas such as HR, marketing, PR and sales.

Education graduates are well placed for a range of employment opportunities, including primary and secondary teaching, teaching assistants, education liaison roles, social work, youth and community work or further postgraduate study.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to

Additional information about your studies

You will typically study your two subjects equally at stage one, before choosing whether you want to major in one subject at stages two and three.

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.