What is A-Level Economics?
A level Economics is a two-year course covering both microeconomics and macroeconomics throughout. Students will study elements of each at different points throughout the course, building microeconomic foundations, to begin with, switching to look at the UK and global economies and the policies used to influence their success before returning again to microeconomics to look in detail at the behaviour of businesses, consumers and workers.
What you'll do
We will be following the Eduqas A level specification. The exam board’s philosophy is one of rewarding understanding above knowledge and to ask clear, comprehensible questions which allow students respond with their own level of sophistication; there are no trick questions, making the board a very fair one.
Macroeconomics
The key areas of study for Macroeconomics are:
- The forces influencing the success of the UK and other global economies and models that can be used to analyse these forces.
- The various policies are available to the UK government to achieve their economics targets and analysis of their likely success in different economic circumstances.
- Different schools of economic thought and how different underpinning beliefs will influence policy recommendations.
- Detailed analysis of the big issues facing countries such as unemployment, inflation, growth, government debt and the Balance of Payments.
- In-depth analysis of the issues affecting less developed economies – for example, why some poorer countries have succeeded in growing quickly whereas others are still desperately poor.
Microeconomics
The key areas of study for Microeconomics are:
- Why prices for different goods and services are at different levels and the forces that might make them change.
- Why some people earn more than others, what causes inequality in different economies and to what extent does this matter?
- The extent to which all goods and services (such as health and education) should be provided through the market and the case for government intervention.
- How firms compete with one another, the consequences of monopoly power and the need for regulation.
Whom does this subject suit?
Anyone with an interest in knowing more about the way the world works. Students take Economics in combination with a very wide array of other subjects – everything ranging from Art and English Literature at one end to Further Maths and Physics at the other.
A common misconception is that a strong mathematical background is important for the A level – this is not true; an ability to understand graphs and correlation is the only mathematical requirement. As a result, there is no absolute GCSE requirement to study Economics at d’Overbroeck’s unlike at many other sixth forms. An ability to deal with abstract theory and then compare that theory with reality is an important skill whilst also having the confidence of conviction to voice, and justify, an opinion makes for an enjoyable classroom experience. Many students have taken up Economics as a third or fourth subject only to find that they enjoy it so much they decide to study it at university.
What might the subject lead to?
Many students go on to study Economics at university. At the university, Economics can be studied as a subject on its own or as part of a joint degree with another subject such as Politics, Business Management, Accounting and Finance and Statistics.
The widely transferable analytical and problem-solving skills developed by economics students means that careers in economics are extremely wide-ranging and diverse.
How well do students do?
Although results aren’t everything, they obviously matter. Since the change to linear A levels, 25% of our students scored A* grades and 70% scored either A or A* grades. With this track record of success, you can be confident that your hard work will be rewarded.