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Original poster

Economics degree without maths

63 replies

Bufftailed · 11/07/2025 15:08

Hi all,

My DS is finalising A level options, subject to results. If he doesn’t do maths I can see most of top Unis would be ruled out for Economics, although there are some BA options and joint honours. In terms of job hunting post uni (finance, banking, economics) would be a BA or joint honours hold him back? I don’t know much about these fields so any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

OP posts:
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LimeSqueezer · 30/11/2025 23:04

It would be far more valuable and important to do maths a-level than economics a-level, even for an economics degree. Also true for a career in finance, where a maths or physics degree would be just as welcome.

bethanycarter · 30/11/2025 17:29

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TizerorFizz · 15/07/2025 10:17

@Bufftailed There are often open days in September.

postitnot · 15/07/2025 07:01

@clary Apparently 30% of the students don't have maths on the Leeds course, but it's very popular and only offers to 23% of applicants. It looks good so that's probably why!

clary · 14/07/2025 23:44

@postitnot one of the YP I know who struggled to get an econ offer applied to Leeds with maths and FM at A level (grades in hand too) and did not get an offer. Maybe their application was poor for some reason (obvs I didn't see it) but just be aware – even if they don't ask for maths A level it may be that a lot of students have it. I think you can enquire about A levels gained by successful applicants. Sheffield needs maths IIRC but I think that's for the BSc course – the Ba does not, it's true. BA is perhaps the way to go if a student has not taken maths A level.

postitnot · 14/07/2025 23:01

My dd is in yr 12 and thinking of an economics degree with no maths a level. She got a 7 at GCSE and did better at more essay based subjects so has gone for them at a level. She's looked at Leeds, Newcastle, Liverpool and Sheffield so far, all happy for no maths. They need a 7 at gcse though as you need to be 'numerate' and will teach the maths necessary for the course. Offers are AAB/AAA for these universities, but she hasn't applied yet so who knows if she'll get offers...

Original poster
Bufftailed · 13/07/2025 10:10

Thanks all - v helpful

I think we have missed uni visits for this year but will take him round some next year. He is still recovering from GCSEs / doing the rounds of sixth forms 🤣 I will def suggest some of those books to him next year

OP posts:
Alongthetowpath · 13/07/2025 08:38

If he’s in year 11 now, you could see if there is a uni open day locally that you could go along to.

Not sure if they are all over for the summer now, but worth a look.

He could attend a taster economics lecture and ask teaching staff about maths and other modules, and see what they would advise about A level choices.
Might help to put things into context a bit.

Needlenardlenoo · 13/07/2025 08:18

I've found this information quite helpful (the system has changed a lot) but the OP is advising a year 11 so possibly overkill at this stage -- more important as pp advised that he picks A levels he will get on with

Spirallingdownwards · 13/07/2025 08:05

The unis that make early offers do so on the basis of prior year's statistics for offers made to people holding those grades. So if they know from prior years that 10% of places go to applicants who all have all A star predictions they can safely offer to anyone who applies with all A star knowing they still have spaces available for students applying later with all A*.

Edited because of the star enabling bold type

Spirallingdownwards · 13/07/2025 07:56

Needlenardlenoo · 12/07/2025 10:12

To add to @clary's clear advice: students applying anywhere competitive should do so in the autumn and earlier rather than later, as some universities make offers on a first come (with decent predictions), first serve basis. Plus the later you leave it the more frazzled the school UCAS advisor gets!

While predicted grades can and often do change in September/October, in practice the school will have a deadline for changes, and students pressuring teachers to give unrealistic predicted grades right through to November or early December helps no-one, least of all the student - it's a distraction from actually studying!

Nonsense re first come first served. The date for equal consideration of applications is January and indeed for 2026 it has been moved forward to mid January.

Early applications of mid October is for Oxbridge, medicine, vet med and dentistry.

Needlenardlenoo · 13/07/2025 07:51

How Money Works: The Facts Visually Explained (How Things Work): Amazon.co.uk: DK: 9780241225998: Books https://share.google/tCNfIEF1P49Dlv2XF

The Economics Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained (DK Big Ideas): Amazon.co.uk: DK: 9780241656839: Books https://share.google/CdMQkAaJTqbc1bIzo

Needlenardlenoo · 13/07/2025 07:49

Bunnycat101 · 13/07/2025 00:37

I think it would be helpful to have a look at some of the core texts and see if he actually likes economics. I did economics units for my masters and bloody hated it. The way of thinking just didn’t work well for me and I found it a bit dull and wanted to argue against too many of the theoretical concepts that formed the basis of the course. I think you have to have the right type of brain to enjoy it. Some people on my course were in their happy place and couldn’t get enough. I thought I would like it so I was surprised when I didn’t.

That is very good advice. It is a Marmite subject.

For a year 11 though, I would recommend browsing The Economics Book from the Dorling Kindersley series "Big Ideas Simply Explained". "How Money Works" is another good one.

Bunnycat101 · 13/07/2025 00:37

I think it would be helpful to have a look at some of the core texts and see if he actually likes economics. I did economics units for my masters and bloody hated it. The way of thinking just didn’t work well for me and I found it a bit dull and wanted to argue against too many of the theoretical concepts that formed the basis of the course. I think you have to have the right type of brain to enjoy it. Some people on my course were in their happy place and couldn’t get enough. I thought I would like it so I was surprised when I didn’t.

Original poster
Bufftailed · 12/07/2025 21:58

PerpetualOptimist · 12/07/2025 13:59

OP, your DS may want to read the Prospects ac.uk 'What do graduates do' report (link below). The section on economics shows typical initial sector destinations and job titles.

Economics degree composition varies a lot; from those that are really more akin to maths & stats degrees through to those that are more akin to history or politics degrees. Choosing an Econ BA with very little quantitative element still enables entry into lots of finance and policy roles, but you are competing with Econ BSc grads and with humanity and other social science grads. By contrast Econ BSc can go for those roles and the more heavily quantitative ones.

Set against that, Maths A level is a step up and securing, say, only a B, when an A or Astar might have been secured in another subject, would also limit uni and ultimate career options in a different way. So there are trade offs. As @Octavia64 says, Core Maths would be a very good addition to 3 A levels that did not include Maths. Edexcel A level Maths is 50% pure, 25% mechanics and 25% statistics. So stats are there but if you are struggling with pure and/or mechanics, it is difficult.

With reference to degree-level apprenticeships, parents can see these as 'free degrees', whereas really they are specific roles/careers paths with narrowly specified training attached. This suits DC who are very clear about their career path (as options are narrowed down), have the early maturity to be managed and treated in the same way as grad entrants and who understand what they are giving up in terms of the social scaffolding that uni can provide. Investigation and research driven by the DC in Y12 is best in this context as applications open as early as Sep Y13 for job start the following Sep, so they need to have their head screwed on and be able to articulate persuasively why they are the right person for the job.

luminate.prospects.ac.uk/what-do-graduates-do

This is great - thanks

Career advice has been negligible so far - am hoping sixth form better. Would like to be able to support DS more effectively

OP posts:
MsPengiuns · 12/07/2025 18:42

I don't know exactly how it works but DD seemed to be able to add a university in about 5 minutes so that wasn't much of an issue. Rest of form stayed the same. One minor issue was you do see others getting offers before you but that's life. Also check on the universities websites you are applying for and be careful if an entry test when the dates are or the odd one has an interview (think was only Oxbridge and Imperial). Though the top ones are the ones I would put in first so you know if you have your first choice or not. Then the extra ones if you've got it are insurance. If not you are looking for a first and an insurance so may affect choices. Having a year out as a backup plan is useful anyway, DD had a plan for that.

Needlenardlenoo · 12/07/2025 18:28

I see the universities quoted on the link posted by @MsPengiuns agree with me (I didn't read it first!)

Needlenardlenoo · 12/07/2025 18:24

I don't know, I'm not a UCAS advisor but I am an experienced teacher, and from a teaching and learning point of view I can't think it's ideal to spend the whole of Sept-Dec and potentially the Christmas holidays and early January fiddling about with applications. Such a distraction from actually learning. If a student's that unsure would a gap year or a deferral not be better?

Although I can see the point of gaming it a bit depending on the outcome of the first couple of choices, as a pp described.

Lemonsole · 12/07/2025 16:21

TizerorFizz · 12/07/2025 15:36

@LemonsoleThere is a big difference between being full and only having a few places left when loads of applications might arrive in January. Some of those might be better than those offered already.

See the link above. I have been a UCAS adviser for 20 years and you are giving misleading misinformation here.

TizerorFizz · 12/07/2025 15:36

@LemonsoleThere is a big difference between being full and only having a few places left when loads of applications might arrive in January. Some of those might be better than those offered already.

Lemonsole · 12/07/2025 14:46

TizerorFizz · 12/07/2025 14:27

@Lemonsole I never quite get the logic of what you say. My DD was an early applicant and got offers from 2 universities within a week. She clearly wasn’t given equal consideration to those applying in January. The course would also have fewer places available when they applied. Courses that don’t make any offers until March, I can see they have considered all applications equally.

Also @Needlenardlenoo We also had DD with an early application not hearing from Durham until late March. So no, they don’t all treat applicants in the same way.

It’s perfectly logical: while universities are free to make offers as soon as they receive applications, they are not allowed to “fill up” and therefore declare courses to be closed until after the October/ January deadlines, as appropriate.
Your daughter would have received the same offer had her form gone in in January.

clary · 12/07/2025 14:31

Apply to 5 competitive ones straight away and there's a risk you get no offers even with 4 A stars and Maths and FM

This was a YP I know, applied for straight economics with A star and A in hand in maths, FM, CS and business I think, chose UCL, LSE, Imperial, Leeds, Nottingham - rejected by all but N. Was badly advised in terms of uni choices but still worth bearing in mind.

Joint hons or BA econ less competitive tho @Bufftailed

TizerorFizz · 12/07/2025 14:27

@Lemonsole I never quite get the logic of what you say. My DD was an early applicant and got offers from 2 universities within a week. She clearly wasn’t given equal consideration to those applying in January. The course would also have fewer places available when they applied. Courses that don’t make any offers until March, I can see they have considered all applications equally.

Also @Needlenardlenoo We also had DD with an early application not hearing from Durham until late March. So no, they don’t all treat applicants in the same way.

Needlenardlenoo · 12/07/2025 14:04

As @HundredMilesAnHour says, it's about numeracy rather than Maths per se.