Philosophy and Economics BA
London, Bloomsbury
Philosophy and Economics BA (2025)
This three year programme aims to provide an understanding of a range of central philosophical debates, together with a detailed education in economics. All major areas of philosophy are available for study, and the programme is run jointly with the highly regarded UCL Economics department, where half your modules are taken.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
Programme starts
September 2024Application deadline
31 Jan 2024UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- A*AA
- Subjects
- Mathematics A* required.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 5.
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- A*BB more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- Mathematics A* required.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 5.
- Points
- 39
- Subjects
- A total of 19 points in three higher level subjects including Mathematics grade 7, with no higher level score below 5. The programme will accept either 'Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches' or 'Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 36 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects including Mathematics grade 7, with no higher level score below 5. The programme will accept either 'Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches' or 'Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Pass in Access to HE Diploma, with a minimum of 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units. Please note, where subject specific requirements are stipulated at A level we may review your Access to HE syllabus to ensure you meet the subject specific requirements prior to a final decision being communicated.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
D2,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Mathematics required at D2
A1,A,A at Advanced Highers (or A1,A at Advanced Higher and A,A,A at Higher). Mathematics A1 required at Advanced Higher.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades A*AA, including Mathematics at A*.
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
Access and widening participation
UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates
The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.
Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.
For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.
English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 4
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Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Course overview
The first year includes several introductory modules, which provide a foundation for later studies. In your second and third years, the programme provides the opportunity to cover political philosophy, examining questions about the state, liberty and laws; moral philosophy, questioning distinctions of right and wrong, and our motivation for choosing between the two; epistemology, which investigates the nature of knowledge and belief; metaphysics, which attempts to grasp the nature of things; and logic, which imparts principles of sound reasoning.
In the first year of the course, students will divide their time equally between both disciplines. In Years 2 and 3, there is the option of weighting modules slightly in favour of one subject, although many students continue with equal weighting.
What this course will give you
You will be joining a highly prestigious philosophy department at a university ranked 6th in the world for arts and humanities (THE World University Rankings 2023 by subject).
The research interests of our academic staff are wide-ranging, covering all the main areas of philosophy.
You will learn economics in one of the UK’s leading centres for research. Students will graduate with an excellent understanding of economic matters, and benefit from the wide range of expertise in the UCL Economics department.
A rich array of extracurricular philosophy events is available in London. As a UCL Philosophy student, you will be able to attend the meetings of the Royal Institute of Philosophy, the Aristotelian Society and the University of London's Institute of Philosophy.
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) in Philosophy and Economics.
Modules
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
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In both subjects your first year offers introductory modules, which provide a foundation for later studies. These will provide a basis for your choice of modules in Years 2 and 3 of the course. There is the option to write a Dissertation.
In the first year of the course, students will divide their time equally between both disciplines. In Years 2 and 3, there is the option of weighting modules slightly in favour of one subject, although many students continue with equal weighting.
Optional modules
Optional modules
Your learning
Our teaching is based on lectures and seminars that complement each other. In your first year, you will be introduced to the basic elements of philosophical reasoning and economics through lectures, seminars and (optional) small-group tutorial classes. In Years 2 and 3, your chosen modules will be taught by experts from within the two departments through a combination of lectures, related seminars and classes.
22% of a student's time during the two teaching terms will be spent in lectures, seminars and tutorials. The remainder of your time will be spent in independent study and assessment.
Assessment
Assessment is by a mixture of coursework (essays and/or shorter pieces of writing) and written examination. You may also elect to submit a dissertation as one of your philosophy optional modules in the final year of study.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.
The foundation of your career
Philosophy's emphasis on rigorous argumentation, logic, and clarity of thought and expression, makes philosophy graduates highly suitable for a wide variety of careers. The study of Economics will also have given you valuable quantitative understanding.
Many recent graduates have excelled in the legal profession, training as both solicitors and barristers, while others have entered publishing, journalism, the civil service, Parliament, or local government. Economics graduates may work in think tanks, development agencies and finance.
Employability
This programme will assist you in constructing and assessing philosophical positions and arguments, teaching you how to analyse and present complex ideas. Such skills are transferable to non-philosophical contexts. Your knowledge of Economics will also be a valuable asset in many professions.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2024/25) | £9,250 |
| Tuition fees (2024/25) | £28,100 |
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2024/25 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2024/25 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
Additional costs
The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library (hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions).
A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding your studies
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Next steps
Your application
We seek to select candidates who, in addition to academic achievement, have the motivation and passion for thinking rigorously about abstract ideas, developing solid arguments and who find the sorts of questions discussed in philosophy to be interesting and exciting. For the Economics side of the course, candidates should be proficient in maths and quantitative thinking, and should appreciate the importance of economics to an understanding of the world in the present day.
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
In addition, applicants may be asked to provide further information, such as AS module results, or a response to a questionnaire.
Selection will be made on the basis of information contained in the UCAS application: achieved and predicted academic grades, the level of interest in, motivation towards, and experience of the subject as indicated in the personal statement, the reference supplied, and any relevant contextual factors.
Got questions? Get in touch
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