The Student Room Group

How much maths is involved in economics at Warwick

Hi there i recently got an offr from Warwick to transfer from physics to economics and i am considering taking it since warwick are really good for economics (2nd atm according to CUG and Guardian) and i really enjoyed it at A level but my essay writing isnt that great and im hoping it involves more maths than essays. Is that true is economics at warwick a quantative subject or is it very writey?
Thanks
Reply 1
How did you get a transfer offer? Is it for 2016 entry? How easy is it to transfer between courses?

I know Warwick economics course is a lot less mathematical than other units in the Top5, but still there are compulsory mathematical modules every year. I think in the 2nd and 3rd year you can tailor the optional modules so the course can be more mathematical if you like


Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 8 years ago)
Econ students are often shocked at how much maths there is in the Warwick economics course, at least initially.
As things go on, you can choose to do more or less "maths", as you wish.
PS Have a Google for 'econometrics' -- you might like that stuff.
Essays in economics are not like "essays" you might have seen at school. The emphasis isn't on flowery writing or anything, it's on cutting to the chase and explaining as simply as possible what is going on.

In the end you are going to have to write essays in economics though, it's a subject based around research, you will have to critically assess research papers and write a dissertation and probably write some essays during the course.

Here look at one of the most famous essays in economics, Akerlof's Market for Lemons.
http://www.econ.yale.edu/~dirkb/teach/pdf/akerlof/themarketforlemons.pdf

You will see how he hasn't bothered trying to make it sound fancy or dressed it up with complicated language. He's just writing what's going on and he's explained his argument with a mathematical model which he has described. You won't be writing essays as long as that but you get the general idea. You don't have to have any special skills at 'writing' to write an economics essay, you just need to explain your argument and your model in a way that a reader will understand.
Reply 4
Original post by LilyGao
How did you get a transfer offer? Is it for 2016 entry? How easy is it to transfer between courses?

I know Warwick economics course is a lot less mathematical than other units in the Top5, but still there are compulsory mathematical modules every year. I think in the 2nd and 3rd year you can tailor the optional modules so the course can be more mathematical if you like


Posted from TSR Mobile


No i just transfered to economics L100 first year our lectures start monday (tomorrow) so i didnt miss anything
Reply 5
Original post by MagicNMedicine
Essays in economics are not like "essays" you might have seen at school. The emphasis isn't on flowery writing or anything, it's on cutting to the chase and explaining as simply as possible what is going on.

In the end you are going to have to write essays in economics though, it's a subject based around research, you will have to critically assess research papers and write a dissertation and probably write some essays during the course.

Here look at one of the most famous essays in economics, Akerlof's Market for Lemons.
http://www.econ.yale.edu/~dirkb/teach/pdf/akerlof/themarketforlemons.pdf

You will see how he hasn't bothered trying to make it sound fancy or dressed it up with complicated language. He's just writing what's going on and he's explained his argument with a mathematical model which he has described. You won't be writing essays as long as that but you get the general idea. You don't have to have any special skills at 'writing' to write an economics essay, you just need to explain your argument and your model in a way that a reader will understand.


I get what you mean thats a relief because i really hated english and english lit at school.
And yeah economics at warwick seems very quantative as i have seen the model its probably due to their phenomenal maths department who work with the economists, and honestly i dont mind this kind of writing anyway.
I just prefer maths over essays as its easier to get top marks since there is a clear difference between a right and wrong answer where in essays its all about how you form your argument.
Reply 6
Original post by Mpagtches
Econ students are often shocked at how much maths there is in the Warwick economics course, at least initially.
As things go on, you can choose to do more or less "maths", as you wish.
PS Have a Google for 'econometrics' -- you might like that stuff.


Thats great news since i enjoy maths a lot more than essays and yes i have read into econometrics since my cousin did economics at LSE and he showed me his papers which were quite mathematical and i think warwick has the students of similar calibre so a lot of maths is going to be involved which is great
Original post by Killer910

I just prefer maths over essays as its easier to get top marks since there is a clear difference between a right and wrong answer where in essays its all about how you form your argument.


Yeah that's true, although you have to learn to form an argument in economics as well it is just less wordy, you structure it more around here are some core assumptions, here is a model that represents the world we are trying to explain, now lets relax some of the assumptions and see what happens (typically starting from perfect competition model and then moving to a monopoly/monopsony model, that kind of thing). Learning how to make a logical and clear argument is very important but it's not about writing a lot of words or being judged on how impressively you write. Economics lecturers are going to prefer your language is as simple as possible.
Reply 8
Original post by MagicNMedicine
Yeah that's true, although you have to learn to form an argument in economics as well it is just less wordy, you structure it more around here are some core assumptions, here is a model that represents the world we are trying to explain, now lets relax some of the assumptions and see what happens (typically starting from perfect competition model and then moving to a monopoly/monopsony model, that kind of thing). Learning how to make a logical and clear argument is very important but it's not about writing a lot of words or being judged on how impressively you write. Economics lecturers are going to prefer your language is as simple as possible.


Well tbh those kind of writing skills will be needed at any university i just had the idea that for economics i might have to use fancy words to make some argument to impress the examiner to get marks but luckily you cleared it up.
You seem very knowledgable about this whole university essay thing are you studying or have studied an economics related degree if so then which kind of economics degree and at which university im just curious.

Quick Reply

Latest

Trending

Trending