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Econimics Careers

Hi guys i wanted to knowmore about economics at uni and prospects afterwards but wanted some advice.
with a degree in economics say a bsc frm a university which is not one of the top ones such as LSE or Oxford for example leicester or QMUL what can a person do afterwards? will they get any of the top jobs? is it easy to go into highly paid jobs? what can the pay go up to? what kind of jobs are available? is it easy to do a masters and then go into a high pay job? please give any info u can. much appreciated!

PS which unis dont require maths a level other than the ones listed?

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Ane economics will set you up for any kind of business/ financial/economist work, but there are things like investment banking, where you need a good degree from a very good uni, and QMUL and Leisceter are not really the recruitment hot spots for investment banks.
Reply 2
no mate, unless you go to LSE or oxbridge you'll just be on the doll when you graduate.
Reply 3
Doesn't bode well for you then...
Reply 4
tru dat blud
When you say very good uni do you mean like Oxbridge and LSE only for investment banking or other top unis as well like UCL, I can't see them saying no to someone with a 1:1 from UCL but I may be wrong.
Reply 6
RogueTrader
Ane economics will set you up for any kind of business/ financial/economist work, but there are things like investment banking, where you need a good degree from a very good uni, and QMUL and Leisceter are not really the recruitment hot spots for investment banks.


It seems like the only thing Economics applicants have their eye on is investment banking. :rolleyes:

To the OP, it's not really a vocational course, so you can virtually do anything with an Econ degree - journalism to accountancy. It might well be well paid, or it might not. But that shouldn't be the main reason you choose your degree course.
Student12345
When you say very good uni do you mean like Oxbridge and LSE only for investment banking or other top unis as well like UCL, I can't see them saying no to someone with a 1:1 from UCL but I may be wrong.


yeh UCL is definetely included. The top econ unis are oxbridge, lse, ucl, warwick and maybe bristol. That doesnt mean you cant get into IB if you dont go to these unis. Its just harder.
QMUL has talks by big investment banks for your information. i don't understand on this forum, if you don't go to a so called Big uni your not as clever. university is 3 years to carve out your own identity. and furthermore not everyone is blessed with the ability and work ethic to go to the top 10 unis in the country.

don't just assume the big firms do not visit unis outside the uni, clearly untrue. whether they recruit is a whole different matter. and they do proabably recruit from here, although maybe a few if any. and yes i agree. not going to the above mentioned unis is harder, but who said it was impossible.

and to the idiot who said if you don't go to oxbridge or lse you will be on the dole, i think you need a slap mate. these unis have standards all of the, even the so called **** ones or ex-polys. they get people into jobs believe it or not. a top 5 uni is also no guarantee of a job either, i know people from oxbridge who cannot find jobs and LSE and UCL. so please don't think the uni name is a ticket to your millions you could possibly make in IB.

rant over.
Reply 9
Browneyedboi
QMUL has talks by big investment banks for your information. i don't understand on this forum, if you don't go to a so called Big uni your not as clever. university is 3 years to carve out your own identity. and furthermore not everyone is blessed with the ability and work ethic to go to the top 10 unis in the country.

don't just assume the big firms do not visit unis outside the uni, clearly untrue. whether they recruit is a whole different matter. and they do proabably recruit from here, although maybe a few if any. and yes i agree. not going to the above mentioned unis is harder, but who said it was impossible.

and to the idiot who said if you don't go to oxbridge or lse you will be on the dole, i think you need a slap mate. these unis have standards all of the, even the so called **** ones or ex-polys. they get people into jobs believe it or not. a top 5 uni is also no guarantee of a job either, i know people from oxbridge who cannot find jobs and LSE and UCL. so please don't think the uni name is a ticket to your millions you could possibly make in IB.

rant over.


Apart from this (peasant was only joking), I couldn't agree more!

I think too many are eying huge potential paychecks rather than choosing a course that they'll enjoy for 3 years.
Reply 10
Just to get one thing straight for those who are keen on working in the City.

The vast majority (and I mean in the 90% area) of British grads who get into the most desirable, front office, city jobs are from one of the following: Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Warwick, Imperial, UCL.

There are others from places like Durham, Bristol and Notts but they are fighting to be the exception to the statistical rule. For less desirable, middle and back office, jobs the range of unis is greater.
City bound
Just to get one thing straight for those who are keen on working in the City.

The vast majority (and I mean in the 90% area) of British grads who get into the most desirable, front office, city jobs are from one of the following: Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Warwick, Imperial, UCL.

There are others from places like Durham, Bristol and Notts but they are fighting to be the exception to the statistical rule. For less desirable, middle and back office, jobs the range of unis is greater.

Just today I was walking between lectures and was grabbed by the Merrill Lynch representatives. They shoved booklets into my hand and tried to sign me up for one of their talks. Now I don't even want to go into IB but they sure as hell wanted me to try.
Reply 12
My economics teacher got B,C,C,E for his a-levels and ended up going to an average uni. After completing his degree, he went into investment banking and was earning 100k a year with very high bonus payments on top! However he did tell us that the main reason why he did get employed was because he knew how to speak FRENCH and ofcourse because of his degree in economics!! so remember... its not always about the uni you go to, just so long as you get your degree in ECONOMICS then you'l get there.
hs15
My economics teacher got B,C,C,E for his a-levels and ended up going to an average uni. After completing his degree, he went into investment banking and was earning 100k a year with very high bonus payments on top! However he did tell us that the main reason why he did get employed was because he knew how to speak FRENCH and ofcourse because of his degree in economics!! so remember... its not always about the uni you go to, just so long as you get your degree in ECONOMICS then you'l get there.

Firstly, that was a long time ago, it doesn't happen anymore. Secondly BCC back then is probably the equivilent of ABB/AAB now.
Reply 14
Nearly everyone who applys for an Economics degree has an eye on their career prospects. That alone played a huge part to why i applied for an economics degree. I remember going to a Open Day where the lecturer even said ' Most people apply to do economics to get a good job'.
Reply 15
jakezg
Nearly everyone who applys for an Economics degree has an eye on their career prospects. That alone played a huge part to why i applied for an economics degree. I remember going to a Open Day where the lecturer even said ' Most people apply to do economics to get a good job'.


No offence but those people really piss me off. An Economics degree is not essential for a good job, all it means is that those of us who are truely enamoured by the subject face more competitive entry requirements. It happens routinely as subjects suddenly become fashionable. Why the hell did my subject become fashionable when I came to apply for uni!

General rant over.
Reply 16
wowww, guys, all this talking about reading economics so that you can earning £100'sk is a bit off the point.

Dont get me wrong, im not objecting to earning 100'sk :smile: a year but surely, you do it because it's actually a subjetc that interest u? (well, at least vaguely interest you)
Reply 17
Kentish Man
Firstly, that was a long time ago, it doesn't happen anymore. Secondly BCC back then is probably the equivilent of ABB/AAB now.



what you on about????? my point was that my teacher went to a sh** uni and ended up becoming an investment banker, therefore it dont always matter what uni you go to. as long as the uni got strong links to industries and that then it should be OK.

and how was B C C E equivalent to AAA/AAB back then??? have you lost your mind or something
proves anomalys do occur.
hs15
what you on about????? my point was that my teacher went to a sh** uni and ended up becoming an investment banker, therefore it dont always matter what uni you go to. as long as the uni got strong links to industries and that then it should be OK.

and how was B C C E equivalent to AAA/AAB back then??? have you lost your mind or something
And my point was that your point was rubbish. You may have been able to get into one of the 'top jobs' like investment banking 20 years ago with BCC and a degree from a poor uni but I am promise you now its impossible. You will get rejected at the screening stage before interview. Banks and Consultancies don't even look at you unless you have AAA.

My point about the grades was that the top unis used to take people with ABB/BBB. A-Grades at A-Level used to be almost impossible to achieve and now 20% of the country achieve them. My point was that Grade inflation means that BCC was probably not that bad at all when your teacher took his A-Levels and you make it sound like it is.

BTW you failed to even read my post properly. I said ABB/AAB not AAA/AAB!