Can I study econcomics at russell group unis without doing it at A-level?

Currently, i'm taking A-levels in maths, physics, and computer science. Initially, I wanted to do computer science at uni, but now i'm considering doing economics. From doing research, I've seen that some unis don't require economics A-level and the majority are fine with at least A-level maths. However, since I don't do any essay subjects, dont know the basics of economics, and haven't even wrote a single essay since GCSEs, how would I transition into studying a subject I literally know nothing about? Would I struggle? Would I have to learn A-level economics content?

(edited 10 months ago)

Original post by y12ec

Currently, i'm taking A-levels in maths, physics, and computer science. Initially, I wanted to do computer science at uni, but now i'm considering doing economics. From doing research, I've seen that some unis don't require economics A-level and the majority are fine with at least A-level maths. However, since I don't do any essay subjects, dont know the basics of economics, and haven't even wrote a single essay since GCSEs, how would I transition into studying a subject I literally know nothing about? Would I struggle? Would I have to learn A-level economics content?

Yes you can study economics at a Russell Group university without having done economics at A-level. In fact, a-level economics isn't a requirement at any university afaik. Some of the top unis require further maths, so I probably wouldn't recommend applying to those. But a good grade in a-level maths, together with decent grades in two other subjects is sufficient to meet the minimum requirements for the vast majority of good economics courses.

I guess my first question is why are you considering doing an economics degree if you don't even know the basics of economics?

In terms of whether you would struggle, I don't really understand how you would expect us to answer this. It's a bit like asking how long is a piece of string. We don't know how smart you are, how well you'd adapt, or even what level of course you'd need to adapt to. So nobody will be able to give you a proper answer on this.

But what I can say is that because unis don't require students to have studied economics a-level, they will teach you all the relevant basic content. Sure those who've already studied it may have an advantage in the first year, but once you've covered all the basics in year 1, you should be on a level playing field. Another important thing to understand is that degree-level economics is fairly quantitative (and much more quantitative than other social science degrees), so one's maths ability is far more important than whether someone has done a-level economics or not. But a lot of this depends on the course and uni, typically the better the uni is, the more quantitative the course is.

From the sounds of it, you may want to target more quantitative courses if you think you might struggle with essays (though uni essays are very different to school essays). Perhaps an joint honours degree in economics alongside a more quantitative subject might be a better fit if you don't want lots of essays and want a more practical and applied degree - various unis offer courses like Economics & Data Science/Data Analytics or Economics and Econometrics.

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 2

cpuckeykirby

Original post by Y12EC

Currently, i'm taking A-levels in maths, physics, and computer science. Initially, I wanted to do computer science at uni, but now i'm considering doing economics. From doing research, I've seen that some unis don't require economics A-level and the majority are fine with at least A-level maths. However, since I don't do any essay subjects, dont know the basics of economics, and haven't even wrote a single essay since GCSEs, how would I transition into studying a subject I literally know nothing about? Would I struggle? Would I have to learn A-level economics content?

Yes.
I did an undergraduate degree and am now doing my Master's in Economics at a Russel Group.
For my A Levels I did Maths, Physics, and History. Honestly, your focus on maths based subjects will help you more than any A Level Economics course would.

Can I study econcomics at russell group unis without doing it at A-level?

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