Laurea in scienze economiche e matematiche

The programme leading to this degree provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following four areas.

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this degree, you will have knowledge and understanding of:

• Debates concerning the economic, social and cultural processes that have produced modern economies and societies and are transforming them now
• A range of economic theories and the ability to apply them to economic issues and problems; an ability to engage in economic debate, including a capacity for critical reading of the specialist economic and business press and the results of economic research
• Relevant aspects of current research and scholarship within economics
• Ideas and techniques of statistical data analysis, discrete mathematics (including matrices), calculus and mathematical and statistical modelling
• Arguments based on mathematical and statistical reasoning and a general appreciation of the setting and breadth of application of statistics, and to a lesser extent mathematics, in today’s world
• The role of statistical and mathematical software in the modelling process.

Cognitive skills

On completion of the degree, you will be able to:

• Define and use key terms within economics, mathematics and statistics
• Construct economic, statistical and mathematical arguments with appropriate and critical use of concepts, theories and evidence
• Recognise the importance of modelling in economics, statistics and mathematics, and create and reason with appropriate economic, mathematical and statistical theories and models
• Apply skill in mathematical manipulation and calculation, and the appropriate use of modern mathematical and statistical software
• Apply judgment in the selection and application of statistical, mathematical and economic tools and techniques
• Plan and undertake a piece of personal research in the area of economics, making use of appropriate documentary, statistical or field-based sources and utilising appropriate methodologies.

Practical and professional skills

On completion of the degree, you will be able to:

• Apply core economic, statistical and mathematical theory, as well as analytic and modelling techniques, to a variety of applied topics and practical problems
• Communicate economic, statistical and mathematical ideas clearly and logically to non-specialists
• Exercise informed independent and critical judgment in thinking about economic issues
• Understand, and be capable of critical reasoning about, random variation in real-world contexts.

Key skills

On completion of the degree, you will be able to demonstrate the following skills:

Communication

• Select, read, summarise and synthesise information material, including information in the form of text, numerical data and diagrams, in an appropriate way and identify what is relevant
• Use and communicate economic, mathematical and statistical ideas, solutions and results clearly and coherently, using appropriate technical and non-technical language, and using a form, structure and style that suits the purpose
• Integrate diagrammatic, quantitative and verbal analysis of economic issues
• Reference sources in an appropriate way.

Application of number

• Perform basic and more complex numerical operations
• Interpret economic and statistical data presented in tabular, chart and graphic form
• Undertake descriptive data analysis and interpret the results
• Select appropriate data analysis tools and methods to address an economic or statistical problem or issue and be aware of their limitations
• Understand the limitations of data analysis in assessment and forecasting in economic and similar contexts.

Information technology

• Access information from multimedia sources
• Use statistical and mathematical software packages
• Process and prepare information using computers.

Improving your learning and performance

• Analyse tasks and make plans for tackling them
• Plan and manage time, including meeting deadlines over an extended period
• Identify and use sources of support
• Learn from feedback
• Study and learn independently
• Monitor and reflect on personal progress, identify own strengths and weaknesses, and use skills to improve own learning and performance.

Problem-solving

• Explore and solve extended problems, in the context of statistical modelling and of a piece of personal research in economics.

This degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

• In Stage 1 you’ll be introduced to the basics of economics, mathematics and statistics.
• Next, in Stage 2, you’ll study modules covering economics, statistical analysis and mathematical methods.
• Finally, in Stage 3, you’ll further advance your knowledge of statistics and economics and conclude your degree with a mathematics module chosen from a range of options.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

You'll study all of the following:

• Discovering mathematics (MU123)
• Economics in Context (DD126)
• Introducing statistics (M140)

You'll complete Stage 1 with:

• Essential Mathematics 1 (MST124)

Stage 2 (120 credits)

You'll study all of the following:

• Essential economics: macro and micro perspectives (D217)
• Analysing data (M248)
• Mathematical methods (MST224)

Stage 3 (120 credits)

You'll study both of the following:

• Applied statistical modelling (M348)
• Doing economics: people, markets and policy (DD309)

You’ll also choose one from:

• Applications of probability (M343)
• Complex analysis (M337)
• Computational Applied Mathematics (MST374)
• Deterministic and stochastic dynamics (MS327)
• Graphs, games and designs (MST368)

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

• Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions

Tutor-Marked Assignments

• You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline
• They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned
• Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback

End-of-Module Assessments

• The final, marked piece of work on most modules
• Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam

Exams

• Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare
• You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance
• Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or an alternative location
• If a module requires you to take a face-to-face exam, this will be made clear in the module description, and you will be required to take your exam in person at one of our exam centres.