Economics and Management

About the course

The Economics and Management degree examines issues central to the world we live in. It namely examines how the economy and organisations function, and how resources are allocated and coordinated to achieve the organisation’s objectives.

Economics and Management are ideal intellectual partners, each particularly fitted to strengthen and cross-fertilise the other.

Economics is the study of how consumers, firms and governments make decisions that together determine how resources are allocated. 

An appreciation of economics and the general workings of the economy have become increasingly necessary to understand:

• government policy-making
• the conduct of businesses
• and the enormous changes in economic systems which are occurring throughout the world.

It is also becoming increasingly important in both government and the private sector to have an understanding of some of the methods used within economics. This includes quantitative methods, statistical and causal inference, and experimental methods.

Management is concerned with the effective use and coordination of materials and labour within an organisation in the pursuit of its defined objectives.

Management considers the interrelationship and interactions between distinct parts of an organisation, and between the organisation and its environment. Students will look at theories, models and frameworks in order to understand how managers behave and to consider their role in the process of decision-making.

The teaching of this course is provided by both the Department of Economics and Saïd Business School. However, it is not a Business Studies degree. The programme is taught as an academic subject within the Social Sciences Division of the University.

'Applying to E&M [Economics and Management], for me, was an obvious choice. Firstly, I feel it is the only course that truly reflects the ‘real world’ – be it by explaining the macroeconomy or the daily problems businesses are faced with – making it both relevant and exciting to study. Secondly, I find it has the perfect blend of both maths and essays, which helps to keep the course fresh and stimulating in comparison to other subjects. There is also a large scope for tailoring the course to your own strengths and interests because of the huge variety of modules offered in your second and third years. Whether you are fascinated by Game Theory or a budding entrepreneur, there is no doubt that you’ll love this course!' Eva	'I find that Economics and Management is a varied, engrossing, relevant and academically rigorous degree. The scale and scope of the course is amazing. This year, I’m studying marketing and strategy as part of my management options, and think I will keep an even split between economics and management as I enjoy being able to study both mathematics and essay-based elements of the course. The Saïd Business School, where the management part of the course is taught, has everything from an expansive library to a subsidised canteen (which is useful for study breaks!). The Economics Department is close to the Social Science Library which has every book an Economics student could need.' Jack	'When people ask me how I’m finding my degree, I’m always so happy to say that I really enjoy it. There is such a variety between all the modules across both Economics and Management, from the more quantitative Financial Analysis to the essay-based General Management and this means I don’t get bored when I have work to do because I can always switch to focus on something completely different. The course is structured in a way that you learn so much in such a short space of time. At first you don’t think it’s possible to digest so much information, but very quickly you realise you’re doing it and you’re doing it pretty well too. E&M is also one of the most useful and directly applicable degrees - you gain a much broader and in-depth knowledge of the world around you, for example the things you hear in the news, from recessions to inflationary shocks. All in all, I would definitely recommend Economics and Management and I’m very glad I chose it as my degree.' Oyindasola

Unistats information

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Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for Economics and Management. 

Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small. 

Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.

Academic requirements 

Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved.

Read further information on how we use contextual data.

Subject requirements

Applying

All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown on our Applying to Oxford pages.

The following information gives specific details for students applying for this course.

Admissions test

All candidates must take the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) as part of their application.

All the information you need to arrange to take your test as well as how best to prepare can be found on your test page.

Written work

You do not need to submit any written work as part of an application for this course.

What are tutors looking for?

We are looking for candidates with:

• an interest in and a motivation for studying the organisation of businesses and the economy
• a capacity to construct and critically assess arguments
• a willingness and an ability to express their ideas clearly and effectively both on paper and orally.

Successful candidates will also show independence and flexibility of thought and an ability to analyse and solve problems logically and critically. The interview is not primarily a test of existing knowledge and, in particular, is not a test of any economics or management studied previously.

Visit the Economics website for more detail on the selection criteria for this course.

Fees

Additional Fees and Charges Information for Economics and Management

There are no compulsory costs for this course beyond the fees shown above and your living costs.