What will I learn?
The sociology of economic activity is a diverse and rich field. Our Economics and Sociology BAEcon uncovers the role of global economies as agents of power and the influence they have on society.The BA (Economic and Social Studies), known as the BA (Econ), is a flagship interdisciplinary degree designed for students who want to understand economics in its full social, political and technical context. The programme’s Economics and Sociology specialisation is designed for students who want to understand economic issues within their wider social context. The programme combines rigorous training in economics with the conceptual and analytical tools of sociology, equipping you to analyse how economic systems interact with social structures, institutions and lived experience.The BA (Econ) is the parent programme to eight distinctive specialisations:Economics Economics and Politics Economics and Philosophy Economics and Sociology Economics and Finance Data Science and Economics Accounting and Finance and Finance.As part of the BA (Econ), you will benefit from a shared foundation in economics while specialising in a second discipline that deepens and broadens your perspective. Sociology brings critical insight into inequality, power, social change, culture, identity and institutions- essential for understanding how economic outcomes are produced and experienced in society.In a world shaped by globalisation, inequality, demographic change and technological disruption, purely technical approaches are not enough. This programme recognises the importance of human judgement, social context and interdisciplinary thinking alongside data and emerging technologies such as generative AI.Our Sociology department is one of the UK’s largest and most influential groups of sociologists. The University of Manchester has a rich history of sociological research, and our city has been a hotbed for new, radical thinking for centuries, particularly during the Industrial Revolution, making this an ideal place to study Economics within wider social contexts.Graduates stand out for their ability to analyse economic and social problems together, design socially informed policies, and understand how economic decisions affect different groups and communities. The programme prepares students for careers in public policy, government, research, NGOs, consultancy, international development, data analysis, and postgraduate study in economics, sociology and related fields.
