Our Business Economics course (with Foundation Year) is a four-year course with an integrated foundation year which leads to the same qualification as our three-year honours degree. It has been specifically designed for those wanting to undertake degree-level study but who may not meet the entry requirements or have traditional qualifications.

The Foundation Year (Year 0) offers you the chance to expand and strengthen your confidence, skills and knowledge – ensuring that you are well-prepared and qualified to progress into Year 1 of the undergraduate degree.

A degree in Business Economics will appeal to anyone who wishes to study economic issues at local, national and international levels, while developing practical skills in business, finance and management which will subsequently be attractive to employers in both the private and public sectors.

You will have the opportunity to combine a core programme of study in economics with a wide selection of optional modules in business, finance and management. Economics has been defined as the study of human choice, and the impact of choice on the production, distribution and consumption of scarce resources. Microeconomics deals with choice at the individual level, and macroeconomics analyses the economy as a whole.

This course includes a core microeconomics and macroeconomics component, and a specialism focusing on the economic context of business decision making. You will develop an awareness of applications of economics in areas including business management, finance and public policy.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• During this course you will study within a multidisciplinary School that employs specialists across a broad range of business subjects, including accounting, banking, finance, economics, management, marketing and entrepreneurship.
• All single honours students taking degrees within Bangor Business School, including this course, follow the same modules in year 1, so you are allowed to change to another Business School degree anytime up to the start of year 2.
• Our students take part in national competitions such as the IBM Business Challenge.
• A Careers and Employability Fair is held every year and provides an opportunity for students to meet recruiters and learn more about post-graduation employment options.
• We arrange a varied programme of guest lectures, eg Chief Executive of the Scottish Premier League, Chief Operating Officer of No. 10 & 11 Downing Street, Head of IT Security at HSBC.
• Our staff are active researchers in their subject areas and we enjoy an international reputation.
• We have excellent computing facilities and you will have the chance to develop your skills in data analysis and report preparation.
• Bangor offers an attractive range of postgraduate degrees in business and finance subjects.

You will spend up to 15 hours per week in lectures, seminars and tutorials. There is a mixture of continuous assessment and written examinations. You will complete assignments such as collecting and analysing information from commercial databases or the internet, preparing business case studies, writing essays and completing problem-solving exercises.

What will you study on this course?

In Year 0 you will take modules intended to familiarise you with core themes, principles and topics that you will study in greater depth later in the degree: Business Functions, Business Law, Management Studies, Introduction to Financial Accounting, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics

You will also follow take modules in IT and Communication Skills, Computing, UK government and Society, Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences, Academic Skills.

Year 1 of all our Single Honours degree courses will provide you with a strong foundation in the disciplines offered in Bangor Business School – Accounting, Banking, Economics, Finance, Management and Marketing – together with in-depth study of core topics in the field of Accounting and Banking. You will also benefit from a comprehensive introduction to key analytical skills.

In Years 2 and 3, you will progressively specialise in your course’s core field of study. In addition to further developing your skills, you will also be introduced to more specialist approaches, theories and concepts.

Many graduates from Bangor Business School pursue careers in areas such as accountancy, banking, investment, insurance, risk management, marketing, human resource management and retail management.

We offer a range of single and joint honours Business, Management and Marketing programmes which develop key strategic and people management skills and encourage creative, innovative and entrepreneurial thinking.