Economics/Social & Public Policy MA(SocSci)
AAB – BBB at A level, A-level English or Humanities subject and A-level Mathematics; graduates earn a median £23,500 three years on.
Typical A level offer
AAB – BBB
A-level English or Humanities subject and A-level Mathematics · 65% of entrants came with A levels · 95% stay on after year 1 · Glasgow course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
AAB – BBBtypical A level offer
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. A contextual offer can be lower for applicants from under-represented backgrounds; none is published for this course.
Glasgow course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1A-level English or Humanities subject and A-level Mathematics
Who actually got in: 65% with A levels, 15% via Access courses, 15% with other higher education. 50% arrived with 208 or more UCAS tariff points — roughly A*A*A or better. Based on 35 entrants.
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications2
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Scottish Highers | AAAAAAminimum from S5: AAABB | Higher English and Higher Mathematics at AA (AB may be considered). |
| IB | 36 (6,6,5) | HL English or Humanities and HL Mathematics (Analysis & Approaches). |
Years 1–4
What do you study?
2compulsory modules in year 1
Compulsory modules this year: green & sustainability 73% · mathematics & statistics 21% · language & communication 6%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Glasgow course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 2 core · 40 credits ≈ 400 hours
- Economics 1A
What you learn (8)
- explain how scarce resources are allocated via markets
- apply marginal analysis to economic decision-making
- describe interventions used to correct market inefficiencies
- explain consumer choice using preferences and budget constraints
- use graphs and algebra to model economic relationships
- analyse firms' pricing and output choices under different market structures
- construct a reasoned argument grounded in economic theory
- communicate proposed solutions to current microeconomic problems
- Economics 1B
What you learn (10)
- explain key macroeconomic concepts and measurements
- interpret basic macroeconomic data
- describe a model explaining aggregate output and price level determination
- analyse the effect of external shocks on the macroeconomy using a model
- evaluate the role of macroeconomic policy in responding to economic shocks
- explain how monetary and fiscal policy operate
- apply economic analysis techniques to solve problems
- construct a coherent argument grounded in general economic principles
- apply routine mathematical techniques used in economic analysis
- explain basic mathematical principles underlying economic methods
Year 2 · 4 core · 60 credits ≈ 600 hours
- Introductory Mathematics for Economists
What you learn (6)
- apply basic mathematical techniques to analyse economic models
- calculate partial derivatives and apply implicit differentiation
- perform integration to solve mathematical problems
- solve unconstrained and constrained optimisation problems
- select appropriate mathematical methods to analyse economic problems
- interpret the economic meaning behind mathematical results
- Introductory Statistics for Economists
What you learn (13)
- summarise numerical data using descriptive statistics
- interpret data summaries to inform decision-making
- describe the sampling distribution of a statistic
- explain the role of the law of large numbers in statistical inference
- explain the significance of the central limit theorem
- construct point and interval estimates for population parameters
- interpret point and interval estimates in context
- describe the statistical properties of estimators
- select an appropriate statistical test for a given hypothesis
- perform hypothesis tests to evaluate claims about data
- produce descriptive statistics using statistical software
- conduct statistical inference procedures using software tools
- interpret software-generated statistical output
- Economics 2A
What you learn (13)
- apply economic models to explain how consumers make decisions
- apply economic models to explain how firms make decisions
- analyse theories of production behaviour
- analyse different types of market structure
- describe core principles of game theory
- describe how uncertainty affects economic outcomes
- apply microeconomic tools to analyse real-world economic issues
- construct economic arguments to interpret external events
- explain microeconomic concepts clearly in written form
- explain microeconomic concepts clearly in verbal form
- select suitable graphical, algebraic or calculus-based methods for a problem
- apply quantitative techniques to solve economic problems
- collaborate with peers to produce a joint piece of work
- Economics 2B
What you learn (10)
- analyse macroeconomic effects of monetary policy changes
- analyse macroeconomic effects of fiscal policy changes
- explain how expectations influence macroeconomic theory
- analyse relationships between key macroeconomic indicators
- apply economic theories to discuss contemporary macroeconomic issues
- support macroeconomic arguments with scholarly and policy literature
- apply macroeconomic models to interpret historical recessions and crises
- describe the historical development of macroeconomic models since WWII
- identify key debates on assumptions underlying macroeconomic models
- communicate macroeconomic issues clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences
Year 3 · 7 core · 120 credits ≈ 1,200 hours
- Economics 3: Economic Policies and Growth
What you learn (6)
- describe different types of business cycles and their phases using economic models
- explain causes of fluctuations in economic growth and employment
- evaluate economic policies and their practical effectiveness
- communicate economic information clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences
- analyse macroeconomic data to identify trends and patterns
- present macroeconomic data using spreadsheet software such as excel
- Economics 3: Contemporary Topics in Economics
What you learn (11)
- construct economic arguments to analyse contemporary issues
- identify suitable economic models for analysing current issues
- apply mathematical tools to analyse economic issues
- apply economic models to analyse contemporary issues
- search academic literature and credible sources effectively
- evaluate reliability of academic and other information sources
- write clearly to present economic analyses to varied audiences
- organise and present information for specialist and non-specialist readers
- collaborate productively within a team
- deliver oral presentations to specialist and non-specialist audiences
- use visual aids to communicate economic information effectively
- Econometrics 1: Introduction to Econometrics
What you learn (6)
- critique linear regression models for validity and limitations
- assess how model assumptions affect estimator properties
- estimate parameters of linear regression models
- draw statistical inferences from regression estimates
- present econometric findings clearly in written form
- apply statistical software to analyse empirical datasets
- Econometrics 2: Multiple Regression and Applications
What you learn (11)
- critically evaluate linear econometric models
- critically evaluate non-linear econometric models
- formulate econometric models suited to panel data
- formulate econometric models suited to time series data
- estimate and interpret coefficients from panel and time series models
- assess whether statistical assumptions of a model hold
- use statistical software to retrieve economic datasets
- construct robust econometric models using software tools
- collaborate within a team to gather and analyse data
- present findings collectively as part of a team
- communicate econometric analysis results clearly to an audience
- Macroeconomic Analysis: Inflation, Unemployment And Growth
What you learn (6)
- apply macroeconomic theory models to analyse current policy issues
- manipulate formal macroeconomic models using analytical techniques
- explain theoretical model implications in plain language for policy debates
- evaluate how well economic models account for growth and business cycle patterns
- identify the key mechanisms underlying a model's economic predictions
- explain how specific mechanisms generate a model's economic outcomes
- Microeconomic Analysis: General Equilibrium, Public Decision and Information
What you learn (8)
- produce structured written arguments outlining economic models
- solve mathematical problems in advanced microeconomic theory
- analyse key results from advanced microeconomic models
- explain key results derived from advanced microeconomic theory
- construct formal models to represent economic phenomena
- apply economic theory to analyse current policy questions
- explain how economic theory informs policy questions
- explain theoretical implications for policy debates in plain language
Year 4 · 30 core · 375 credits ≈ 3,750 hours
- Economics of Business: Contracts and Governance
What you learn (10)
- construct structured arguments on economic issues
- present economic analysis in written and graphical form
- construct formal models of asymmetric information
- critically analyse models of asymmetric information
- apply asymmetric information models to explain business phenomena
- analyse ill-defined business and policy problems critically
- apply microeconomic analysis to evaluate business events
- evaluate everyday problems using microeconomic reasoning
- use mathematical methods to solve economic problems
- perform mathematical proofs relevant to economic theory
- Corporate Governance: Economics of Information
What you learn (5)
- explain how unequal access to information affects market and organisational decisions
- evaluate how different strategies influence outcomes under information asymmetry
- assess how institutional rules alter outcomes in simplified economic settings
- interpret real-world case studies involving information asymmetries
- construct evidence-based arguments proposing solutions to information problems
- Economics of Industry
What you learn (10)
- analyse static models of market competition
- analyse dynamic models of market competition
- apply competition models to real industry cases
- evaluate firm strategies used to sustain market power
- discuss product differentiation as a competitive strategy
- critically assess theoretical models applied to real markets
- present economic analysis rigorously in written form
- conduct independent literature research on firm behaviour
- analyse empirical evidence on collusion and firm behaviour
- assess the role of public policy on firm conduct
- Markets and Competition Policy
What you learn (10)
- apply theoretical models to analyse firm behaviour in markets with network externalities
- apply auction theory to analyse firm behaviour in competitive markets
- explain pricing and non-pricing strategies firms use against potential entrants
- describe the role of public policy in regulating firm entry strategies
- explain the concept of market power
- evaluate the effectiveness of antitrust authorities in promoting competition
- critically analyse theoretical models applied to real market situations
- present rigorous written analysis of economic models
- conduct a literature review on firm behaviour or competition authorities
- analyse empirical evidence and theoretical frameworks to assess market behaviour
- Environmental Economics
What you learn (3)
- apply economic analysis tools to environmental management issues
- review academic literature to support environmental economics arguments
- collaborate with group members to produce a joint coursework output
- Financial Derivatives
What you learn (7)
- explain factors influencing asset prices using real-world examples and literature
- analyse the characteristics of forward, futures and options markets
- compare derivative market structures and their uses
- analyse financial market scenarios using quantitative methods
- evaluate arguments about financial markets expressed mathematically
- collaborate within a team to analyse financial data
- present financial analysis findings clearly to an audience
- Financial Markets and Corporate Finance
What you learn (8)
- explain applied corporate finance topics
- analyse key corporate finance concepts
- apply key corporate finance concepts to problems
- evaluate corporate finance issues through presentations and discussions
- critique academic literature on financial market operation
- communicate financial analysis in written and oral formats
- collaborate with peers to complete a shared coursework project
- coordinate group tasks and meetings to meet deadlines
- Natural Resource Economics
What you learn (3)
- evaluate factors that contribute to natural resource scarcity
- describe natural resource allocation using graphical and mathematical economic models
- apply economic principles to analyse real-world natural resource problems
- Contemporary Issues in Inequality
What you learn (9)
- evaluate differing definitions of inequality and poverty
- analyse patterns of inequality across regions within the uk
- compare inequality trends between the uk and other countries
- analyse how inequality has changed over time
- evaluate academic literature on the causes of inequality
- describe empirical evidence relating to the causes of inequality
- evaluate empirical evidence relating to the causes of inequality
- describe policy measures designed to reduce poverty and inequality
- evaluate the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing poverty and inequality
- Advanced Macroeconomics
What you learn (9)
- explain mechanisms driving consumption and saving decisions
- explain dynamics of asset pricing and financial crises
- analyse optimal fiscal and monetary policy design
- apply dynamic optimisation methods to macroeconomic models
- derive recursive representations of competitive equilibria
- model stochastic dynamics in economic systems
- apply macroeconomic theories to real-world economic scenarios
- analyse complex economic challenges using theoretical frameworks
- evaluate the mathematical and economic intuition behind quantitative methods
- Public Economics
What you learn (10)
- explain efficiency and equity concepts in market equilibrium
- describe efficiency and equity as goals of policy intervention
- analyse market failures justifying government fiscal intervention
- describe common fiscal policy instruments
- summarise empirical evidence on fiscal policy instruments
- relate political economy theories to real public finance choices
- analyse the economic effects of taxation
- describe key features of optimal tax policy
- explain the economic theory underlying optimal taxation
- summarise research findings on optimal tax policy
- History of Economic Thought
What you learn (11)
- trace the historical development of economic ideas over time
- relate historical economic ideas to present-day issues
- compare differing economic approaches to analysing problems
- evaluate how varying economic approaches shape policy advocacy
- describe the contributions of influential economic thinkers
- explain the benefits arising from the formation of distinct economic schools
- explain the drawbacks arising from the formation of distinct economic schools
- assess how economic theories have been applied to real-world problems
- assess how economic theories have informed policy issues
- describe the emergence of a standard body of economic knowledge
- explain how economics developed into a distinct academic discipline
- Behavioural Economics: Theory and Applications
What you learn (6)
- describe common heuristics and biases affecting decision-making
- explain traditional economic models of decision-making
- explain behavioural economics models of preferences and games
- identify behavioural effects within empirical data
- estimate econometric models to quantify identified effects
- propose a unified theoretical framework integrating behavioural economic models
- Health Economics
What you learn (9)
- explain core theories and techniques used in health economics
- apply health economics theories and techniques to practical situations
- evaluate empirical evidence relating to health economics theories
- critique the limitations of economic theory and techniques in health contexts
- apply economic theories and techniques to analyse real-world health care issues
- gather empirical evidence to support analysis of health economics issues
- critically analyse real-world health and health care problems using evidence
- collaborate with peers to produce a joint piece of coursework
- coordinate group tasks and meetings to complete shared work
- Game Theory for Economists
What you learn (9)
- construct formal models of economic problems
- apply deductive reasoning to interdependent decision-making situations
- apply inductive reasoning to interdependent decision-making situations
- evaluate the simplifying assumptions underlying strategic analysis
- assess the predictive accuracy of strategic models for individual behaviour
- identify strategic equilibria in standard economic games
- calculate equilibrium outcomes of standard economic games
- design new applications of game theory to market behaviour
- design new applications of game theory to social and political contexts
- Labour Economics
What you learn (7)
- explain key assumptions underlying theoretical labour market models
- apply theoretical labour market models to interpret empirical findings
- evaluate limitations in empirical evaluations of labour market policy interventions
- present theoretical and empirical labour economics findings orally and visually
- write clear reports on theoretical and empirical labour market issues
- collaborate with peers to produce a shared research output
- critique existing research on labour market topics as a team
- Market Failures and Mechanism Design
What you learn (8)
- explain the concept of core stability in cooperative settings
- describe how core stability models cooperation among economic agents
- justify the need for market design in different economic contexts
- identify a range of mechanisms used to address market design problems
- apply models of cooperation and mechanism design to solve economic problems
- recognise contexts where a market design approach is suitable
- construct models representing market design situations
- design mechanisms that achieve desirable outcome properties
- Economics of Banking
What you learn (8)
- describe theoretical models explaining issues in the banking industry
- summarise empirical studies supporting banking theory models
- evaluate theoretical models addressing banking industry issues
- evaluate empirical evidence relating to banking industry problems
- identify key problems affecting the banking industry
- assess the effectiveness of existing banking policies
- conduct independent research using academic literature on banking topics
- critically analyse a contemporary banking issue using real-world examples
- Economics of Poverty, Discrimination and Development
What you learn (3)
- explain key literature on poverty, discrimination and development economics
- critically analyse academic literature in this field
- examine how context shapes decision-making among people in poverty
- Alternative Perspectives on Topics in Economics
What you learn (3)
- differentiate heterodox and mainstream economics on philosophical grounds
- analyse contrasting features between mainstream and heterodox economic approaches
- compare policy implications arising from heterodox and mainstream economic paradigms
- Mathematical Methods for Economists
What you learn (8)
- explain core mathematical concepts used in modern economic analysis
- describe how mathematical structures represent economic relationships
- illustrate how mathematical structures represent statistical relationships
- apply formal logical reasoning to construct an argument
- summarise logical reasoning in a clearly written argument
- apply mathematical computation methods to solve economic models
- derive and solve optimisation problems in economic contexts
- explain the solution process of an optimisation problem
- Financial Crises
What you learn (7)
- describe historical episodes of financial crises and their economic consequences
- explain theoretical models used to analyse financial crises and public finance
- summarise empirical studies relating to financial crises and public finance
- critically analyse theoretical and empirical literature on financial crises
- identify weaknesses in current public and regulatory policies on financial crises
- conduct independent research using academic literature and historical data
- evaluate government capacity to prevent and manage financial crises through policy
- Economic History
What you learn (10)
- analyse historic events that significantly affected economies
- apply economic models to explain causes and effects of historic events
- review academic literature to support an economic argument
- construct a rigorous economic argument about a significant event
- present an economic argument clearly and concisely orally
- construct an argument based on general economic principles
- communicate economic ideas to expert and non-expert audiences
- collaborate effectively within a group
- evaluate the effectiveness of historical government policies
- propose more appropriate alternative policies
- Economic Analysis with MATLAB
What you learn (7)
- apply matrix operations to solve simultaneous linear equations
- apply spectral decomposition to solve dynamic linear systems
- use MATLAB to solve non-linear dynamic equation systems
- apply matrix algebra techniques to economic problems
- design basic programs for economic applications
- evaluate the effectiveness of programming solutions in economics
- collaborate with peers to produce a coordinated group submission
- Economic Geography
What you learn (8)
- describe the characteristics of cities and regions using supporting evidence
- explain how cities and regions have changed over time
- apply economic models to analyse causes of agglomeration and regional specialisation
- analyse links between agglomeration and broader economic and social outcomes
- construct a reasoned argument on policy issues using general economic principles
- communicate policy analysis clearly to expert and non-expert audiences
- collaborate in a group to evaluate government policies on economic geography
- present findings on policy effectiveness to an audience
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£23,500median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£21k
Median£24k
Upper quarter£29k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 40 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 13, 23
Half of graduates earned between £21,000 and £28,500. Five years on, the median is £29,000. 95% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 40% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 10% left | 95% | 25 |
| In work or study, 15 months on0% studying | 95% | 15 |
| Professional or managerial job | 40% | 15 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £27,000 | 15 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £23,500 | 40 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £29,000 | 35 |
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
70%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 71% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 40 students answered
Highest: 96% agreed on question 20; lowest: 55% on question 14.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 88% |
| Question 2 | 83% |
| Question 3 | 88% |
| Question 4 | 83% |
| Question 5 | 75% |
| Question 6 | 73% |
| Question 7 | 82% |
| Question 8 | 67% |
| Question 9 | 77% |
| Question 10 | 59% |
| Question 11 | 81% |
| Question 12 | 75% |
| Question 13 | 79% |
| Question 14 | 55% |
| Question 15 | 83% |
| Question 16 | 83% |
| Question 17 | 71% |
| Question 18 | 70% |
| Question 19 | 81% |
| Question 20 | 96% |
| Question 21 | 85% |
| Question 22 | 92% |
| Question 23 | 79% |
| Question 24 | 63% |
| Question 25 | 71% |
| Question 26 | 70% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Glasgow’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Glasgow is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.