ECONOMICS    A LEVEL     

Exam board:  Edexcel

Why study this subject:

You will learn a variety of skills and knowledge that you can apply to other jobs or to your personal life. Learning about interest rates, exchange rates, economic indicators and equity markets can help you make better decisions about investing and obtaining mortgages.   Economics teaches students how to understand and spot secondary effects and possible unintended consequences. This can help you make better decisions about your personal life and make you more valuable to business.  Student must be competent at Maths as performing calculations is a key component of this course.

Syllabus: 

Theme 1 -  Introduction to markets & Market Failure              Theme 3 – The Labour Market

· Nature of Economics                            Business Growth and objectives

· How markets work                                Market structure

· Market failure                                        Labour market

Government intervention                        Government strategies      

Theme 2 – UK Economy – performance and policy     Theme 4 – Global Perspective

· Measures of economic performance       International economics

· Aggregate demand and supply               Poverty and inequality

· National income                                      Emerging economies

· Economic growth                                     Financial sector

  Macroeconomic objectives and policy     Role of state in the economy

How will I be assessed: 

All themes are assessed through examination at the end of 2 years.  The exam papers are a mixture of short and long questions based on case studies and data response questions. Mathematical diagrams are a requirement for the long essay questions.

Future Careers:

Economics relates to every aspect of our lives, from the decisions we make as individuals or families to the structures created by governments and firms. The economic way of thinking can help us make better choices. It would be a useful qualification if you wanted to go into a management career, accountancy, politics or local government.