BSc (Econ) (Hons) Economics with Spanish

Course outline

If you see yourself working as an advisor in a national or international agency, as a teacher or a journalist, or if you simply wish to keep your options open before going on to a career in business or the professions, the economics programme will be an attractive alternative. In this programme you have an enhanced opportunity of studying problems of economic policy. The problem of achieving macroeconomic and exchange rate stability has been of great importance to many countries in recent years for example, while microeconomic issues such as the allocation of resources to health or to raising environmental quality continue to figure prominently in public discussion. An economics degree gives you a perfect opportunity to study these issues. It also permits you to take modules in politics, law and the humanities so as to broaden your perspective further. These programmes will appeal to students who are expecting to work in Spanish or French speaking environments. Some students, for example, may wish to enhance their skills in an official language of the European Union.

Teaching methods

The Department employs a variety of teaching methods in different modules. Lectures and small group tutorials form the backbone of the teaching. Personal contact with members of the academic staff is considered to be essential if each student’s personal enthusiasm for their studies is to be stimulated. A range of activities is pursued within the tutorial groups depending upon the module. Some modules emphasise problem-solving as a means of reinforcing and cementing the important ideas – for example the module in Microeconomic Theory. Occasionally we use game playing to encourage discussion and understanding – for example when competing groups of students try to control a computer model of the economy in Principles of Macroeconomics. Other modules place greater emphasis on writing short and accurate technical pieces (Welfare Economics) or longer more discursive papers.

**Students beginning a language with no previous experience must commence their studies in September for their degree to qualify for Honours.

*Flexible entry

All of our undergraduate programmes operate a flexible entry process, and the Admissions Tutor is happy to consider entrants from all backgrounds with slightly lower qualifications, if they are able to demonstrate an alternative eligibility for the course. This may be in the form of relevant work experience, keen aptitude and a passion for the subject, or unlocked potential that you feel can be discovered through your studies at Buckingham. If you are uncertain whether you will be eligible to apply for this course, please contact the Admissions Team.

What our students and alumni say

“I found out that the University of Buckingham offers Spanish classes, I thought to myself that I shall definitely do those as part of my degree – International Studies. The first reason for that is because I like the Spanish language itself and I always wanted to learn it. The second and the most important reason is that there are so many Spanish-speaking countries in the world, hence I think the knowledge of Spanish is very important when you are working with different nations and even continents in the area of international relations. Spanish already helps me to communicate with different Spanish-speaking people, and I am sure that this knowledge will be useful when building my career in the future. I also would like to mention the staff of the Department, whose excellent knowledge, teaching approach and enthusiasm have made studying Spanish an unforgettable experience for me.”
Anastasiya Ostapchuk (International Studies with Spanish, 2008)