Politics and Economics BA

At Leicester, your degree is designed to go far beyond lectures and textbooks. You’ll gain hands-on experience that brings politics and economics to life — applying your knowledge in real-world settings, working on practical projects, and building the skills employers value most. Whether you’re analysing data for a business, exploring policymaking first-hand, or studying abroad, you’ll graduate with the confidence and experience to stand out in a competitive job market.

Here’s how Leicester helps you learn by doing:

• Year in Industry: Take an optional paid placement between your second and third year to work in a real organisation — applying economic theory and political analysis to real problems while gaining professional experience and building your CV.

• Internships and work experience: Leicester’s Careers and Employability Service connects you with internships, policy placements, and part-time roles that fit your career ambitions.

• Study Abroad opportunities: Spend a semester or year at a partner university overseas to broaden your global perspective and deepen your understanding of international politics and economics.

• Specialist facilities and digital resources: You’ll learn in modern teaching spaces, access powerful economic data tools, and use the extensive resources of the David Wilson Library and the state-of-the-art Brookfield Campus, home to the School of Business.

• On-campus work experience: Through the university’s Unitemps system, you can gain part-time work experience on campus, building practical skills alongside your studies.

A Politics and Economics degree from Leicester opens up a wide range of exciting career paths in government, policy, business, finance, and international organisations. You’ll graduate with the analytical skills, global awareness, and real-world experience employers look for — ready to shape decisions that influence societies and economies. Many of our graduates go on to roles such as Policy Analyst, Economic Consultant, Public Sector Manager, or Research Fellow, working for governments, think tanks, NGOs, and major companies.

Here’s how Leicester helps you launch your career:

• Tailored career support: From your first year, the Careers and Employability Service offers one-to-one career coaching, CV workshops, mock interviews, and networking opportunities tailored specifically to politics and economics students.

• Hands-on experience: Modules like Politics in Action let you gain real-world experience and apply your learning to real-world policy challenges.

• Strong employment outcomes: Within 15 months of graduating, most Leicester politics and economics students are in employment or further study, with many working in competitive graduate roles.

• Excellent earning potential: Leicester economics graduates earn an average of £30,000 just 15 months after graduation, rising to around £41,000 within five years — about £3,600 more than the national sector average.

• Wide career scope: Your combined expertise in politics and economics is valued by government departments, international organisations, NGOs, consultancy firms, and financial institutions.

Further Academic Progression:
Many students choose to deepen their expertise by pursuing postgraduate study. You could go on to a Master’s in Public Policy, Economics, or International Relations, or continue into MPhil or PhD research in fields like political economy, development studies, or global governance — paving the way for leadership roles in academia, policy, or research.