BASc Economic Studies and Global Sustainable Development

Bachelor of Arts & Sciences (BASc)
Three year full-time programme
Joint honours degree
Study abroad & work placement opportunities
Economics is at the core of Global Sustainable Development (GSD). You’ll critically analyse economic models and theories of sustainable development through quantitative and qualitative approaches. Economics modules will provide you with an essential background in micro and macro economics, as well as methodologies for statistical analysis. Meanwhile, your studies in GSD will empower you to consider the human and environmental implications of development. You’ll be posing challenging questions about climate change, biodiversity, gender equality, and other core components of sustainability. Put together, Economics and GSD encourages you to take a new perspective on our changing global economy.
Duration*
- 3 years full-time; or
- 3 years full-time with integrated study abroad programme; or
- 4 years full-time with intercalated year spent either studying abroad or on work placement.
Entry requirements
A level:
- A*AA to include A in Mathematics
- You will also need grade B/grade 6 in English at GCSE
IB:
- 38 to include Mathematics (either ‘Analysis and Approaches’ or ‘Applications and Interpretation’ at Higher Level 6) and English
For more information please see here.
UCAS code
CATS
An Honours Degree requires a minimum of 360 CATS during the course, comprising 120 CATS per year. For this course of study, credits are normally split equally between Global Sustainable Development modules and modules offered by the Department of Economics.
Qualification
Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (BASc).
Location of study
University of Warwick
Tuition fees
Find out more about fees and funding
Warwick Undergraduate Excellence Scholarship 2021
This new scheme will offer international fee-paying students 250 tuition fee discounts ranging from full fees to awards of £13,000 to £2,000 for the full duration of your Undergraduate degree course.
Find out more about the Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2021
Additional course costs
There may be costs associated with other items or services such as academic texts, course notes, and trips associated with your course. Students who choose to complete a work placement or study abroad will pay reduced tuition fees for their third year.
* You will be automatically enrolled on the three-year course, however, you have the option to change to a four-year course with an intercalated year in your third year. During the intercalated year, you may pursue a study abroad programme or a work placement (subject to you meeting departmental academic requirements).

If you are interested in the world's problems, want to learn more about them and have a social conscience, then you would be suited to studying GSD. If you are flexible and adaptable and able to consider global issues from different perspectives, understand their complexity, can think creatively about potential solutions and want to be equipped to make a real difference to the world, then GSD at Warwick might be for you.
You will take a holistic approach to exploring issues surrounding sustainability, including climate change, energy security, and wealth inequality. From global corporations to small businesses, those driving economic growth are increasingly being forced to consider the micro and macro implications of sustainable environmental practices, gender equality, and profit distribution.
Upon completing your course in Economic Studies and GSD, you will have expanded your ability to critically analyse economic theories, understand their implication for sustainability, and developed the skills necessary to transfer this knowledge into the working world.
"Both Economics and GSD are concerned with wellbeing and allocation of finite resources."
"On the one hand, economic policy is at the core of sustainable development solutions. On the other hand, economic development has long been pursued without considerations of social justice and environmental sustainability. Undoubtedly, the combination of Economics and GSD allows you to critically consider this complicated relationship, while providing you with a set of highly complementary skills, ranging from advanced quantitative and statistical techniques to critical thinking and analytical skills."
Associate Professor, GSD
First Year
Route 1: Stats
Core GSD modules (60 CATS in total)
- Economic Principles of GSD (GD104) (15 CATS, Term 1)
- Environmental Principles of GSD (GD105) (15 CATS, Term 2)
- Social Principles of GSD (GD106) (15 CATS, Term 1)
- GSD Project (GD107) (15 CATS, Term 2)
Core Economics module (30 CATS in total)
- Economics 1 (EC107) (30 CATS, Terms 1 & 2)
Optional core Economics module (15 CATS in total)
- Statistical Techniques A (EC122) (15 CATS, Term 2)
or
- Statistical Techniques B (EC124) (15 CATS, Term 2)
Optional Economics module (15 CATS in total)
A choice from a range of modules offered by the Economics Department, which may include:
- Mathematical Analysis (EC119) (15 CATS, Term 1)
- The Industrial Economy: Strategy (EC132) (15 CATS)
- Linear Algebra (EC133) (15 CATS, Terms 2 and 3)
- Topics in Applied Economics 1a (EC134) (15 CATS)
- Topics in Applied Economics 1b (EC135) (15 CATS)
- Environmental Economics (EC138) (15 CATS, Term 2)
Certificates
- Certificate of Digital Literacy (Term 1)
- Certificate of Sustainability (Term 3)
- Certificate of Professional Communication with Work Placement
The work placement is completed over four weeks, but can be longer (Term 3)
Route 2: Quantitative Analysis
Core GSD modules (60 CATS in total)
- Economic Principles of GSD (GD104) (15 CATS, Term 1)
- Environmental Principles of GSD (GD105) (15 CATS, Term 2)
- Sociological Principles of GSD (GD106) (15 CATS, Term 1)
- GSD Project (GD107) (15 CATS, Terms 2 and 3)
Core Economics modules (60 CATS in total)
- Economics 1 (EC107) (30 CATS, Terms 1 & 2)
- Computing and Data Analysis (EC125) (6 CATS, Terms 1, 2 and 3)
and either:
- Mathematical Techniques A (EC121) (12 CATS, Terms 1 & 2)
or
- Mathematical Techniques B (EC123) (12 CATS, Terms 1 & 2)
and either:
- Statistical Techniques A (EC122) (12 CATS, Terms 1 & 2 )
or
- Statistical Techniques B (EC124) (12 CATS, Terms 1 & 2)
Certificates
- Certificate of Digital Literacy (Term 1)
- Certificate of Sustainability (Term 3)
- Certificate of Professional Communication with Work Placement
The work is placement completed over four weeks, but can be longer (Term 3)
Second Year
(remaining at Warwick)
Core Economics module (30 CATS in total)
- Economics 2 (EC204) (30 CATS, Terms 1 and 2)
Optional core Economics module (30 CATS in total)
- Econometrics 1 (EC226) (30 CATS, Terms 2 and 2)
or
- Applied Econometrics (EC203) (30 CATS, Terms 1 and 2)
Optional core GSD module (30 CATS in total)
- Health and Sustainable Development (30 CATS, Terms 1&2)
or
- Security, Sovereignty and Sustainability in the Global Food System (30 CATS, Terms 1&2)
or
- Inequalities and Sustainable Development: Inclusion and Dignity for All (30 CATS, Terms 1&2)
Optional module(s) with a GSD focus (30 CATS in total)
- Any approved optional module(s) with a GSD focus, including from other departments across the University (30 CATS, Terms 1&2)
Certificates
- Certificate of Coaching Practice (Term 2)
- Certificate of Professional Communication with Work Placement
The work placement is completed over four weeks, but can be longer (Term 3)
Second Year
(integrated year with Terms 2 and 3 spent abroad)
Term 1
Core Economics modules (30 CATS in total)
- Economics II: Microeconomics (EC238) (15 CATS, Term 1)
- Applied Econometrics (EC203) (15 CATS, Term 1)
Optional core GSD module (15 CATS in total)
- Health and Sustainable Development (15 CATS, Term 1)
or
- Security, Sovereignty and Sustainability in the Global Food System (15 CATS, Term 1)
or
- Inequalities and Sustainable Development: Inclusion and Dignity for All (15 CATS, Term 1)
Optional module with a GSD focus (15 CATS in total)
- Any approved optional module with a GSD focus, including from other departments across the University (30 CATS, Term 1)
Terms 2 and 3
Terms 2 and 3 are spent abroad, where relevant courses are taught by a partner institution. Students are required to register on the module Study Abroad Part-Year (GD200) which recognises the period of study abroad.
Final Year
Core GSD module (30 CATS in total)
- Dissertation/Long Project (GD307) (30 CATs, Terms 1 - 3)
Core Economics modules (30 CATS in total)
- Development Economics: Macroeconomics (EC205) (15 CATS, Term 1)
- Development Economics: Microeconomics (EC233) (15 CATS, Term 2)
Optional module(s) with a GSD focus (30 CATS in total)
- Any approved optional module(s) with a GSD focus, including from other departments across the University (30 CATs, Terms 1&2)
Optional Economics modules (30 CATS in total)
Explore the list of GSD and Economics modules in full
Your university experience could be a truly global one by studying overseas. You can access study abroad opportunities via two routes:
1. Study abroad in terms 2 and 3 of your second year
Read the transcript for this video.
You could spend terms 2 and 3 of your second year studying abroad at our Department's partner institution, Monash University, home to the world-leading Monash Sustainable Development Institute. Our integrated programme is specifically structured so you can spend time abroad without having to extend the overall length of your course. Your academic achievements abroad will count towards your degree awarded by Warwick, meaning your studies will be both rewarding and rewarded! You will continue to pay your course fees in full to Warwick and you will also continue to receive your student loan, if eligible.
2. Year-long study abroad
You may, alternatively, choose to spend an intercalated year at one of Warwick's many other partner institutions across the world. You'll spend your first and second years at Warwick, studying abroad in your third year. You'll then return to Warwick for your final year. Your year abroad won't count towards your final mark, but it will be recorded on your Higher Education Achievement Report, giving you the freedom to take chances with your module choice and push yourself outside of your comfort zone with your learning. Please see here for more information about the intercalated study abroad opportunity.
Find out more about your options for studying abroad.

In the GSD Department, we have a dedicated Employability and Placement Manager who’ll provide you with one-to-one careers guidance. They work in collaboration with employers, so you’ll be supported in securing appropriate work placements. You’ll have access to specialist pre-placement advice, guidance and preparation, as well as on-going support during your placement.
As a GSD graduate, you have a wide range of career pathways that are available to you. This is demonstrated by the variety of work placements that our students have completed with employers from different sectors.
Our students have been successful in securing work placements with employers from the private, public, and third sectors. This includes:
- Research Institutions
- Governmental Bodies
- Non-Governmental Organisations
- Intelligence Agencies
- Housing
- Sustainable Consultancies
- Finance
Our students have undertaken diverse roles such as:
- Marketing Assistant
- Sustainability Officer
- Intelligence Analyst
- Researchers
- Teaching
- Human Resources
You will learn valuable transferable skills that will help you with your employment prospects including:
- Analysing and problem solving: Through your study of economic principles and models, you’ll learn how to extract the essential features of complex systems, providing useable frameworks for evaluation
- Critical thinking: Assess arguments, make judgements, formulate reasoned debates and generate feasible solutions
- Communication: Develop advanced communication skills that enable you to communicate with a variety of audiences and in different settings
- Research: An integrated programme of research skills training, teaching you how to source, evaluate and use different forms of information and data
- Organisation: Through a rigorous assessment schedule and a compulsory dissertation module in your final year, you’ll learn the essentials of time management, prioritisation and how to be well organised
- Collaboration: You’ll have plenty of opportunities to work with others and nurture your emotional intelligence, developing a professional attitude
- Global Sustainable Development (Single honours)
- Global Sustainable Development and Business Studies
- Education Studies and Global Sustainable Development
- History and Global Sustainable Development
- Hispanic Studies and Global Sustainable Development
- Life Sciences and Global Sustainable Development
- Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
- Politics, International Studies and Global Sustainable Development
- Psychology and Global Sustainable Development
- Sociology and Global Sustainable Development
- Theatre and Performance Studies and Global Sustainable Development