1: The Department and the University

Welcome to the Department of Economics from the Deputy Director of Undergraduate Studies

Welcome to Economics at Warwick. I very much hope that you find your Diploma course interesting, challenging and rewarding.

The Diploma is a one-academic-year programme consisting of approximately nine months of coursework leading to examinations in the Summer Term. In my role as Deputy Director of Undergraduate Studies, I lead the Diploma course and will help you select the appropriate modules and options. I am available to discuss any matters - academic or personal – on which you need guidance or advice, and I will also act as your personal tutor.

Our aim is to ensure that you will graduate with a Diploma and/or MSc from one of the best Economics departments in the UK, and that you will reach your full potential during your time here. In just over 50 years, we have established ourselves at the forefront of both economic research and education in the UK and beyond, and we attract students from all around the world due to our reputation for offering rigorous and exciting training, and the fact that so many employers are keen to work with our graduates. As well as being taught by top-class teachers and researchers, we work hard to make your experience memorable and to provide you with valuable opportunities to enhance your CV and make a flying start to your career.

As our Diploma is aimed at students without a background in economics, we provide training in the core components of modern economic analysis and appropriate quantitative methods. Throughout your diploma study you will acquire the ability to analyse economic problems, both empirically and theoretically, developing knowledge of economic trends, institutions and policy.

We believe that Warwick provides an excellent environment for learning and for personal, professional and intellectual development. Teaching is informed by the very latest developments in research, and optional modules provide a great breadth of choice across fields of Economics and other disciplines. One of the secrets of our success is that we are never complacent. Our innovative curriculum across both our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes provides an outstanding training in economics which is both intellectual and professional. We recognise that we live and work in a global and dynamic environment — we could hardly not, given how international we are in the topics we teach and in terms of the rich diversity of both our students and our staff. Therefore a key aspect of my role is to seek to enhance all aspects of our programmes and thereby create the best possible conditions in which you can thrive and gain value from your time at Warwick. A key input into this process is you, so I am always eager to receive comments and feedback from you — either individually or through the Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) — on where and how we can improve further. Please don’t hesitate to approach me with your thoughts, reflections and suggestions either by email or in my Advice and Feedback hours.

I wish you the happiest and most rewarding of times during your studies with us at Warwick.

Dr Emil Kostadinov
Deputy Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Economics
University of Warwick

The Department of Economics

The Department of Economics was one of the founding departments of the University of Warwick when it was opened in 1965. Since then, we have become one of the largest departments in the discipline and are now widely regarded as one of the top Economics departments, not only in the UK, but in the world too.

We've recently been ranked:

• 1st in the UK in the Good University Guide 2025 — for the third consecutive year
• 5th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2026 
• 36th globally in Economics and Econometrics in the QS World University Rankings 2025
• 2nd in the UK for research excellence in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF)

We have an academic community of around 150 staff, including 37 professors, with approximately 1,700 undergraduate students and 300 postgraduates. The Department is international in terms of both the staff and student body.

We are proud of our teaching record and of the achievements of our students and teaching is at the core of the work we do in the Department. One of our key objectives is to provide a research-informed and research-led teaching environment that equips you with key research skills and understanding and our courses benefit greatly from the input of leading scholars with international reputations who are based in the Department. We actively encourage you to fully engage with the learning process to enhance your educational experiences.

Term dates and teaching weeks

You can find information about term dates for the current, past and future academic years on the University’s Study pageLink opens in a new window.

We use a numbering system to cover the main teaching weeks during the year.

• Term 1 (Autumn Term) runs from Week 1 to Week 10.
• Term 2 (Spring Term) runs from Week 15 to Week 24.
• Term 3 (Summer Term) runs from Week 30 to Week 39.
• Welcome Week is week 0, the week before Term 1 begins.

The Christmas holiday is from Week 11 to Week 14. The Easter holiday is from Week 25 to Week 29. The Summer holiday is from Week 40 to Week 52. Please note that we do not have half term breaks.

The University has set times of the week for teaching activity, as follows:

• Weekdays from 8am - 7pm, excluding after 1pm on Wednesdays

If you have a lecture or Support and Feedback class scheduled between these times, you are expected to be available to attend on campus. In addition, assessments such as tests may be set at any of these times.

Teaching sessions begin at five minutes past the hour and end at five minutes to the hour, in order to allow people to enter and vacate the room. Please make every effort to arrive at your lectures and support and feedback classes on time so teaching can start promptly. Find out more about the timetable policies hereLink opens in a new window.

What we expect from you

The University’s Regulation 36 lays down the expectations of students concerning Registration, Attendance and Progress. To meet your full potential, the Department of Economics has certain expectations of you and in return, you should expect us to deliver on key activities.

We expect you to engage with your studies and actively participate in departmental activities and events. This includes:

• preparing for, attending and actively participating in all lectures and Support and Feedback classes;
• working collaboratively with your peers to support each other’s learning and development and to improve your teamwork skills;
• meeting your monitoring points, as set out in section 2.5;
• submitting your assessments on time and taking your tests and exams;
• meeting your personal tutor;
• making the most of opportunities to discuss your studies with teaching staff;
• using your initiative and asking for help when necessary and at the earliest opportunity;
• adhering to University and Departmental regulations and seeking guidance when unclear.

Should your attendance fall below required standards we will contact you and take actions where necessary.

Student Visa Holders

The above expectations apply to all students, but for student visa holders, it is important that you engage with your course to meet the conditions of your visa. Please make sure you are aware of your responsibilities whilst studying in the UK; you can refer to the Student Visa Advice ServiceLink opens in a new window and the monitoring point information in section 2.5.Link opens in a new window

Diversity and values within the Department

We have a commitment within the Department of Economics to embed our key principles into our work and study environment. We aim to foster an environment of respect and inclusion in which all staff perform to the highest standard and students are able to enjoy a world-class learning experience.

Our key principles are:

• Respect: everyone within our community has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of any protected characteristics
• Integrity: we are guided by the principles of integrity, fostering an open and positive environment that is inclusive to all.
• Accountability: we have a personal responsibility to commit to these values and hold ourselves accountable to our words and actions.

For more information about our diverse and inclusive community and to watch a video produced by our staff and students explaining our set of values, please visit our webpage: Diversity and ValuesLink opens in a new window

The University of Warwick Values

Shaped by Warwick's community, our values represent the way we work together to deliver our strategy and ambitions.

On enrolment and re-enrolment all students at the University of Warwick are asked annually to agree to our Warwick ValuesLink opens in a new window and complete the Student Conduct: what you need to knowLink opens in a new window Moodle course.

What you can expect from us

We want to instil in you the same passion for the study of economics that we have. Therefore, we aim to engage you with all course material and create an enjoyable environment in which to learn and develop. You should be aware of what you can expect from any module and it is the role of the Department to ensure that this information is clearly set out and available.

Below are the key elements that you should expect from every Economics module that you take:

• a module outline, detailing the module aims and objectives, the learning outcomes and an indication of the material that will be covered, the exam rubric, all of which can be found on the module webpage
• details of core texts and further readings to give you the best opportunity to prepare for lectures and Support and Feedback classes
• All modules will have lecture notes and/or other materials posted on the module's Moodle webpage. Links to all videos will be accessible via the Moodle webpage for the module.
• A well-prepared lecture which has the aim of engaging you and encouraging participation in discussion beyond the lecture
• Core module lectures are encouraged to be recorded and these will then be made available via the Lecture Capture service (at the discretion of the module leader). Recording lectures is not intended to replace attendance in-person. If attendance at lectures is insufficient then lecture capture will be withdrawn.

If Support and Feedback classes form part of the teaching of the module, the material should be related to the module syllabus and class tutors should be well prepared and confident with the material they are teaching. You will be advised, with as much notice as possible, of any changes or cancellations of lectures and/or Support and Feedback classes.

For any assessments you should expect:

• assessment details to be outlined, including the format of the assignment, assessment rules, the submission dates and the expectations of the module lecturer
• to receive your marked work with feedback and/or annotations within 20 working days of the submission date, unless extenuating circumstances prevent this. If the date for returning work is missed, you will be notified.

While the university environment is — and should be — very different from school/college, you should still expect your lecturers and tutors to have time to discuss any concerns or questions you have about the module material. To this end, you should expect:

• all lecturers to have two Advice and Feedback hours per week in term time, in which they are available to see you to offer advice on all matters relating to the relevant module.. Details of how to access the Advice and Feedback hours will be provided.
• all tutors to be available for a minimum of two hours per week in term time to meet you to offer advice and feedback.

Details of how to access the Advice and Feedback hours will be available under the relevant staff profile on our people webpage.Link opens in a new window

Our location

The administrative home of the Department of Economics is based in the Social Sciences Building. Most University room numbers are in three parts each of which conveys information.

For example, to find S0.88

S = Social Sciences building

0. = the ground floor (0 = ground floor, 1 = first floor etc)

88 = the room number

Your lectures and Support and Feedback classes will take place in a variety of places across campus, so make sure you keep a campus map handy. The interactive campus mapLink opens in a new window is a great way to find your location and help plan your route. It is your responsibility to find the locations of your lectures and classes and to ensure you arrive at them on time.

Facilities

UG Common Room (S0.96) is a space in the Department where students can study. There are two UG group work areas in S0.96 which can be bookedLink opens in a new window by finalist students for group study or meetings in half-hourly sessions.

The kitchen in this area will have hot water only. Anything that you need must be brought from home and must be cleaned and taken with you. Nothing is to be left in the kitchen overnight.

Room S0.55 contains three Bloomberg Terminals, which can be bookedLink opens in a new window by UG students for half-hourly sessions from Monday – Thursday (9.00am-4.30pm) and Friday (9.00am-3.30pm). To use the Bloomberg terminals you must register for a Bloomberg for EducationLink opens in a new window account, selecting the learner option. You must complete the Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) e-learning course and send proof of your completed certificate to economics.it@warwick.ac.uk. They will then grant you access to book the terminal.

The University also provides a number of private study spaces, including the Learning Grids, which are flexible and informal spaces for group and individual study that can be used by all members of the University and the Central Library. You can search for study space availability hereLink opens in a new window.

The Social Sciences building is open 07:00 – 22:00 every day. These hours apply to all work rooms in Economics and therefore rooms must be vacated outside of these hours. If you would like to continue working after this time, the University Library is open 24 hours a day. For your wellbeing, it is good to take regular breaks. We ask you not to leave personal belonging unattended in any of the study rooms at any time.

Key sources of information

Many of your questions can be answered by looking on the Department websiteLink opens in a new window, where you will find the Handbook, module webpages,Link opens in a new window and links to all resourcesLink opens in a new window, departmental news and announcements, and many other useful pieces of information.

Another key source of information is TabulaLink opens in a new window. This is the University's secure web-based portal that supports teaching and learning. You will be able to find important information here, including your modules, timetable, assessment marks, monitoring points and Personal Tutor.

If you can't find what you are looking for online, or you need to speak to someone, you can find the key contacts below.

Academic staff with responsibility for undergraduate students

Dr Claudia Rei, Deputy Head of Department (Teaching and Learning)

The Deputy Head of Department (Teaching and Learning) has strategic oversight of both the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the Department of Economics.

Room: S0.73

Email: C.Rei@warwick.ac.uk

Professor Elizabeth Jones, Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS)

The DUGS is responsible for overall implementation of the Department’s academic policies in relation to undergraduate teaching and for making decisions or recommendations in cases involving individual undergraduate students.

Room: S0.79

Email: Elizabeth.H.Jones@warwick.ac.uk

Dr Emil Kostadinov, Deputy Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUGS) and Diploma Director

The Deputy DUGS supports the DUGS in their work relating to undergraduate teaching and students.

Room: S0.85

Email: Emil.Kostadinov@warwick.ac.uk Link opens in a new window 

Dr Cecilia Lanata-Briones, Director of Assessment and Feedback

The Director of Assessment and Feedback supports the DUGS in implementing academic policies in and overseeing assessment, examinations and academic integrity.

Room: S1.110

Email: Cecilia.Lanata-Briones@warwick.ac.uk

Dr Isleide Zissimos, Director of Joint Degrees (Undergraduate)

The Director of Joint Degrees (Undergraduate) supports the DUGS in implementing academic policies, with a particular focus on issues affecting joint degree students and coordinates between partner departments for joint degrees.

Room: S0.63

Email: Isleide.Zissimos@warwick.ac.uk 

Dr Mahnaz Nazneen, Director of Student Engagement and Progression (DSEP)

The DSEP is responsible for convening the Undergraduate Student-Staff Liaison Committee and for working on the continued improvement of student engagement in the Department and for monitoring the progression of our students.

Room: S0.82

Email: M.Nazneen.1@warwick.ac.uk

Dr Amira Elasra, Senior Tutor

The Senior Tutor is responsible for overseeing the year tutors and for the personal tutor system in the Department. They Chair the Mitigating Circumstances Panels.

Room: S2.108

Email: A.Elasra@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window 

Your Personal Tutor

You are allocated a Personal Tutor (PT), a member of academic staff to whom you can turn for advice regarding academic or personal matters. You can find out who has been assigned as your Personal Tutor on Tabula (see section 1.2.3). Your Personal Tutor can also signpost you to more appropriate sources of personal support and guidance within the University. You can find out more about the role of your Personal Tutor in Section 5.1.

Other Key Staff

There are lots of other people who are there to help you, particularly in the area of pastoral care. This includes:

Year Tutor: Bhaskar Chakravorty

Advisor to Female Students: Zeynep Kurter

Advisor to International Students: Andreas Markoulakis

Advisor to LGBTQ+ students: Mahnaz Nazneen

Disabilities Champion and Advisor for Students with Disabilities: Juliana Cunha Caneiro

Academic Careers Co-ordinator: Farzad Javidanrad

Administrative staff with responsibility for Diploma Students

The Undergraduate Office

If you cannot find the information you need online and have checked the Frequently Asked QuestionsLink opens in a new window (FAQs), then the Undergraduate (UG) Office Team, headed by the Undergraduate Programme Manager, will be able to help you. You can contact them by email, phone or visit them. The UG Office team has a daily presence on campus in room S0.88 (open Monday-Thursday from 09:00-17:00, Friday from 09:00-16:00).

Email: economics.ugoffice@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window.

Telephone: +44(0)24 7652 3933

Location: S0.88

Undergraduate Programme Manager, Jo Turrall

The Undergraduate Programme Manager is responsible for the administration of undergraduate degree courses, including modules, assessment and study abroad.

Room: S0.86
Telephone: +44 (0) 24 765 73404
Email: Jo.Turrall@warwick.ac.uk Link opens in a new window

The Student Support and Progression Officers are members of the team who work closely with the Senior Tutor and Academic and Pastoral Support team. They provide support and signposting to services available to students throughout their degree.

If you would like to speak to them or the Academic and Pastoral Support team about any problems or concerns you might have, you can email them or go to their office. More information on their roles is in section 5.4.

Room: S0.91

Telephone: +44 (0)24 765 28417

Email: economics.pastoral@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window 

Undergraduate Team

You can find out more details about the rest of the UG Team on our "get in touch" webpageLink opens in a new window.

How to contact the Undergraduate Office

The UG Office office is your first point of contact as a Diploma student. The team has a daily presence on campus, in room S0.88.

In order to offer an efficient way of dealing with student queries, we have made the following arrangements for students to contact us:

1. Consult the Frequently Asked QuestionsLink opens in a new window (FAQs).
2. Email us on economics.ugoffice@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window. Please use your Warwick email and state your student ID number when you email.
3. Ring us on +44(0)24 7652 3933
4. Visit us in S0.88 between 9am-5pm Monday to Thursday and 9am-4pm on Friday.

How to contact academic staff

By email:

All members of the Department have a University email account, which they monitor regularly. However, please be aware that staff may be on academic or study leave during holiday periods, so responses may be delayed at those times.

If you have a question for a specific member of staff, email is usually the most effective way to get a quick response or to arrange a meeting. You can find staff email addresses via your Warwick email address book or on the Department’s  people pages. If your enquiry involves confidential personal information, it is best to email your Personal Tutor or your Year Tutor/ Senior Tutor directly.

When emailing staff, please:

• Use a polite and respectful tone
• Think carefully about who you are contacting
• Avoid sending the same email to multiple people, as this can cause confusion and waste staff time
• Always use your Warwick email account to ensure your message is delivered properly and not filtered into junk or clutter folders
• Include your student ID number

During Advice and Feedback hours:

All academic staff have Advice and Feedback hours at which they can meet you. Advice and Feedback hours will be posted on staff webpagesLink opens in a new window. You should make every effort to see staff during these times. If you are unable to meet a member of staff during the stated Advice and Feedback hours, you should contact them to arrange an appointment at a different time. Appointments should be made via email.

Telephone contact:

Each member of staff has a telephone number, listed online in the University telephone directory. From a telephone connected to the University switchboard the number has five digits, e.g. our Assistant Programme Manager, Maninderjit Bhogal's number is 23055. When calling a number from outside the University, all internal extensions starting with 2 or 7 have 024 76 5 in front of them and all extensions starting with 5 have 024 76 1 in front of them (e.g. for Ramkumar Govindaswamy dial 024 7652 3055). If you don’t know the number, dial the University switchboard (0 from an internal phone, 024 7652 3523 from outside).

A full list of all staff in the department can be found on our people pages.

How we communicate with you

Tabula

The University's secure web-based portal that supports teaching and learning is a key mechanism through which we will communicate with you. It is here you will find information on your timetable, assessment marks and feedback, your progress on meeting your Monitoring Points and attending classes and information on your class tutors and Personal Tutor.

You can access Tabula both on- and off-campus. Further details and instructions are available upon logging into Tabula.

Email

Every member of the University has a central email address usually in the form A.N.Other@warwick.ac.uk. This is the address that we will use to contact you.

Please check your email every day as it is the main way we will contact you.

Moodle

MoodleLink opens in a new window is the University's virtual learning environment. Every module has a Moodle page where you can view lecture notes, recordings (if available), class material, readings and coursework.

Current Students webpages

We have created a web portal with all essential information about your course and to inform you about a wide range of other opportunities that will enhance your student experience and prepare you better for future career. This page is personalised and you will need to use your student log-in to browse through the different areas.

Please visit this page regularly: Current StudentsLink opens in a new window 

Economics Updates

These are newsletters which we send twice a term. They focus on important issues related to your academic study and student experience. They contain important messages from your Course Director, Directors of Study and the Head of Department as well as information about opportunities and events. We strongly encourage you to read them to be aware of all academic and extra curricular opportunities related to your current studies, employability skills and career planning.

Social Media

We use social media to keep you up to date with departmental news and events via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter:

instagram.com/warwickeconomics/Link opens in a new window

facebook.com/warwickeconomics

https://x.com/warwickecon

youtube.com/user/warwickeconomics

linkedin.com/showcase/warwickeconomicsLink opens in a new window

My Warwick mobile App 

If we need to communicate with you urgently about important things to do with your study here (e.g. about Support and Feedback class cancellations or specific deadlines) we use My Warwick alerts which will appear on your phones. Please do not disable this feature as you may miss important communications.

Keeping your details up to date

If your contact details change since your enrolment (e.g. your mobile number) it is essential that you inform the University Student Records TeamLink opens in a new window.

Glossary

In reading this Handbook, you may find the following list of terms helpful.

Advice and Feedback Hours: Every member of academic staff and all tutors have at least two Advice and Feedback hours each week of term. During this time, the member of staff will be available for you to meet them to discuss any aspect of your academic studies, as well as other things, e.g. personal tutoring, references.

Classes: 'Classes,' 'module Support and Feedback classes', 'seminars,' 'tutorials' and 'supervisions' are all different names for essentially the same thing; compulsory teaching in small groups. Classes allow for more informal, less scripted interaction and are a prime opportunity for you to receive support and feedback.

Course: Coherent programme of study leading to a named qualification/award. Includes degrees, diplomas and certificates. Courses are made up of modules.

Module: Smallest unit of learning recognised in the University's approval processes and records systems.

Monitoring Points: The University scheme for monitoring academic engagement and progress of all students during each academic year. Under the University's monitoring scheme, attendance is monitored by means of specific 'monitoring points' using Tabula.

Moodle: it is the University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), a web platform designed specifically to support the delivery of teaching and learning materials and activities. All module resources will be posted here.

MS Teams: Software used for online teaching and learning and for meetings held virtually.

Pastoral Support Drop-in Sessions: Each week of term time, the Academic and Pastoral Support team hold daily office hours. The times of these will be published on the Department websiteLink opens in a new window.

Programme: Has the same meaning as a course.

Revision Sessions: These are sessions run by the Department of Economics that occur prior to tests in core year 1 and 2 modules, where students can access support from module tutors and gain an understanding of marking criteria for the upcoming tests.

Seminar: A compulsory class in which a topic is discussed by a teacher and small group of students. The same as our Support and Feedback classes.

Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC): The SSLC is made up of students and staff. SSLCs provide an accessible arena for you to discuss any concerns you have with teaching, learning and student support services with the Department's academic staff. They also provide an opportunity for the Department to receive feedback from you. This is the strongest mechanism for getting involved with how your academic life at Warwick is shaped.

Tabula: An online tool used to enhance and support the administration of teaching and learning. It helps academic and administrative staff manage your information, such as personal profiles, class allocation, personal tutor/supervisor allocations and meetings, attendance recording and marks management.

Check out our University Jargon Buster, which will explain key phrases that you may hear during your time at Warwick.