About this course
- 22nd in the UK for Business and Management (The Guardian University Guide 2025)
- Top 15 in the UK for Economics Student Experience (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)
- Top 20 in the UK for Economics Teaching Quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025)
As economists, we feel we’ve got an answer for everything — from the macroeconomics of inflation, interest rates and unemployment, to the microeconomics of how these things impact real people, households, and companies. Economics is built around time-tested theories and models, but also a lot of assumptions; we’re here to show you the strengths of those assumptions, their limits, and how economics oils every gear of the modern business machine.
On this course you’ll get a bigger business picture, plus the specialist economic skills to predict change, turn complex data into relatable stories, and inspire better decisions. Alongside a host of hands-on internship, placement, and consulting opportunities — all with real companies, both at home and abroad — you’ll come to appreciate how the different areas of a business can work together in harmony.
Learn to think like an economist, without being pigeonholed as one. Together, we’ll lay the foundations for a versatile, exciting future, giving you the tools and knowledge to navigate the whole business landscape — from economics, accounting and finance, to HR, marketing, and corporate strategy.
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Learn from the experts — we’re a UK top-20 university for Economics (Guardian University Guide 2025). -
Our students get great jobs — we’ve been ranked 1st in the UK for employability (Uni Compare 2025). -
Complete a paid placement — our students have secured experience with organisations like Hasbro and Siemens. -
Study in the heart of Nottingham — one of Europe’s top 25 student cities, and home to over 75,000 learners.
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What you’ll study
When do governments intervene in failing markets? How do we explain fluctuations in exchange rates? What influence does economics have in encouraging us towards healthier life choices? And why does the global picture so often begin with the local one?
Economics answers a lot of questions — but not every question. It’s stronger when it’s combined with other business disciplines, and that’s the focus of this joint-honours course. We’ll get you thinking like an economist from day one, helping you to make sense of the world: by exploring traditional and contemporary economic models (including business, industrial, behavioural, heterodox, and nudge theories), you’ll learn how the different parts of an organisation interact, and why collaboration is more important than ever before.
On our business management and economics degree, you’ll:
- explore the economic drivers behind big-picture issues like growth, poverty, population increases, and trade policy — all backed by real-world case studies
- get to grips with the essentials of business management — from accounting and finance, to budgeting, HR, and strategy
- learn about the everyday choices facing people, businesses and governments, the interconnectedness of economics at a local, national, and global level, and how microeconomics and macroeconomics constantly inform one another
- analyse different behavioural models of how people come together, learning the psychological secrets of why some teams thrive, while others fail
- pick your own specialist modules as the course progresses — choose from marketing management, strategy and innovation, corporate governance and risk management, and more
- learn how to research and interpret data, make great decisions, and communicate at every level of business through simple, accessible storytelling
- tackle real-world business challenges — from debating the independence of the Bank of England, to helping local charities get noticed
- grow your vital ‘soft skills’ (things like resilience, confidence and communication), learn how to shine as an approachable, reflective, self-motivated team-player, and build up your employability profile.
Here’s a full breakdown of the modules you’ll be studying:
Economics and Data Analysis for Managers
This module will introduce you to a range of skills, methods and knowledge that are applied by professional economists. It will enable you to offer a distinctive contribution to business and management decisions involving the deployment of globally scarce resources. The module will enable you to demonstrate a range of applications of economic ideas, principles and techniques, and to identify resource consequences of business and managerial decisions in a national and international context.
Accounting and Finance for Managers
Through this module you will develop the skills and competencies needed to make effective use of accounting information, especially for control and decision making purposes.
You will explore how business organisations are financed and the constraints and limitations that financing imposes on them. You will also learn about the calculation of accounting profit and its importance to an organisation. You will develop skills that will allow you to identify relevant cash inflows and outflows of a proposed business project, and learn about utilising the techniques of break-even analysis in project decision making. The importance and use of budgeting for forward-planning, communication, coordination and control within an organisation will be covered, as well as the importance of cash and liquidity within an organisation and the construction of cash and working capital budgets. You will learn how to use cash and working capital management models and techniques and how to construct financial statements.
Other areas covered in this vast module include financial appraisal of long term capital investment proposals and valuation of company shares.
Foundations of Managing and Organising
Both work and management are carried out by people, the human resources of the organisation. The focus of this module is on the management of work in organisations, and will provide you with a holistic understanding from the viewpoint of both the worker and management. You will be introduced to key applications, policies and practices that are involved in the management of human resources, and will analyse their underlying theoretical basis and the effects on the organisation and society in general.
Principles of Marketing
This module aims to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the basic tools and concepts of marketing. More specifically, you will be introduced to the core marketing functions and develop an understanding of the key concepts, frameworks and models encountered in marketing. You will also gain the knowledge and skills required to identify differing marketing orientations, in particular how organisations identify, understand and satisfy customers and develop the skills required to produce a blended marketing mix that will satisfy the needs of the target customer.
Essentials of Business Development
This module introduces you to the dynamics of business and enterprise in the context of organisational growth, blending operations management theory with real-world challenges. You’ll explore how different types of organisations—start-ups, SMEs, large businesses, and the public sector—navigate decision-making, operational development, and strategic challenges. Emphasis is placed on the role of enterprise and entrepreneurship skills to design, deliver, and improve products and services, particularly in response to evolving customer preferences and sustainability pressures in a global landscape characterised by uncertainty and constant change.
Personal and Academic Development
Helps you recognise the personal skills, behaviours and attributes you currently have, and supports you in formulating a continuous personal and professional development plan to develop the skills and knowledge you need to achieve your future ambitions and realise your full potential.
First half of Year Two – Core modules
Economics in Action
The module covers vital subjects as theories of economic growth, economic inequality, poverty and malnutrition, population growth, trade policy, and the markets for factors (land, labour, and credit) and output. Real examples and cases studies from around the world will be used to support the theoretical arguments.
Microeconomics Theory and Applications
The module is designed to introduce key microeconomic theory which will enable you to analyse the choices that face consumers, businesses and governments and hence the decisions these economic agents make. It aims to explore the interconnectedness of these decisions and the factors that shape both the choices of economic agents and the resulting outcomes. The module will develop a framework which will allow you to understand the arguments around market failure and government intervention.
Macroeconomics Theory and Applications
The module is designed to introduce you to key macroeconomic issues both in a national and international context. In doing so, it will introduce theoretical and conceptual building blocks which are required by economists to analyse macroeconomic issues.
Second half of Year Two
You can either select one of our unique opportunities initiatives below or continue with your taught modules.
Option 1 – Study Abroad
Experience life in another country by studying at one of our partner universities. Choose from a host of countries in Europe or go further afield and study in the USA, South America, Australasia and South East Asia. This is a great opportunity to develop your independence and explore another culture.
Option 2 – Enterprise Project
Explore your entrepreneurial side and start to develop the meaningful and practical skills needed to run your own business. Supported by NTU Enterprise, NTU's centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, during this opportunity you'll work alongside other young entrepreneurs and a dynamic network of mentors and advisors, to develop your own ideas into a live enterprise project.
Option 3 – Internship
Get a taste of the working world and gain some essential industry insight with a 16-18 week work placement. The experience will allow you to put your learning in to practice, with the experience gained improving your future career prospects, and sharpening your interpersonal and professional skills.
Option 4 – Continue with taught modules
If you didn't fancy doing any of the above options then you can continue your studies at university. With a mixture of both compulsory and optional modules, the first will enhance your knowledge and skills set in your area of study, with the latter allowing you to tailor your learning experience.
Students on Sandwich courses are eligible to choose the Enterprise project or continue with taught modules in the second half of their second year. They are not eligible for options 1 and 3. However, they are able to use their sandwich year to study or work abroad.
Core modules:
Survey Research Analysis
This module draws on conceptual material in the area of Survey Methods widely used in business and the application of analytic methods to the data generated. One of the primary focuses of this module is to help you understand how to plan and conduct surveys but also interpret the results within the appropriate business context. With the aid of appropriate professional statistical software you will be encouraged to apply statistical methods of analysis to data.
The module is designed to allow you the opportunity to analyse and interpret “real data” from various areas of the business world. In studying this module you will develop your knowledge and skills in conducting survey research within business. You will be given the opportunity to plan and execute a survey; design and implement a survey instrument; analyse survey results using applications software; and interpret and communicate analytical findings.
Applied Professional Development
Following on from the Personal Development module in Year One, this module supports you to build upon and reflect on your personal and professional skills, attributes and behaviours. You will attend a conference with a varied programme of events focused on the future of work, and later in the module you will immerse yourself in a period work or work-like experience to develop a range of skills designed to enhance your employability.
Plus one optional module from:
Marketing Management
This module explores the role of marketing management and its interaction with other business functions. You will study marketing management concepts that are used during the development of sound marketing strategies, and will develop effective group and personal skills that are valued highly by organisational employers. You will learn about the application of marketing tools to different contexts, as well as segmentation, targeting and positioning. Other subjects covered include integrated marketing communications, social and ethical implications of marketing and marketing in context (including services, business, and international).
Exploring Strategy and Innovation
This module provides an understanding of business development and strategy with particular reference to processes of strategic management, innovation and business development in the global context. It will develop your understanding of competitive advantage and introduce you to key concepts in strategy, organisational change and development, all drawn from different cultural contexts. You will examine the nature of innovation, and the process involved in bringing it about. This module also seeks to demonstrate how innovation can provide competitive advantage for business firms operating in local, national and international environments.
Over the course of the module you will: ·
- study profitability and the nature and purpose of corporate and competitive strategy in a global context
- explore corporate direction, goals, mission and vision
- analyse the business environment, methods and techniques of analysis and its relevance to competitor and customer development
- explore the nature of technological change and its links to innovation
- classify innovation and innovative activity
- analyse the process of innovation and different perspectives on the process.
People, Organisations and Society
This module aims to explore and evaluate several contemporary business aspects affecting individuals and organisations from a practical perspective. It seeks to assess the theoretical perspectives of managing people, human behaviour and the evolving nature of work.
Placement Year
In year three, you have the option to take a placement year. This time spent working in business provides our students with crucial work experience, which is highly prized and much sought after by employers upon graduation. We have links with a wide range of sectors, firms and organisations that offer student placements. If you have decided to undertake a placement year then this will last for a minimum of 48 weeks during your third year.
Our Employability Team is here to inspire and enhance every stage of your career planning and as a graduate of NTU, you will be able to access their services for three years after your course has finished.
Services they provide include:
- finding placements, internships and part-time work
- pursuing self-employment
- taking gap years and time out
- getting into volunteering
- providing advice on further study.
Or
Taught modules
If you have decided to continue with your studies please view the 'final year' tab for your list of modules.
Developing Professional Impact
This module is designed to expand your horizons and challenge your attitudes and behaviours both in relation to subject specific issues and wider business concerns such as global citizenship and sustainable business practices. It will encourage you to build on your strengths and explore a range of possibilities as you embark on your next steps.
Business Economics
This module has three key focuses, the role of government within an economy, industry-level analysis, and on the individual firm and the workers it employs. The key themes you will study include firm strategies, growth, pricing, innovation, advertising, managerial-labour relations, and the implications of these factors for the firms themselves, their employees, and policy-makers. Through this module you will learn to use economic techniques to analyse the workings of industries and firms, in their market context. You will also explore a range of alternative economic theories of the behaviour of firms, and their employees and analyse government policies towards industries and firms.
Investment and Portfolio Management
Alongside examining the appropriate theory, this module will give you the opportunity to put theory into practice through the construction and running of a portfolio of equities. During the module you will examine the relevance of modern finance theory to the analysis and evaluation of market-traded securities. You will also analyse how securities can be structured in portfolios and how portfolios can be managed, and compare theory with practice relating to security analysis and portfolio structuring and management. The subject areas you will cover include economic and industrial analysis (UK orientated), market efficiency and sources of financial information, security valuation and analysis, key ratio analysis, financial statement analysis, selection and analysis of stocks and shares, and portfolio theory, selection, analysis and management.
International Development Economics
During this module you will examine the common problems confronting the developing world and suggested solutions. By examining examples and case studies from around the world you will cover vital subjects such as theories of economic growth, economic inequality, poverty and malnutrition, population growth, trade policy and the markets for factors (land, labour, and credit) and output.
Plus one optional module from:
Applied Business Research Project
For this module you will undertake a purposeful, individual, in depth study of a relevant topic, developing your independent learning, critical thinking and knowledge of research techniques relevant to your subject area. The project will develop your ability to manage a major piece of work, for which you will be completely responsible, and will be completed over a period of several months. You will learn to utilise and improve your time management and communication skills, as well as test your initiative and resourcefulness. To support your development during this module you will study essential skills such as critical thinking, conducting a literature review, understanding the appropriate research framework, practical research methods and skills, report and academic writing skills.
Sustainability Impact Project
Sustainability is one of the most pressing challenges facing modern organisations, influencing every aspect of business strategy and leadership. This module equips you with the critical skills and knowledge to navigate the complex social, economic, environmental, and managerial dimensions of sustainability. You'll explore how businesses are adapting to global challenges, balancing profit with purpose, and driving long-term success through responsible decision-making. By applying theory to real-world scenarios, you'll develop the problem-solving and analytical abilities needed to shape sustainable strategies, preparing you to be a future leader in an ever-evolving business landscape.
Plus one optional module from:
Corporate Governance and Risk Management
During this module you will study current recommendations and developments in the field of corporate governance both in the UK and in a selection of overseas countries. The module aims to highlight the importance of control and risk management when implementing strong governance measures, and will evaluate the ethical and moral dilemmas faced by those entrusted with these responsibilities. You will also learn to determine and evaluate measures of fraud identification, prevention and investigation.
Managing Creativity, Design and Innovation
The development of successful products and services involves complex processes and is dependent on how well the research, design and innovation activities are integrated with other functions in the organisation. This module will develop your understanding of the relationships between creativity, design and innovation, and explore and debate a range of perspectives concerning their nature. You will contemplate some of the issues facing organisations trying to harness the potential from their creative resources and be encouraged to develop your own creative skills. Over the course of the module, you will study a range of topics including perspectives on creativity, design and innovation, the nature and scope of innovation; origins of creativity; approaches to creativity theory; creativity and innovation as complex processes; innovation process models; design and development in a product and service context and building and sustaining a culture focused on creativity and innovation.
Data Mining and Financial Data Analysis
Research shows that data mining, that is, finding patterns among large amounts of data, might be the secret behind corporate success, especially in the business world. As computers have proliferated, most businesses now routinely collect large volumes of data about their customers and their transactions. Telecommunications companies and credit card issuers, for example, track phone calls and transactions by millions of customers. Data mining uses sophisticated models drawn from fields ranging from statistics, computer science, and artificial intelligence to explore through billions of bits of data for small pieces of information. Ultimately, that information can translate into knowledge and insights about customers and markets and make the difference.
The main themes covered in this module are:
- an overview of data mining and financial data analysis techniques
- identification of appropriate analysis techniques and data requirements
- predictive and data mining/analysis techniques for competitive advantage.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
How you're taught
NTU is TEF ‘Gold’-rated for teaching and learning, and one of the UK’s top 20 universities for economics (Guardian University Guide 2024). Our team of tutors have worked with organisations like Barclays, Halifax, Co-Op, Allied Irish Bank, and the Nigerian State Ministry of Youths and Social Development; with decades of first-hand professional experience, they know exactly what employers are looking for. You’ll also learn from a rollcall of exciting guest lecturers — from visionary charities, to multinational finance houses like Capital One, to our own returning alumni. See our Business Leaders Lecture series and podcast to find out more.
As well as lectures and seminars, you’ll learn through:
- Networking — whether you’re hearing from a senior finance executive in your lectures or attending the prestigious ‘Future of Work’ conference, you’ll learn lots (and build meaningful connections) by meeting leaders in business.
- Working as a researcher and business consultant on a range of credit-bearing projects. Explore specialist areas of economics, collaborate with your coursemates, and help companies solve real-world business challenges.
- Completing internships and placements. You’ll have the chance to take on a 16-18-week internship in Year Two, or a 48-week professional placement in Year Three of the sandwich pathway. Only recently, our students have secured placements with organisations like Toyota, Balfour Beatty, and the NHS — with some of them receiving job offers before they’ve even graduated.
Making your own choices. As the course develops, so too will your options. If you dream of studying abroad, you could attend one of our summer schools, or complete an extended stay with one of our global partners — anywhere from Sweden to South Korea. Looking to stay local? If the internship or consultancy project pathways don’t appeal, you can simply continue with your taught modules. It’s a versatile offer, built around your own preferences.
How you're assessed
People learn in different ways, and we want each one of our students to have the best possible chance of success. Our diverse range of assessment methods includes live group pitches and presentations, real-world consultancy projects and business challenges, blogging and journalling, independent researching, business reporting, personal development, and reflective learning. You’ll also complete on-campus, open-book exams, where you can count on the support and guidance of your tutors.
Careers and employability
Our graduates get great jobs
From day one, we’ll teach you how to think like an economist — but once you’ve graduated, you’ll be effective in every area of business. Rather than being dedicated to a single discipline, you’ll be a true ‘business decathlete’: a versatile, collaborative strategist who’s at home in every operational environment.
Our business management and economics students have secured roles on graduate schemes with blue-chip nationals and multinationals, and in prominent roles with local SMEs. Some have even started their own businesses. Today, our graduates are employed by prestigious organisations like Deutsche Bank, IRS Direct, and the Bank of America — working around the world as consultants, business development executives, analysts, account managers, and more.
Personalisation at NBS — what it means for you
NBS is a community of over 8,500 learners, drawn from countries, cultures and academic backgrounds all around the world. We’re big in every sense — from our industry reputation, to our global community of ambitious students and successful graduates, to the sheer range of opportunities we provide. Study with NBS, and you’ll benefit from our partnerships with universities and businesses on every continent.
We’re proud to provide our learners with a very personal experience. Each student’s experience is uniquely theirs, built around their own specific needs, interests, and ambitions. It’ll be the same for you: whether choosing your own specialist modules or picking your preferred means of hands-on, experiential learning, we’re here to help you gather the skills, knowledge and experience to gain that vital competitive edge. Your future and employability comes first, and everything you’ll experience at NBS has a purpose — from industry networking events and prestigious guest speakers, to the personal and professional development modules that’ll support each step of your university journey. Book onto an NTU open day to find out more.
Campus and facilities
You’ll mainly be studying in the Newton building, at the centre of our vibrant City Campus. As well as a range of classrooms and lecture theatres, our facilities include dedicated market research reporting platforms and digital resources (e.g. Mintel, Passport, SPSS, and Adobe Creative Cloud) and the Business Lab — a trading floor equipped with Bloomberg terminals, which enables you to delve into the global markets for real.
NTU’s City Campus has everything you’ll need to keep occupied between lectures. As well as the Boots Library and its beautiful roof garden, there’s our superb Students’ Union building and two-storey, 100-station gym; a whole host of cafés, bars, restaurants and food outlets catering to every taste; our much-loved Global Lounge; performance and rehearsal spaces for musicians; and so much more!
If that’s not enough, just take a few steps off campus, and you’ll find yourself in the beating heart of Nottingham — one of the UK’s top 10 student cities, and one of the top 25 in all of Europe. It’s a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.
For more details, why not take a Virtual Tour?
Entry requirements
UK students
Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications.
Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications.
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Additional requirements for UK students
There are no additional requirements for this course.
Contextual offers
If you don’t quite meet our entry requirements, we might be able to make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and your individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer, and we get data from UCAS to help make these decisions. We do this because we believe everyone with the potential to succeed at NTU should have the opportunity to do so, no matter what barriers you may face.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Other qualifications and experience
NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.
We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.
Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
Academic entry requirements: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.
English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.
Additional requirements for international students
If you need help achieving the academic entry requirements, we offer a Foundation preparation course for this degree. The course is offered through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC) based on our City Campus.
English language requirements
View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.
If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.
Other qualifications and experience
If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.
You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.
Sign up for emails
Sign up to receive regular emails from the International Office. You'll hear about our news, scholarships and any upcoming events in your country with our expert regional teams.
Getting in touch
If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.
Policies
We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.
