Politics and Economics BA Honours

Clearing - How to apply

What is Clearing?

Each year, universities may have spaces left on their courses after the application window has closed in June.

UCAS Clearing is your opportunity to snap up one of these places, even if you didn't apply to the university prior to the June deadline.

It also gives you a second chance to go to university if you didn't get the grades you needed for your firm and insurance offers.

How do I get in touch?

Our Clearing entry requirements may differ from those advertised; contacting our friendly advisers is the best way to find out if you’re eligible for a place.

You can get in touch through live chat or our hotlines. Call us on 0800 073 5050, or if you’re an international student calling from outside the UK, call: +44 191 222 5000.

Not available in Clearing

This course is not available in Clearing 2024.

This means there are no spaces available for Clearing 2024. If you can't find vacancies in your original course or subject area, try exploring other subjects in a related field.

Search our courses in Clearing

Course overview

This three-year Politics and Economics degree will give you the intellectual capacity to recognise, understand and anticipate the way that political and economic forces combine to shape our everyday lives.

You will study at both the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology and the Business School, tapping into their combined expertise, networks, support, careers advice and facilities, and becoming part of two flourishing student communities.

Your studies will be split 50:50 between politics and economics, with each helping to inform your understanding of the other. The course also has a strong mathematical component to help you master the unique quantitative requirements of the economic discipline.

Download information about this course as a PDF

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions  
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Quality and ranking

Professional accreditation and recognition

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body.

Modules and learning

Modules

The information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Most degrees are divided into stages. Each stage lasts for one academic year, and you'll complete modules totalling 120 credits by the end of each stage. 

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Optional module availability
Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions

Your main focus will be on core modules designed to give you a solid grounding in the principles of economics, political economic theory, data analysis, and the mathematics relevant to the discipline.

You will also choose additional modules on broad political themes such as modern political thought, or the shaping of the 21st century.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Analysing Economic Data	10
Mathematics for Economics	20
Economic Analysis	30
Studying Political Economy: Ideas, Theories and Skills	20

Optional Modules	Credits
The Westminster System: the UK in comparative perspective	20
Key Concepts in International Politics	20
Becoming a Political Analyst	20
Order and Disorder: The Shaping of the 21st Century	20
Power and Inequality	20
Politics of Happiness	20

You will divide your time equally between core modules on economic modelling and analysis, and modules of your choice on political topics such as the Middle East, Africa and international relations.

Modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Microeconomic Analysis	30
Macroeconomic Analysis	30

Optional Modules	Credits
Politics of the Middle East	20
International Institutions and Organizations	20
Becoming a Political Researcher	20
Government and Politics of the USA	20
The Politics and Policy of the European Union	20
Power and Poverty in the Global Economy	20
A Global History of Political Thought	20
Political Violence and the Modern State	20
The Politics of Africa: Africa's place in Global Politics	20
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Social Issues in Contemporary Political Philosophy	20
Critical Security Studies	20
Democracy or Dictatorship? What are the differences and how do we analyse them	20
Sex, Gender and Power	20
The Politics of Race	20

You will tailor your studies by choosing a combination of specialist modules: half on topics such as advanced microeconomics and the economics of banking or health; half on political subjects such as diplomacy, environmental governance, or the fall and rise of China.

You can also complete a dissertation or project based on your own original research, or contribute to a research group tackling a real-world issue on behalf of a community organisation.

Modules

Optional Modules	Credits
Advanced Microeconomics	20
Advanced Macroeconomics	20
Labour Economics	20
Behavioural Economics and Experimental Methods	20
Economics of Banking	10
Monetary Economics	10
Public Economics	20
Financial Economics	10
Economics of Risk and Uncertainty	10
Health Economics	10
Industrial Economics and Policy	20
Game Theory	10
Development Economics	10
Environmental Economics	10
Final Year Dissertation	40
Final Year Project: Semester 1	20
Final Year Project: Semester 2	20
The Ethics of Killing	20
Cities and World Politics	20
Applied Data Science for Political Research	20
The Politics of Protest in the Middle East	20
Student Exchange : Semester 1	60
Student Exchange (Dissertation students)	40
International Political Thought	20
Political Parties and Elections in the UK	20
Community-based Research in Politics	40
Politics of Immigration	20
Politics of Citizenship	20
Apartheid regimes - from the local to the global	20
Gender and Sexuality Politics in the Middle East	20
Public Policy: Theories, Cases, Skills	20
Politics as a Way of Life	20
Public Policy Placement	20
Political Psychology and Experimental Methods	20

Information about these graphs

We base these figures and graphs on the most up-to-date information available to us. They are based on the modules chosen by our students in 2023-24.

Teaching time is made up of:

• scheduled learning and teaching activities. These are timetabled activities with a member of staff present.
• structured guided learning. These are activities developed by staff to support engagement with module learning. Students or groups of students undertake these activities without direct staff participation or supervision

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods

You will be taught through a stimulating combination of lectures, seminars, teamwork exercises, research projects and simulations. 

You will also make use of interactive online learning environments such as Blackboard and MyEconLab.

Assessment methods

You'll be assessed through a combination of:

• 

  Dissertation or research project

• 

  Essays

• 

  Examinations – practical or online

• 

  Presentations

• 

  Projects

• 

  Reflective report/journal

• 

  Seminar tasks/exercises

Skills and experience

Practical skills

You will be trained in R, a world-leading free statistical software that helps you to understand data, analyse trends, and make informed recommendations.

Business skills

You'll have many opportunities to boost your employability, starting with an induction week careers session dedicated to politics.

You will also be able to put your learning into practice further by conducting real-world political research for a local organisation (including Newcastle City Council) in Stage 3

Research skills

In Stage 3, you will have the chance to produce a dissertation or report based on a piece of your own independent political research.

You will be given advice on the design, methodology and implementation of this research, and can draw on your training in data analysis techniques.

Opportunities

Work placement

Get career ready with a work placement and leave as a confident professional in your field. You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months working in any organisation in the world, and receive University support from our dedicated team to secure your dream placement. Work placements take place between stages 2 and 3.

You'll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector, putting your learning into practice and developing your professional expertise.

If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year, and your degree title will show you have achieved the placement year. A work placement is not available if you're spending a year studying abroad. Placements are subject to availability.

Find out more about work placements

Study abroad

Experience life in another country by choosing to study abroad as part of your degree. You’ll be encouraged to embrace fun and challenging experiences, make connections with new communities and graduate as a globally aware professional, ready for your future.

Find out more about study abroad

Facilities and environment

Facilities

You will be part of the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology and will split your time between the newly refurbished Henry Daysh Building and the Business School.

Support

You will have one-to-one academic and pastoral support from a personal tutor and from a student.

A tutor in the department has twice won a student-nominated award for pastoral care in recent years. 

Your future

You will graduate with the ability to think critically, assess complex material and data, carry out research, construct an argument and articulate it – a powerful skillset applicable to a wide range of careers.

These skills have seen our Politics and Economics graduates enjoy successful careers in politics, economics, finance, management consultancy, media, non-governmental bodies, inter-governmental organisations, human resources, marketing and business.

Some choose to pursue vocational training to become lawyers or teachers; and others undertake further postgraduate study in fields such as politics, business and finance.

Read what our graduates have to say about studying Politics at Newcastle University

Make a difference

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Careers support

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Tuition fees and scholarships

Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)

The 2025 home fees have not yet been confirmed (see ‘Home Fee Students’ information below).

Qualification: BA Honours
Home students full time 3 years	Tuition fees (per year) Not set
International students full time 3 years	Tuition fees (per year) 23800

Home Fee Students

Home students starting in 2024 entry
£9,250 is the maximum fee that we are currently permitted to charge for home fee-paying students. This is set by the UK government.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Home students starting in 2025 entry

In November 2024 the government increased the maximum fee level to £9,535 for 2025/26. It is expected that Parliament will approve the Government’s proposed increase in January and we intend to confirm our Home fees at this higher level following this.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

 

Read more about fees and funding

International Fee Students

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Read more about fees and funding

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our undergraduate scholarship page for more information.

Year abroad and additional costs

For programmes where you can spend a year on a work placement or studying abroad, you will receive a significant fee reduction for that year. 

Some of our degrees involve additional costs which are not covered by your tuition fees.

Scholarships

Find out more about:

• scholarships for UK, EU and international students
• Student Loans and Government financial support for UK and EU students

How to apply

Apply through UCAS

To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle University, you must use the online application system managed by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). All UK schools and colleges, and a small number of EU and international establishments, are registered with UCAS. You will need:

• the UCAS name and institution codes for Newcastle University (NEWC/N21)
• the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for
• the UCAS 'buzzword' for your school or college

If you are applying independently, or are applying from a school or college which is not registered to manage applications, you will still use the Apply system. You will not need a buzzword.

Apply through UCAS

Apply through an agent

International students often apply to us through an agent. Have a look at our recommended agents and get in touch with them.

Visit our International pages