Rebecca writes: There is a wide range of qualifications that are now acceptable for entry to year 1 of an Economics degree. In the UK, students are most commonly accepted to university with A-levels, Scottish Highers, an Irish Leaving Certificate, AGNVQs, an Access Course, a Foundation Courses, or an HNC/D. You should contact the institution at an early stage to ensure that your qualifications (and choice of subjects) will be acceptable.
Rebecca writes: Enthusiasm and interest are two key qualities. Coupling these with an ability to be open-minded, and to consider different opinions and views is essential if you want to succeed. Specific skills such as communication, numeracy and research are largely taught and developed while you are at university.
Peter writes: Common partner subjects for Economics degree programmes include management, accounting, politics, mathematics, psychology and languages. There are aspects of economics that interact well with each of these.
John writes: You will need to consult the UCAS guide for details. In 2006, this listed 1600 Economics courses of various types. Most universities offer Economics degrees either as a single honours degree, or a joint honours degree or both.
John writes: Apart from the facilities, such as classrooms, library and computing facilities and student social accommodation, it would be useful to be armed with various questions about the types of courses you will be studying, the types of assessment methods used, pass rates, the types of classes used (e.g. workshops, sessions in computer labs, as well as lectures and seminars), the types of activities in seminars, the chances for you to specialise, the choice of options available and the likelihood of them remaining available over the time you will be at the university, the opportunities for you to change the pathway you are on, etc. It might be useful to ask these questions of both staff and student representatives, if you have an opportunity to do so.