About the course

Do you want to combine the study of economics with a modern foreign language? Economics is not only about stocks and shares and financial markets, it relates to every aspect of our lives where there is a demand to produce and supply goods and services.

BA Economics with Portuguese is similar to our BA Economics but allows you to learn Portuguese as part of your studies. You enter the course on one of two language levels and will be tested on enrolment to make sure you study at the right level. You will complete your course either at Proficiency or Mastery level. For the more advanced language courses, you may be required to study abroad for a period of time.

Our course gives you a thorough introduction to all aspects of economics and mathematics and introduces you to quantitative research methods, you will also take a Portuguese module. During your second year, you build on these skills and in your final year you will specialise in areas that you find most interesting, whilst at the same time continuing to build your language skills. You are required to complete a project in your final year, which is an excellent way to evidence the skills you have learnt to future employers or prepare for postgraduate study.

Whether you continue studying or go into work, you will graduate secure in the knowledge you have received one of the best undergraduate training available in economics, from one of the top-rated research departments in the UK.

Why study BA Economics with Portuguese at Essex?

As a student of economics at Essex, you will experience a lively, informal environment with many possibilities to pursue your own interests. One such opportunity is provided by the students’ Economics Society, a forum for the exchange of ideas, arranging talks by visiting speakers, introducing you to various career pathways and organising debates on topical subjects. There are other societies which may be of interest to you including; Essex entrepreneurs, Essex enterprise group and Investment & Trading. There are also many societies for your interest in learning languages, including; Modern Languages, French, German, Portuguese speaking, Spanish, Russian, Bulgarian and Chinese student scholars.

Our Department of Economics consistently receives good student satisfaction ratings, achieving 87% overall satisfaction in 2012. We were ranked joint third in the UK in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE, December 2008), reflecting our well-established reputation for excellence. The quality of our work is shown in our stream of publications in high profile academic journals like Economic Journal, Journal of Econometrics, American Economic Journal and Journal of the European Economic Association. Much of our research is related to policy and we often provide advice to government and non-government organisations.

Why study this subject?

What happens in the economy affects everyone. Studying economics provides you with a greater understanding of the world around you; it teaches you how the economy functions, how people make decisions, why an economic crisis occurs and what the different solutions are. During your study of economics you will develop your quantitative, analytical and research skills which will be greatly valued in work. Learning Portuguese on top of this will give you a distinct advantage over colleagues in the public or private sector. The importance of Portuguese in business and trade has been increasingly rapidly due to the immergence of Brazil as one of the largest economies. Speaking Portuguese would be a valuable asset, as it would make you desirable to companies wishing to trade with a Brazil and a still important trade partner of the UK, Portugal.

Our facilities

As a student on this course you will be able to take advantage of our extensive learning resources, including laboratories of networked computers featuring extensive software for quantitative analysis, as well as our University library, which provides access to a variety of economics databases as well as multiple copies of textbooks, e-books and materials to support your learning. While learning Portuguese you will have access to two multimedia language teaching labs which are equipped with state-of-the-art Sanako and Melissi Digital Classroom software. Our labs are also equipped with top of the range computers integrating audio-visual projectors and large screens. Our Open Access Lab has satellite TVs with DVD players so you have plenty of opportunities to watch TV news and programmes in the language you are studying. Our media studio is a recording studio equipped like a TV studio with a small audience space; we use this for role plays, news reading, presentations and debates.

Study abroad/placement opportunities

Within our Department of Economics, we offer an international exchange variant for this course. This enables you to broaden your understanding of the subject by studying at a partner institution in the EU, or in the rest of the world, during your third year of this four-year course. Apart from your year abroad, our international exchange variant of this course is identical to our corresponding three-year course.

Introduction

As a new undergraduate, you may find university-level learning, assessment and studying differs to school or college. Here at Essex, we understand and recognise this by having support in place, particularly during your first year when you may notice the change more.

If you are studying a non-science subject, then your teaching mainly takes the form of lectures and classes, the latter involving about 20 students. A typical timetable includes a one-hour lecture and a one-hour class for each of your four modules every week. Any language classes involve language laboratory sessions.

First-year assessment is a combination of written coursework, end-of-term tests, practical and laboratory work (where appropriate) and end-of-year exams.

Teaching methods and styles

Within our Department of Economics, teaching is arranged to allow a lot of freedom in how you organise your learning experience.

In our large first- and second-year modules (typically with over 150 students in each), there are two hours of lectures per week attended by everyone. Here, your lecturer presents a general overview of the subject and guides you on the priorities for each topic. We also offer additional support classes. Alongside this, each week, you attend a class (with 15 to 20 other students) to discuss issues arising from these lectures or to solve exercises related to the topics studied.

In your more specialist and advanced options, the distinction between your lectures and classes is less obvious because teaching often takes the form of seminars in which you are encouraged to participate directly.

In your modules taught by our Department of Language and Linguistics a variety of teaching methods are used. Familiar teaching methods are combined with state-of-the-art technologies and materials to create an ideal learning environment. Cultural and social themes are explored through film, music, the internet, theatre and literature.

You will encounter a distinctive learning experience in your final-year research project, supervised individually by a member of staff. Your research will begin towards the end of your second year, when you choose a topic (either from an approved list or one you propose yourself – each student has a unique topic). Then, in consultation with your supervisor, you complete your project – in the form of a dissertation – shortly before you finish your course. This project is an excellent way to showcase your skills to potential employers or to use as a preparation for postgraduate study.

Methods of assessment

As an undergraduate within our Department of Economics, your assessment in each year is by coursework (assignments, essays and tests) and end-of-year examinations. The weighting system of the coursework and end-of-year examinations is unique, while the balance is set at 50 percent coursework, 50 percent examinations; we operate a max rule which means if you do better in your exam you just get the exam mark. Your modules in modern languages will assess you using role-play activities, class presentations, essays, book reports, translations, project work, web-based assignments, as well as class tests and you will have an exam in the summer. For your language modules they will be assessed using the simple 50 percent coursework, 50 percent examination. While all your marks will appear on your transcript, only those beyond your first year count towards your final degree class. For many of your second- and final-year modules, coursework takes the form of a term paper – an extended essay that enables you to research a subject in-depth. Your final-year research project is equivalent to a full-year module (ie a quarter of your year’s assessment).

Career destinations

Our courses embed a wide range of employability skills that can have a major impact on your future career choice. You develop strong analytical skills, like problem solving, data analysis and quantitative skills, which are valued highly by employers. In particular, you will find that your background in economics statistics and methods enhances your employability. Your experience in writing term papers, and your research project, develops vital communication and writing abilities. If you proceed to study for a postgraduate qualification, all of these skills will prove invaluable.

In addition, learning a foreign language will provide you with much sought-after skills in communication, both written and spoken. At a time when companies and organisations in the UK and abroad are struggling to find university graduates who are fluent in more than just English, having a studied a foreign language as part of your course places you in a very advantageous position. These skills have value in a job market that is becoming increasingly global and will be appreciated by employers, whatever career path you follow.

Our students find themselves in demand from a wide range of employers in a host of occupations, including financial analysis, management, public administration and accountancy, as well as directly in roles using economic knowledge. Our most recent graduates have found work with Barclays Capital, Ernst and Young, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, the Government Economic Service (eg HM Treasury or the Department of Trade and Industry, and Employment), the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, just to name a few.

Finally, many graduates pursue their studies at a postgraduate level (eg MSc and PhD programmes) at our University, as well as in other top international institutions.

Your employability and Essex

At Essex we take your employability seriously, helping you become a rounded individual with the ability to succeed, whatever your plans. You’ll find your department works with our Employability and Careers Centre to inform you about options to study or work overseas, your Faculty Employability Coordinator finds degree-related work placements, and our Students’ Unions ensures that, annually, over 700 students volunteer and more than 4,000 get involved in sports, clubs and societies.

At Essex you can gain new skills that look good on your CV, like paid placements through our frontrunners scheme, graduate-level paid internships, and opportunities to develop discipline-specific skills as part of your studies.

We help you understand your skills, and how to demonstrate these to an employer. You can get our extra-curricular employability award – the Big Essex Award – recorded on your transcript, receive one-to-one advice on careers, use our Essex CV guides on applying for work, learn from famous entrepreneurs and take part in workshops, and meet employers through on-campus events.

We develop your employability through fantastic opportunities, and give you the tools to explore the meaning of your unique experiences, so you are ready for your future.

Global employability

Here at Essex, our students can undertake period of study or work abroad specifically tailored to his/her academic interests and future career plans. You are taught and assessed by your host university, so assessment may be in the form of written papers, oral or written exams, lab or project work, research, or work-based learning. All successfully completed pre-approved modules will be credited towards your Essex degree.

Study abroad is an excellent opportunity for personal development. It affords you the chance to become immersed in another culture over a sustained period, coming to know a country and its people in a way that you could not hope to as a tourist. It is also an opportunity to experience a different educational system and develop different skills. You learn to view the world (and your academic discipline) from another perspective, becoming more independent and confident.

Study abroad also enhances your employability. It helps your CV stand out from other candidates and signals to an employer that you have maturity, adaptability and organisational skills. As the world of business is becoming increasingly international, the experience of living abroad is, in itself, attractive to many employers. Depending upon your study abroad destination, you may also gain fluency in another language, which is a highly attractive skill to have as you enter the employment market.

If you are interested in learning another language then our Languages for All programme enables you to study a language, alongside your course, at no extra cost. You can take one of 50 taught language modules on a part-time day-time basis, or undertake flexible web-based learning, or opt for a language module taught in the evening. As employers can struggle to find graduates able to speak more than one language, Languages for All places Essex graduates in a very advantageous position.

Postgraduate opportunities

Within our Department of Economics, we offer taught Masters courses, as well as research supervision for PhD and MPhil. Our MSc courses provide a thorough and up-to-date training in the theory, methods and applications of modern economics. They allow you to specialise in the fields of your choice and each has a set of core components that can be combined with optional modules to enable you to gain either in-depth specialisation or a breadth of understanding across several topics. Some of our courses have ESRC Doctoral Training Centre accreditation, meaning they can form part of a 1+3 funding opportunity worth up to £18,000 each for talented postgraduates.

Essex economists are engaged in a variety of research networks and collaborate with economists at other universities in the UK and overseas. Much of our research is related to policy and we often provide advice to government and non-government organisations. We also aim to apply economic methods to new and original ways. One example is Professor Andrea Galeotti’s research on the diffusion of information through social networks, another is Professor Marco Francesconi’s work on how resource allocation takes place within the family.