BSc Economic History and Geography

at London School of Economics

The degree involves studying courses to the value of 12 units over three years, plus LSE100. 

First year
In your first year you will take four compulsory courses, on geography, economic history, and economics. You will also take LSE100.

(* denotes a half unit)

The Internationalisation of Economic Growth, 1870 to the Present Day
Focuses on the inter-relationships between the development of the international economy and the growth of national economies since the late nineteenth century.

Introduction to Geography 
Examines the key concepts of human geography.

Introduction to Geographical Research
Introduces students to the production of geographical and environmental knowledge and to prepare them to become producers of such knowledge themselves. 

Microeconomics I*
There are two versions of this course: EC1A3 and EC1A5. Students will be advised about the most option to take depending of the course to take depending on academic background or future course choices.

Macroeconomics I* 
There are two versions of this course: EC1B3 and EC1B5. Students will be advised about the most appropriate option to take depending of the course to take depending on academic background or future course choices.

LSE100*
A half unit, running across Michaelmas and Lent Term in the first year, LSE100 is compulsory for all LSE undergraduate students, and is designed to build your capacity to tackle multidimensional problems through research-rich education.

Second year
In your second year you will take compulsory courses in each geography and economic history, and choose further options from each. 

The Economic Geography of Trade, Production and Development*

The Economics of Cities*

Theories and Evidence in Economic History
This course combines practical and theoretical approaches to conducting, evaluating and interpreting research in economic history.  Students will learn to use primary sources and design their own research project. It also introduces students to critical interpretation and analysis of primary sources and research methodologies, and the nature of historical knowledge. 

Economic history options to the value of one unit

Geography options to the value of one unit

Third year
In your third year you will take two compulsory half-unit geography courses, a historical economic geography course, and complete a dissertation. You will also choose further geography options. 

Firms and Economic Geography: Location Technology and Innovation*

The Economics of Housing Markets and Migration*

Historical Economic Geography: Cities, Markets and Regions in the 19th and 20th Centuries

Explores how and why the location of economic activities changes across time and space from industrialisation up to the present. 

Either Geography options to the value of one unit, or

Economic History options to the value of one unit, or

Outside options to the value of one unit

Every undergraduate student is charged a fee for each year of their programme.

The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees

Home students:
The 2023 tuition fee for new Home students has not yet been set. As a guide the 2022 fee for Home students is £9,250 per year. The Home student undergraduate fee may rise in line with inflation in subsequent years.

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Economic History

Median salary of our UG students six months after graduating: £37,500

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

 

• Financial and Professional Services
• Accounting and Auditing
• Consultancy
• Education, Teaching and Research
• Information, Digital Technology and Data

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2018-19 were the second group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.
Economic history combines the skills of the economist, the statistician and the sociologist, as well as those of the historian, therefore graduates leave with a portfolio of highly transferable skills that can be applied across a wide variety of employment sectors. Our graduates can be found in senior positions throughout many professions, in the City, financial and market consultancy, NGOs and the charity sector, the civil service, sales and marketing, teaching, government and academia.