Economics
See Student Profiles
of Tahmimm Hassan
The Course
The Economics course at Cambridge (known as the Economics
Tripos) is a three year course. The first year, (called Part I)
consists of five compulsory papers in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics,
Quantitative Methods, Political and Sociological aspects of Economics
and British Economic History. The second year (Part
IIA) consists of three compulsory papers in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics
and Econometrics, plus one option paper chosen from Economic Development, Modern Societies, Mathematics or (from 2008-09) Labour Economics. The third year (Part IIB) consists
of two compulsory papers in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, two
option papers chosen from a wide range, and a compulsory dissertation.
The Faculty of Economics
website provides more detail on all aspects of the Economics Tripos.
In Cambridge, Economics
is not studied jointly with other subjects (such as a foreign language). However the Tripos
structure means that in a small number of cases it is sometimes possible to combine two courses by switching course after the first or second year. Applicants who are
thinking about doing this should discuss
the possibilities with the Admissions Tutor before applying.
Studying Economics
at Clare
The College has a long tradition of excellence in Economics, with
graduates proceeding to a wide range of careers in the city, industry,
research, school and university teaching and in the Civil Service.
The College appointed its first Economics Fellow, Brian Reddaway,
a pupil of John Maynard Keynes, in 1938, and recent Fellows
include Martin Weale, Director of the National Institute of Economic
and Social Research. Andrew Sentence, who was appointed to the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee in 2006, is a Clare graduate from the 1970s, continuing the College's record of producing outstanding policy-oriented Economists. At present Dr
Phil Faulkner is Director of Studies for Part I and Part IIA
Economics, while Dr
Melvyn Weeks is Director of Studies for Part IIB. In addition,
Professor Robin Matthews and Dr
Flavio Toxvaerd are also Fellows in Economics at the College.
The College hosts the
annual Clare Distinguished Lecture in Economics and Public Policy,
which in 2007 was given by Professor
Haruhiko Kuroda (President of the Asian Development Bank) and
in 2006 by Professor Joseph Stiglitz (Colombia University,
former Chief Economist at the World Bank, 2001 Nobel Prize in Economics).
The College also has an active student-run Economics society that
regularly arranges events such as talks and dinners.
Admissions Requirements
Clare aims to admit the most able students irrespective of their
educational backgrounds. Both Arts and Science subjects form a suitable
background for the study of Economics at Cambridge, but a good level
of mathematical ability is a requirement and we will only consider
students who take at least A2 level Mathematics (or equivalent). While some
students have taken Economics at school, this is not a requirement
for admission and those without Economics are at no disadvantage.
In general subjects such as Business Studies should not be
offered alongside similar subjects, such as Economics, at A2 level.
A typical offer is AAA at A2 level or equivalent.
Interviews
Applicants will have two interviews with the Economics Fellows, each lasting approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Unlike many Colleges we do not ask applicants for Economics to sit the Thinking Skills Assessment test. The reason for this is that our own experience suggests that interviews provide the most reliable guide to an applicant's potential.
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The
Cambridge Course
Dr Phil Faulkner
Dr Melvyn Weeks
Dr Flavio Toxvaerd
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