Hi there! I am Srijan Vasireddy, an international student from India. I’m pursuing a BA in Economics and Politics, and this blog is intended to offer some insight into my choices and experiences so far. 

The University of Manchester offers some of the most comprehensive and diverse degree pathways that help you develop the technical and soft skills required to work in your desired field. Some of the paths offered include Accounting and Finance, Economics, Economics and Social Studies (BA ECON), PPE (Politics, Philosophy, and Economics) 

BA ECON is one of the most popular courses offered by the University of Manchester, with the School of Social Sciences alone being home to nearly 3,000 undergraduate students. What makes it unique is that it is an interdisciplinary course that allows you to specialise in Economics, plus another social science with units such as philosophy, politics, and sociology. Economics and all joint social science pathways share a common first year, allowing you to switch to a different pathway after Year 1, should you choose to. 

This program offers the flexibility to either delve into specialized units in Economics such as Econometrics and Mathematical Economics or combines economics units covering inequality and climate change with social science units to develop a well-rounded understanding of social issues. The immense flexibility is what motivated me to apply to this particular course. 

One of the most common concerns about BA ECON would be its relatively large cohort size. However, despite the size of the cohort, we have a strong sense of identity, meaning all the students are a part of a community of home and international students. While I was quite unsure if I would receive any personal attention due to a large number of students, the faculty members have been nothing short of exceptional in terms of their effort to make all of us feel welcome. Moreover, apart from lectures, we always have the opportunity to reach out to them during their office hours or even attend drop-in sessions. 

Some of my favourite modules include Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. I’ve also been fascinated by developmental economics and social statistics and have thoroughly enjoyed engaging with these modules. All in all, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my course so far, and I’ve had the pleasure of getting to experience the online as well as the offline classes. While the offline lectures were undoubtedly better, at no point did I find myself lost or left out in the online classes as well. The university and the school of social sciences have consistently reached out to ensure all the students feel welcome. 

25 Nobel Laurates, 3 Nobel Laurates, and a legacy of over 200 years: this is what the BA ECON program at The University of Manchester offers. The University of Manchester is a serious option one needs to consider if you are considering pursuing Economics and/or Social Sciences at University. The University of Manchester’s rich legacy, history, and commitment to student growth and development makes it one of the most happening universities not just in the UK but also in Europe!

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