cife
the sixth-form experts
Call us now for advice
0208 767 8666
  • Home
  • About cife
    • Close
    • menu-about-image
    • About cife
      • About cife
      • CIFE news
      • FAQs about cife colleges
      • Choose the right cife college
      • Why colleges join CIFE
      • Links to good sites for sixth formers
      • CIFE Student Profiles
      • University Destinations
      • Our President
      • cife is the professional association for independent sixth-form colleges

        All cife colleges share the belief that students come first and that education should adapt to the individual rather than the other way round. That belief is made real by staff who have the time to get to know students fast and to tailor their approach to each individual. This makes cife colleges particularly good at helping students change school successfully.

        GET IN TOUCH

  • Choose a college
    • Close
        • Bath
          Bath Academy
        • Birmingham
          MPW Birmingham
        • Cambridge
          CATS Cambridge
          MPW Cambridge
        • Canterbury
          The Worthgate School
        • Market Harborough
          Brooke House College
        • Northampton
          Bosworth Independent School
        • Oxford
          Carfax College
          Cherwell College Oxford
          Oxford Sixth Form College
        • Reading
          Padworth College
        • Rochester
          Rochester Independent College

        SEE ALL COLLEGES

        • London
          Ashbourne Independent Sixth-form College
          Bales College
          Cambridge Tutors College
          Guildhouse School
          Collingham Independent College
          David Game College
          LSI Independent College
          MPW London
          Westminster Tutors Independent Sixth Form College
      • Read our questions to ask cife colleges for advice on making the best choice.

        Find out more about cife colleges' approach to sixth-form education.

        For help and advice on choosing the right college for you please get in touch.

        GET IN TOUCH

  • Fees & Scholarships
    • Close
    • menu-fees-image-2022
    • Fees at cife Colleges
      • Fees at cife Colleges
      • Scholarships
      • Each cife college sets its own fees. Comparing fees at sixth form colleges isn’t always straightforward because many charge a fee that depends upon the number and level of the subjects you take. View the links on our cife college fees page to quickly find individual college fees.

        If you need financial help in order to study at a cife college, do have a look at Help with Fees at cife colleges as many colleges offer scholarships for talented students.

        GET IN TOUCH

  • Advice
    • Close
    • menu-advice-image-2022
    • All Sixth-form advice articles
      • Full advice article index…
      • Choose the right A levels
      • A guide to individual A level subjects
      • How to choose your CIFE college
      • The EPQ – Extended Project Qualification
      • How to revise – revision planning
      • FAQs about A level resits/retakes and GCSE resits/retakes
      • FAQs for international students who wish to study in the UK
      • We have a library of over 60 free advice articles ranging from how to pick the right A levels, through how to revise effectively, to how to get the best out of university open days. Browse our full sixth form advice library, or if you need further help please get in touch and we will do our best to help you.

        • Sixth-form advice articles about study skills...
        • Advice articles about sixth-form choices...
        • Sixth-form advice articles about university entrance...

        GET FREE ADVICE

  • Courses
    • Close
    • menu-courses-image
    • All courses
      • Two-year A-level courses
      • A-level resits/retakes
      • One-year A-level courses
      • Final-year A-level
      • University Foundation courses
      • GCSE courses
      • Easter Revision Courses
      • With their long experience of helping students settle in quickly, wide subject choice and flexible course structures, courses at cife colleges make it easy to move school and they provide an excellent environment for a new start.

        For free, independent advice on the course options available to you please get in touch.

        GET IN TOUCH

  • Contact us
logo

All about A level Economics – course information

Home » Sixth-form advice articles » Guide to A level subjects » All about A level Economics – course information

What’s A level Economics about?

Economics examines how societies decide what to produce, how to produce it, and for whom. Students will explore these questions from a global perspective, fostering an enquiring, critical, and thoughtful approach. The goal is to help students understand economic concepts and theories by critically considering current economic issues and problems that impact daily life.

What does A level Economics cover?

Economics is split into two distinct parts, micro and macro. Microeconomics delves into the behaviour of individual consumers, firms, and industries. It examines how these entities make decisions about resource allocation, production, and consumption. For instance, microeconomics analyses how the price of a product affects consumer demand, how firms determine the quantity of goods to produce, and how different market structures, such as perfect competition or monopoly, influence pricing and output. The primary goal of microeconomics is to understand the mechanisms that drive individual markets and the efficiency of resource allocation within these markets.

On the other hand, Macroeconomics takes a broader perspective, looking at the economy as a whole. It studies aggregate economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation rates, unemployment levels, and national income. Macroeconomics seeks to understand the overall functioning of an economy and the factors that drive economic growth, stability, and development. It addresses large-scale economic issues, such as the impact of fiscal and monetary policies, the causes and effects of economic recessions, and the trade-offs governments face when implementing policies to manage economic crises, like the financial crisis of 2008. The objective of macroeconomics is to develop strategies that promote sustainable economic growth and stability on a national and global scale.

What background do I need and where can it lead?

A level Economics demands logical thinking and a solid grasp of maths at a good GCSE level. It also requires social awareness and cultivates the ability to debate effectively, both in class and in written work. In Macroeconomics, there often isn’t a definitive right or wrong answer, so it’s crucial to present arguments clearly, backed by relevant examples. Economics is central to political debate, staying informed by following news online and in print about economic, political, business, and social issues is essential.

Economics is a versatile subject that can provide entry to several careers. Not only could you find yourself working for multinational corporations, banks or the Government but your qualification is invaluable in a career such as Marketing, Law or Journalism.

Which subjects combine well with Economics?

Economics sits well with other social sciences A Levels such as Business but also complements Maths and other academic pathways.

Course content and assessment

The following is based on Edexcel’s A Level Economics A specification:

  • Theme 1: Introduction to markets and market failure, incl. How they work and why they fail; demand, supply and market failure; government failure.
  • Theme 2: The UK Economy – performance and policies, incl. Government macroeconomic objectives; government macroeconomic policies and conflict; unemployment and inflation, etc.
  • Theme 3: Business behaviour and the labour market, incl. Theory of the firm, efficiency and degrees of competition; Government intervention.
  • Theme 4: A global perspective, incl. Globalisation; international trade; growth and development policies; Financial Markets and regulation, etc.

Formal, external assessment takes place at the end of the A2 year and consists of three written papers: Paper 1 (2 hours) relates to themes one and three; Paper 2 (2 hours) relates to themes two and four; Paper 3 (2 hours) relates to all four themes.

Formal, external assessment takes place at the end of Year 13 and consists of three written papers: Paper 1 (2 hours) relates to themes one and three; Paper 2 (2 hours) relates to themes two and four; Paper 3 (2 hours) relates to all four themes.

All the main examination boards (AQA, Edexcel and OCR) use the three-paper approach for their A Level: there are slight differences in terms of style, but the structure is essentially the same. Cambridge offer an International A Level in Economics which is four papers with 2 sat in Year 12 and 2 in Year 13.

Why Study A Level Economics at a cife Sixth Form College?

Studying Level Economics at a cife college offers several advantages. Smaller class sizes allow for more personalised teaching, ensuring students receive individual support when tackling complex topics. Cife colleges employ experienced subject specialists who provide focused guidance, particularly for university preparation.

Flexible course structures, including one-year intensive courses, allow students to tailor their studies to their goals. Additionally, cife colleges often offer targeted support for university admissions, including preparation for competitive applications to Oxbridge and Russell Group universities.

A private sixth-form college provides an excellent learning environment for students seeking to maximise their potential, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed for academic and professional success.

Article written by Adam Cartland, Curriculum Director Business and Economics, at The Worthgate School

A level subject guides
  • A level Art
  • A level Biology
  • A level Business
  • A level Chemistry
  • A level Classical Civilisation
  • A level Computer science
  • A level Drama and Theatre
  • A level Economics
  • A level English Language
  • A level English Language and Literature
  • A level English Literature
  • A level Film Studies
  • A level Geography
  • A level History
  • A level History of Art
  • A level Law
  • A level Maths/Further Maths
  • A level Media Studies
  • A level Modern Languages
  • A level Music
  • A level Philosophy
  • A level Physics
  • A level Politics
  • A level Psychology
  • A level Religious Studies
  • A level Sociology
Free advice on A level subject choice
Please feel free to get in touch by
calling 0208 767 8666
emailing us at enquiries@cife.org.uk
or filling in the contact form below.

    Name (required):
    Email (required):
    Phone number:
    Tell us how we can help:

    The data entered on this form will be used only for the purpose of responding to your enquiry. It will not be used for sales/marketing, nor shared with any third party unless required to respond to your query (i.e. with one of our partner colleges).

    Return to the list of A level subjects

    Our Advice page links to more cife articles. 

    Interested in studying A level Economics?

    cife independent sixth form colleges offer:

    • Traditional A level Economics two year A level courses combining independent schools' small class sizes and emphasis on exam success with the student-centred outlook of the best state state sixth-form colleges
    • Intensive, focussed and effective A level Economics one year A level courses
    • Help starting your revision with Economics A level Easter revision courses
    • All the benefits of small-group teaching, focus on the individual and a more adult environment to help you achieve better results from Economics A level resit courses

    Further advice articles

    • FAQs about A-level retakes and options for resitting
    • Exam remarks - what to do, and when - updated for 2024
    • Appealing against your A-level or GCSE results in 2024
    • One year A-levels courses at CIFE colleges
    • Sixth-form advice articles about university entrance...
    • Sixth-form advice articles about study skills...
    • Advice articles about sixth-form choices...

    Need any help?

    Please feel free to contact us for no-obligation, independent advice; either by calling us on 0208 767 8666 or by filling in the form below. We look forward to hearing from you.

      Name (required):

      Email (required):

      Phone number:

      Tell us how we can help:

      The data entered on this form will be used only for the purpose of responding to your enquiry. It will not be used for sales/marketing, nor shared with any third party unless required to respond to your query (i.e. with one of our partner colleges).

      CIFE logo
      gerald. On 5th June 2019   /    

      Courses at cife colleges

      GCSE courses
      Two-year A level courses
      Final-year A level courses
      One-year A level courses
      A level retake courses
      University Foundation courses
      Easter A level & GCSE revision courses

      Advice articles

      FAQs about retakes
      Revision
      UCAS personal statement
      Tips for a top UCAS application
      For international students
      Choosing the right A levels
      Oxbridge and medicine interviews
      All advice articles

      cife

      More about cife
      FAQ about colleges
      News
      Why colleges join cife
      Useful links
      Fees at cife colleges
      Contact us

      Members Area

      Sitemap
      Privacy Policy
      Website Terms & Conditions
      Copyright © 2017 - 2025 cife
       
      BACK TO TOP
      icon-angle icon-bars icon-times