Back to search results

A Level Economics

NSCG Newcastle College

Knutton Lane, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 2GB

GCE A/AS Level or Equivalent
Level 3
Business, Administration and Law

Available start dates

Available start dates

Thursday, 01 October 2026
NSCG Newcastle College
1 Year(s)
Full time
Daytime/working hours

Course Summary

Gain insights into the fundamental principles driving economic decision-making with our A Level Economics course.�From supply and demand to market structures and government intervention, students explore key economic concepts and theories.�

Course Details

Our approach to Economics is to apply rigorous theory to support analysis of current economic problems and issues, and encourage you to appreciate the interrelationships between microeconomics and macroeconomics.� The Operation of Markets and Market Failure is primarily about microeconomics. You will acquire knowledge and understanding of a selection of microeconomic models such as demand and supply, the operation of the price mechanism and causes of market failure will be used to explore current economic behaviour.�When applying and evaluating these to current problems such as supply and demand theory and production possibility curves and different market structures, you will need to be critically aware of the assumptions upon which these models are based and their limitations when they are used to make sense of real world phenomena. You will then apply your knowledge and skills to a wide variety of situations and to different markets and examples of market failure, including environmental market failures. You will study some crucial markets in detail including financial markets and the labour market. The National and International Economy section of the specification is primarily about macroeconomics. You will understand that microeconomic principles underpin the behaviour of the macroeconomy. You will learn about developments in the UK economy and government policies over the past fifteen years and should also be aware of developments in the world economy, including the European Union, and how these have affected the UK. You will use a number of models demonstrating how the macroeconomy works and should appreciate that different economic models provide insights into different aspects of the behaviour of the macroeconomy. When using these models you should be critically aware of the assumptions upon which they are based and their limitations when they are used to make sense of real world phenomena. You will assess the impact and effectiveness of current government policies to deal with these problems, as well as considering alternative policies and approaches. The Economic Principles and Issues paper will combine the understanding and skill developed in the previous two papers to solve a real world problem.�Whilst attempting to answer questions like:�How will Donald Trump affect international trade? Should some drugs be legalised? How does immigration benefit the economy? Could carbon trading permits reduce global warming? A Level�Economics will help you to: Learn to think like an EconomistDevelop an understanding of Economic theories that affect everyday life, equipping you to understand real issues in politics and broaden your knowledge and understanding of real world issues.Develop decision-making and problem solving skills and obtain�excellent preparation for many careers that, if continued, offer the highest earning�potential.Obtain expertise in a real, relevant, valuable, respected and traditional subject.Obtain outstanding examination results.

How will it be delivered and assessed?

Assessment is comprised of three two hour examinations at the end of two years of study. Paper 1: Markets and Market FailurePaper 2: National and International EconomyPaper 3: Economic principles and issues

Entry requirements

A minimum of five GCSEs at grade 5 or above including Maths and English Language, in subjects relevant to your A Level or A+ Programme subject choices.

Your next steps...

Economics is a robust, challenging and highly regarded A Level that can lead on to a place at university, an apprenticeship course or directly to employment. It allows entry to a wide range of undergraduate degrees from those in Economics, Business, Finance and Management type courses or to an array of more broad subjects.�You may choose to pursue a career in a directly related field such as an Economist, International Banking or Corporate Finance.�Here the A Level course in Economics will stand you in good stead by giving you an insight and understanding of the economic forces that impact your day to day activities. Alternatively, you may decide to follow a career path which isn't directly related to your course of study which, with the correct combination of other subjects, could lead to careers in Architecture, Veterinary Science, Surveying and Engineering. The analytical and evaluation skills that you will have developed will be useful whatever path you choose in the future.

Additional information


For more courses like this, check our courses page.