Overview 

This foundation-level programme prepares students for progression into an undergraduate degree that blends economic theory with the practical study of business. Delivered at the University of Reading, it combines core economics content with business management principles and academic skills training, forming the foundation year of a route into full undergraduate study. The programme builds the analytical and quantitative grounding needed for a discipline spanning both economic analysis and commercial decision-making.

What You'll Learn

• Core microeconomic principles, including how individuals, firms, and markets make decisions

• Core macroeconomic principles, covering broader economic systems and policy

• Foundational business studies concepts, introducing key organisational and management principles

• Marketing and human resource management fundamentals relevant to business practice

• Quantitative methods and foundation mathematics for analysing data and economic models

• Academic skills training in research, writing, and critical thinking for university-level study

Learning Outcomes 

By the end of this programme, students will be able to apply core economic principles to analyse markets, firms, and policy questions relevant to business contexts. They will have developed a working understanding of core business and management concepts, alongside the quantitative reasoning needed to interpret data and evaluate economic models. These outcomes, combined with strengthened academic writing and research skills, will prepare graduates to enter the first year of a BSc Business Economics degree with the analytical foundation the programme requires.