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Economics AS Level

Pearson Edexcel

AS level Economics

Learn to think like an economist by exploring concepts such as competition, markets, prices and wages in our AS level Economics online course.

It’s hard to escape the far-reaching impact of economics. From the cost of goods and taxation levels, to unemployment rates, investment choices and wages, you’ll find economics influences key aspects of business, government and everyday life.

Economics shapes how we allocate limited resources and measures the impact of our choices. Through our AS level Economics online course, with the support of a personal tutor, you’ll study the UK and global economy; using economic theory to analyse issues and present your ideas and conclusions in a clear, logical way.

If you’re pursuing a career in business, finance or politics, this qualification is the perfect choice. It will also build your problem-solving, analytical  and decision-making skills, in readiness for a wide range of future career and university choices.

Why study Economics?

How do governments intervene to remedy market failure? What models can we use to predict the impact of different policy decisions? Economics AS level explores big ideas, using an analytical, methodical approach.

Through our AS level Economics online course, you’ll study core aspects of this dynamic subject, including supply and price, markets, government policies and international economics.

Our Economics AS level course is ideal if you:

  • Are keen to study economics at degree level.
  • Would like to make informed decisions about personal finances and investments.
  • Want to understand how economics impacts issues such as poverty, inequality and health.  
  • Aim to pursue a career in business, finance or politics.
  • Would like to build your skills in critical thinking, problem-solving and analysis to enhance your employability.

Future opportunities

  • Studying an economics course at university.

A range of rewarding careers in fields such as business, banking, finance, insurance, politics, law and data science.

Course content

Section 1: Introduction to economics

  • The nature of economics
  • Production and specialisation
  • Demand

Section 2: Supply and price

  • Supply
  • Price determination
  • Price mechanism

Section 3: Market failure and government intervention

  • Market failure
  • Government intervention
  • Government failure

Section 4: The UK economy – performance measures

  • Measuring economic performance
  • Aggregate demand
  • Aggregate supply

Section 5: The UK economy – income, growth and policies

  • National income
  • Economic growth
  • Macroeconomic objectives and policies

Study AS level Economics with us and benefit from:

  • Flexible learning
  • Support from a personal tutor by email, phone or Skype
  • Any time enrolment
  • Our exam booking service
  • Assignments with tutor feedback
  • Ongoing support from Student Support
  • Forums to discuss your course with other students

learn@nec

Choose when and where you access your course, using learn@nec our 24/7 learning platform.

This easy-to-use learning platform includes interactive checkpoints, quizzes and activities to help you evaluate your progress.

Your tutor

Our course tutors

You’ll have access to support from a personal tutor. All NEC tutors are subject experts, with experience of supporting online learners.

Meet Amy who is just one of our first-class economics tutors:

“I have been teaching for over ten years and am privileged to say that I have loved every day of my job. Within my teaching I build students security in their own ability, giving them a platform of confidence to make the crucial independent steps towards the very highest grades. I have a first class BA Hons in Economics and a PGCE in Secondary Mathematics. I have tutored students 1:1 both face-to-face and online for many years with great success and always receive positive feedback. I also do a lot of work with exam boards. I have recently moved to Surrey with my children.”

What you need to know

Exam board

  • Edexcel 9EC0 (A)

Format

  • Online learning with support from a personal tutor

Hours

  • Complete at your own pace
  • Approx. 120-150* hours plus time for completing assignments

*The specification suggests that 150 hours is needed. You’ll also need time to complete assignments and prepare yourself for exams and some courses like English literature involve a lot of reading.  Everyone is different so it’s impossible to say with certainty how long a course will take you, but you should expect to spend longer than 150 hours. Taken across the length of time we recommend, this equates to approximately 4 hours per week. This will increase if you choose to take it over a shorter time frame or may be less if you are retaking a subject and have covered a lot of of the course content.

Assignments

  • 6 assignments (one introductory) – these do not contribute towards your final grade

Resources

  • Set textbooks – included as a free ebook with your course: Edexcel A level Economics A Book 1, P Smith, Hodder Education, 2015

Requirements

  • Additional texts: Maths Skills for A level Economics, J Lawrence, Oxford University Press, 2014
  • Internet access
  • Computer operating system and browser to support learn@nec

What's included?

Our course fees are open and honest to help you plan for any additional costs.

Your course fee includes:

  • Access to learn@nec
  • All the course materials you need to complete the course
  • Support from a personal tutor for up to 24 months from your date of enrolment
  • Assignment marking
  • Marking for one past paper
  • Guaranteed exam place
  • free e-book version of the essential textbooks
  • NEC’s guide to study skills: How to Succeed as an Independent Learner
  • Spelling, punctuation and grammar guide
  • Time planner to help you plan your study timetable
  • Information on how to apply for exams
  • Academic references if needed

Your course fee does not cover:

  • Exam entry fees
  • Additional textbook

Optional extras:

  • Additional past paper marking
  • Revision tutorial
  • Optional tutorial
  • Additional review

Exams and assessment

Two exams:

  • 1 hour 30 minutes, 50% of marks
  • 1 hour 30 minutes, 50% of marks

Non-exam assessment (NEA):

  • None

Additional support if you’re under 18

We know that our younger students often need an extra helping hand with their studies. In our experience learning online works best when either a parent or guardian are involved. This is why NEC has developed our unique Progress Tracker to help you to support your child.

NEC’s Progress Tracker will allow you to easily track your child’s progress across their subjects and gain insight to how well they are doing through access to their assignment grades and tutor feedback.  

Read more about how we work with young students who are studying at home or through a school.

Arrange a callback with a member of our Course Advice Team.

Would you like to talk to our Course Advice Team about the best route for you? Visit our Contact Us page, fill in the form and a member of the team will get back to you!