Ecomomics – a critical subject in today’s world

Invaluable skills

Having completed the course pupils will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the context of current economic issues and apply it to real world situations. They will be able to analyse and evaluate economic data and ideas to construct and present an argument. They will be able to deploy a variety of skills and techniques to explain and analyse economic relationships, such as: structured writing; construction and interpretation of economic diagrams; selection, interpretation and analysis of media extracts.

Syllabus

Economics is offered at IB level (both Higher and Standard) and can be taken as a stand alone subject or in conjunction with either History or Geography. All pupils are taught a common core syllabus of four lessons per week. Higher Level pupils have an extra two lessons per week, adding breadth and depth to the Standard Level syllabus by covering extension topics and quantitative techniques. Higher Level pupils will also be taught to apply mathematical techniques to strengthen their analysis.

There is no subject-specific prior qualification required by this course other than the ability to write in a logical and structured manner and - for Higher Level students - a basic competence in arithmetic and simple algebra. All of the specific skills of the Economics course are developed within the context of the course itself. For pupils considering this course an interest in the world in which we live and a willingness to consider new ideas are distinct advantages.