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Department of Economics and Related Studies
HomeDepartment of Economics and Related StudiesStudyTaught Masters degrees in economicsPre-sessional courses

Postgraduate Economics pre-sessional course

Year of entry: 2026/27

Take a flexible distance-learning course to prepare for your Masters or develop your professional skills.

Apply theoretical concepts and analysis to real-world economic problems, supported by academics from the Department of Economics and Related Studies.

Why take a pre-sessional course in economics?

Our pre-sessional course will equip you with the fundamental principles of Economics and Quantitative Methods. As a three-week online summer course, it provides excellent preparation for studying economics at a postgraduate level and helps you develop the knowledge and skills required for studying at the University of York.

If you've applied to one of our taught Masters degrees, we may ask you to complete this course as a condition of your offer. It will give you a strong foundation to continue your studies with confidence. We also welcome external applicants with relevant professional qualifications pursuing continued professional development. 

Dates

  • The course takes place from 24 August to 11 September 2026.
  • Applications close at 17:00 BST on 17 August 2026.
  • 3-week pre-sessional (online)

If your offer of study is conditional on taking our pre-sessional course, we'll send you a link to register for it along with your offer letter. You will receive an unconditional offer following your registration, which you can accept when you have completed the course.

If you’re a recent graduate and unsure whether you need to take our pre-sessional course, please contact us at econ-pg-enquiries@york.ac.uk.

Fees

  • Economics Pre-sessional Course Fee - (3 Week Distance Learning): £1,100.

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The course

Our pre-sessional course aims to give you a solid foundation in economics, preparing you for studying one of our Masters degrees. Primarily aimed at students who do not have an economics background, this course covers key topics in Mathematics, Statistics, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.

We have designed the delivery of our online pre-sessional course to provide you with the flexibility to study at your own pace, at a time and place that suits you. Each week you will follow a structured study plan that outlines a series of learning tasks for you to complete.

The course materials will be available through the University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), where you can access lecture videos, readings, tutorial exercises, and practice questions. You will also have opportunities to collaborate with classmates and tutors through online discussion forums. There will also be live Zoom sessions for you to attend at regular intervals throughout the course.

What you'll study

You’ll study a range of topics, examples of which may include:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcyxVONRTNA
Mathematics
  • Basic Mathematical Concepts
  • Functions
  • Equations
  • Differential Calculus
  • Constrained Optimisation
Statistics
  • Descriptive Statistics
  • Discrete Random Variables
  • Continuous Random Variables
  • Estimation
  • Hypothesis Testing
  • Correlation and Regression
  • STATA
Microeconomics
  • Fundamental Concepts
  • Demand and Supply
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • The Theory of the Firm
  • Competition 
  • Monopoly & Oligopoly
Macroeconomics
  • Basic Definitions
  • Aggregate Supply and Aggregate Demand
  • Economic Growth

Completing your course

If you complete the coursework to a high standard, you’ll be given a certificate of attendance, with a certificate of completion issued when you pass.

Successful completion of this course enables you to accept your offer to study one of our taught Masters degrees.

Support

You’ll be supported by a personal supervisor, who will follow your progress online. You'll also have access to online discussion boards, which are a great place to interact with other students and share knowledge.

Time Differences

Our online courses are designed so that you can manage your study, regardless of time differences.

Please note that most of your studies will be managed at a time that suits you, but some live sessions will take place. Live sessions on the course will be timetabled according to UK time and will accommodate reasonable time differences. 

Applying

If your offer of study is conditional on the completion of our pre-sessional course, you will be able to apply for it in the You@York portal.

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Next steps

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