BSc Economic History

Why are some countries rich and others poor? What forces shape inequality? What can the past teach us about current and future economic crises?

This BSc Economic History degree looks at the historical development of economies in social, political and cultural contexts. Drawing on both quantitative and qualitative perspectives, you’ll apply concepts and theories from across the social sciences to explore real-world issues.

Our department is world-leading for research and teaching in economic history – and one of only a few of its kind in the world. We offer a huge range of economic history courses covering virtually every global region and historical period. You can also study thematic courses covering financial and monetary history, the history of technology and innovation, slavery, historical economic geography and more.

As you progress, you’ll acquire wide-ranging, transferable skills that are sought-after by employers. Our graduates progress to highly paid and rewarding careers in the City, consulting, the Civil Service, government, NGOs and the charity sector, teaching and academia.

If you wish to gain further insight into the subject, we suggest that you look at one or more of the following books:

• R C Allen Global Economic History: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2011)
• R C Allen The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective (Cambridge University Press, 2009)
• G Clark A Farewell to Alms: a brief economic history of the world (Princeton University Press, 2007)
• N F R Crafts and P Fearon The Great Depression of the 1930s: lessons for today (Oxford University Press, 2013)
• S L Engerman and K L Sokoloff Economic Development in the Americas since 1500: endowments and institutions (Cambridge University Press, 2012)
• C Goldin and L Katz The Race between Education and Technology (Harvard University Press, 2008)
• J Humphries Childhood and Child Labour in the British Industrial Revolution(Cambridge University Press, 2010)
• D C North, J J Wallis and B Weingast Violence and Social Orders: a conceptual framework for interpreting recorded human history (Cambridge University Press, 2009)
• S Ogilvie Institutions and European Trade: merchant guilds, 1000–1800(Cambridge University Press, 2011)
• K H O’Rourke and J G Williamson Globalization and History: the evolution of a nineteenth century Atlantic economy (MIT Press, 1999)
• K Pomeranz The Great Divergence: China, Europe and the making of the modern world economy (Princeton University Press, 2000)
• C M Reinhart and K S Rogoff This Time Is Different: eight centuries of financial folly (Princeton University Press, 2009)
• B Yun-Casalilla and P K O’Brien The Rise of Fiscal States: a global history, 1500–1914 (Cambridge University Press, 2011)