Economics now one of UK’s top ten most popular A-levels
Economics is now one of the UK’s top ten most popular A-levels, after students flocked to study the subject amid a period of instability for the UK.
More than 39,000 students received results for the qualification this summer, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications, a 7.3 per cent increase on last year.
It marks the first time economics has secured a top ten spot – coming in at ninth, ahead of physics – and saw geography pushed off the list.
Computing also saw a surge in popularity, receiving the biggest increase in student takeup this year at 16.7 per cent, making it the 15th most popular choice of A-level subject.
“I think this shows students are thinking about their future and they’re absolutely thinking about the skills they need to get a good job,” OCR exam board chief Jill Duffy said.
Matthew Prescod, outreach director at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), welcomed the news, saying: “Economics provides essential analytical skills and understanding of the world, including how to manage scarce resources, and grasp market dynamics.
“Students also find the subject more relevant today given the variety of challenges that economics can help solve, from climate change and AI to global development and housing.”
He added: “Students also increasingly see economics A-Level as a pathway to university study and subsequent careers. Economics graduates have some of the best employment prospects, earning higher salaries and finding a wide range of career opportunities.”
Professor Ulrike Tillmann, a mathematics specialist from the Royal Society, said it was “exciting” to see the rise in computing, but highlighted the discrepancy between male and female subject uptake.
“[We] would like to see measures taken to encourage more girls to choose this valuable subject to prepare them for future opportunities,” she said.
Overall, maths remains the top choice for A-level students, followed by psychology, biology, chemistry, history, sociology, business studies, art and design – with physics in tenth place.
Languages fell in popularity, including German, Spanish and French, while English Literature saw a small increase after falling out of the top ten last year.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak retweeted the former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who continued his annual tradition of announcing that he got a C and two Us, and added: “It’s not the end of the world if your A-level results aren’t what you’d hoped for.”