IGCSE Economics Course

Economics

Edexcel IGCSE

A distance learning course is the ideal way to gain a Economics IGCSE. Whether you're looking to go on to further education, improve your job prospects or expand your knowledge, distance learning IGCSE Economics is a flexible and convenient course, which allows you to comprehensively prepare for an exam through home study. What's more, because the distance learning IGCSE Economics Course is a fully comprehensive course, no prior knowledge is required.

AIMS OF COURSE

Economics is a subject with considerable relevance to current issues. Decisions in this sphere affect most aspects of life. Your studies are designed to cover the basic theory required for examinations at this level, together with up-to-date data required to relate your theory to real life. The overall aim of the course can, then, be said to encourage the development of a basic economic competence which will help the student to play a full part in society.

As an examination, IGCSE, accordingly, puts less stress on purely factual recall. Instead, students are encouraged to develop economic understanding with much greater stress on interpreting data and applying economic theory to real life decision-making.

Examination papers now require you to show an understanding of applied economics, so it is essential for you to keep abreast of current developments. Try to read a good quality newspaper either each day or at the weekends when you may have more time. It is a good idea to keep a file of relevant articles, which deal with current economic issues. This practice will also make it far easier for you to relate your formal study to current topics and events.

The Financial Times may be the most obvious option, but another paper may be more approachable initially. The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Observer and The Independent newspapers all produce weekend business sections as well as relevant articles during the week.

HOME STUDY SUPPORT 

At regular intervals throughout the course are lettered Tutor marked assignment tests for assessment (Tests A-F, plus a mock exam, G). These are contained after the relevant lesson, and your answers to them must be submitted to your tutor for assessment. Suggested answers to these tests will be sent to you with your marked paper.

Each of the tests is made up of questions selected from past or specimen examination papers. It is vital that you try to complete these tests in the time limits set and in as close as possible to real examination conditions. Where it was essential to look up notes, please tell your tutor. They are there to help you and can only do so if you keep them fully informed of your problems.

You will be provided with comprehensive materials designed to provide you with everything required to complete your course of study. You will have your own personal tutor helping you with your course work and with any questions you may have. Plus you can contact a Student Advisors by email or phone for all the practical advice you may need – so we really are with you 100%.

Your tutor will give you various resource sites to visit and there is extra material in the student support portal.

COURSE RESOURCES

The course is complete in itself and you do not need to acquire any other textbooks in order to follow the course. However, it is rarely a disadvantage to have read more widely, especially if you are aiming for the top grades (A* to C), so we recommend the following books:
Alain Anderton: Economics for GCSE (2nd edition) (publishers: Collins Educational ISBN 978-0003274295).G F Stanlake: Starting Economics (publishers: Addison Wesley Longman Education; ISBN 978-0582021891).Adrian Lyons: Essential Economics (publishers: Hodder and Stoughton: ISBN 978-0340683446)

Supplementary Reading
At this stage of your study of Economics, you do not need to go into many topics in great depth or memorise facts. However, it is a good idea to consult a descriptive book which contains detailed factual descriptions of industries, Stock Exchange, etc. At present the most suitable books for this are:

* C.D. Harbury and R.G. Lipsey: An Introduction to the U.K. Economy Pitman
* P. Donaldson: Guide to the British Economy Pelican

You may find that specific topics in the course prove to be of special interest. Try to follow these up by consulting some of the following books:

• Colin Isaac: Economics Now (Stanley Thornes)
• Frances Williams: The Times on the Economy (Collins Education)
• Daniel Jeffreys, Economics and the Economy (Longman)

COURSE ASSESSMENT

The assessment of this qualification is through an examination paper lasting two hours and 30 minutes, set and marked by Edexcel.Single tier of entry.The total number of marks available is 120.The examination paper consists of four compulsory questions, each worth 30 marks.The questions are a mixture of structured, data response, short-answer, multiple-choice and open-ended questions.Each question will be based on a particular theme which will relate to one of the four sections of the subject content.

However, due to the nature of economics, there may be some overlap between the questions.

All units are broken down into clear subject topics, and students should spend the amount of time studying for each topic as advised by their course tutor. Each topic module has been written for ease of understanding and topic coverage may be of different length and difficulty depending on the level of detail and information required. You will need to study the modules in the sequence provided.

HOME STUDY ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

This course is openly available to anyone wishing to learn more about Economics and would like to take part in a highly rewarding home study course. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and study further, so we try to keep our entry requirements to a minimum.

You have the freedom to start the course at any time and continue your studies at your own pace for a period of up to 24 months from initial registration with full tutor support.

COURSE FEES

The enrolment fee for IGCSE Economics home study course is £368.75 (inc VAT), though for a limited time we are offering you the opportunity to pay only £295 (inc VAT) which is a 20% discount if you enrol online and pay in full.

You can also opt for our Easy Payment Plan and enrol online today by paying a deposit of £73.75 and then 4 equal payments of £73.75 per month. The first instalment is paid about a month after you receive your course.

For International Students who wish to enrol - click here 
(Additional £40 postage / packing & administration)

QUALIFICATION

Edexcel IGCSE in Economics (4EC0)
There are eight possible grades at IGCSE: A* (“A starred”), A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The bottom two grades indicate a very poor performance and you should expect to aim much higher than that.

It is generally agreed that a grade B at IGCSE is equivalent to a good pass in the old O level examination and a grade C is the absolute minimum if you want to go on to A level. This course is designed for students aiming for grades A*-D.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Your course fee covers everything you will need to successfully complete the Economics home study course and earn your IGCSE:

1. All textbooks, study folders, and/or online learning aids designed for distance learning
2. A full range of student services, including:Tutor marked assessments (TMAs)Access to the online student portal (Student Chat, Forums and Online Support Resources)NUS Extra Card (discounted membership)Comprehensive Study Guide & Study PlanGuide to Effective Study TechniquesHow to approach exams without fear
3. An accredited qualification upon successful course completion directly from the awarding body Edexcel
4. Two year's educational support by e-mail, post, fax or phone
5. Free postage and packaging for UK mainland students

FURTHER COURSE INFORMATION

If your course is being delivered online, please ensure you meet the minimum requirements below.

For Windows:
Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7 - Acrobat Reader 4.0 and above

For Macintosh:
Mac OS X, Mac OS 9.2 - Acrobat Reader 4.0 and above

From time to time we may enrol our students with our partner sites; this is dependent on the number of students enrolling on a particular course and course material availability. If this happens, nothing changes for you other than the name of the college administering your course. We will continue to be your point of contact; you will get the exact same course you have enrolled on with the same high level of quality content and support.

LEARNING FOR LIFE

At eDistance Learning we fully understand the need to support our students beyond their course completion to help them achieve their desired goals. To help you to succeed in your chosen career, we will be pleased to provide the following services on successful completion of your course.
An Academic Reference (This is a reference from eDistance Learning for an employer or for further education) - see an exampleCV Refresh (We will take your current CV and update it to a professional standard, reflecting your new skills) - more info25% off* any future courses through eDistance Learning.(*Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers)

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