Studying Economics At University

Studying Economics At University Is It Worthwhile Taking A Degree In Economics? ChaptersAre Economics Degrees Useful / In Demand?Best Universities For Economics In The UKCan you Study Economics Without Maths?The Fight For Diversity In Economics TeachingApplying to university can be a very stressful time in life â€" there are so many choices to make when it comes to deciding which university, and which degree course, is right for you.Thankfully, for A-Level students looking to launch their career as an economist and study economics at university, there are a few hints and tips below about how to apply for an economics undergraduate degree.Economics graduates are usually highly numerate and great problem-solvers; andEconomics graduates have great analytical skills and can interpret economic data,  which employers highly value.With this in mind, you should feel confident when applying for an economics degree.Indeed, studies have shown that upon completion of an economics degree, on average  economics graduates tend to earn more five years after leaving university t han graduates of other subjects, including social science disciplines, such as history and psychology.Although such studies are not a sure-fire indication that studying for an economics degree will land you a high paying job, it’s reassuring to know that economics graduates do appear to be highly valued in today’s workforce, and generally are able to find employment within a profession of their choosing.Of course, the joy of studying at a U.K. university is that, often, the degree course you take doesn’t dictate what kind of career you have to have after university. This means that most job options (besides highly trained professions, such as medicine, veterinary science, and architecture) should remain an option for you with an economics degree.This means that if you wish to land a career or internship in areas such as:Accountancy;Banking;Consulting; orFinancial advisoryA graduate degree in economics can help you secure these jobs.However, even if you decide part way through your course that your heart is set on a career in journalism or marketing, you are still free to pursue that career with your economics degree, along with thousands of other economics undergraduates that pursue such career paths each year.This means that an economics degree does not limit you to roles purely in finance or accounting, which can be a relief for some.You might find it helpful to check in with a careers advisor when you reach your second or third year of university, as they may be able to point you towards elective modules that could be relevant for your future career.A degree in economics can open up so many career opportunities. (Source: CC0 1.0, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pixabay)Best Universities For Economics In The UKThe U.K. is a fantastic place to go to university, as there are so many quality institutions that deliver world-class education and research, and give students a solid founding in economic principles, microeconomic theory, and econometric theory.As a result , students applying for a place on an economics undergraduate degree are spoilt for choice in terms of where to apply.If you’re looking to study economics at one of the U.K.’s top universities, then there are a number of institutions you can choose from.For instance, you may wish to apply to either Oxford or Cambridge University to study economics. Both universities deliver their economics courses in slightly different ways, as:Oxford integrates economics study into wider courses, such as Philosophy, Politics and Economics; andCambridge offers economics as a sole subject.As such, it’s important to think about whether you’d like to study economics on its own, or whether you'd prefer to study economic theory as part of a combined degree before you apply to a university.If Oxbridge isn’t for you, then there are other universities you can apply to. University College London and the London School of Economics offer world-renowned economics degrees that are equally competitive t o get into.If you do decide to apply for a place at one of these universities, or any of the other top-tier universities in the U.K. to study economics, then you should make sure that you’re on track to get the required grades during your A-Level results in order to meet your preferred university’s entry requirements.Given how competitive places onto such courses can be, it’s worthwhile seeing whether there are other ways to help boost your academic performance, especially if you’ve found yourself struggling in one or more of your A-Level subjects, or have found particular pieces of coursework challenging.Tutoring websites, such as Superprof, have a range of tutors that can provide assistance across a range of subject areas, whether that’s:Mathematics and Further Mathematics;History;Government and Politics; andEconomics.If you let your tutor know in advance what subject areas you most need help with, they can make sure to tailor your tutoring sessions to help you boost you r results, and give you more confidence in your understanding of economic principles before you head into your final exams.Oxford University recently topped a university economics league table. (Source: CC0 1.0, MichaelDBeckwith, Pixabay)Can you Study Economics Without Maths?Before applying for an undergraduate place at university to study economics, it is worthwhile taking the time to research your preferred courses so that you know what kind of business and economics topics you’ll be taught during your three or four years at university.This is especially important if:You didn’t study maths at A-Level; orIf you’re not confident in your maths ability and don’t want to take a maths-focussed economics course.This is because there are a lot of economics courses that will require students to have maths and in some cases further maths, at A-Level. For example, due to the course’s focus on mathematics and statistics, the economics course at the University College London requires applicants to have a maths A-Level.One way of gauging whether a degree course is likely to be maths-heavy is the kind of degree that you will take away with you upon graduation. Generally speaking, undergraduate economics degrees that award a BA will be less maths-focused, while BSc courses will have more mathematical modules and emphasis.This isn’t a hard and fast rule though, so make sure to look at each university’s prospectus to see the kind of modules on offer throughout the degree.Although it is possible to study economics at university without having a maths A-Level, this doesn’t mean that your economics course will be completely devoid of maths.In fact, as maths is the cornerstone of many economic theories and pieces of economic analysis, you will come into contact with maths at some point, for example, in your micro- or macroeconomics modules, or in any quantitative analysis modules your course offers.If you know you’re going to go to a university that has a focus on maths, then you might want to prepare yourself before going to university by enlisting the help of an economics or maths tutor, to get you up to speed with the key numerical skills you should need for your first year at university.Superprof has a range of economics and maths tutors to select from, who can be filtered based on factors such as location, and how lessons are delivered (e.g. online, in private, or in small groups).A BSc economics degree can often have a focus on maths and statistics. (Source: CC0 1.0, Averater, Wikimedia Commons)The Fight For Diversity In Economics TeachingWhen researching different economics courses, you may notice that most universities have quite a few modules in common.More often than not, during an economics undergraduate degree, you will study subjects such as:Macroeconomics;Microeconomics; andEconometrics.Although these courses will be taught in their own particular way at each university, based on each lecturer’s experience and research expe rtise, economics graduates usually leave university with a solid understanding of these core areas of economics.However, over the past few years, there has been a growing movement at the student level to try and get universities to make their undergraduate economics courses broader in scope.Societies, such as the University of Manchester’s Post-Crash Economics Society, have argued that the teaching of the subject by any  economics teacher throughout the U.K. is almost homogenous and has too great a focus on the neoclassical school of economic thought, to the detriment of other areas, whether that be post-Keynesian economics or Marxist economics.They also argue that there should be more focus on economic history, as sometimes graduates run the risk of completing degrees without having studied in any great depth topics such as:The causes of the 2008 financial crisis;The Industrial Revolution;The collapse of the Bretton Woods system; andThe Great Depression.Although these areas may b e given more prominence during undergraduate economics courses in the years to come, it’s unclear whether any change is scheduled within the immediate future.As such, if you would be interested in learning more about economic history during your time at university, or would like to know about different schools of economic thought and their development, it may be worthwhile paying extra close attention to the modules on offer at universities’, to see which modules most align with your interests.You could also hire an economics tutor to help guide you through these areas, through sites such as Superprof. The choice is yours!

The Best Places in the US for Landscape Photography.

The Best Places in the US for Landscape Photography. The USA’s Most Amazing Landscapes for Photographers. ChaptersWhat is Landscape Photography?What Makes Good Landscape Photography?Grab Your Digital Camera: America’s Most Amazing Landscapes.The United States of America is huge. One of the top five biggest countries by land area in the world, in fact. It’s so big, actually, that it’s almost as big as all of Europe put together.Given this, the country boasts an awful lot of varied landscapes, views, and terrains. Again, it pretty much has all the different geographical landforms that you could imagine â€" from mountains to lakes, deserts to glaciers, dense forest to dry plateaus. Plus, a selection of the weirdest craters, canyons, and rock formations known to man.All of this makes the country an incredible place for landscape photography. Because the variety of the landscapes of America is what makes the country unique. Yes, Russia and Canada are bigger â€" and almost universally beautiful â€" but you know that you’re getting snow, mountains, lakes, and then some more.And so, for the landscape photographer, the USA is the perfect place. It has incredibly beautiful landscapes, yes, but it will also test your photography skills. Yes, you’ll take some spectacular landscape pictures â€" but then you have the opportunity to engage with a completely different beautiful landscape.So, let’s take a look at what some of the best subjects would be for your photographic explorations. We’ve listed some of the best spots in the US to learn how to photograph.  Read about the best spots for landscape photography in Europe. AllanPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPhotography Teacher 5.00 (7) £55/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TimothyPhotography Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Anosh nadeemPhotography Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ZangmoPhotography Teacher 5.00 (6) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RosiePhotography Teacher £12/h1st l esson free!Discover all our tutors MattPhotography Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndyPhotography Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat is Landscape Photography?What do we think of when we think of landscape photography? Otherworldly places, spectacular views, a mountain range at sunset.Landscape photography is all of these things, for sure. But it is a whole lot of other things too. Think nature photography, street photography, a cityscape or seascape. Think about night photography or photos of the urban landscape. Think travel photography.All of these types of photography â€" and many more â€" can come under the notion of landscape photography, a field which is so broad that might not even be that useful as a term.Because landscapes are the most varied things around. And even if they have a human element, if they overlap somewhat with great photos from wildlife photography, if they are not even immediately pictures of landscapes, landscap e will still make up much of the compositional element of the image.Check out the best places for landscape photography in South America. Landscapes can have people on too.What is a Landscape?A more pertinent question here would be, what precisely is a landscape? And, interestingly enough, this is one of the most long-explored questions in the history of art.Landscape is not actually that thing that we immediately think of it as. The word ‘landscape’ conjures up images of a pure, unblemished nature â€" like a wilderness, with little man-made dimension.Yet, these notions of authenticity and purity are a bit dishonest. Because whilst landscape photography is not so posed as, say, portrait photography, it is not completely detached from the human.Landscape comes from the two words, land and scape, the latter meaning to shape. Before this word was used for paintings and photos, it was used to refer to the process by which land was shaped or cultivated, or made useful, by humans.In this respect, landscape, historically speaking, always plays out through the interaction of human and ‘nature’ â€" something which, outs ide of studio photography, pretty much always happens.Find the best spots for landscape photography in Asia.What Makes Good Landscape Photography?But landscape photography does not even rely on the presence of beautiful scenery that can be photographed. Some of the most beautiful images are of some of the most banal things.Rather, what makes landscape photographs good is much more about the work of the landscape photographers themselves than the landscape they photograph. For a photograph to be appealing and interesting, the photograph needs to take precedence over the thing represented.A professional photographer has a million and one photography techniques to make this happen. The shutter speed, the depth of field, the white balance, the width of angle and the length of exposure â€" and the natural light. All of this camera gear, and the subsequent photo editing software, contributes to make amazing photos.Finding an interesting landscape or an inspiring landscape is only half the battle of taking photos. The rest comes with knowing how to shoot.Grab Your Digital Camera: America’s Most Amazing Landscapes.As we said above, the beauty of the United States is in its infinite variety of landforms, landscapes, and sceneries. From endless plains to snow-covered peaks, from gorgeous coastlines to arid deserts, the range of geographical features is astounding.We’ve put together some of the best here â€" yet, ‘best’, necessarily, is a relative term.Ultimately, if you want to be a landscape photographer, you’ll have to leave behind the crowds and follow your eye. This is what makes photographers great: an ability to see the things others miss, a commitment to beauty and strangeness in all their visual forms.So, best of luck! We hope you find this a good starting point.New Hampshire’s White Mountains.New England is famous probably for one thing more than anything else â€" amongst travellers at least. That thing is its trees in autumn â€" which, amongst regi onal symbols, is one of the loveliest around.Considering that New England is essentially just forests, the changing of the leaves during fall is all-encompassing â€" and literally unmissable.Yet, if you are a budding landscape photographer interested in colour, light, and shade, there is no better place to hone your skills.Try New Hampshire’s White Mountains â€" one of the most famous places for autumn colours. The Kancamagus Highway is perhaps the most spectacular. Practice your photography skills on the colours of autumnal New England.Alaska’s Kenai Fjords.As Europeans flock to Norway to see the fjords, Americans head to Alaska. Quite simply, this might be one of the most beautiful places in the world, with glaciers, icy lakes, and snow-covered mountains.It’s not only that though. You should as much for the array of curious wildlife as much as for the scenery.Obviously, it’s cold as hell. But that’s a good thing if you are wanting your wilderness pics: that’s the only reason there are so few people. Remember to take some gloves and be prepared to do a bit of hiking.The Palouse, Washington.Now, of all the wonderful things that Washington state offers, the Palouse might be the most magical, dreamy, and unexpected.This isn’t spectacular peaks or jaw-dropping cliffs. Rather, the Palouse homes a range of hills, gently rolling and grass-covered. This might sound like the most boring of English landscapes, yet, honestly, the effect is qui te different.These rippling shapes seem to shimmer in the light, resembling more the crumpled surface of an ocean.For pure serene beauty â€" and a totally unique landscape â€" this is the place to come.The Colorado River â€" in Arizona.The Colorado River is a sight to behold â€" and to snap â€" at any point of its fifteen hundred mile length. Yet, perhaps, it is at its most famous â€" and most beautiful â€" as it passes through Arizona.Horseshoe Bend, a dramatic meander in the Colorado, may now be the most photographed river scene ever. However, there is much more to this river than this.Check out parts of the San Juan River â€" one of the Colorado’s tributaries â€" for one of America’s most dramatic landscapes. These hills in the Palouse are just gorgeous.Antelope Valley, California.California is a beautiful state. But maybe one of the most special places in the state is Antelope Valley.Known for its crop of poppies, the Valley blooms into a bright orange for miles and miles on end.Respected for its long and important native American history â€" and now a little swamped with tourists â€" do your research before you go. Because landscape photography is not the same when its dominated by Californian school kids.Utah: Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Arches National Park.Having tried to choose just one nameable site in Utah, we had to give up. Because this state is breath-taking at almost every turn.Monument Valley is one of the most iconic sights of the American West, whilst the Arches National Park is home to some really remarkable, gravity-defying rock formations.Perhaps the most spectacular place in the state is Bryce Canyon, the geologist’s wet dream. Here, the landscape is dominated by s trange towers of orange rock. These, seen together, make something unforgettable.Acadia National Park, Maine.For a mix of richly dense forest, sudden seascapes, and huge and gorgeous skies, head to Acadia National Park in Maine. Whether in winter’s snow, autumn’s glorious colour, or the brightness of summer, you’ll find some spots away from the crowd to treat your camera to something lovely.  The Great Plains, Wyoming.Stretching through the middle of the United States are the Great Plains. As its name suggests, this area is flat, seemingly endless, and totally haunting.And if you’re brave enough, you can catch glimpses of some of the most extreme weather phenomena in the world.Find the best spots for landscape photography in Africa and landscape photography across the rest of the world.