Programming and the economics curriculum: Evidence from undergraduate student attitudes

A significant and growing proportion of graduate economics job advertisements in the UK
and other countries mentions programming skills. Do undergraduates see that shift, and do
they want their degree programme to keep pace? We answer these questions with the first
multi-year survey of student attitudes towards programming, administered to 317 economics
majors in Years 2–4 at a UK university. The support for curricular integration is overwhelming:
92% favours adding programming and 55% favour making it mandatory. Further analysis
shows that support for a compulsory course is strongest among final-year and international
students, while the preference for earlier programming exposure is the highest among those
still uncertain about their career plans. Confidence in programming skills remains low even
in the final year, and students regard generic computer science modules as poor substitutes
for economics-focused instruction. Taken together, the survey results strongly suggest that in
undergraduate economics programming should be introduced early on and that it should be
embedded in discipline-specific content. Moreover, its teaching should be supported throughout
the economics curriculum to meet the students’ demand, enhance their employability, and close
the skill gaps before they become entrenched.