Occasionally, there are degrees that I encounter that I’m jealous of. Cambridge’s Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Studies, SOAS’s Global Liberal Arts, and of course Oxford’s PPE make this list. However, there is one that I’ve probably become downright obnoxious in recommending to students: Land Economy.
Don’t be put off by the name; this course has very little to do with farming or anything like that. Instead, it offers a critical example of how humanity uses what might be its most limited resource, land.
The course delves into law, geography, geology, sociology, and much more, trying to figure out what the best way to use land is. Of course, what is best for one party isn’t always best for others, so questions like social inequality and climate change matter immensely in this course.
Interested in development economics in Sub-Saharan Africa? There’s a speciality for that within Land Economy.
Maybe you think crypto-currency is the next big thing? There are courses on the philosophy and economics of bitcoin and other prominent cryptocurrencies.
Or perhaps you think that rent is too damn high and you want to know what to do about it? Land Economy can help with that.
There’s an awful lot of potential with this course, but the thing is that it goes largely unnoticed. The acceptance rate is approximately 20%, with many of them coming from the UK. For many people, that means that their application will stand out if they are from the US. Additionally, there aren’t any required AP subjects, but rest assured that courses in government, economics, history, and English will be appreciated.