Yes, Econ is math-heavy. There are no case studies or memorization. There is a lot of self-study during the year and in between quarters. The whole grade is based on 8 three-hour long exams at the end of the third year. As the Fiske guide put it “studying in the UK is not for the faint of heart”
Fellow students are selected solely based on academic aptitude in the subject and are very good. Malala was in the year above my daughter. She had to sit the entrance and exit exams like everybody else.
Unlike STem subjects, being admitted to the masters in Econ was very competitive and far from automatic. Hope this helps