Combining core economics with relevant finance topics, this course is one of the few of its kind, and ideal preparation for a finance-focused career.
If you are considering work in a financial institution, consultancy, ministry of finance or economics, or central bank, our MSc in Economics and Finance is an excellent choice.
Bringing together a compelling combination of training in advanced economic theory with relevant finance modules, our specialist master’s is one of the few courses in the UK offering this mix of subjects.
Starting with a comprehensive refresher course in essential maths and economics skills, we will go on to explore how economics can be used to help address real financial issues such as the global financial crisis.
You will use a deeper knowledge of economic theory to gain additional insights into these events, and we will support your investigations with rigorous training in econometrics to allow you to interpret and analyse empirical data effectively.
The dissertation will give you the chance to work with one of our experienced lecturers on a topic of your interest and apply your knowledge to a specific problem.
Students have explored topics as wide-ranging as the potential impact of Brexit on the UK financial services sector to the effects of microfinance on poverty reduction in rural China. We offer a series of dissertation workshops in semester two to help you develop your research skills.
By the end of this course you will be able to:
Our teaching staff are all active researchers and regularly publish in the top economics journals, so you will be working with some of the UK’s leading thinkers in economics.
This course is designed to give you the in-depth knowledge and skills needed to secure work in a financial institution, consultancy, ministry of finance or economics, or central bank. It is also suited to those considering PhD study.
Our graduates have excellent employment prospects. Recent students have progressed onto prestigious jobs around the world, including:
Others have opted to stay in academia and complete a PhD.
This course lasts 1 year. Occasionally we make changes to our programmes in response to, for example, feedback from students, developments in research and the field of studies, and the requirements of accrediting bodies. You will be advised of any significant changes to the advertised programme, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.
These compulsory units are currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new units.
These optional units are currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new units.
The program provides students with a solid training in Economics emphasizing rigorous analytical thinking and advanced quantitative methods. Faculty members are internationally recognized economists. Our aim is to train economists suited both for academic and non-academic careers
During the first year, students will study the foundations of economics and quantitative analysis, whereas the second year is devoted to field courses that will expose them to recent developments at the frontier of economic research in a variety of topics. At the end of the second year students will work on their final dissertation. The curriculum also offers an internship program with either economic research institutions located in the Milan area or within the University’s Department of Economics and Finance, where student are offered the opportunity to work as an applied economists on real world economic issues, as well as meeting prospective employers. The skills acquired through the M.Sc. in Economics prepare students to pursue their careers both in academia through further education at the Ph.D. level as well as in the labour market as applied economists in firms, banks and institutions.
The M.Sc. is now at its sixth edition and so far it has performed very well in terms of placement in the labour market (Eurizone, Deloitte, Oxford Policy Management, Intesa San Paolo) and in the academia (some of our student are now completing their Ph.D.s at Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, University of Nottingham, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and include winners of prestigious scholarships granted by the Bank of Italy).
N.B.: All courses are at upper-intermediate level.
First year credits:
● Microeconomics (8 ECTS/CFU)
● Macroeconomics (8 ECTS/CFU)
● Mathematics for economic analysis (8 ECTS/CFU)
● Empirical economics (8 ECTS/CFU)
● Statistical modelling (8 ECTS/CFU)
● Two business courses among the following (16 ECTS/ CFU):
○ Public management
○ Supply chain management
○ Performance measurement
○ Corporate governance and social responsibility
○ Business communication
○ Change management
○ Cross cultural management
● One law course (8 ECTS/CFU) among:
○ Transnational commercial law
○ Principles of financial regulation
Second year credits:
● Three Economics courses (24 ECTS/CFU) among the following:
○ Monetary economics and asset pricing
○ International economics
○ Political and public economics
○ Industrial organization
○ Labor economics
○ Topics in economic theory
○ Political economy of the European Union
● One of the following (student’s choice subject to approval) (8 ECTS/CFU) A course in Economics, or Internship program, or a course among:
○ Corporate finance
○ International corporate finance
○ Project management
○ Quantitative methods for finance
○ Applied statistics and big data (Advanced) or
○ A course in Business, or
○ A course in Law
● Final dissertation (24 ECTS/CFU)
Cattolica takes great pride in preparing its students with the adequate knowledge, skills, and great motivation for starting the Economics profession as expert analysts in firms, financial institutions and think tanks, applied economists in research centers and international institutions, or academic economists conducting scientific research in university departments around the world.
In 2015 Università Cattolica was ranked among the world top 150 best Universities in the Economics and Econometrics subject area. Source: QS World University Subject Ranking.
You will experience an intensive teaching activity with active in-class participation, a direct interaction with the faculty mem- bers and visiting professors, and extensive laboratory sessions to get you acquainted with the latest computational techniques that are essential for a successful career in Economics.
Università Cattolica offers its students the opportunity to study abroad during the summer. Our summer programs allow students to earn credits while studying abroad at one of Cattolica’s prestigious partner institutions.
This degree, offered by the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Economics, allows you to specialise in modern quantitative finance and computational methods for financial modelling, which are demanded for jobs in asset structuring, product pricing as well as risk management.
Skills that you will acquire include the ability to:
You will be taught by world-leading academics. Research in Machine Learning at Royal Holloway started in the 1990’s, at which time V. Vapnik and A. Chervonenkis (the inventors of Support Vector Machines) were both professors here. We have developed both fundamental theory and practical algorithms that have fed into the analytics methods and techniques that are in use today. Current researchers include Alexander Gammerman and Vladimir Vovk – the inventors of conformal predictors theory, a radically new method of estimating the accuracy of each prediction as it is made – and Chris Watkins, originator of reinforcement learning who developed ‘Q-learning’, a work that is fundamental to planning and control.
Core modules
Optional modules
In addition to these mandatory course units there are a number of optional course units available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course units that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new units may be offered or existing units may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
Please note that some of these modules may have pre-requisites. During Welcome Week, your personal advisor will help you choose the electives that best suit your background and career ambitions, as well as your timetable.
Teaching is organised in terms of 11 weeks each. Examinations are taken in April/May of each academic year, except for Data Analysis for which the exam is in January. The individual project is taken over 12 weeks during the Summer.
A weekly seminar series runs in parallel with the academic programme, which includes talks by professionals in a variety of application areas as well as workshops that will train you to find a placement or a job and lead a successful career.
Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, small group projects, and examinations, the proportions of which vary according to the nature of the modules.
This degree can be taken part-time - visit our website for details
Demand for data scientists is buoyant, in the UK and worldwide, with salaries much higher than other IT professions and at least double the UK average full time wage. All our graduates found jobs at the end of (if not during) their studies.
We bring several companies to our campus throughout the year, both for fairs and for delivering advanced topics seminars, which are an excellent opportunity to learn about what they do and discuss possible placements or jobs. Together with the University’s Careers Service, we offer you workshops and one-to-one coaching that prepare you to find a placement or a job and lead a successful career.
This course, offered by the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Economics, allows you to specialise in modern quantitative finance and computational methods for financial modelling, which are demanded for jobs in asset structuring, product pricing as well as risk management.
Skills that you will acquire include the ability to:
You will be taught by world-leading academics. Research in Machine Learning at Royal Holloway started in the 1990’s, at which time V. Vapnik and A. Chervonenkis (the inventors of Support Vector Machines) were both professors here. We have developed both fundamental theory and practical algorithms that have fed into the analytics methods and techniques that are in use today. Current researchers include Alexander Gammerman and Vladimir Vovk – the inventors of conformal predictors theory, a radically new method of estimating the accuracy of each prediction as it is made – and Chris Watkins, originator of reinforcement learning who developed ‘Q-learning’, a work that is fundamental to planning and control.
By electing to spend a year in business you will also be able to integrate theory and practice and gain real business experience. In the past, our students have secured placements in blue-chip companies such as Centrica, Data Reply, Disney, IMS Health, Rolls Royce, Shell, Sociéte Générale, VMWare and UBS, among others.
Core modules
Year 1
Year 2
You will spend this year on a work placement. You will be supported by the Department of Computer Science and the Royal Holloway Careers and Employability Service to find a suitable placement. This year forms an integral part of the degree programme and you will be asked to complete assessed work. The mark for this work will count towards your final degree classification.
Optional modules
In addition to these mandatory course units there are a number of optional course units available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course units that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new units may be offered or existing units may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.
Year 1
Teaching is organised in terms of 11 weeks each. Examinations are taken in April / May of each academic year, except for Data Analysis for which the exam is in January. Your 'Year in Industry' typically starts at the end of June or beginning of July and lasts for a maximum of one year. The individual project is taken over 12 weeks during the Summer after the placement.
A weekly seminar series runs in parallel with the academic programme, which includes talks by professionals in a variety of application areas as well as workshops that will train you to find a placement or a job and lead a successful career.
Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, small group projects, and examinations, the proportions of which vary according to the nature of the modules. The placement is assessed as part of your degree (10% of the individual project).
Although the responsibility for finding a placement is ultimately with the student, our Careers Team will help you identify suitable opportunities, make applications and prepare for interviews. Please note that progression to the placement is conditional on good academic performance. Students who fail to qualify for or find a placement are automatically transferred to the one-year programme. Find out more on our year in industry page.
Demand for data scientists is buoyant, in the UK and worldwide, with salaries much higher than other IT professions and at least double the UK average full time wage. Our graduates have an excellent track record of finding jobs at the end of (if not during) their studies.
We bring several companies to our campus throughout the year, both for fairs and for delivering advanced topics seminars, which are an excellent opportunity to learn about what they do and discuss possible placements or jobs.
