Want to develop a rewarding career as a development economist in the public or private sector? This course will appeal to you if you have a quantitative background. You will develop your understanding of the key issues in economic development, and explore the economic theory and statistical tools you need to analyse policies and assess their impact on economic and human development.
You have the option of studying full-time over the course of one year or part-time over the course of two years.
The Development Economics MSc will help you:
Should you wish to pursue further study, the dissertation track can also serve as a stepping stone to an Economics PhD.
As a Masters student at City, you will benefit from our excellent London location, which places you in close proximity to the centres of decision-making in development economics. For example, we are just six tube stops away from the Department for International Development.
Your teaching consists of a flexible combination of lectures, classes and computer lab sessions:
In addition, econometric methods will be taught in lab sessions, so you will have the opportunity to apply econometric software to empirical research in development economics.
When appropriate "practitioner slots" will be incorporated into module delivery, such as research seminars conducted by external experts in development policies and presentations by invited academics.
Assessments are typically a combination of unseen written examinations (70% for each module) and coursework (30% for each module), but this can vary by module.
The teaching takes place over two terms, from September to June. Full-time students who pass all the taught modules during the main exam sessions finish the programme at the end of September when they submit their dissertation or literature review. Full-time students who successfully complete the taught modules in the August re-sit exam session submit their dissertation or literature review in December.
Part-time students complete their modules over the course of four terms, from September to June, before undertaking their dissertation or literature review.
Pre-sessional activities covering Micro-and Macroeconomics, Stata, Excel, Probability and Mathematics run in September before the start of term. These are available for all students who secure a place on the MSc Development Economics course. Pre-sessionals are included in your degree fee and are designed to prepare you for the course. We therefore strongly encourage you to make every effort to attend. Dates of the sessions are as follows:
You are not required to register for the above pre-sessionals, you just need to turn up on the day. Further information, such as the exact times and locations will be provided in your induction schedule.
You will complete 180 credits. This includes taught modules worth 120 credits, plus 60 credits through either of the following paths:
Each module typically has a weekly two-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial, but this may vary.
It is not possible to give an exact indication of hours per week, as these can vary from one term to the other, depending on which electives you choose.
Modules for the dissertation path
Core modules
Elective modules
Modules for the literature survey path
Core modules
Elective modules
Elective modules for both paths
* Students on the dissertation path can take only 1 of these modules, which are taught in the Department of International Politics. Students on the literature survey path can take up to 2 of these modules.
Graduates of this course enjoy a wide range of rewarding employment possibilities, in both the public and private sectors, including consultancy and economic analysis.
As a Masters in Development Economics graduate, you will have the skills to work in:
The MSc also provides a solid academic foundation for students wishing to pursue doctoral research in economics.
Develop the skills and understanding to tackle the global challenges of poverty, inequality, conflict, sustainability and social justice.
Whether you are a graduate aiming to make a difference in the world, or a professional wishing to deepen your knowledge and critical thinking, our suite of International Development MSc courses is for you.
Engaged with current debates in policy and practice and grounded in interdisciplinary social sciences, you will develop the tools and confidence to work towards creative solutions that address practical problems in strategic ways.
Four distinct pathways provide a choice of flexibility and breadth, or the chance to pursue a particular interest in greater depth.
Innovative learning approaches promote in-depth investigation of particular cases and issues. These will draw out connections and contradictions between different actors and analytical perspectives, across global, regional, national and local scales.
The opportunity of a placement, leading to a work-based project, will provide hands-on experience to complement classroom-based learning.
You will leave the course with:
The MSc International Development with Conflict and Humanitarian Action pathway enables you to gain an in-depth and interdisciplinary understanding of the theories and concepts that underpin contemporary humanitarian action and conflict response. You will also form a critical understanding of humanitarian, peacebuilding and development policy and practice. You will learn how to interpret and evaluate research information and evidence on topics related to humanitarianism, conflict and development.
The MSc International Development with Economics pathway covers the key economic concepts, theories and tools required to understand development issues, policies and practices, including those of heterodox and social economics. You will learn how to apply them to analyse specific development problems, such as through appropriate combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods.
The MSc International Development, Social justice and Sustainability pathway enables you to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of theories and concepts of social and environmental justice, wellbeing and sustainability. You will develop in-depth knowledge of people’s practical struggles globally and locally for a better life, and the forms of policy and politics that can support or frustrate these. You will also explore how integrated perspectives can capture the complex interactions between social and ecological systems. Additionally, you will consider areas of complementarity and the trade-off between economic development, human wellbeing and environmental sustainability.
You will join the Department of Social & Policy Studies here at Bath. We are ranked in the top 50 for Development Studies in the QS World University Rankings 2017.
Our staff are all active in this field, research-led, and united in their commitment to finding better solutions to the world’s development problems.
This course provides an excellent background for those wishing to pursue an international development career and improve people’s lives.
You will be qualified to work in a wide variety of roles, including social research, public policy, public information and campaigning.
Many of our graduates from similar courses have found jobs with high profile organisations, including:
Other graduates have chosen to work for themselves and set up their own charities, while others have stayed in academia, to complete doctoral studies.
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.
The total number of credits for the taught-stage is 60 credits, with most units being 12 Credits. A typical week would approximately average between 6-10 hours of classes or seminars a week depending on options taken. The dissertation or practicum are 30 credits.
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.
As an alternative to writing a dissertation, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a six-week placement (practicum), working with an organisation involved in international development. You'll write a report reflecting on a particular area of professional practice.
You can start this MSc Economics degree in September or January. It can be tailored to two specialist fields: International Economics or Business and Financial Economics. On successful completion of this programme, you will graduate with one of the following degrees:
There is increasing demand for economics graduates in business and public sector decision making. This demand is evident in national and international institutions, including:
All these employers increasingly look for high-quality, evidence-based decision makers with an ability in applied economics and advanced data analysis. Our Master's degree will enable you to respond to this increasing demand.
The programme combines solid training in theory and method with stimulating exposure to economics and financial data sources. We will prepare you to contribute to an international global economy and to respond to its policy changes.
Our courses weave a three-way linkage between alternative theories of economics and finance, data analysis, and application of theory and method to policy and strategy issues in the world of economics, business and finance.
Our Master's degree has a number of distinctive features to enable you to combine theory and real word examples to develop evidence-based answers to economic and business problems.
The aims of this degree are:
In 2015, Greenwich was named by The Economist as one of four institutions in the country leading the way on curriculum change.
We are proud to say that our economics subjects were ranked:
Greenwich is one of the top two most globally diverse universities in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand, by Hotcourses Diversity Index.
We have also been named as one of the "most international" universities on the planet by Times Higher Education magazine.
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Option courses
Students are required to choose 4 courses from this list of options.
For a Business and Financial Economics specialisation, you study the following courses in addition to the compulsory courses listed above.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
For an International Economics specialisation, you study the following courses in addition to the compulsory courses listed above.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
The courses listed above will be split across two years.
You are assessed through:
You can expect to find employment in:
We have developed strong relations with companies in London's financial centres, including in the City and Canary Wharf as well as think-tanks, civil society organisations and research centres both in the UK and abroad such as New Economics Foundation Hans Boeckler Foundation, or Foundation of European Progressive Studies. This offers you networking, mentoring and internship opportunities in a perfect location to develop your career.
You can also reach out to top employers through our dedicated Business School Employability Office (BSEO). The team develops your employment skills through CV support, interview skills workshops and guidance through mentors to progress in the industry.
The BSEO team was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards, which shows its dedication to actively support your career development.
Learn about global development from a heterodox economics perspective, and gain the skills to work in economic and development policy and practice.
This course addresses the contemporary challenges of global development, utilising core economic concepts, theories and methods. Rooted in real-world practical and policy challenges, the course is founded on Bath’s longstanding engagement in international development and applied economic analysis. It uses innovative learning approaches to promote in-depth investigation of cases and issues, drawing links across global, regional, national and local scales. We offer you the opportunity of a placement-based research project, providing hands-on experience to complement campus-based learning.
The course is ideal if you’re a recent graduate who wants to pursue a career in international development as an economic analyst. It is also suitable if you’re an established professional wishing to deepen your knowledge and critical understanding of international development from an economics and broader social science perspective.
You will leave the course with:
You will join the Department of Social & Policy Studies here at Bath. We are ranked in the top 50 for Development Studies in the QS World University Rankings 2017.
Our staff are all active in this field, research-led, and united in their commitment to finding better solutions to the world’s development problems.
We encourage diversity of intake, in experience, qualifications and interests, to stimulate the richness of experience and learning.
Our courses provide an excellent grounding for careers in international development, humanitarian action and working for social, economic and environmental justice in both global North and global South. They provide the core skills required in a range of policy, communication, advocacy, research and programmatic roles.
Many of our graduates from similar courses have found jobs with high-profile organisations including:
Other graduates have chosen to work for themselves and set up their own charities, while some have stayed in academia to complete doctoral studies.
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.
The total number of credits for the taught-stage is 60 credits, with most units being 12 Credits. A typical week would approximately average between 6-10 hours of classes or seminars a week depending on options taken. The dissertation or practicum are 30 credits.
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.
As an alternative to writing a dissertation, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a six-week placement (practicum), working with an organisation involved in international development. You'll write a report reflecting on a particular area of professional practice.
Studying Economics at Royal Holloway means that you will learn from internationally renowned experts at one of the UK’s top ten teaching and research centres. This programme provides you with an opportunity to study a portfolio of courses in the first year designed to bring you up to the entry standard for the Masters degree; ideal if you have graduated from disciplines other than Economics or if you have some background in Economics and wish to deepen your understanding of the discipline. You will receive rigorous training in the analysis of economics and graduate with the tools of the professional economist so that you are ready for your chosen career path, whether in government, the private and financial services sectors or further research in economics.
In the first year you will study undergraduate level courses and in the second year, subject to progression, you will progress to the 1-year long Masters in Economics. Throughout your studies you will gain a strong grounding in core areas of economics and have the flexibility to specialise in areas such as public economics, labour economics or theoretical economics. On graduation you will have the ability to solve theoretical and/or applied problems in economic policy, critically evaluate current research, develop simplifying frameworks for studying the real world and to be able to appreciate what would be an appropriate level of abstraction for a range of economic issues.
Our balanced approach to research and teaching guarantees high quality teaching from subject leaders, cutting edge materials and intellectually challenging debates. Our courses follow a coherent and developmental structure which we combine with an effective and flexible approach to study.
In this module you will develop an understanding of basic mathematical methods that are used in the study of Economics and Finance, including basic matrix analysis, topology, statistics, and probability theory. You will look at differentiation and integration of standard functions, and basic manipulations of vectors and matrices. You will also examine various optimisation problems and theorems leading to certain basic results in calculus.
Year 1
Year 2
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
Year 2
Assessment is carried out by a variety of methods including coursework, examinations and a dissertation.
An Economics masters degree at Royal Holloway, University of London will equip you with an enviable range of transferable skills and can lead into a variety of career paths as well as the knowledge and a solid foundation for continued PhD studies. Employers recognise and reward the real knowledge and skills developed in an Economics degree.
We will help students to recognise their own strengths, skills and abilities so that they can make strong applications for their chosen job or further study. We also provide careers support including application and interview coaching, career strategy discussions and the opportunity to network with major employes.
Our MSc Economics allows you to apply economics to practical questions and problems in a multidisciplinary learning environment.
Based in Leeds University Business School, this programme centres on advanced economics and econometrics, engaging with cutting-edge research within the discipline.
You’ll combine current mainstream theoretical and applied techniques with a range of alternative critical perspectives, equipping you to meet the growing demand for economics in an era of global challenges such as climate change.
You’ll gain unique insight into pressing economic issues, from the microeconomics of firms and markets to the macroeconomics of the global economy. Optional modules will also allow you to tailor your learning to your interests or career plans, from comparative modules in global economics and development economics to the economics of regulation, and principles of health economics, environmental economics or corporate finance.
Academic excellence
Our Economics department stands for a distinctive type of economics, which is realistic, interdisciplinary and policy relevant. We take an open-minded approach to economic problems, and draw on expertise from one of the major hubs of heterodox economics research in the UK.
Recent commentary and coverage in the media has highlighted the need for more philosophical discussion about how best to approach economics. Leeds University Business School has been recognised in The Economist as one of the few universities in the UK offering a 'model' for this approach.
Our research activities in economics are many and varied. Several members of the teaching team are involved in multi-million pound research projects, which are at the cutting-edge of knowledge creation in several areas. The University of Leeds also hosts the Applied Institute of Research in Economics (AIRE), giving you access to even more world-leading research and expertise.
Throughout the year core modules will develop your fundamental knowledge and skills. As well as macroeconomics and microeconomics, you’ll study econometrics and the ways in which it is applied to real-life situations.
From this foundation you’ll choose optional modules that allow you to specialise in particular areas of economics. You’ll be able to expand your knowledge in areas such as the global economy, finance, globalisation, regulation, health or environmental economics.
You’ll develop your understanding of research methods and practices throughout the year. In your dissertation, you’ll apply these skills to produce an independent research project on a topic of your choice, to be submitted by the end of the course.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take five compulsory modules including your dissertation.
Optional modules
You'll also choose five extra optional modules from the list below.
For more information on typical modules, read Economics MSc in the course catalogue
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials.
Independent study is also vital for this course allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
We use assessment methods such as exams, research reports, written assignments, essays and project work, depending on the modules you choose.
Our Economics graduates are in great demand owing to their unique range of skills and awareness of different perspectives. You will have essential research skills required for work as a professional economist in government, business, universities and international organisations.
Graduates of our MSc Economics have gone on to highly successful careers as government advisors, think-tank researchers and quantitative analysts.
As its ESRC recognition shows, the programme is also excellent preparation for PhD study.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
You will be able to access careers and professional development support, which will help you develop key skills including networking and negotiating, and put you in touch with potential employers.
The Careers Centre provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
This highly regarded programme will prepare you for a career in urban planning and development, where you may be required to shape and consider development proposals and devise or interpret plans and policies, negotiate and regulate development schemes, undertake community consultations, develop evidence and present reports to clients and decision makers. In line with our academic strengths in planning and development and real estate markets and investment, this Master’s programme will develop your specialist knowledge and skills in planning and development and equip you for a career in the private or public sector. The MSc Spatial Planning and Development is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
The programme focuses on planning as it engages with economic and property development processes at all levels, from the site, neighbourhood, local, national and international. You will be able to concentrate on particular aspects of development planning to suit your interests and career aspirations (e.g. strategic, economic, environment, regeneration or countryside) and you will have the opportunity to undertake in-depth study, within a framework that emphasises integration, as well as apply your learning to another country through the European field study.
Programme
The MSc Spatial Planning and Development is recognised in the UK and more widely, to be one of the foremost planning programmes which develops both spatial planning competencies but also market aware planners who are well prepared for the orchestration and negotiation of development schemes. The programme has strong appeal for future employers in the private and public sectors because of the blend of analytical rigour and practical application. Many graduates of this programme, and its forerunners, have progressed to senior positions in the real estate and planning sector.
Real Estate & Planning
Our School is the largest in the UK for teaching and research in real estate and planning. Established in 1968 at the University of Reading, we are the only major UK real estate and planning centre to be located within a business school. Being part of the Henley Business School reflects our close and longstanding collaborative relationship with industry.
We enjoy a worldwide reputation for excellence in both teaching and research and we are consistently highly ranked in all major league tables. We undertake internationally recognised, leading edge research into real estate, planning and land and we offer a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses, all of which are accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Our planning courses are also fully accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Our programmes are held in high regard by leading employers, many of whom come to us each year to recruit our graduates. We are proud of our outstanding employment record, with more than 95% of our students entering graduate level jobs within 6 months of leaving us.
Henley Business School:
Module descriptions are correct for modules taught in the academic year 2017/18. Optional module listings are indicative, and may be subject to change.
Compulsory Modules
Optional modules
from a range which may include:
Our graduates tell us that the programme has led to excellent and prestigious employment opportunities, helped in part by developing their commercial awareness as well as other key skills.
The MSc Spatial Planning and Development programme is a leader of its type and students benefit from its strong connections to industry and across the profession generally. Many successful graduates have been highly sought after by both private and public sector employers, including planning consultancies, development companies, local planning authorities and large multidisciplinary property firms.
Reading has an excellent reputation with the planning profession in both the private and public sectors. Our postgraduates tend to be sought after by employers and many find employment before graduating.
Our alumni association, The Reading Real Estate Foundation, organise career development and recruitment events for our students throughout the year. These include an evening lectures series with key industry speakers, an annual Careers Fair and our highly successful Mentoring Programme which pairs students with professionals in the industry.
We have a professional Careers Development Advisor, [email protected], who helps our students with every aspect of the career development process, including identifying work placement, internships and permanent career opportunities.
In the public sector there are varied options at the local, regional and national levels: government offices and departments, regional agencies and local planning authorities. The range and diversity of jobs and careers offered under the mantle of 'planning' is really very wide and stimulating. We will be happy to advise you in finding work experience and talk to you about your employment options during your time with us.
The MSc Spatial Planning and Development is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
The Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics (SGPE) is part of a unique collaborative venture that combines the teaching expertise of eight Scottish universities: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt, St Andrews, Stirling and Strathclyde. All three MSc programme degrees are awarded by the University of Edinburgh and are taught in Edinburgh by Economics faculty from the associated Scottish universities who belong to the SGPE.
We offer three MSc programmes that provide you with a high-quality and thorough training in economics. The programmes are challenging, incorporating mathematics and statistics, they are technical and highly focused on analytical theory.
The programmes last one year (or two years if taken part-time) and lead to the award of MSc Economics, MSc Economics (Finance), or MSc Economics (Econometrics).
Our research-oriented MSc programmes provide you with high-quality training in economics and econometrics.
The MSc programmes consist of preliminary, core and optional courses, a residential weekend and a dissertation.
We do not offer an online distance learning for our MSc programmes.
Our MSc programmes will equip you with the tools a professional economist needs to work in government or in international organisations, to conduct economic research.
We deliver rigorous training in the core areas of economics to gain comprehensive knowledge in the latest analytical and quantitative techniques. You will also gain a firm grounding in mathematical and econometric techniques, as well as microeconomics and macroeconomics.
Our graduates have found employment in a wide variety of private and public organisations in the UK and abroad including in financial services, with the civil service (in the UK the Government Economic Service and the Department for International Development), and as economists with overseas development agencies and international institutions, and as research economists with journals and media agencies.
Our MSc programmes are research oriented and act as a pathway into PhD study globally. Our programmes are the only Economics and Social Research Council (ESRC) recognised pathway to PhD Economics study in Scotland.
This course will give you a firm understanding of development theory in an international context, with a particular focus on how to bring theory into practice and build your practical expertise in range of development disciplines.
The course aims to enhance your capacity to critically evaluate economic, political and social factors that are affecting the development policy environment, on a national and international level. Throughout this Master’s degree, you will develop management techniques and skills, and the ability to apply them in a development context.
Through empirical research and analysis, you will have the opportunity to develop specialist expertise in a particular aspect of development management.
The course is designed to prepare you for a career in development management with an international organisation, a non-governmental body or a government development agency.Our graduates are NGO programme officers, trade advisors, project managers, microfinance specialists and development consultants. Some of our graduates have also set up their own development charities or proceeded to PhD research and teaching.
Our regular contributors to teaching and learning activities include experienced field practitioners drawn from international development organisations and NGOs.
Active and enquiry-led learning is a central learning method on the course. Learning is based studying on real-world case studies with official project materials and survey data from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and other development agencies.
As part of this course, you have the opportunity to obtain a PRINCE2 Foundation certification in project management.
A highlight for many students is the field trips and social events organised throughout the course which provide an opportunity for networking and extending learning in new environments.
You will also benefit from free access to part of the material on the course reading list.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
View a suggested timetable for International Development Management MSc.
Core modules
Optional modules
All students on our full-time Business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG/MBA Internship Programme, which forms part of the Reflective Practitioner Module.
The internship allows you to test drive a career and explore one of your career interests before you complete your Postgraduate studies!
Completing an 8-12 week accredited internship helps students gain invaluable work experience. This fantastic work experience can be taken in addition to option modules. Students are responsible for finding their own internship with the support of the Business Experience Team.
To express an interest in the module, students must submit a completed application form and a copy of their updated CV. This will give students membership a dedicated website that offers exclusive access to internship vacancies, one to-one CV guidance appointments, mock interviews, employability workshops and much more.
Students can apply to London-based organisations and have the flexibility to take their internship in the summer period or alongside their studies.
Every year we receive very positive feedback from both postgraduate students and employers and expect that the internship programme will continue to remain popular amongst our students.
Find out about postgraduate internships
The course will particularly suit those seeking to work within NGOs and the international development community (including the World Bank, IMF, central and development banks, and government economic planning directorates), as self-employed development specialists or consultants, or as trade attaché in foreign diplomatic offices.
Should you wish to complete the PRINCE2 project management qualification, this will also enable you to work with multinational corporations where, alongside good technical skills, an awareness of global development issues and challenges and the ability to think critically about the world are valued.
Graduates from the programme have worked as specialists advisers with top NGOs across the globe and as advisers with trade and economic departments in government offices. Others are currently working as development consultants, microfinance specialists and as advisors on United Nations-sponsored projects.
International economics with a strong empirical and analytical emphasis on the low and middle income countries of the Global South.
This specialisation offers you the opportunity to follow a state-of-the-art curriculum in International Economics with a strong empirical and analytical focus on the low and middle income countries of the Global South. Hosting one of the largest databases for developing countries in the world, we offer you a unique possibility to analyse poverty, inequality, and economic development in these countries in an international context. Using recent theoretical insights and modern empirical methods, you will be actively involved in comparative research on issues in developing countries such as the impact of globalisation on economic growth, corruption, the education of children, child labour and women’s empowerment.
- A broad perspective on issues pertaining to low and middle income countries
- Strong comparative and empirical orientation
- One of the world’s largest micro-level database for developing countries
- Small group teaching and close contact with professors and their research
- Excellent reputation in the Netherlands and abroad
Radboud University Master’s specialisation in International Economics & Development pushes your curiosity to understand and evaluate the economic situation in low and middle income countries. You will be taught to look at the bigger picture and to analyse micro-level data in order to discover what is going well and what isn’t. Your analysis will provide information on intra-country or cross-national disparities. It aims to inform both national governments as well as international development organisations, and might lead to programmatic action aimed at bringing about positive changes to people’s lives in the poorest regions of our globe.
Scientific and societal relevance go hand in hand in this programme. We address contemporary issues like child labour, women’s empowerment, human development, children’s schooling and economic growth by evaluating societal developments with the help of sound academic theories. We not only discuss pressing issues of today but also issues we believe will be pressing in the near future.
Upon completing the Master’s programme in International Economics & Development, you will be knowledgeable about recent developments in the field. You will be an up-and-coming professional that is able to:
- Understand and reflect on the international, professional and academic literature in the field of international economics & development.
- Report independently on various issues in international economics and development, including state of the art empirical and theoretical studies.
- Use and apply statistical tools and methods.
- Conduct independent research.
- Present and clearly and consistently defend your views and research outcomes.
- Maintain a critical attitude towards your own work and that of others in your field.
We make sure our graduates have the strong academic background they need to be able to work as economists, policy-makers and researchers for international organisations (The World Bank, UN), development-oriented consultancy firms, NGOs, national governments as well as universities and research institutes.
The Master’s specialisation International Economics & Development is theoretically unique in that we not only deal with the problems that poor countries face, but also with interesting new developments taking place in the Global South. We will discuss the rise of the BRIC countries, concentrating on both the potential they have as well as the challenges they face. We will also look at unique new economic phenomena within developing countries, like the emergence of a complete pro-poor banking system based on mobile phone credits in Kenya and other parts of Africa (known as m-pesa).
- Understanding economic changes in the developing world
Our unique and interesting combination of subjects will provide you with a well-rounded understanding in this field. Apart from development economics students will get an academic understanding of economics methodology, the role of international financial markets, behavioural economics and the important influence culture has on economic phenomena. And thanks to a choice of elective subjects, you can give your programme a unique focus that meets your academic interests.
Students taking this Master’s specialisation will learn how to understand and analyse economic changes taking place throughout the developing world. Students will be taught how to discover determinants and develop indicators that make it possible to monitor changes at the sub-national level in great detail. These indicators can be used scientifically, but also for creating detailed overview scans of regions for political or humanitarian purposes.
- Database Developing World and the MDGs
One of the tools our students can use is our Database Developing World (DDW). This database constitutes a unique window to the developing world, making it possible to study important processes on a scale and with a degree of detail that is unique in the world.
The DDW also holds indicators for seven of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which range from halving extreme poverty rates to empowering woman and providing universal primary education. The target date of 2015 is fast approaching and although enormous progress has been made, the UN is working with governments, civil society and other partners to carry on with a post-2015 sustainable development agenda. As a graduate of this Master’s specialisation, you could go on to be one of the professionals that helps to achieve the MDGs and thereby making a real difference in people’s lives.
Modern economics is an increasingly rigorous discipline and advanced degrees are now essential for careers in international institutions, government and industry. The Economics MSc at UCL will equip the professional economist with the powerful tools required to understand the rapidly changing, complex and uncertain modern world economy.
The programme aims to provide all students with a sound and worthwhile education in modern economics and econometrics, developing important transferable skills of problem-definition, analysis and self-motivation. Students will learn to use the formal tools that are necessary to understand and conduct cutting-edge research in both theoretical and applied economics.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of four core modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
At least two of the following advanced core modules:
Remaining applied options (taking the total to four) from a list including:
Dissertation/report
The dissertation of 10,000 words will be a piece of lightly supervised research, including a brief critical review of the literature in the relevant area.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and practical and problem classes. The MSc degree is awarded on the basis of written, final examination papers and the research dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Economics MSc
Graduates go on to a variety of roles, including those in the civil service, research, finance and political sectors.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
The UCL Economics MSc is a passport to a career in major national and international institutions that demand the deeper, more rigorous analytical reasoning in economics. In these roles, MSc graduates draw on a theoretical grounding and wealth of practical analytical tools to formulate relevant questions in economics and produce high-quality economic analysis valued by employers and prestigious PhD programmes. Students benefit from the international reputations of the programme’s academic staff and the academic excellence and international perspectives of their fellow MSc students. Major employers invite UCL MSc graduates to apply for roles.
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
UCL Economics has an outstanding international reputation in the areas of applied microeconomics, labour economics, development economics, economic theory, experimental economics, econometrics, and macroeconomics. The department is a global leader in policy-oriented research, with members actively involved in policy design and evaluation. The Research Excellence Framework 2014 ranked the UCL Department of Economics as the top department in the UK for economics and econometrics, as well as the top department in any field in terms of overall score. The high quality and policy impact of research undertaken by faculty are reflected in an excellent teaching and research environment for graduate students.
UCL is located in central London at the heart of the UK centre of government. Recognised as the world's best connected city, 75% of the Fortune 500 companies have offices in London.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Economics
99% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
New master’s courses in International Development launched at the University of Bath
Study for your specialist masters degree at a University ranked 13th in the UK for Law.
Study Innovation, Science & Technology Policy at an internationally recognised Centre of Research
One of the UK’s top providers of management, marketing, economic, accounting and finance courses
New part-time MSc Humanitarianism, Conflict and Development at the University of Bath
Join one of our 16 International English-language Master’s programs at the University of Haifa
Architecture, Humanities and Computing. Apply now to join the top university in London for student satisfaction!
Choose from Conservation, International Development or Contemporary Studies at our Graduate School
Get a Masters degree from Leeds University Business School and prepare for a rewarding career
