Masters Degrees (Environmental Economics)

About the MSc programme

The programme aims to deliver a well-developed understanding of climate change and environmental and resource economics. The programme delves into the conceptual economic foundations and the practical tools of analysis, including state-of-the-art quantitative methods.

Environmental economics is playing an increasingly central role in understanding the causes of, and designing policy solutions to, contemporary environmental and resource problems. It has been instrumental in informing policy across the world, for example in the creation of markets for pollutants such as acid rain and carbon, the design of new instruments for the conservation of ecosystem services and the efficient use of natural resources.

Across a wide range of issues such as biodiversity loss and fisheries management, sustainable economic development and the formation of international environmental agreements, the theory and applied tools of environmental economics are uniquely placed to inform and guide decision-makers in addressing environmental challenges. Climate change is the most formidable environmental concern facing the planet today and the lessons and tools of environmental economics are highly relevant for thinking about, and providing solutions to, this global economic problem.

The programme will teach you to apply economic concepts and quantitative methods to the analysis, appraisal and valuation of a wide range of environmental problems and policies. You will begin to understand the importance of the political-economic context when applying the concepts and tools of environmental economics, as well as an in-depth understanding of the scientific, economic and political dimensions of climate change.

Graduate destinations

Economics is frequently at the centre of environmental policy-making. The MSc in Environmental Economics and Climate Change provides state-of-the-art training in environmental, natural resource and climate change economics. You will develop analytical tools applicable to the full range of environmental issues in the public, private, and other sectors. There are promising career opportunities for those who have trained as professional environmental economists: in government, international organisations, industry, NGOs, consultancy and research.

The MSc Environmental Economics and Climate Change will be invaluable if you wish to work, or are already working, in a specialised area relating to climate change economics but also more broadly to any aspect of environmental and resource economics.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme 

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Explore sustainable solutions for environmental problems.

Overview

You'll develop the skills needed by today's environmental managers, policymakers and scientists to tackle environmental issues at local, regional and global levels. You'll be prepared for a wide range of careers across the public and private sectors. This Masters also provides a good basis for further study at PhD level.

The core modules will provide you with knowledge in Environmental Economics and a appreciation of the challenges to which economic analysis can be applied. You'll also be equipped to incorporate environmental feedback into economic decision making in a way that satisfies both ecological managers and economists.

This Masters is suitable for students from a wide range of backgrounds, including economics, human geography, business, sociology, politics, environmental science and more. You'll be taught by a range of interdisciplinary staff with varied Environmental research interests.

Course Content

You'll learn about the economics and management of natural resources and develop your critical and analytical skills in these areas. You'll gain both theoretical and practical experience of issues in environmental economics and management. You will be trained in suitable research methods and relevant ethical and legal issues. You'll develop your research skills and experience through completing a large research project.

For the Masters you will need to take a 100 credits of taught modules. There are four core modules, which amount to 50 of your 100 required credits:
-Current Research in Environment, Economics and Ecology (10 credits)
-Applied Environmental Economics (10 credits)
-Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas (10 credits)
-Research Skills and Statistical Methods (20 credits)

You'll also choose 50 credits from a range of optional modules:
-Business and Environment (10 credits)
-Development Economics (20 credits)
-Economics for Natural Resources and Environmental Management (20 credits)
-Environmental Governance (10 credits)
-Environmental Impact Assessment (10 credits)
-Spatial Analysis (10 credits)

You'll also complete a 8,000 word dissertation, worth 80 credits, as part of the MSc. Staff will suggest a range of possible subjects and titles, but you can also devise your own dissertation title. You'll have a dissertation supervisor who will provide regular guidance and will be able to comment on your first draft of the dissertation.

Careers

You'll develop the skills and knowledge you will need to follow a career in an environmental organisation in both the public and private sectors. The Masters in Environmental Economics and Environmental Management also provides an ideal basis to progress to further study at PhD.

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Environmental issues at local, national and global levels are among the foremost challenges facing society today, and the result of complex interactions of natural processes with economic forces and policies. It is widely recognised that most environmental problems, whether small-scale or global, are the result of a complex interaction of natural processes with economic forces and decisions. This programme provides graduates with a sound theoretical base and practical appreciation of the concepts and methods of environmental and natural resource economics relevant to policy decisions and research. It is designed to suit students with a primary interest in issues and policies concerning the rural environment.

Visit the website https://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep/programmes/appenveco/msc/

Structure

For the MSc in Environmental Economics students will take:

- 4 core modules
- 3 elective modules*
- 2 research modules

* including one free choice from across all programmes (subject to approval on the Programme Convenor)

Core Modules:

- Economic Principles [this module must be taken in the first year]
- Economics of Environmental Policy
- Environmental Valuation: Theory, Techniques and Application
- Natural Resource Economics

Elective Modules:

- Applied Econometrics
- Climate Change and Development
- Project Planning and Management
- Environmental Science and Management
- Environmental Assessment
- Environmental Auditing and Environmental Management Systems
- International Environmental Law
- Ethics for Environment and Development
- either Water Resources Management or Sustainable Land Management or Biodiversity, Conservation and Development or Energy and Development
- One module selected from another programme, with the approval of the Programme Convenor

Research Modules:

- Research Methods
- Dissertation

Strengthening quantitative skills:
Some modules in this programme make use of applied mathematics, including use of calculus. If your basic quantitative analysis skills are weak, it is recommended that you should also study the non-examined module: Quantitative Methods (CF04), at or near the start of your studies. Study materials for this module are available to registered students only, and are obtainable through the online learning environment, Moodle, in the Study Skills section.

Teaching & Learning

1. Academic level

All CeDEP programmes are taught to Master’s (Second Cycle) level, which involves building upon existing knowledge and understanding typically associated with the Bachelor’s (First Cycle) level or its equivalent. Study at Master’s level requires:

- originality in developing and/or applying ideas, and extending or enhancing previous learning

- application of knowledge and understanding, including problem solving in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts

- integration of knowledge and handling of complexity

- formulating judgements with incomplete or limited information, including reflection on social and ethical responsibilities

- clear and unambiguous communication of conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences

- learning skills to study in a manner that may be largely self-directed or autonomous

Prospective students should note that distance education of this kind demands a high degree of commitment, determination and self-discipline. Whilst CeDEP provides significant support through the tutorial system and by other means, students taking on programmes of this nature should possess a strong measure of self-reliance.

2. Study Expectations

- How long will it take?
For students in full time employment, the MSc and Postgraduate Diploma, usually take three or four years to complete and the Certificate 2 years.

- When can I study?
You can begin your studies in either February or June. The examinations for all students are in October. The study periods are 30 weeks for students starting in February and 15 weeks for those starting in June.

- How many hours a week?
For the 30 week study period starting in February, you will need to allocate 5–6 hours of study time per module, per week. For students starting their studies in June with the shorter 15 week session, 10–12 hours per module, per week is recommended.

- How many modules can I take per study year?
We strongly recommend that students should take only one or two modules in their first year, so that they can adjust to studying at a distance, whilst combining this with work and family life.

Students wishing to complete an MSc in two years they will need to enrol/pay for four core modules and both Research Methods and the Dissertation in the first year although the Dissertation is written and submitted in the second year. Please contact your programme convenor by email.

3. Assessment

- How you will be assessed
For each module you will sit a two-hour unseen examination held on a specific date in October, worth 80% of your total module mark. There is also an Examined Assignment (worth 20% of the total module mark) which is submitted during the study year and marked by your tutor.

- Examination arrangements
Examinations are held in students’ countries of residence, using the University of London’s network of approved Overseas Examination Authorities. Fees for taking examinations at all examination centres other than London are the responsibility of the student.

Assignments are submitted to CeDEP electronically via the online learning environment.

- Assessment of the Research Component
The Research Methods module (P506) and the Dissertation (P541) are not assessed through final written examinations. These two modules constitute the Research Component of an MSc and are assessed entirely by submitted coursework.

4. Research Component

In order to qualify for an MSc, it is mandatory for CeDEP students to pass the Research Component.

The Research Component comprises two of the nine modules necessary for completion of an MSc. These are a Research Methods module (P506) and the Dissertation (P541). The modules are assessed as follows:

- P506 through two examined assignments submitted during the study year
- P541 through a 10,000 word dissertation

The Research Component is studied over two consecutive years. The Research Methods module (P506) must be studied and successfully passed before the Dissertation module (P541). This is because it provides skills and techniques which will assist with the subsequent development and conduct of your research and preparation of your dissertation. Students are required to enrol and pay for P506 and P541 at the same time.

The dissertation is usually carried out during the final year of registration with CeDEP. Students conduct desk- or field-based research in a relevant topic of their choice. All research topics are subject to approval and each student is assigned a personal supervisor. Background reading and preparation of the proposal take place between the October exams and commencement of the final study year in February.

Scholarships

For further details and information on external scholarships visit the Scholarships section (http://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/scholarships/)

Career prospects for graduates

Graduates of this programme will typically find work as environmental economists and advisers in the following fields:

- government ministries undertaking environmental planning and policy analysis work

- public and private sector companies conducting analyses of the environmental effects of economic activity

- international and non-governmental organisations concerned with the environmental implications of economic change and the economic implications of global environmental change

- consultancy work within the broad arena of environmental economics and policy

- applied research and teaching in institutions of research and higher education

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep/applying/

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This new programme combines key international, business-focused accounting courses, with courses which examine the economic issues involved in environmental economic development.

It will provide students with a critical understanding of the principal theories and concepts related to accounting and environmental economics and detailed knowledge of one or more specialisms related to these subjects.

It will also develop critical awareness of current issues in research and knowledge creation within international accounting and environmental economics and develop the ability to apply a range of quantitative techniques to different types of data, as well as to evaluate a range of theories appropriate to research in these fields.

Students taking the programme are likely to find jobs in banks, non-govenmental organisations and government institutions, in both developed economies and emerging/ developing economies.

PROGRAMME CONTENT

Five core modules are taken:

International Accounting Standards
International Management Accounting
Climate Change: Causes and Impacts
Environmental and Energy Economics
Research Methods

Three optional modules from a wide range including Corporate Social Responsibility, Maritime Business, Development Economics and Financial Analysis are also taken.

FIND OUT MORE

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This programme will develop a solid understanding of the finance and economic issues involved in environmental economic development and will improve students’ expertise and transferable skills in finance and environmental economics.

It will provide students with a critical understanding of the principal theories and concepts related to finance and environmental economics and detailed knowledge of one or more specialisms related to these subjects.

PROGRAMME CONTENT

Five core modules are taken over semester 1 and semester 2:

International Finance
Climate Change: Mitigation and Adaptation
Environmental Energy and Economics
Climate Change: Causes and Impacts
Research Methods

Three further modules from a wide range of finance, accounting and economic options are also taken. The MSc dissertation is completed between May and August.

FIND OUT MORE

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The MSc in Sustainable Development and Environmental Economics is a one-year, full-time taught postgraduate programme run by the School of Geography and Sustainable Development.

Sharing teaching elements from the MSc in Sustainable Development, this programme takes an interdisciplinary approach and draws on economic analysis and thinking to understand the links between people and their environment, resulting in a programme of study which is both intellectually stimulating and highly relevant to today’s job market.

Highlights

• Interdisciplinary teaching provides multiple perspectives. Students are taught by experts from disciplines across the University. 
• Field trips, such as to a Scottish highland estate, bring the subject alive by exploring practical applications of sustainable development. (Field trips are at no additional cost.)
• Practical experience supplements leading theory. The lecturers and visiting speakers all have practical experience of advising government, businesses and communities on aspects of environmental economics and sustainable development as well as being leaders in their academic fields. 

Teaching format

During the taught portion of the programme, students take seven modules which are taught via lectures, tutorials, seminar presentations, student-led workshops, as well as field trips and away days. Modules are assessed through written examinations and coursework including class tests, presentations and review essays.

Over the course of the programme, but with particular focus during the summer months, students will research a project area and produce an academic literature review, a professional policy brief and a reflective essay.

Further particulars regarding curriculum development.

Modules

The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2017–2018 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2018 entry.

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The MSc in Environmental Technology has been running for over 40 years and provides the highest standard of knowledge and skills development for environmental and sustainability specialists. Through the course students acquire a diverse range of discipline-specific problem-solving skills for tackling contemporary sustainability issues. A major emphasis of the course is on the way that environments function and on the compatible tools, alternative technologies and policies for sustainable environmental management.

Our course combines the natural and social sciences, engineering and business in a truly interdisciplinary manner, providing a foundation for graduates to demonstrate their ability to identify and resolve environmental and sustainability issues in a holistic way. This broad training is followed by an in-depth education in many specialised areas, maintaining the course's interdisciplinary nature. The specialist options in the second term are designed to cater for a variety of individual interests and career requirements. 

The course provides students with different options to build on their undergraduate degree, by allowing them to specialise in an area of particular interest, convert undergraduate knowledge to a different setting, differentiate for the job market and learn specific techniques and tools for research and management.

MSc candidates learn to appreciate that successful projects depend, at least in part, on belonging to a network of experts aiming to advance personal and collective environmental goals. We emphasise a friendly and supportive learning environment.

Building on Imperial’s environmental world-class research portfolio, dedicated teaching staff coordinate the interdisciplinary nature of our course and very strong links with industry, business and regulators. We pride ourselves on the quality of the service we provide to students, science and the society, and our excellence in delivering the valuable interaction between scientific/technological training and industrial experience.

Course Structure

First term – Core Course

The Core Course emphasises contemporary policy debates through a number of cross-cutting themes: climate change and energy, international development, sustainability and health, and biodiversity. This is delivered through the following modules:

• Ecology in Context
• Environmental Pollution and Control
• Environmental Policy and Management
• Environmental Law
• Environmental Economics
• Quantitative Skills and Uncertainty
• Transferrable skills 

Second term – specialist Options

Student elect to specialise in one of nine Options in the second term. A strong case study approach is employed with emphasis on working in teams, decision-making, strong analytical skills and report writing and delivery. The nine specialist options currently offered on the course include:

• Business and environment (B&E) 
• Environmental resource management (EM)
• Energy policy (EP)
• Environmental analysis and assessment (EA&A)
• Environmental economics and policy (EE&P)
• Global environmental change and policy (GECP)
• Pollution management (PM)
• Water management (WM)
• Health and the Global Environment (HGE)

Third Term – Individual Research Project

The research project term, running from April to September, aims to provide graduates with valuable research and practical experience and give them the ability to address individual sustainability and environmental problems with confidence. It provides the opportunity to undertake rigorous independent research; to apply knowledge and understanding of sustainability and environmental disciplines to practical problems; and to develop and demonstrate interdisciplinary, transferable skills with specific emphasis on project management and oral and written presentation skills. 

The research project normally follows from the specialist Option and may involve any combination of desk-, laboratory- or fieldwork. It may be set up and carried out in conjunction with an outside organisation thereby providing practical experience which greatly enhances employment prospects, and may be carried out in the UK or abroad.

Learning Approach

The programme aims to: 

• Provide the highest standard of training for environmental scientists and managers, who will become leaders in their fields, whether in academia, consultancy, research, government bodies, non-governmental organisations or industry and commerce, both nationally and internationally

• Deliver an holistic understanding of the interdisciplinary complexities underlying environmental issues integrating science, technology, law, economics, policy and management, with in-depth education in the more specific areas addressed by the eight specialist options

• Attract highly motivated students, both from within the UK and from overseas

 The expected learning outcomes are:

• to understand the fundamental mechanisms operating in the environment and the principles underlying the tools for sustainable environmental management
• to specialise in particular chosen areas
• to develop the ability to conduct independent rigorous research into environmental problems with confidence
• to be able to employ a knowledge from range of subjects necessary to understand and resolve practical sustainability and environmental problems
• to develop interpersonal and transferable skills, quantitative and qualitative skills

Links with Industry

The MSc in Environmental Technology has developed very strong links with employers and research organisations, and maintains strong links with our large alumni body. All Options benefit from industry and alumni teaching into the course, actively complementing the academic teaching delivered by staff members. Collaborative frameworks are in place aim to deliver outputs beneficial to both organisations and the students in our course.

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Rated second in the UK and 17th in the world for the impact of our research, the Environment department at the University of York offers an outstanding, dynamic and multidisciplinary environment in which to carry out PhD research. Our current PhD students come from many countries around the world and are funded via research councils, charities, industry, government grants, and private resources.

To find a PhD supervisor you can search for people with expertise in a particular area using our find a supervisor tool or you can access individuals’ research interests via our staff profiles. We particularly welcome applications that connect with our research themes and groups.

Prospective students are encouraged to contact potential supervisors early on. They will be happy to give you advice on the feasibility of your research ideas and offer feedback on a draft proposal. For each academic year, we also offer a number of funded studentships to exceptional applicants. Please see the funding section and vacancies section for more information.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), a leading global environmental policy institute, has one of its largest centres embedded within the Environment Department. This unique arrangement allows postgraduate researchers to gain a research degree from the department, whilst simultaneously benefiting from SEI’s strong links to global policy makers such as UNEP and the World Health Organisation, and international connections with other SEI centres in Stockholm, Boston, Bangkok, Dar es Salaam and Oxford.

Programme structure

As a research student in the Environment department, you can expect:
-One or more supervisors to oversee your research and training.
-Potential collaboration with staff at SEI-York or in other departments such as Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Politics or Social Policy.
-A Thesis Advisory Committee of three staff including your supervisors to guide progress and offer support.
-Opportunities to attend seminars by leading scientists from around the world, and to present your own work through posters and talks at departmental conferences.
-A varied, comprehensive and tailored programme of training in both core research methods and broader research-related skills that enhances your career prospects.
-A variety of training and development programmes to assist you in your studies and your career, including an accredited introductory teaching programme for researchers who intend to pursue an academic career.
-Opportunities to enrol in any taught modules offered by the department and other departments in related fields of enquiry.

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Climate change, deforestation and unsustainable use of resources are all issues at the top of the environmental agenda. An understanding of the interactions between the environment and economics is essential for developing appropriate policies to tackle global issues in the long term.

Course details

Environmental and natural resource economists deal every day with the most challenging problems facing mankind: global climatic change, environmental pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and food poverty, to name but a few. 

The Environmental and Natural Resource Economics MSc programme is unique in that it combines a solid foundation in key areas of economics, with specialized field courses.

Our students receive a thorough grounding in macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics, alongside an in-depth knowledge of the economics and policy of environmental pollution, renewable and non-renewable resource use, as well as the interaction between globalization and environmental degradation.

In addition, we emphasise the development of the quantitative skills necessary to understand and perform empirical work in economics, with particular attention to the valuation of environmental goods in monetary terms.

During your time studying the Environmental and Natural Resource Economics MSc at Birmingham Business School, you can expect to learn about:

• global environmental pollutants and climate change,
• emissions trading schemes,
• the links between trade and the environment,
• the role of innovation and technological change policy in securing a transition to a low carbon economy
• the optimal management of fisheries and forests as well as fossil fuels and mineral resources,
• hedonic analysis and choice experiments as methods of valuing intangible goods
• how to modify national accounts to reflect resource depletion and pollution.

Learning and teaching

The Department of Economics boasts a large group of academics highly active in the field of Environmental Economics.

You will be taught by senior members of staff, who regularly publish in the leading journals in their fields, such as the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Environmental and Resource Economics, and Ecological Economics.

We also value excellence in teaching; all our lecturers have received outstanding teaching evaluations, and one of them is a co-author of the best-selling environmental economics textbook in Europe.

The Department of Economics also has numerous PhD students, many working on environment related projects, some of which graduated from our MSc course. We foster a collegial and intellectually stimulating environment by regularly hosting a range of visiting speakers, running a specialized seminar series, and organising postgraduate workshops inviting students from other leading universities

Learning settings

Set in landscaped gardens this multi-million pound home to Birmingham Business School is equipped with the latest facilities and technology to ensure your studies are inspired by their surroundings. Lectures and teaching will take place in a variety of versatile lecture theatres and breakout rooms which, as well as the traditional whiteboard and pen, are equipped with wireless connection and constantly updated technology including all the audio-visual equipment that you would expect from one of the UK’s premier insitutions.

Employability

This programme provides rigorous training in environmental and resource economics. This will prove valuable to employers in local and national government, government agencies, environmental organisations, business and academia.

In recent years, our students have gone on to take up positions in;

• government ministries (the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, etc.)
• public and private sector companies
• international and non-governmental organisations
• consultancy firms

Some of our graduates pursue further studies either in Birmingham or elsewhere, and go on to research and teaching careers in institutions of research and higher education.

Careers in Business

Careers in Business is a dedicated service for postgraduate Business School students. We’ll help you in all aspects of your career management, from planning your job-seeking strategies, applying for jobs, preparing for interviews and assessment centres and developing your essential employability skills. At the start of your programme you will receive an email from our team, giving details of how you can access Careers in Business Online. Please get in touch to find out how our Careers in Business team can support you.

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This two-year course is suitable for students who do not meet the entry requirements for a one-year MSc course, including students who have graduated in an unrelated discipline.

On successful completion of the pre-Masters year you will progress to an MSc Environmental and Natural Resource Economics programme in the Department of Economics.

MSc Environmental and Natural Resource Economics

Environmental and natural resource economists deal every day with the most challenging problems facing mankind: global climatic change, environmental pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and food poverty, to name but a few. This programme is aimed at providing you with the skills necessary to understand the fundamental causes of contemporary environmental problems, and to design policies to solve them.

Pre-Masters

One third of your pre-Masters year will be spent developing your English skills and academic skills; allowing you to approach academic reading and writing with confidence. You will also develop analytical and mathematical skills in your Economics modules.

Aimed at highly motivated international learners with an excellent academic record, the pre-Masters year is designed to bridge the gap between your current qualification and the postgraduate programme at Birmingham. You will develop both subject specific knowledge in the area of Economics and your academic English.

Other general MSc programmes, or more specialised and policy-oriented programmes, are available in the area of Economics, Banking or Finance.

Course details

You will take Economics modules including Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Introductory Econometrics, together with an optional module. These modules will ensure that you have the knowledge and technical base that you need to succeed on one of our MSc programmes. Studying alongside undergraduate students will fully prepare you for the demands of a UK postgraduate course, as well as allowing you to adjust to UK learning and assessment styles.

One third of your pre-Masters year will be spent developing your English skills and academic skills; allowing you to approach academic reading and writing with confidence. You will also develop analytical and mathematical skills in your Economics modules.

Learning and teaching

The Department of Economics boasts a large group of academics highly active in the field of Environmental Economics. You will be taught by senior members of staff, who regularly publish in the leading journals in their fields, such as the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Environmental and Resource Economics, and Ecological Economics. We also value excellence in teaching, all our lecturers have received outstanding teaching evaluations, and one of them is a co-author of the best-selling environmental economics textbook in Europe.

The Department of Economics also has numerous PhD students, many working on environment related projects, some of which graduated from our MSc course. We foster a collegial and intellectually stimulating environment by regularly hosting a range of visiting speakers, running a specialized seminar series, and organising postgraduate workshops inviting students from other leading universities.

Employability

This programme provides rigorous training in environmental and resource economics. This will prove valuable to employers in local and national government, government agencies, environmental organisations, business and academia. 

In recent years, our students have gone on to take up positions in; 

• Government ministries (the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, etc.) 

• public and private sector companies 

• international and non-governmental organisations 

• consultancy firms

Some of our graduates pursue further studies either in Birmingham or elsewhere, and go on to research and teaching careers in institutions of research and higher education.

Please see further general information on Careers

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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.

Course content

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.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

You’ll take five compulsory modules including your dissertation.

• Macroeconomics 15 credits
• Microeconomics 15 credits
• Applied Econometrics 15 credits
• Econometrics 15 credits
• Economics Dissertation 45 credits

Optional modules

You'll also choose five extra optional modules from the list below.

• Principles of Health Economics 15 credits
• Economic Evaluations for Health Technology Assessment 15 credits
• Corporate Finance 15 credits
• International Business Finance 15 credits
• Economics of Globalisation and the International Economy 15 credits
• Distributional Analysis in Economic Development 15 credits
• Understanding the Global Economy 15 credits
• Environmental Economics and Policy 15 credits
• Tools and Techniques in Ecological Economics 15 credits
• Principles of Transport Economics 15 credits
• Welfare Economics and Cost-Benefit Analysis 15 credits
• Economics of Regulation 15 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Economics MSc in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

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.

Assessment

We use assessment methods such as exams, research reports, written assignments, essays and project work, depending on the modules you choose.

Career opportunities

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.

Careers support

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.

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Are you up to the challenge of finding innovative methods and sustainable solutions to the threats facing the environment? The Environmental Sciences master's programme in Wageningen has its roots in the natural, technological and social sciences. Students will gain insight into the socio-economic causes and the characteristics of pollution and degradation of the natural environment, including the effects on human beings, the atmosphere, ecosystems and other organisms. This two-year programme is based on an interdisciplinary approach. Students learn to develop analytical tools and models, as well as technologies, socio-political arrangements and economic instruments to prevent and control environmental and sustainability issues.

Study programme

The Environmental Sciences MSc programme of Wageningen University is an international programme containing one year of course work and and one year of research. It is thesis-oriented with the individual research project (major) as its core. Compulsory elements are kept at a minimum, thus enabling the coursework to be tailored to the wishes and needs of the individual student. Study adviser and thesis supervisor both assist the student in selecting the most relevant courses from what Wageningen University has to offer.  Read more about the background of the programme.

Thesis tracks

Within the master's programme you can choose from the following Thesis tracks to meet your personal interests:

• Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management
• Soil Biology and Biological Soil Quality
• Soil Chemistry and Chemical Soil Quality
• Air Quality and Atmospheric Chemistry
• Environmental Toxicology
• Environmental Systems Analysis
• Environmental Policy
• Environmental Economics
• Water Systems and Global Change
• Environmental Technology

Your future career

Graduates find jobs at many different organisations. Professional job possibilities can be found as:

• A researcher at a university or a research institute
• An adviser at governmental authorities (ministries, provinces and municipalities) or waterboards
• An engineer or a consultant in the industry

Read more about the career perspectives and opportunities.

Related programmes:

MSc Climate Studies 

MSc Urban Environmental Management

MSc Earth and Environment 

MSc Forest and Nature Conservation

MSc Aquaculture and Marine Resource Management.

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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.

About this degree

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

• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Econometrics
• Research Methods

Optional modules

At least two of the following advanced core modules:

• Advanced Macroeconomic Theory
• Advanced Microeconometrics
• Advanced Microeconomic Theory
• Time Series Econometrics

Remaining applied options (taking the total to four) from a list including:

• Public Microeconomics
• Economics of Development
• The Economics of Migration
• Health Economics
• Programme Evaluation for Users
• Behavioural Economics
• Macroeconomic Policy
• Ethics in Welfare Economics
• Empirical Industrial Organisation
• Topics in Labour Economics
• Topics in Money and Finance
• Economics of Households
• Environmental Economics: Principle and Policy

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

Careers

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

• Economic Consultant, Lloyds Banking Group
• Economics Adviser, Department for Transport
• Economist, Bank of England
• Economist, Government of Singapore
• PhD in Game Theory, LSE (The London School of Economics and Political Science)

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.

Why study this degree at UCL?

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.

Research Excellence Framework (REF)

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.

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The world we live in is an increasingly urban one as cities currently account for half the world’s population. By 2030, it is expected that three out of every five people will live in an urban environment. Sustainable management of the urban environment has become one of the major challenges of the 21st century as you will learn during the two-year master's Urban Environmental Management programme at the university. This development calls for control of the environmental impacts of urbanisation like growing traffic, increasing waste emissions, deteriorating air and water quality, and growth in energy and resource consumption. 

Study programme

Inadequate water supply, sanitation, waste collection and waste management systems are the cause of serious urban pollution and health hazards in many Asian, African and Latin American cities. The MSc programme Urban Environmental Management is an international and interactive programme providing a balanced curriculum of theory, tools and application. It aims to train students like you to guide the future along the path of sustainable urbanisation.

On the Programme of Urban Environmental Management page you can find the general outline of the programme and more detailed information about courses, theses and internships.

Thesis tracks

Within the master's programme you can choose one of the following Thesis tracks to meet your personal interests.

• Environmental Economics
• Environmental Policy
• Environmental Systems Analysis
• Geo-information Science
• Land Use Planning
• Management Studies
• Urban System Engineering

Your future career

Graduates from the MSc Urban Environmental Management (MUE) programme are well-equipped with the skills and knowledge to continue academic training (PhD) or continue their career outside the University.

Read more about career perspectives and opportunities after finishing the programme and Career preparation during your studies.

Related programmes:

MSc Environmental Sciences 

MSc International Development Studies 

MSc Landscape Architecture and Planning

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The MSc in Environmental Management draws on expertise in the School of Geographical & Earth Sciences and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Glasgow. Together they represent a leading centre of expertise in environmental teaching and research. They work on issues dealing with the natural and urban environment including policies and practices for environmental management.

Programme structure

The MSc in Environmental Management aims to produce graduates who
◾have a strong understanding of the environment and how it changes
◾have an awareness of economic and policy issues affecting the environment
◾are able to apply practical and technical solutions to assist in the management of the environment, environmental risk and environmental change.

You will develop a firm understanding of the environment – and how human and physical processes affect it.

You will be introduced to policies and practices for environmental management, as they are applied in a range of environments and at different scales. You will develop skills in processing and presenting environmental information to inform and enhance environmental management.

You will gain an enhanced appreciation of the importance of research and reflection as a route to successful environmental management.

Graduate attributes

This degree programme equips you for a wide range of opportunities by providing the knowledge and understanding to:
◾Critically assess the influence of physical processes and the impact of human decision making on the environment
◾Evaluate theories of environmental management
◾Discuss theories of climate change, how this will affect different environments
◾Compare and contrast environmental management policies in different regions and at different scales
◾Develop strategies for behavioural change to improve management of the environment
◾Explain the need to develop policies to manage the environment at different scales
◾Create plans to react to and manage environmental change
◾Explain how GIS and Remote Sensing contribute to the management of environmental data and can contribute to environmental management.

Courses

The programme is taken over 2 years of full-time study and is divided into 4 main components:

Part 1: Compulsory courses taught by University of Glasgow (Total 80 credits)
◾Principles of Geographic Information Systems for Environmental Management (20 credits)
◾Environmental Remote Sensing (20 credits)
◾Understanding Changing Environments (20 credits)
◾Environmental Ethics and Behaviour Change (20 credits)

Part 2: Compulsory courses taught by Nankai University (Total 50 credits)
◾Applied Mathematics (20 credits)
◾Environmental Economics (15 credits)
◾Environmental Management

Part 3: Optional courses taught by Nankai University (Total 30 credits)

At least 2 from:
◾Environmental Planning and Strategic Environmental Assessment (15 credits)
◾Cleaner Production (15 credits)
◾Municipal Ecology (15 credits)
◾Environmental Risk Assessment (15 credits)
◾Advancement in Environmental Impact Assessment Techniques (15 credits)

Part 4: Compulsory Research Experience and Skills
◾Social Science Research Methods (20 credits – taught by UofG)
◾Dissertation or Major Project on an approved topic in Environmental Management (60 credits – jointly supervised. 20 Glasgow / 40 Nankai)

Career prospects

Career opportunities include positions in international organisations, government ministries, academia and research institutions, non-governmental organisations; and further study at PhD level.

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