Masters degrees in Economic Policy allow postgraduates to specialise in the impact of economic analysis and the decisions based upon it by governments and other organisations. Courses combine economic theory with a practical focus.
Most programmes award taught MSc degrees, but research qualifications and shorter Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma courses are available.
This innovative course has been designed to develop your ability to apply economic analysis to policy issues and business problems, which are often ambiguous and multi-faceted. Although there is a strong theoretical core, the course focus of the course is very much on the practical application of economic techniques to problems, and on developing the ability to communicate the insights that economic analysis can provide.
The International Economic Policy and Analysis MSc programme was uniquely created (and has been maintained) in conjunction with the UK Government Economic Service (GES) since 2012.
The course aims to provide you with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the latest developments in economics, with a focus on practical skills and development of the skills needed by a working economist. It is specifically aimed at those with a genuine interest in the application of economics to real-world situations.
As well as enhancing your ability to apply relevant economic principles in the support of policy and strategy development, the course aims to develop your ability to communicate complex issues to wide audiences, your awareness of significant sources of economic and financial data, the problems faced when carrying out policy evaluation and your capability for self-awareness and group working.
You will gain an understanding of the key concepts in economics that underpin public sector policy and business decision making. This includes the various scenarios where we explore opportunity cost, equilibrium and disequilibrium, strategic interaction, market failure and the related concept of externalities.
You'll develop your analytical skills by applying these concepts to current challenges that face the profession, at both macro and micro levels, and in both private and public sectors. This will provide you with the latest insights drawn from both the academic and practitioner arenas.
Students on this course benefit from free access to part of the material on the course reading list and an online subscription to Financial Times. In addition, you will get exposure to a global network of professional economists through a free student membership to the Society of Business Economists.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course. You may choose one option module in addition to the core modules.
Core modules
Option 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
As an economics postgraduate, you can look forward to excellent career prospects. Our students have gone on to successful careers in government and consultancy as economic analysts, regulatory economists and market analysts. The strong international focus of the course provides an excellent opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills to pursue a career in multinational companies or international organisations. Many graduates return to their countries of origin and are employed in developing international business opportunities or government institutions, while other graduates develop their careers with international charities or other non-governmental organisations.
While this vocationally oriented course develops skills for devising and evaluating policies and strategies, rather than simply training academic economists, several of our recent graduates have also found that it has opened up opportunities for PhD study.
The MA Communicating Economic Policy programme is an exciting mix of economic policy and the communication of economic knowledge. Economic arguments are central to political decision-making, and the most effective economic analysts are not only able to understand the technical detail, but can also engage in meaningful conversation about economic matters with both economists and the general public.
This Master’s programme can be completed in one year (full-time), or stretched over two years (part-time). International students who require a visa are only eligible to study this programme on a one-year, full-time basis.
The MA Communicating Economic Policy programme has three main strands: economic policy, which equips you with an understanding of the conceptual tools of an economist; research skills, which teaches you the skills required to handle quantitative data, offers a grounding in qualitative research skills, and prepares you to undertake the entire production process of independent research; and economic communication, which invites you to reflect on what the field of economics can achieve, what its limitations are, and how these can be communicated to non- expert audiences.
The MA Communicating Economic Policy comprises ten core courses studied full-time across a single academic year, or part-time over two academic years.
The courses comprise: Microeconomic Principles, Public & Industrial Economic Policy, Communication & Public Understanding of Economics, Statistics & Quantitive Research Skills, Macroeconomic Principles, International Economic Policy, The Making & Communication of Economic Knowledge, Research Design & Data Collection, and Ethics & Evaluation of Communication, plus Dissertation and lay summary article.
The MA Communicating Economic Policy will be delivered predominantly through seminars, of no more than 10 people, and individual tutorials.
Students who are enrolled full-time should anticipate devoting approximately 35-40 hours per week to their studies for the duration of their degree. In Michaelmas and Hilary terms, this will include approximately six to seven formal contact hours per week, with the remainder consisting of structured independent study.
Independent study primarily comprises preparing both formative and summative work, though it may also include participation in History Society meetings, History Research seminars, and professorial lectures. In Trinity term, students predominantly work independently to write their dissertations.
Part-time students will, on average, devote half as much time to their studies over a period lasting twice as long.
Summative assessment for the MA Communicating Economic Policy will be by a range of essays, a portfolio, a computer based project, seminar presentations, research proposal and examination. Students will also be assessed on a dissertation approximately 15,000 words including a lay summary article of approximately 1,000 words.
Timetables are usually made available to students during Freshers’ Week. Teaching can be scheduled to take place during any day of the week. However, when possible, Wednesday afternoons are usually reserved for sports and cultural activities.
NCH degrees are designed and created by the College’s professors and faculty. The courses reflect their areas of expertise and research interests, meaning that they are strongly engaged with the material that they will teach you, and there may be opportunities for students to participate in active research.
The New College of the Humanities MA Communicating Economic Policy degree programme is validated by Swansea University as being of an appropriate standard and quality and will lead to the Swansea University award of a Master of Science (MA).
How do we deal with the long term challenges from new technologies, globalisation, demographic shifts and environmental change? Are our current pension and healthcare systems strong enough to cope with an ageing population? What policies are required to achieve environmental sustainability - and who is responsible for taking action? If you are strongly motivated to contribute to just and effective decisions in economic policy-making, the Master’s in Economic Policy at Utrecht University School of Economics (U.S.E.) is the right choice for you.
Based on Utrecht University’s research expertise, this multidisciplinary Master’s gives you 360-degree picture of the importance of economic policy-making for business, government, and society.
In the Master in Economic Policy you focus on
Read more about the study programme.
This MSc in Economic Policy provides you with:
You will actively participate in major research projects, conduct your own research, present your results, and write short essays and a master’s thesis.
Upon completion of the MSc in Economic Policy you are prepared for a wide range of careers in both the public and private sector. Our alumni have gone on to develop careers as economics policy advisors for government agencies at the national, European and international level; as economic professionals in the public domain of public administration, health care, education and social security; or as consultants in sustainable transitions and energy economics. Read more about possible career prospects.
Economic policy problems are everywhere. Think of the financial crisis in 2008 and the Eurocrisis that erupted in 2010. Think also of population ageing which causes large increases in spending on healthcare and pensions. Global warming may threaten future life on earth. And income inequality is increasing almost everywhere in the Western world due to globalization and technological changes. In order to be able to solve economic problems governments need excellent policy economists. By completing this Master programme you will be able to apply state-of-the-art economic theory and research methods to solve the most important policy issues of our time.
Besides courses, the core of the Master programme consists of seminars. In the main seminar you will try to solve one of the most pressing policy problems of our time. Moreover, our partners will provide internships for the best students of the program, for example, at one of the Ministries, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, competition and other government authorities. During this internship you will also most likely write your Master’s thesis.
The main values of the Policy Economics programme at Erasmus School of Economics are: open minded, curious, academically thorough, hard-working and politically engaged. If you are a strongly analytical student, if you are highly motivated, and if you are socially engaged, then you should enroll in the Master in Policy Economics!
Good policy economists are scarce and your career perspectives will be excellent. When graduating from this master you will be able to work as an applied policy economist at ministries, applied research institutes, bureaus for policy analysis, and international institutions. The places where our Policy Economics specialisation alumni will be working are the Dutch Ministries, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Research, the Dutch Central Bank, the OECD, and universities.
Typically, a Policy Economics student is smart, active and has above-average Bachelor grades. Do you have a keen interest in applied-policy issues and the public sector? Then you should read what our students have to say.
Download the brochure here.
Bridging the gap between theory and practice – and applying them to the design of sound, feasible policies – can provide the key to solving micro, meso and macroeconomic issues.
How do policy makers make decisions that affect economic, societal and personal welfare? How is welfare defined and measured? And how can we design more effective policies? This specialisation covers not only econometric questions, but also psychological, cultural, legal and philosophical ones. By improving your insight into complex issues, it will prepare you for designing successful strategies in your future career as a policy maker or consultant .
Our graduates are experts in economic policies who work for government and semi-government organisations, and also as consultants in business and industry. You can do the same. By examining real-world scenarios, you’ll acquire the analytical skills you need to take research results and apply them to a wide variety of problems.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/ep
- You’ll tackle economic and policy issues at all levels – focusing mostly on the real economy.
- You’ll combine learning with research: your lecturers are researchers who incorporate the latest findings into their teaching. As a student, you’ll also do research.
- You’ll interact with your professors in small seminar groups.
- By taking our ‘Economics Plus’ package, you’ll combine ‘standard’ economics with disciplines such as psychology and sociology. This will give you the knowledge you need to tackle policy issues in today’s globalised world.
You’ll gain a strong theoretical background in both mainstream and heterodox (i.e. non-mainstream) economic theories, augmented by methods derived from disciplines that include psychology and sociology. There’s good reason for this broad approach: if an economic problem seems intractable, you may need to change your perspective. We also examine the policy relevance of theoretical insights and give you the tools you need to design policies that will make a difference to people’s lives.
1. A Bachelor's degree in Economics – or a closely-related discipline – from a research-oriented university, with sufficient background in Research Methods and Mathematics (and Economics if you took a different degree).
2. Proficiency in English
In order to take part in this programme, you must be fluent in both written and spoken English. Non-native speakers of English need one of qualifications below. Please note that certificates must have been awarded in the past two years, and that no other certificates are accepted:
- A TOEFL (iBT) Certificate with a minimum overall score of 90 and no subscore not less than 18, or
- IELTS Academic Certificate: a minimum overall score of 6.5 less than 6.0, or
- A Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) with a minimum score of C, or
- A Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) with a minimum score of C.
3. A letter of motivation (max. 2 pages)
Please explain why you want to follow this programme and why you think you should be part of this programme.
This programme will provide you with a toolbox filled with the skills and knowledge needed to tackle a whole array of economic problems. Besides issues at the micro and macroeconomic level, graduates learn to deal with issues at the meso level, for example, how to stimulate innovation.
Our graduates devise policies and learn to analyse critically which solutions are most likely to work in a specific economic and social context. They regularly find employment as policy makers for government and semi-government organisations, in ministries, national banks, NGOs, think tanks, the UN and the EU , as well as national and international labour organisations. But your career prospects are much broader than that. You could for example, work as a consultant in industry or as a lobbyist.
By giving you a strong theoretical grounding in a broad range of current economic theories – both mainstream and heterodox –this programme will show you not just what is happening, but also why and how. To ensure that it is always relevant, we update the content every year.
Our main aim is to unravel the diversity – and the complexity – of economic issues, and thus clarify the role of economics in society. At the micro level, we might look at, for example, policies for reducing traffic jams or encouraging citizens to opt for more sustainable ways of living. At the meso level, we might examine policies intended to determine which companies should be supported – those that are struggling or those that are successful? – and how companies can be encouraged to innovate. And at the macro level, we might try to determine whether government policies should respond to financial crises through austerity or through investment.
Lectures are devoted to detailed discussions of a wide range of real-world scenarios. As an active participant, you’ll join in debates with your lecturers and your fellow students, and sometimes with experts from the field. One module – Technology & Innovation Policy – is taught by an emeritus professor and two business leaders. Guest speakers are drawn from varied backgrounds, such as a recent speaker from the Dutch Ministry of Finance, who discussed financial illiteracy. Activities such as these all exemplify the kinds of concerns – economic and otherwise – you’ll be likely to encounter as a policy maker.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/ep
The Joint Master in Global Economic Governance and Public Affairs takes place in Rome, Berlin and Nice. The programme is focused on how to assess, manage and enhance private and public institutions’ governance with a wide range of economic and digital intelligence tools.
The Master is offered by CIFE in cooperation with the LUISS School of Government in Rome.
You can download our flyer here
The programme starts in Rome (October to December). Courses will give an introduction to Global Governance, focusing on the context and challenges of economic governance and policy in the 21st century.
The Master continues in Berlin (January to March). Teaching will be concentrating on new forms of transnational and interregional governance as a way forward towards Sustainable Development in the context of major climate and demographic changes.
Studying in Berlin, one of the most dynamic and inspiring cities of the 21st Century, helps students to analyse how institutions, corporations, foundations and research centers are preparing the transition towards climate and demographic changes through innovative economic, social and environmental initiatives. Courses will discuss topics such as energy transition and sustainable finance. Case studies will review public-private partnership and innovative governance to ensure sustainable development.
Courses conclude in Nice (April to June). A special focus will be laid on Policy Intelligence, inciting participants to investigate how far the digital society enables transforming economic data into policy knowledge. As part of their academic requirements, students will complete a final master thesis.
Overview of the teaching Modules :
Learn the context and challenges of economic governance and policy in the 21st century while attending the following courses:
- Democracy and Global Governance: conceptual and methodological issues
- Global politics: power shifts in an age of globalization
- Statistics for international public affairs
- The political economy of the Eurocrisis
Study new forms of transnational and interregional governance as a way forward towards sustainable development in the context of major climate and demographic changes by completing the following courses :
- Transnational Innovation
- Global and Local Regulation
- Interregional innovation
- Investigate how far the digital society enables transforming economic data into policy knowledge by studying:
- Cybergovernance
- Economic Indicators
- Global Risk Management
- Applied Research Methodology, case studies, simulation exercises and skills workshops
Throughout the whole curriculum in Rome, Berlin and Nice, students will participate in networking meetings with national and international government officials, private sector representatives and leading academics, organised by LUISS School of Government in Rome and by CIFE in Berlin and Nice.
For more information, please refer to CIFE's dedicated webpage and the LUISS School of Government's dedicated website
Graduates receive two certifications from the CIFE along with a diploma from the LUISS School of Government, granting altogether 60 ECTS at Master level:
Candidates must submit an online registration dossier to the LUISS secretariat at:
http://sog.luiss.it/graduate-programs/joint-master-global-economic-governance-and-public-affairs/online-application
The Application deadline is 22 July 2018.
About the Programme
The (Master of Advanced Studies) MAS ETH in Science, Technology and Policy provides natural science and engineering graduates with complementary skills in public policy analysis and policy management. The programme's focus is building students' ability to situate scientific and engineering knowledge within a broader social, economic, and political context, and analyse policy-making institutions, processes and policy options as well as policy management and evaluation procedures.
While emphasis is on a wide range of skills in policy analysis and management, the programme offers ample opportunities to apply those skills to specific policy areas of interest.The MAS ETH STP will support the creation of a next generation of decision makers and policy leaders truly literate in science and technology as well as policy.
The MAS Programme includes lectures, seminars, case studies, and independent research work, including an extensive policy analysis project. The first half of the programme is designed for full time study, and the second half of the programme can be completed through full- or part-time study in combination with an internship or professional employment.
Objectives
The programme's goal is to complement students' scientific or engineering skills with additional education in public policy analysis and policy management to support successful careers in government, public administration, corporate regulatory and strategy divisions, international organisations, and civil society.
Professional perspectives
The MAS ETH STP programme is for students seeking to combine their science or engineering knowledge with skills in policy analysis and policy management. Potential future employers include:
The Economics of Public Policy Program will prepare you for analytical positions at public institutions, international organizations, consulting firms, research institutions, and think tanks.
The Economics of Public Policy Program provides students with the theoretical and empirical fundamentals to answer questions that impact entire populations.
How and why do particular public policies get implemented? How are they designed? How do we know if they work? Why are some policies more successful than others?
National-level finance and planning involves big numbers: pensions, health systems, income support, social programs, and so forth. Successful public policies can make all the difference for the lives of millions of individuals, with numbers and effects become much larger for developed countries and faster growing in developing ones.
Students will be exposed to the views of experts from fields other than Economics in order to build an appreciation for the multidisciplinary nature of public policy design and evaluation. A master's advisor will guide each student in completing an independent master's project by the end of the program, allowing specialization in a policy topic of the student's choice.
Our graduates will be prepared to take on analytical positions at public institutions, international organizations, consulting firms, research institutions, and think tanks.
Graduates will also be well-prepared to pursue advanced post-graduate study of Policy or Economics.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a Master Degree in Specialized Economic Analysis awarded jointly with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. The degree requires the successful completion of 60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits of graduate courses (6 credits are equivalent to a 40 hour course), some compulsory and some elective. The students' final program must be discussed with and approved by the Master Director.
Examples of recent professional placements:
Examples of recent PhD placements:
The MSc in Health Economics and Econometrics is ideal for new graduates hoping to pursue a career in health economics or for those currently working in the health care sector who wish to develop skills in health economics.
This programme gives you the opportunity to follow a more econometrics based pathway underpinned by microeconomic theory, while taking the core modules required to study Health Economics (Economic Evaluation and Modelling for Health Care Decision Making).
The programme is targeted at those with an undergraduate economics-based degree and a desire to obtain a technical training relevant for a career in which these skills can be applied to the health care sector nationally and internationally. With its blend of applied health economic modules and specialist economic modules, the MSc in Health Economics and Econometrics is ideal for individuals wishing to embark on a career as a health economist in industry, the health service or academia. This is an area identified as a priority for the health service and health economists with these skills are in short supply.
The purpose of this programme is to fully equipped you to utilise, analyse and interpret the big data sets that are increasingly available across health systems in addition to understanding these in the context of health and economic related issues and policy. This programme builds on the strength and experience of the Department of Economics and the Health Economics Unit in providing high quality Masters programmes.
The MSc in Health Economics and Econometrics is hosted by the Health Economics Unit in collaboration with the Department of Economics. This programme incorporates two core modules provided by the Department of Economics (Microeconomics, Econometrics) and four core modules from the MSc Health Economics and Health Policy Programme (Introduction to Health Economics, Economic Evaluation, Statistics II, Modelling for Health Economics) and one relevant policy based optional module.
This programme provides a contrast to the long-established MSc Health Economics and Health Policy programme by providing a greater focus on the underpinning advanced economic theory and econometrics for those students with excellent undergraduate degrees in economics. However it retains the provision of the key skills associated with the conduct of economic evaluation, modelling as well as an exposure to economic policy (expected in many health economic posts).
As a Birmingham student, you will be joining the academic elite and will have the privilege of learning from world-leading experts, as well as your peers. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.
On this programme the modules delivered by the Department of Economics are delivered in traditional weekly lectures and classes whilst the modules delivered by the Health Economics Unit are delivered via block sessions of 3 or 5 days. This programme is only suitable for students in full time study. You will participate in a range of teaching styles such as lectures, small group tutorials, presentations, peer group learning, self-study etc. You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues.
With its blend of applied health economic modules and specialist economic modules the MSc in Health Economics and Econometrics is ideal for individuals wishing to embark on a career as a health economist in industry, the health service or academia.
Employability from the allied and established MSc in Health Economics and Health Policy has been consistently high. This new programme has been specifically designed to complement the current demand by building on specific skills that are known to be in short supply.
This programme will supplement the standard health economic toolkit of economic evaluation and modelling by helping those with particular technical interests to develop techniques to analyse aspects of the Health Service and the big data sets that are being developed and those which are currently available in health service systems and databases.
Careers Support for Postgraduates
Careers Network – We can help you get ahead in the job market and develop your career
We recognise that as a postgraduate student you are likely to have specific requirements when it comes to planning for your next career step. Employers expect postgraduates to have a range of skills that exceed their subject knowledge. Careers Network offers a range of events and support services that are designed for all students, including postgraduates looking to find their niche in the job market. The Careers Network also have subject specific careers consultants and advisers for each College so you can be assured the information you receive will be relevant to your subject area. For more information visit the Careers Network website.
