Economics MSc

Our economics postgraduate course is challenging but rewarding. It is designed to equip you with tools and techniques that provide a strong basis for careers in business, government and academia. It provides a grounding in economics and econometric techniques:<br/><br/><br/>- looking at standard economic theories and their applications to new economic problems<br/><br/><br/>- enabling you to access and evaluate current research output in academic journals and in the public domain<br/><br/><br/>- providing you with the ability to use economic analysis and related techniques in practical and professional contexts<br/><br/><br/>- examining the issues behind current controversies in economics and finance<br/><br/><br/>- training you in quantitative skills and data handling<br/><br/><br/>- requiring you to combine your theoretical and quantitative understanding in an original piece of applied work.<br/><br/><br/>Prior training in economics is a distinct advantage, but not essential. If your first degree is in another discipline, in your first year at Birkbeck we may ask you to complete some or all of the modules in our well-established Graduate Diploma in Economics, which will provide you with key tools in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics to enable you to tackle advanced study in economics. The exact choice and number of modules will depend on your academic background.<br/><br/>You will learn to assess original ideas in academic papers and to test them with the use of econometrics.<br/><br/>**MRes Economics**: If you opt for the MRes it will prepare you to undertake MPhil/PhD or professional research by giving you the theoretical knowledge and analytical techniques you need. The course will give you a solid understanding of economics through modules taught at Masters and MPhil level, including a dedicated research topics module in macroeconomics. You can also specialise in a particular area of personal or professional interest via a range of option modules. You will be assigned an academic MRes supervisor from the onset. After specialist training in research skills, you will undertake a piece of independent research, supervised by one of our academics and culminating in a dissertation. If you are interested in pursuing further research, we offer an associated MPhil/PhD Economics.<br/><br/>**Highlights**<br/><br/><br/>- We offer you a high quality virtual learning environment with online resources that complement our teaching, including video recordings of lectures. Some modules may also offer opportunities to study online, although this may only be available for home students.<br/><br/><br/>- Since we started teaching this course, we have taught generations of economists, who have gone on to work at the Bank of England, the Treasury, the Civil Service, consultancy and in academia.<br/><br/><br/>- This course is recognised as a research training programme by the Economic and Social Research Council. For UK and EU applicants intending to pursue research, ESRC studentships (one year for the Master’s course followed by three years of funding for research) may be available for candidates with a strong academic background.<br/><br/><br/>- 84% of our Economics and Econometrics research outputs were ranked world-leading or internationally excellent in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, placing us among the top economics departments in the UK.<br/><br/><br/>**Careers and employability**<br/><br/>Graduates can pursue career paths in banking and finance, the public sector, industry, and research and analysis. Possible professions include:<br/><br/><br/>- economist<br/><br/><br/>- financial risk analyst<br/><br/><br/>- statistician<br/><br/><br/>- management consultant<br/><br/><br/>- actuary<br/><br/><br/>- Civil Service fast-streamer<br/><br/><br/>- local government officer.<br/><br/><br/>The MRes will enable you to conduct research at MPhil/PhD level or develop a career in:<br/><br/><br/>- economics and finance<br/><br/><br/>- the Civil Service<br/><br/><br/>- journalism<br/><br/><br/>- politics and international development<br/><br/><br/>- research for banks, think tank, consultancy firms.<br/>