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MSc Economics

Start date
September
Duration
1 year full-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees
For 2024-2025:
£13,770 (UK)
£26,280 (International)
Attractive scholarships are available

Study Economics with us to understand market dynamics, drive change and impact the world.

Excel in theory, thrive in practice. Our MSc Economics programme is carefully designed to provide an optimal blend of strong theoretical knowledge and hands-on practical skills, allowing students to specialise in specific subjects tailored to meet their individual needs and professional aspirations. The curriculum is designed to cultivate a broad spectrum of transferable skills, emphasising the theoretical foundations of Economics and policy analysis. This programme puts a strong focus on empirical and practical applications within real-world business, life, and global contexts.

Through our strong links with industry your academic study is combined with a real practical focus, leading to vast and varied job opportunities once you graduate. 

Who is this course for?

The MSc Economics is tailored for motivated and ambitious students who have studied Economics at bachelor’s level.

Whether you’re looking at operating as an economics professional, in the public or private sector, in the UK or abroad, or undertaking research by enrolling on a PhD with us, this programme is designed to meet your needs and professional aspirations. 

Why study this course at Birmingham?

  • You will be taught by prominent academics with expertise in various areas of economics who will help you develop critical awareness and understanding of the theoretical foundations of economics and its applications to the real world which will contribute to giving you an edge over the competition. 
  • You will get to choose one of the three optional named specialisms: Environmental and Natural Resource Economics; Behavioural and Experimental Economics; and Development Economics. Each pathway is designed to prepare students for more specialised policy work or research within the named area. 
  • Conduct an innovative and practical research project during the summer term, fostering valuable and transferable skills that will significantly boost your career prospects.  
  • Birmingham is the UK’s Second City and one of the fastest-growing economies in the UK on top of a strong performer in terms of employment. In combination with our specialist careers service and links with employers in the industry, Birmingham Business School places employability at the forefront. 
  • Birmingham Business School belongs to the elite tier of global business schools holding the prestigious Triple-Crown accreditation from leading bodies AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB. This distinction ensures the highest standards in education and research excellence.

Discover our unique scholarship offers

Students walking on University campusAt Birmingham Business School we offer a wide variety of scholarships for our new MSc students in 2024.

These awards are available to both UK and international applicants and range in value from partial to full tuition fee support.

Find out more about our scholarship offers


 

Modules

Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2024.

Core modules

The following modules must be taken. Each is worth 20 credits except for the dissertation which is worth 60 credits:

When selecting optional modules, you can choose a specialism, which requires a specific combination from the list below. You also have the opportunity to follow a mixed pathway route, tailoring the course to your requirements.

Environmental and Natural Resource Economics specialism: 

Students who wish to be awarded the Environmental and Natural Resource Economics specialism must choose the following two modules: 

Behavioural and Experimental Economics specialism: 

Students who wish to be awarded the Behavioural and Experimental Economics specialism must choose the following two modules: 

Development Economics specialism: 

Students who wish to be awarded the Development Economics specialism must choose the following two modules: 

You must also write a dissertation in the relevant area.

Any remaining credits should be chosen from the full list of optional modules below. 

Optional modules if no specialism has been chosen

You choose three modules from the following selection:


Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Fees

Fees 2024 - 2025

  • £13,770 (UK)
  • £26,280

Please note that you will be required to pay a £50 non-refundable application fee for all of the above courses.

  • For further information on programme fees and information please visit our Fees and Financing page.

Scholarships

  • For information on scholarships you may be eligible to apply for, please use our PG Funding Database.
  • Business School Scholarships may be available, find out more about our scholarships.

Additional Course Costs

  • In addition to the Tuition Fees you will need to consider accommodation, living expenses and daily costs. You can find financial advice and support on our Finance pages, or use the below links to find further information.
  • For an estimate of living costs for a postgraduate student at the University of Birmingham, see our Living Costs pages.
  • For information on our accommodation and services, including the support we offer to students wanting to rent privately, please visit the Accommodation pages.

Questions about funding? Use our Student Help knowledge base to find the answer.

How To Apply

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

In order to be considered, applicants will have or should be expecting to achieve an Honours degree (2:1 or higher) from a UK university (or overseas equivalent) in Economics or a related discipline. Applicants must have achieved a pass mark at undergraduate level in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics or Statistics modules. 

Find out more about entry requirements   

International Requirements



International Students

Standard English language requirements apply (IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band).


  • IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band
  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 in Listening, 22 in Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) including online: PTE Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced – minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

If you are currently studying at a Chinese university, please view our specific entry requirements including our list of acceptable universities for further study at Birmingham.

English Presessional Programmes   

If you are looking to improve your knowledge of spoken and written English in preparation for studying at Birmingham, our pre-sessional English courses are for you. If you have a conditional offer, you can take one of these courses as an alternative to retaking IELTS or other similar qualifications. Find out more  

Students will be taught through a mixture of lectures, workshops, and seminars, and will be assessed through exams, group and individual projects and presentations, reports, essays, videos, digital artefacts, and case studies.

The world of economics is affected by the current challenges we face. This is why this course, in line with Birmingham Business School’s responsible business ethos, will examine economic issues relating to ethics and sustainability.

Excellent career prospects

By studying this programme, students can expect to develop the disciplinary knowledge and competence in methodology and techniques required for research and policy analysis in Economics, as well as generic skills that are applicable across a wide range of careers. Examples of possible careers include amongst others:

  • Economist
  • Audit Associate
  • Management consultant
  • Research analyst
  • Insight analyst
  • Corporate finance assistant
  • Marketing intelligence analyst
  • Associate
  • Process engineer
  • Audit associate
  • Finance business partner

Our graduates go on to work for governments, central banks, development agencies and other public sector and industry leaders such as:

  • PwC
  • Deloitte
  • Virgin Media O2
  • Bank of China
  • Okasan Securities
  • Foseco
  • HSBC
  • Broadridge
  • China National Chemical Engineering
  • Reserve Bank of India

This postgraduate course is also a great first-step towards doctoral research for those students who wish to pursue a career in academia. 

BBS Careers and Careers Network

As a Birmingham Business School student, you will benefit from two award-winning Careers teams.  

Careers Network is the University of Birmingham careers and employability team offering: career fairs, employer events with top firms across the UK, start-up and entrepreneurial activities, and support. Internships and bursaries are also available exclusively to University of Birmingham students.   

BBS Careers is a dedicated service for Birmingham Business School students. The team provides guidance, support, and work experience opportunities, tailored to business school students, to help you succeed during and after university. We offer workshops, alumni and employer events, and 1-to-1 consultations. These will help you to develop your skills and learn how to submit high-quality internship and graduate applications.  

BBS Careers is one of a few, if not the only business school career service to offer life-long support.  

We are here to support you! Whether you are applying for postgraduate end-of-study internship, a graduate job, or applying for a management role five years after graduation.  

Visit the BBS website for more details

Strong links with industry 

The Birmingham Business School’s strong links with industry mean that rigorous academic study is combined with a strong practical focus, leading to excellent job opportunities.   

Future Leaders Certificate 

The postgraduate Future Leaders Certificate, run by the Business School’s Careers in Business team, is an extra-curricular programme designed to prepare you for the potential impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). You will gain the skills you need to stand out and succeed within this increasingly competitive market. As part of this, you will be encouraged to increase your awareness of responsible business and ethical considerations. 

The Certificate culminates in our Gold Award, where you will receive expert coaching, mentoring and industry insight, and work on a group project set by multi-national companies which places high importance on their social and corporate responsibility.