MSc Economics

Start date
September
Duration
1 year full-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees
For 2023/24:
£10,170 (Home)
£22,950 (International)
Attractive scholarships are available

Specialised courses in economic theory and econometrics will give you a sophisticated understanding of policy issues as you prepare for your career in the industry. Our programme will provide you with an excellent set of specialist and transferable skills.

A deep understanding of economics is key to our continuing function as a global economy, helping to establish successful trade, monetary and welfare policies across our nations. This programme will provide you with an advanced training in core areas of economics, while also enabling you to specialise according to your interests. The programme reflects the rapid expansion of the subject in recent years, and deals with topical issues. 

Your employability options are vast and varied, our strong links with industry mean that rigorous undergraduate academic study is combined with a real practical focus, leading to excellent job opportunities.

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 2023.

These awards are available to both UK and international applicants and range in value from partial to full tuition fee support, as well as awards of up to £10,000 for our alumni.

Find out more about our scholarship offers


 

Modules

Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2023.

Core modules

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

Optional modules

You will choose 40 credits from the following modules:


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

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

Find out more about fees.

Postgraduate Taught Scholarships in Birmingham Business School

We have a number of scholarships available for students joining us in September 2023 on our 12-month MSc programmes. Full details regarding eligibility and application can be found on our Business School scholarships page.

Other sources of funding may be available. Explore our Scholarship and funding database.

Postgraduate Loans for Masters students

UK and EU students (with settled or pre-settled status) looking to pursue a Masters programme in the UK can apply for a non-means-tested loan from the British government via the Student Loans Company (SLC).

Detailed criteria and information regarding the application can be found on our  postgraduate funding page

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

How To Apply

1 July 2023 is the application deadline for international students applying through the student route who wish to study in the United Kingdom. We are not able to consider applications for 2023 made after this date. The deadline for Home students is 31 August 2023.

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

Apply online

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 mark equivalent to a 2:2 at undergraduate level in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics or Statistics, and Mathematics or a Quantitative module. 

Applicants who demonstrate being able to exceed the minimum entry requirements will be given preference.

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.

The aim is to train students for careers as economists or managers in commerce, industry, banking, financial services or the public sector.  Module assignments, and in particular the dissertation, provide an initial training in the kind of skills needed for the independent investigations which are likely to be important in professional careers. For students proceeding to research training, the MSc Economics programe will provide much of the basic methodology and techniques required. 

A high-class learning environment

Students outside the Alan Walters BuildingAs a postgraduate student, you will have access to our award-winning £10 million postgraduate teaching space, the Alan Walters Building. This will provide you with access to facilities of the highest quality, including a state-of-the-art lecture theatre, dedicated computer clusters and seminar rooms as well as communal areas for studying and group work, which look out over the University's ambitious Green Heart development, which was completed in 2019.

Assessment Methods

A number of methods of assessment are used in the Business School, including assignments, group work, presentation, and examinations. Help and guidance on other forms of assessment will be given in the module in which they are used.

We pride ourselves on our graduates’ high levels of employability. We will help you to plan, manage and achieve your career goals, giving you the competitive edge when it is time to start job hunting. The University of Birmingham has ranked in the top 5 Universities Targeted by the Largest Number of Top Employers in the UK for the past 5 years, according to the Highfliers.co.uk Graduate Market reports (2017-2022).

Many employers visit the Business School to run seminars for our students. In fact, companies such as IBM, HSBC, and Deloitte are just a few of the organisations who see these sessions as an opportunity to look for suitable candidates for internship programmes and graduate training schemes.

Top jobs in economics include:

  • Assistant Economist
  • Analyst
  • Consultant
  • M&A Associate
  • Risk & Regulatory Analyst
  • Economist
  • Investment Analyst
  • Wealth Management Analyst
  • Treasury Analyst
  • Senior Policy Adviser
  • Audit Graduate Trainee
  • Data Analytics & Modernisation Analyst

Excellent career prospects

Our students have gone on to work for a wide range of employers such as Duff & Phelps, Accenture, Kantar, BDO, HSBC, S&P Global, Lloyds Banking Group, PwC, HM Treasury, the Cabinet Office and Deloitte.

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

Future Leaders Certificate

The postgraduate Future Leaders Certificate, run by the Birmingham Business School Careers team, is an extra-curricular programme which is designed to prepare our MSc students for the potential impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). This is intended to equip students with the skills they need to stand out and succeed within this increasingly competitive market. As part of this, students will be encouraged to increase their awareness of responsible business and ethical considerations.

Students selected for the Future Leaders Certificate will receive expert coaching, mentoring and industry insight, and work on a group project set by multi-national companies which place high importance on their social and corporate responsibility. 

 

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