Economics

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Local:$ 1.98 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 13 k / Year(s)  
StudyQA ranking:5248 Duration:12 months

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Using economic tools to answer important policy questions

The Master’s in Economics has been developed for the prospective professional economist with an interest in social issues. It teaches you the essentials of modern economic theory and how to apply them to everyday problems in a number of core policy fields. Using behavioural economic models and statistical techniques, economists seek to answer macroeconomic and microeconomic questions.

Areas of focus include poverty and inequality, social security, growth and inflation, and environmental policy. You will learn how to take a structured approach to practical problems when applying the economic techniques learned at the Bachelor’s level. As a Master’s student, you will become a versatile, all-round economist with the ability to independently tackle important economic issues.

Beyond acquiring new and highly relevant knowledge in coursework, you will engage in two pieces of independent academic work. Your research project will comprise a critical literature review on a coherent set of scientific papers. In your Master’s thesis, you will report on results from your own academic (theoretical or empirical) research. The thesis can, where appropriate, draw on the literature review from the research project. Writing these academic pieces takes place under the close supervision of a faculty member, making use of regular face-to-face meetings to critically discuss approach, methods, data and results. We emphasize quality and progress.

Career prospects

A graduate of the Master’s programme in Economics is a well-trained economist, with extensive knowledge of economic techniques and economic policy.

Graduates become policy economists at consultancy firms or with government agencies, or work in various positions in financial and non-financial industries. Others start working as market analysts at, for example, the Netherlands Competition Authority, or De Nederlandsche Bank. Still others go to work for multinationals such as banks and insurance companies. Some graduates work at economic research institutes or join PhD programmes at highly competitive research universities before continuing with their academic career.

Apart from focusing on high-profile job opportunities, programme participants develop an eye for economic issues of societal and scientific relevance, and develop a critical attitude for analysing and judging these issues. Economics is at the very heart of the social sciences. Economists are therefore involved and committed members of society.

Much of Economics is about gathering information and making complex decisions under a number of relevant constraints. Consumers, firms, and policymakers alike need to base their actions on sound evidence to pursue their goals effectively. They interact and affect each other in various and intricate ways that economists strive to understand.

The Master’s in Economics is a high-quality one-year programme. The first part of the programme consists of three compulsory core courses focusing on the foundations of the discipline at an advanced level. You will also take three elective courses that can be combined into a specialization. Two pieces of independent academic work, a research project and a final thesis, complete the programme requirements. Thanks to the compact, personal nature of the programme there is plenty of interaction with the teaching staff. The programme is highly esteemed by its students and is one of the top Economics programmes in the Netherlands.

Specializations

During your Master’s studies, you will have the option of specializing in one of the following key areas in the domain of economics:

  • Development Economics
  • Economic and Social Policy
  • International and Macroeconomic Policy
  • Spatial Economics

There are strict admission criteria. These are set by the Admissions Board, which also decides on individual applications. The requirements distinguish between Master specific requirements and general requirements. Please read them both carefully.VU University Amsterdam requires all applicants to take an English test and to submit their score as a part of the application. In order for you to be admitted unconditionally you must send us a certificate from a recognised authority concerning your proficiency in English including the writing/composition test (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge International Examinations CAE: A/B or CPE: A/B/C). Check out the specific Language Requirements. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 CAE score: (read more) Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) is part of the Cambridge English suite and is targeted at a high level (IETLS 6.5-8.0). It is an international English language exam set at the right level for academic and professional success. Developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment - part of the University of Cambridge - it helps you stand out from the crowd as a high achiever. 75 (Grade B) TOEFL paper-based test score : 580 TOEFL iBT® test: 92

 

Scholarships / Grants:

Neso Indonesia:
StuNed Scholarships for Master studies, short courses and customized training programmes are available for Indonesian professionals with at least two years work experience in a development-related organization.
For additional information: Website

Nuffic:
The Orange Tulip Scholarship Programme supports promising Taiwanese graduates and young professionals intending to pursue postgraduate degree programmes at a Dutch higher education institution.
For additional information: Website

:
For additional information: Website

VU University Amsterdam:
VU University Amsterdam awards its own scholarships to outstanding students joining our international Master's degree programmes. The VU Fellowship is an amount of money between 2.500 and 15.000 Euros to cover a part of the study expenses. The general criteria for selection are excellence, motivatio
For additional information: Website

 

Accreditation

All degree programmes of VU University Amsterdam are accredited by NVAO. If the procedure for accreditation of a programme not yet is completed, this is indicated in the description of te programme. NVAO (Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie) is the Accreditation Organisation of The Netherlands and Flanders. NVAO is entrusted by law to accredit all existing bachelors and masters degree courses and to validate new study programmes at government-funded higher education institutions as well as
institutions approved (but not funded) by the Dutch government.

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