Applied Economic Analysis

Our graduates are able to use the appropriate theoretical concepts, empirical methods and data to analyze applied questions relevant for economic policy making, private and public investment decisions and business strategy.

Skills in applied economic analysis have always been in high demand. With the recent, challenging developments in the global economy, their value has increased even more. Private firms as well as government agencies need the services of professionals who are able to combine economic theory with knowledge of the relevant data as well as the adequate empirical methods to answer all sorts of practical questions. In a globalized and crisis-prone environment with constantly changing economic conditions, strategic decisions of firms as well as the design of economic policies have to be based on competent and timely empirical analysis.

The Master in Applied Economic Analysis at the University of Bern is the first university-level program in Switzerland that is specifically aimed at teaching these skills. It provides a unique combination of state-of-the-art theoretical and methodological courses and regular applications to real-world cases. With an internationally renowned faculty, close ties to the capital city’s political decision makers as well as to the business community, the University of Bern is ideally placed to offer such a program.

Core courses (30-31.5 ECTS)

Compulsory courses:

• Applied Data Analysis
• Econometrics II
• Applied Public Economics
• Master-Colloquium
• Microeconomics II or Macroeconomics II

Choose a selection from additional required courses:

• Growth and Development of Countries and Regions (Development Economics)
• Computational Economics
• Regional Economics and Fiscal Federalism
• Advanced Valuation
• Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation
• Corporate Strategy

Core courses can optionally also be accredited to the elective courses, if they have not
already been accredited to the core courses.

Elective Courses (32.5-40 ECTS)

Elective Courses

Choose among a given list of courses in the following fields (a maximum of 6 ECTS of these can optionally be chosen from the elective courses with specialization in Regional Economic Development or with specialization in Trade and International Development):

Applied Macro- and Microeconomics

• Monetary Policy
• Empirical Macroeconomics II
• Theorie and Empirics of International Trade
• Economics of Innovation
• Seminar: Empirical Macroeconomics II
• Seminar: Growth and Development

Quantitative Economics

• Time Series Analysis I/II
• Mathematical Methods in Economics
• Causal Analysis
• Forecasting in Economics
• Seminar: Workshop in Econometrics II

Public Economics

• Topics in Health Economics
• Income Distribution and Redistribution
• Seminar: Economic Policy II
• Seminar: Topics in Public Economics
• Seminar: Political Economy II

Applied Finance and Management

• Financing and Capital Structure
• Risk Management
• The Theory and Practice of Insurance
• Asset Management by Institutional Investors
• Seminar: Computer-aided Cases in Finance
• Project Management and Project Planning

Master’s Thesis (20 ECTS)

The master’s degree in Applied Economic Analysis is completed with a master’s thesis containing 20 ECTS points. It is recommended to students to write a thesis in an applied and empirical topic.

Internship (optional, 6 ECTS)

It is optional for students of the program to do an internship of at least 3 months. It is the aim of the program to provide students with opportunities for high-quality internships at companies, public administrations and other partner organisations. The internship is an excellent opportunity for students to apply the studied material in practical environment and to build relationship to potential future employers.

• Bachelor's degree from a Swiss university in the branch of studies Economics
• Bachelor's degree from a Swiss university with at least 60 ECTS credits in the branch of studies Economics
• Bachelor's degree from a Swiss university with at least 30 ECTS credits in the branch of studies Economics (this must include coursework in the subjects of Econometrics, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, each with a minimum grade of 5.0)
• Bachelor's degree from a recognized foreign university with an equivalent qualification entitles students to admission in accordance with the recommendation made by the Study Committee

Additional attainments of up to 60 ECTS credits may be required. These can either be admission requirements which must be fulfilled in order to complete the master's degree program or admission requirements which must be fulfilled before admission to the master's degree program. The ECTS credits will be listed separately in the diploma supplement as extracurricular attainments.

Recognition of the bachelor's degree will be individually decided upon if the degree is more than 6 years old. Additional attainments may be required.

• Curriculum vitae in table form with uninterrupted chronology of your education and academic studies up to the present incl. up-to-date passport photo (45 mm high by 35 mm wide)
• Motivation letter (incl. family name, given name, full address, e-mail address, date and signature and – if you have one – mobile phone number)
• If you are holding a bachelor degree's: Originally certified photocopies of your degree (e.g. diploma and diploma supplement). The correspondence of the photocopy to the original must be officially certified.
• Originals (stamped and signed) or originally certified photocopies of all official proofs of your achievements (transcripts) with grades/scores
• Grading system of the degree issuing university, if the grading system is different from ours. Our scale goes from 1 to 6, with 6 being excellent and grades below 4 being unsatisfactory.
• Brief description of the content/learning objectives of the different courses/lectures (annotated course catalog or module handbook)
• Originally certified translations of the original documents (e.g. diploma, diploma supplement, bachelor's or master's degree, transcripts of diploma records), if these are not written in German, English, French or Italian. These translations have to be inseparably connected with the originally certified photocopies of the original documents.
• Original or certified photocopy of a GMAT with a score of at least 575 points
• Photocopy of your valid passport or identity card
• Application fee: CHF 105