Economic Policy

The Economic Policy MSc is a unique programme which takes advantage of UCL's role as a global leader in policy-orientated research. The core teaching in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics focuses on understanding the policy implications of economic models and their applications to real-world examples.

The programme is designed to equip the professional economist with the tools required to understand the problems presented by a rapidly changing, complex and uncertain modern world economy. It includes a research methods course that teaches economics and econometrics software, empirical modelling and how to formulate a research project.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of four core modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules

• Econometrics for Policy
• Microeconomics for Policy
• Macroeconomics for Policy
• Research Methods

Optional modules

• At least two of the following applied options
• Time Series Econometrics
• Public Microeconomics
• Economics of Development
• The Economics of Migration
• Health Economics
• Programme Evaluation for Users
• Behavioural Economics
• Macroeconomic Policy
• Ethics in Welfare Economics
• Empirical Industrial Organisation
• Topics in Labour Economics
• Topics in Money and Finance
• Economics of Households
• Remaining options (taking the total to four) from a list of policy options, including:
• Applied Policy Analysis
• Applied Development Economics and Policy
• Agenda Setting and Public Policy (Department of Political Science or International Political Economy (Department of Political Science)
• Environmental Economics: Principles and Policy

Dissertation/report

The dissertation of 10,000 words is a piece of original research, carried out between June and September, supported by a research methods course and lightly supervised by a member of faculty.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and practical and problem classes. The MSc degree is awarded on the basis of written, final examination papers and the research dissertation.

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in Economics with a significant quantitative component from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants with a qualification of an equivalent standard in another quantitative discipline, such as statistics, mathematics, engineering or physics, may also be considered.
Applicants whose undergraduate degree is from a university outside the UK must supply GRE scores. The quantitative GRE score must be 155 or above and the verbal score must be 150 or above (post-August 2011 scores).