Postgraduate MSc
Economics and Data Science
Take your degree a step further with this flexible and valuable MSc. Open doors to careers in international organisations, the financial sector and overseas governments.
Take your degree a step further with this flexible and valuable MSc. Open doors to careers in international organisations, the financial sector and overseas governments.
Studying Economics at postgraduate level gives you the opportunity to advance your knowledge of core macroeconomics and microeconomic theory, alongside econometrics methods and financial econometrics. Learn the theoretical concepts and analytical techniques that will contribute to your understanding of complex contemporary problems. With opportunities to specialise in areas such as labour economics and money and credit.
This course is studied over two years full-time and is co-delivered with Aix Marseille University, leading to a double degree awarded jointly bu the two institutions. You receive high-quality training with real-world applications, and have opportunity to pursue an internship in France, building industry connections.
Be part of a university that has a strong research culture and an international reputation for applied microeconomics, quantitative macroeconomics theory and economic development.
Build on your existing knowledge, abilities and skills by developing a deeper understanding of economic theory, econometric and quantitative techniques and policy applications, whilst choosing modules and areas of interest to specialise in. You’ll develop the skills necessary for independent research and application to real world problems.
You spend your second year at Aix Marseille University where you take courses related to Data Science. These include ‘Machine Learning’, ‘Programming for Big Data’ and ‘Duration and Transition Models’ which are all necessary to meet the growing demand for more specialist needs, such as programming for economic and financial applications and quantitative techniques needed to analyse, in-depth, economic, and financial data.
The School of Economics is dedicated to excellence in both teaching and research, as demonstrated by our results in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 and recent national student surveys. Our academic staff are active in research, and teaching and learning are informed by the School’s thriving research culture and strong cosmopolitan academic community.
We currently have 35 academic staff, with about 35-40 MSc and PhD students, which has the benefit of a good community for interaction between students but also means that each student receives a good deal of individual attention in classes and workshops. It also means that we are able to offer excellent facilities for research.
Our postgraduate student community is global with many of the students originating from outside the UK and Europe. There are also a number of different nationalities represented within the academic staff. You will be able to integrate into this multicultural environment and build yourself an international professional network for the future.
A first or second class honours degree from the UK or an equivalent internationally recognised qualification in economics or a combined degree in economics and another subject. Applicants must also have a good level of quantitative skills (eg a pre-university school qualification in mathematics).
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
This course requires a Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR.
Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage.
Examples:
IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
PTE Academic 63 with a minimum of 59 in each sub-test
A degree from a UK university
A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
You take all compulsory modules, then select 30 Spring term credits from a list of optional modules made available by the School.
This module examines the workings of the economic system from a disaggregated viewpoint. It is a standard module on advanced microeconomic theory and contains the basics of general equilibrium, including Walrasian equilibrium. It provides students with the toolbox essential for understanding further advanced modules in their programme of choice. Fundamental topics dealt with encompass utility theory and welfare. Special attention is given to risk and uncertainty. All these topics are presented in an advanced manner and all are developed in mathematical frameworks. The notion of the understanding of a number of mathematical proofs of economic ideas is central to the curriculum.
This module is designed for students with interests in both international economics and development economics. It aims to discuss some of the fundamental models (and their extensions) in international economics and link them to the growth and development process of regions and countries. Throughout this module we provide you with the analytical tools and theoretical knowledge necessary to understand these links. We also focus on both the theoretical foundations and extensions of trade theory and the empirical evidence available to the current theoretical debates. The first part of the module is devoted to the foundations of trade theory and it is the basic building block of the module. The rest of the module deals with trade policy, trade liberalisation and long run growth, factor movements as well as economic geography and regional trade agreements and their implication for global free trade.
The main aim of this module is to provide students with knowledge of core macroeconomic theory at the graduate level. The focus is on learning theoretical concepts and analytical techniques as an aid to understanding complex contemporary macroeconomic problems. In addition, the module will develop the toolbox essential for understanding all other macro-related modules in the programmes of students' further choice. The module is organized in three key parts. The first part deals with microeconomic foundations of macroeconomics and introduces rational expectations. The second part analyses short-term fluctuations in macroeconomic performance and how macroeconomic policy may be used to address these. Specifically, it provides rigorous treatment of the Real Business Cycle theory and monetary/fiscal policy as regulatory instruments. The third part deals with economic growth as a fundamental determinant of long-term macroeconomic performance.
This module studies basic econometric techniques. An intuitive and practical learning style will be used in order to develop participants understanding and ability to apply these econometric methods. Participants will develop an understanding of the conventional linear regression model in cross section, time series and panel data. The module focuses on the application of econometric methods, with little emphasis on the mathematical aspects of the subject. A computer software package will be used for practical work throughout this module, both as a means to provide applications of the theory developed in lectures as well as to give experience in the use of such software for participants own empirical research. No previous knowledge of computing or econometrics is required.
Study key advances in contemporary labour economics and gain a deep understanding of how present-days labour markets function. You consider strategic interactions between supply and demand sides of the labour market and acknowledging importance of incomplete information in these interactions. Look into origins of unemployment and analyses the role of government in reducing unemployment and increasing participation. Address the process of wage determination and why similar workers are paid differently and have different career progression paths. You'll analys the related problem of investment in education in view of uncertain career prospects. Ultimately, you scrutinise the origins of inequality and realise the scope of public policies in maintaining efficient labour market in an equitable society. Finally you study international aspects of labour movements.
As a field of study, Development Economics has both a long history and a rapidly expanding set of issues that is considered to be within its domain today. You'll gain a long-term perspective of the field, covering topics such as the meaning of development, the measurement of poverty and inequality, economic growth, structural transformation, industrialisation, institutions and trade. You'll be exposed to classical texts to gain an understanding of how the economic approach to these topics have evolved over time; as well as rigorous mathematical models and modern economic approaches to empirical analysis for an introduction to current methods and practices in the study of Development Economics.
The module consists of preparation of a 1-page initial proposal of a research question that involves significant Data Science content. Initial proposal needs to be submitted by the end of Week 26. Upon review of the proposal by the DoGS (taught) the student is allocated a supervisor. Using appropriate communication methods (e.g. online of face-to-face meetings), the supervisor helps the student better articulate their research question. For the rest of the term the student works on an extended proposal of research question. By the end of Week 35 the student submits the extended proposal along with annotated bibliography and description of expected results.
You'll study module defined by Aix Marseille University.
See the Teaching sections of the MSc Economics and Data Science at the Partner University website.
Duration: 2 years full-time
You spend the first at our Canterbury campus, and the second year at AMU in Aix-en-Provence in Marseilles. This means after graduating you are well placed to go into either further study, or kick start an international career.
The Stage 1 is taught at our Canterbury campus, and Stage 2 at AMU in Aix-en-Provence in Marseilles. You must pass Stage 1 to be able to proceed onto Stage 2.
Stage 1 comprises modules to a total of 125 credits and Stage 2 comprises modules and industry placement to a total of 120 credits. One credit corresponds to approximately ten hours of 'learning time' (including all classes and all private study and research). Thus obtaining 245 credits in two academic years requires 2,450 hours of overall learning time.
Assessment is through a wide variety of methods including seminar presentations, extended essays, short projects, in-class tests, examinations, and the dissertation. Stage 2 industry placement is assessed by a technical report.
The programme aims to:
You gain a knowledge and understanding of the following:
You gain the following intellectual skills:
You gain the following subject-specific skills:
You gain the following transferable skills:
The School provides rooms specifically for use by MSc students, with computer facilities and open space for discussion and group work.
All MSc students are assigned an academic adviser to be their point of reference for advice, support and guidance during their studies. They are also allocated a supervisor for the MSc dissertation, who can advise on data and provide comments on methodologies and the written material.
The School has an active and inclusive research culture involving all postgraduate students, with a regular seminar programme during the year mixing internal workshops with events to which we invite outside speakers. There is also a student Economics Society, which invites its own speakers for discussion of economics topics, and Kent Invest Society which manages a virtual portfolio.
Our postgraduate student community is global with about half the students originating from outside the UK and Europe, including Africa, China, India, the Middle East, Pakistan, Russia and the USA. We have strong links with universities in Australia, Bulgaria, China, Germany, Japan and the USA, among others. Economics staff teach on the postgraduate courses provided by the University of Kent at Brussels. You will be able to integrate into this multicultural environment and build the foundations for an international professional network.
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
The School of Economics has a strong research culture and an international reputation in several fields, particularly applied microeconomics (labour and agri-environmental), quantitative macroeconomic theory, macro and microeconometrics and economic development.
The School is home to two research centres and one research group:
CEAS has a long history of participating in agri-environmental research and policy debate. Founded in 1974 to conduct research into the implications of the UK's entry to the European Economic Community, CEAS has developed into a centre of research excellence, focusing on food and agri-environmental policy in the UK and Europe.
MaGHiC brings together a large number of researchers at the School whose main interests lie in the wide area of macroeconomics. MaGHiC is the focal point for macroeconomic research, impact and training at the University of Kent. The centre's main focus is on the analysis of macroeconomic issues, including productivity and growth, labour markets, income distribution, business cycles and macroeconomic phenomena from a historical perspective. The group also has technical strength in computational economics, macroeconometric modelling and forecasting, and expertise in building long-run macroeconomic time series and reconstructing historical national accounts.
In addition to the two research centres, the School has an active microeconomics research group, whose members’ research spans applied and theoretical microeconomics, and microeconometrics. The group’s research covers a wide range of areas with the main focus being on development economics, labour and education economics, microeconometrics, games and behavioural economics, the economics of food, economic geography, industrial organisation, political economy, networks and the economics of taxation.
Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website.
A postgraduate degree in the area of economics is a particularly valuable and flexible qualification that can open the door to exciting careers in many professions. Our graduates have gone on to work as economists in international organisations, the financial sector, business, UK and overseas governments, and to further postgraduate training and academic careers at Kent, UK and overseas universities. Recent MSc graduates have gone on to work for companies in the UK such as BNP Paribas, AXA, FactSet and PwC.
The School's employability officers and the University's Careers and Employability Service are available throughout the year to offer one-to-one advice and help on all aspects of employability at any stage in your postgraduate studies. We also offer online advice on employability skills, career choices, applications and interview skills.
For the first year of the course you will be charged the tuition fee for Msc Economics by the University of Kent.
For the second year you will be charged the current fee charged by the Aix Marseille University. For more information, contact the School of Economics.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Find out more about general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Next steps
Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.
You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.
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Kent has risen 11 places in THE’s REF 2021 ranking, confirming us as a leading research university.
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