Introducing postgraduate economics courses — University of Liverpool

If you want to explore cutting edge economics and what it means for the future of business then the new speciality programmes at the University of Liverpool Management School could be for you. Professor Ian Burn talks us through what to expect of the three MSc courses in economics

What do MSc Data Science for Economics, MSc Economic Policy and Data Analytics and MSc Money and Banking involve?

These speciality economics programmes are designed to give students a chance to delve deeply into issues of critical importance to organisations in every sector of the economy. Each of the three programmes features a strong foundation in economic theory and econometrics in the first semester, before specialising in the second semester in their field.

This means for:

• Data Science for Economics - learning about machine learning, forecasting, and programme evaluation.
• Economic Policy and Data Analytics - learning about the labour market, public sector economics, and advanced data analytics.
• Money and Banking - learning about financial economics, monetary economics, and forecasting models. 

What are the courses' unique selling points?

Each course is designed to prepare you for a specific type of career as an economist. They have been designed with the job interview process in mind and feature opportunities to perfect these skills throughout the year before you begin your job search.

In data science, we teach students how to code in many different languages (SQL, Python, and R) and using a multitude of programmes (Tableau, STATA, etc).

In economic policy, we prepare students for the Civil Service exams, with a focus on the Civil Service Fast Stream. The course places a strong emphasis on writing and communicating analyses and concepts to broad audiences to boost their preparation for working in policy related jobs.

For money and banking, we prepare students to combine cutting-edge forecasting models with knowledge of the latest advances in cryptocurrency and finance.  

What type of student would suit these courses?

The programmes are designed to bring students into economics and teach them the data analytics they need to get jobs. While some knowledge of calculus is essential, you don't need to have studied economics as an undergraduate to apply. Anyone with a quantitative background, no matter the field, is well-placed to succeed in our programmes.  

How do the courses help students become employable?

These courses were designed to think about where the field of economics is going, and how firms will be using data five to ten years in the future. By putting students at the forefront of data analytics and quantitative methods for solving real-world problems, we are setting students up for success from their first day of work.

All of the assessments are modelled on authentic forms of assessment they may encounter in the interview process or the workplace, so the material is never divorced from how they will use it in their work. 

What funding options are available to students?

The university and the management school offer a range of generous funding opportunities for our postgraduate students in 2024, with scholarships and awards available up to a total 50% fee discount.

Visit our postgraduate information pages and click on 'Paying for your studies' to see which scholarships you could be eligible for.

What advice do you have for anyone considering these courses?

Visit our website to find out about our online open days, where you can meet the directors of studies for the programmes.

You can also connect with us via our social media channels by searching for 'University of Liverpool Management School' on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram. You'll discover what is happening at the School and get a sense of the opportunities open to our students. 

Find out more

• Learn more about the University of Liverpools' MSc Economics courses.
• See what's on offer with the business, consulting and management sector.