Master of Science in Economics

The Master of Science in Economics programme provides students with analytical and logical problem-solving skills as well as a deepening of their knowledge in economics, introducing them to topics of current research. Master's students are offered rigorous training in applied economics and are prepared for high-profile professional careers. Students choose from a diverse selection of application-oriented courses, in which they may delve into one of the field's many subtopics. An outstanding feature of the programme is the academic excellence of the teaching faculty. A number of internationally-renowned researchers are part of our staff. The curriculum spans the full breadth of theoretical and applied economics. Master's students also benefit from the excellent academic networking opportunities; the department's excellent international reputation has enabled the establishment of partnerships with the visiting student programmes of top universities such as UC Berkeley, Wisconsin-Madison, Maastricht University, University of Copenhagen, and the University of Stockholm. Our close connection with the ifo Institute for Economic Research offers students first-hand experience in applied research and economic policy advising. Additionally, the Centre for Economic Studies (CES) promotes international academic exchange and welcomes more than thirty international researchers each year from all over the world. Committed and talented students also have the opportunity to establish contacts with selected partners in the private and public sectors by participating in our department's support programme ECONnect. The curriculum of the study programme is divided into modules, with a distinction made between compulsory modules (CM) and optional modules (OM). As a general rule, students should obtain 30 ECTS credits per semester. The credit points are based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), which assigns points to lectures and tutorials according to the required workload. The following aspects are considered in the allocation of credits for academic work: the time spent in formal learning environments (e.g. lectures and tutorials), time spent in preparation and revision of the material (self-study), and the requirements for exam preparation. A failed course naturally results in 0 ECTS points awarded. In the first semester, students attend basic lectures and tutorials in the following: Mathematics for Economists, Econometrics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Public Economics. These compulsory modules (CM) provide students with indispensable theoretical background knowledge and the necessary tools to further pursue a specialisation in their desired sub-field of economics. In the second semester, students can start specialising in their desired field. They can choose from a wide array of courses and are subject to very few restrictions. 30 ECTS credits should be obtained per semester in OM courses. In at least one 12 ECTS course, students should work on an independently formulated research problem and present the results in a term paper. It is recommended that students take two courses worth 12 ECTS, one in the second and one in the third semester. Students have the opportunity to specialise and/or opt for research-oriented courses in one of the following fields: microeconomics and strategic interaction, applied econometrics, public sector economics, or macro and international economics. Students write the Master's thesis in the fourth semester. This should be an independently written, scientific work in a specific field of economics. The thesis is to be completed over a period of 22 weeks. The Master's thesis is a compulsory module of its own. In the Master's thesis, students demonstrate their ability to apply scientific methods of economics independently and to write an original piece of research. PDF Download