MA Economics and International Relations

Course Code DNT1LL12101
Duration 1 Year
Attendance Full Time
Award Degree of Master of Arts

Overview
Why Choose Us
Requirements
Course Profile
Fees and Funding
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Overview

The MA Economics and International Relations degree provides a platform for students who seek to develop their understanding of international economics and politics from an interdisciplinary perspective.

This Masters programme is taught in collaboration with the University's School of Political, Social and International Studies, which, together with the School of Economics, promotes a strong tradition in interdisciplinary research and teaching. Students are enabled considerable flexibility in the choosing of areas for geographical specialisation which has proven to be particularly attractive to employers who want to recruit graduates with an understanding of international institutions and geopolitics, as well as the analytical skills of economics.

The MA Economics and International Relations is offered over one year full-time.

Is the MA Programme right for you?

Postgraduate Options: Graduate Diploma, MA or MSc
The School of Economics offers a diverse range of taught postgraduate study opportunities:

The Graduate Diploma provides core training in Economics for graduates (or those with an equivalent qualification) who do not already have an extensive recent economics background - acting as a progression route to further postgraduate study, particularly for our MSc Programme.

The Applied Training Programme (Master of Arts) is designed to provide training in new and vocationally attractive skills in Economics. It is appropriate for graduates in Economics who wish to develop specialist expertise without committing to the full research-led training Academic and Professional (MSc) programme. It is also appropriate for those with a limited Economics background but with an undergraduate degree or equivalent experience in the applied area. These courses should appeal to students who wish to pursue a career in the areas of finance, management, international business, international relations and the mass media.

The Academic and Professional Programme (Master of Science) is designed to provide intensive research-led training in advanced economic theory, econometrics and research methods. This route is suitable for those who aim to gain employment as professional economists in government, financial institutions, business, commerce, industry, international agencies and other similar organisations. The MSc Programme is also suitable for those seeking eventual PhD enrolment and/or an academic career as a lecturer in Economics. Many of our former PhD students now hold academic posts as lecturers in University departments both in the UK and overseas. The School has full "1+3" ESRC recognition for each of the MSc courses, enabling ESRC-funded students to train at both Masters and PhD level.

Why Choose Us?

Our distinctive Graduate Diploma and Masters degrees build on the University's research and teaching strengths, with key principles focused on "core knowledge" and "flexibility" to ensure that students gain the rigorous reasoning and analytical skills that make an Economics-related degree so valuable to employers. At the same time, we allow flexibility in providing a wide range of degrees tailored to meet the aspirations of different students.

Our vibrant community of more than 100 postgraduate students are drawn from the UK and around the world (around 25% of our total student body). With this size of programme we are large enough to offer a full range of degrees, together with a substantial pool of experienced supervisors. School of Economics, University of East Anglia

School of Economics, University of East Anglia

We pride ourselves on being a caring department, based on regular and friendly day-to-day first name contact with our students.

We use a variety of teaching technologies, including lectures, seminars, small group teaching, tutorials and IT e-learning resources. These are delivered by experienced members of academic staff, often in a relatively informal learning environment. Assessment is by written assignments, examination, and a dissertation. A continuous control process ensures that our teaching quality continues to develop, and students have access to a number of quality-control channels including student feedback forms, debriefing meetings, and the Student Liaison Committee to help us monitor, evaluate and develop current practice.

There are many external indicators of the quality of our teaching and research. In relation to our teaching, we have been consistently rated as a top 10 department since the inception of the National Student Satisfaction survey. Our School also benefits from Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) recognition - the main UK postgraduate funding body - for '1+3' Awards (including quota awards specifically to study Economics at the University of East Anglia).

Career Opportunities

For jobs where a high level of numeracy is required, where the ability to work independently, to analyse complex issues and to communicate with a range of audiences is crucial, graduate training in economics provides the ideal platform. Our Masters degrees are designed to equip students with the skills necessary for careers as professional economists or in closely related spheres, such as finance or management consultancy.

The University of East Anglia provides a professional Careers Centre and, together with the School's Academic Careers Adviser, we will help students to choose their career path and develop their employability skills.

Many of our students have gone on to successful careers working for private companies, for government organisations or in universities in Britain and abroad. Please click on the links below to view the career profiles of some of our recent Economics graduates:

Mark Peacock, Consultant on European Industrial and Environmental Policy at the European Commission
Andrew Bugg, Management Consultant, specialising in Media and Marketing Analytics
Katie Robinson, Economist at the Office of Fair Trading
Philomena Bacon, Associate Tutor in Economics at the University of East Anglia
Allan Provins, Consultant Environmental Economist for Economics for the Environment Consultancy (eftec)
Fan Wu, Analyst in the Research Department, Qi Lu Securities Ltd, China

Come and Visit Us

Our Open Days will give you the opportunity to experience the University of East Anglia's unique campus atmosphere.

You will have the chance to attend subject-specific talks and presentations about student life and finance. You will also be able to talk directly to academics, admissions staff and current students giving you a first-hand impression of life at the University of East Anglia - check out the accommodation, learning resources, student support, and our sport and entertainment facilities.

In addition to the above we offer a Personal Visit option, available on specific Friday afternoons throughout the year. These include organised tours of the campus. We have also created a Virtual Open Day experience for you which we hope will help to provide you with an insight into life and study at the School of Economics.

Further Information

If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances with the Admissions Office prior to applying
please do contact us:

Admissions Office (Economics)
Tel: +44 (0)1603 592805
Email: pgeco.admiss@uea.ac.uk

Please click here to download the School of Economics Postgraduate Prospectus or register your details via our Online Enquiry Form.

International candidates are also actively encouraged to access the University's International section of our website.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should normally have a good first degree from a recognised higher education institution. The University will also take into account the employment experience of applicants where relevant.

It is normal for undergraduate students to apply for entry to postgraduate programmes in their final year of study. Applicants who have not yet been awarded a degree may be offered a place conditional on their attaining a particular class of degree.

Undergraduate Degree Subject Economics or Social Science
Undergraduate Degree Classification 2.2 or equivalent

Students for whom English is a foreign language

We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:

· IELTS: 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in all components)

· TOEFL: Internet-based score of 92 (minimum 19 listening, 21 speaking, 19 writing and 20 reading)

· PTE (Pearson): 62 (minimum 55 in all components)

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Other tests such as TOEIC and the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English are also accepted by the university. Please check with the Admissions Office for further details including the scores or grades required.

INTO UEA and INTO UEA London run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk (INTO UEA Norwich) or pseuealondon@into.uk.com (INTO UEA London).

Special Entry Requirements

September Pre-Sessional Courses

The School of Economics runs intensive courses in Mathematics and Statistics for Economists in the fortnight preceding the Masters programme in September. This course is compulsory and incorporates the techniques of calculus and matrix algebra.

Year 1

Year 1

Compulsory Study (140 credits)

Students will select 140 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
Econometric Methods This is a module of two halves. The first half introduces some basic econometric techniques, and the problems which arise in their use. The second half applies the skills acquired in the first half, to particular problems in economics such as exchange rate models and the analysis of discrete choices by individuals. An emphasis is placed on the practical side of the subject. With the aid of the specialist econometric computer software STATA, theoretical models are estimated and tested using real data. more...	ECO-M001	20	Semester 1
Economic Concepts This module is designed to introduce students to micro and macro economics analysis, and to familiarise students with a wide range of economic tools which can be applied to issues relating to their Applied Training Programme. more...	ECO-M019	20	Semester 1
Economics Dissertation (60 Credits) For all students taking the MA in Economics, Environmental Economics, Experimental Economics, Industrial Economics, Political Economy, Economics and Finance, Economics and International Business, Economics and the Mass Media, Economics and International Relations, Economics and Health Economics, Competition and Regulation Policy. Students are required to write a dissertation of a length as specified in ther MA Course Guide on a topic approved by the Course Director or other authorised person. more...	ECO-M10X	60	Semester 2
International Political Economy This module is concerned with world political economy, international macroeconomics, trans-boundary environmental problems such as global warming, growth and the institutions of the international economy. It combines techniques of economics, such as game theory, with a concern to understand global and international developments in political and economic affairs. Students should have some basic knowledge of economics prior to taking the module. more...	ECO-M014	20	Semester 2
International Relations Theory This module will give students an essential grounding in International Relations theory, that is, the different ways we understand and predict international politics. The module is structured around the positivist/post-positivist divide and starts with classical realism and neo-realism, and liberalism and neo-liberalism. It then explores constructivism before turning to more critical theories like post-colonialism, feminism and gender studies, and Marxism. By the end of the module you will design your own IR theory. The module will be taught predominantly using lectures and seminars but will make use, where appropriate, of film and documentaries in order to explore different theoretical schools, both thematically and empirically. more...	PSIIM011	20	Semester 1

Option A Study (40 credits)

Students will select 40 credits from the following module(s).

Name	Code	Credits	Period
Financial Mathematics This is a technical finance module aimed at students wishing to pursue careers in the financial sector. The focus will be on valuation and risk analysis of financial products and positions. The module will be highly analytical, with weekly exercises and assessment balancing mathematical problems and practical exercises involving Excel. Topics covered will include: present value calculation; bond analysis; futures markets; interest rate futures and yield curve analysis; option pricing and hedging; exotic options; Swaps; Martingales. more...	ECO-M022	20	Semester 2
Multinational Firms This module is structured around three main questions: why do multi-nationals exist? What are their beneficial effects? Why might they sometimes be a cause for concern? In answering these questions we confront a variety of theoretical and empirical methodologies (eg, oligopoly theory, transactions costs, econometric, case studies in corporate strategy) and draw upon various branches of Economics (international, industrial, labour, financial and political economy). more...	ECO-M018	20	Semester 2
Natural Resources and Environmental Economics Have you ever wondered why human economic activity seems to be so bad for the environment? Does it have to be like that? Is it possible for human beings to enjoy high standards of living and a high quality environment? Through the study of the principles of Environmental Economics this course sets out to answer those questions. Addressing a wide-range of economy-environment problems including car pollution, over-fishing, climate change and declining oil stocks, the course shows that most environmental problems can be solved through the adoption of policies crafted with the careful application of economic reasoning. Co-taught with ENV-3A44. TO TAKE THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ENV-3A44 OR EQUIVALENT more...	ENV-MA44	20	Semester 2
Public Choice Public choice theory applies economic models to explain political phenomena. This module, jointly taught by lecturers from philosophy, politics and economics, studies the concepts of market failure and political failure, problems of collective action, rational choice models of democracy and bureaucracy, social choice theory, the motivation of actors in the political process, and the evolution of conventions and norms. The political context is the move from a welfare state to a market society. The emphasis is on the critical appraisal of alternative approaches to public choice and policy issues. more...	PSIPM014	20	Semester 2
The European Union in International Affairs The module focuses on European Political Cooperation now and into the future, particularly Europe's role as an international actor. Issues include the EU and international conflicts such as the Gulf War, the Middle East and former Yugoslavia, the EU's position as one of three major economic world powers, the EU and Third World development, new considerations in European security, global environmental and energy concerns. Convergence or divergence in European political consensus is examined through these issues in an attempt to draw useful insights for the future of European Integration. more...	PSIIM010	20	Semester 2
The Foreign Relations of China and Japan in the Modern World The module looks at the history of China and Japan from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. The attempts at modernisation, conflict between the two nations, their relationships with the Asian region and the United States are covered. Their contrasting attempts to develop in the postwar period are investigated. We also assess their current policies and the issues of importance to China and Japan in the twenty first century, and assess whether they can move beyond the legacy of this difficult history. more...	PSIIM026	20	Semester 2
Topics in International Finance This module looks at recent developments in research on the efficiency of financial markets. The starting point will be outlining the rational valuation formula, the random walk hypothesis and efficient market theory in their current guises as representative of orthodoxy. Then the contrast between orthodoxy and 'dissenting' views will be discussed with reference to equity markets, bond markets, foreign exchange markets and options and futures markets. more...	ECO-M024	20	Semester 2

Disclaimer

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules and regular (five-yearly) review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff or sabbatical leave. Where this is the case, the University will endeavour to inform students.

Economics Courses

Economics

MA Economics and International Relations

Career Opportunities

Come and Visit Us

Year 1

Further Information