MSc in Economics

Department of Economics - Ranked 1st in Ireland (Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Subject Ranking, 2022

The MSc programme incorporates both taught and research components, providing the foundation for advanced research in economics and the pursuit of promising professional careers.

What is the MSc Programme?

Our MSc Programme is a one year full-time course (two year part-time course) which focuses on developing the core skills needed to undertake research in economics or engage in policy analysis. It emphasises active and problem-based learning to ensure mastery of a wide range of quantitative skills. This is made possible by keeping class sizes small.

Within the MSc Programme, students have the choice of working towards a MSc in Economics or a MSc in Economics (International Development). The International Development Strand allows students interested in this rapidly expanding field to acquaint themselves with the tools needed to study the economies of developing regions.

Course Structure

Our programme offers a comprehensive grounding in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics in the first months. This is followed by various elective modules, drawn from different fields of theoretical and applied economics. Students also take a Research Topics module which focuses on research methodologies and topics in the discipline of economics and helps to prepare students for writing a dissertation.

Students are required to take a preliminary course in mathematics and statistics before the start of lectures. This is a refresher course of undergraduate techniques with some introduction of advanced concepts.

View the course structure section for more details.

What makes Economics at Trinity special?

Our course is tailored to your interests. Its modular design provides maximum flexibility for you to choose your areas of specialisation. This means that, whether you want to focus on development economics, international macroeconomics, economic history, quantitative methods, or political economy, we have the right content for you. In addition, we offer a unique strand in Economics (International Development) that caters to this dynamic and growing field.

At Trinity, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality instruction by a team of engaged lecturers who operate at the forefront of their fields. Furthermore, our students are guided in their learning through tutorials, preparatory classes and research seminars. Throughout the programme, we assist you in developing your own research idea into a high-quality academic paper. We keep our class sizes small to make sure that you get the attention and pastoral care you need.

Your Career

A significant number of our MSc students have gone on to study for a PhD at leading universities around the world such as Boston University, Duke University, New York University, Oxford, LSE, University College London, University of Queensland, Stanford University and Trinity College Dublin.

However, at Trinity, we realise that the opportunities open to our MSc students extend beyond academia. That is why we expose our students to a broad range of analytical tools, topics and methodological approaches, which helps them to develop their academic research interests at the same time as broadening their set of transferable skills. This means our graduates are also highly sought after by private sector employers, for example in banking, finance and consulting. Many of our graduates also go on to pursue successful careers in government, multinational organisations, think tanks and non-governmental organisations who value the analytical and problem-solving skills our graduates possess.

What are the admission requirements?

Candidates should normally have achieved at least a second-class honours, Grade 1 degree that has a significant quantitative component. Applications are welcomed from candidates with single or joint honours Economics degrees, or degrees with a large share of final-year Economics options or a large quantitative component.

Please visit the admissions requirements section for additional details. Deadline for submission of applications is 31st July 2024.