The MSc in Economics and Philosophy changed the way I think about economics, making me a more rigorous and inquisitive researcher. Prior to attending LSE, I had thought of economics as a progressive science, where mathematical models can be used to accurately describe phenomena in the same way they are routinely used in physics or chemistry. I still think mathematical models in economics are useful. However, my LSE experience taught me that the models need to be understood in a philosophical and sociological context. For, at best economics is a very inexact science, and at worst it is still just another branch of moral philosophy – the latter being the way in which great philosophers like Adam Smith and John Stuart Mill saw the discipline centuries ago.

Not only was the subject material of the MSc in Economics and Philosophy fascinating, but so too was the opportunity to meet and get to know other philosophically minded people. The friends I made at LSE form a diverse group, within which we each had an immense opportunity to learn from one another. In short, the LSE website does not exaggerate in stressing the value of the school’s social experience.

Since completing my MSc, I have been working as a junior economist at Citibank. In this role, I have had many opportunities to apply the skills I acquired at LSE. For example, many of the research projects I have worked on require econometric analysis, which I’m comfortable doing after completing EC402. From my philosophy courses at LSE, I learned how to think and write more clearly, also a beneficial trait in my profession. And my current supervisor was once a professor at LSE, a fact that I’m sure helped me land the job in the first place!

So all in all, I would highly recommend LSE generally, and the MSc in Economics and Philosophy specifically, to prospective students. Both played a major role in getting me to where I am today.