MSc Economics (two-year programme)

This two-year programme is designed for students who have a sound quantitative background but haven't completed the level of study in economic theory or quantitative techniques required for the one-year MSc Economics.

In your preliminary year, you’ll build a solid foundation in economic theory and quantitative techniques. You’ll develop your skills in preparation for joining the main MSc Economics programme in the second year, subject to meeting the programme’s progression requirements.

Graduates of the two-year MSc Economics have gone on to work as economists across a range of national and international organisations. For example, you could pursue a career in areas including government, international institutions, business and finance, or continue to PhD study at a leading institution.

In recent years, our graduates have joined PhD programmes at institutions including MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Columbia and UCLA. Others have gone on to work at organisations including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Bank of America, NERA Economic Consulting, PwC, McKinsey, the IMF, the World Bank and the Bank of England.

We welcome applicants with an undergraduate background in engineering, physical sciences or other quantitative disciplines, who are looking to pursue graduate-level study in economics.

To apply, you should have a strong academic qualification with an emphasis on quantitative subjects such as mathematics and statistics.

• Snyder, C and Nicholson, W (2012) Microeconomic Theory: Basic Principles and Extensions, USA, Thomson South-Western
• Blanchard, O and Johnson D R (2013) Macroeconomics, Essex, Pearson Education Limited
• Wooldridge, J W (2013) Introductory Econometrics. A Modern Approach, USA, South-Western
• Binmore, K and Davies, J (2001) Calculus, Concepts and Methods, Cambridge, University Press
• Mankiw, N G (2010) Macroeconomics, 7th Edition, Worth Publishers.

GRE/GMAT requirement

All applicants must submit a GRE score. Your test must be no more than five years old on 1 October 2027 and must include your full and percentile scores for all three sections.

Typically, we expect you to score at least 164 or higher in the quantitative section of the test. A higher score will count in your favour, but other information, such as examination results and references will also matter in the overall evaluation. We recognise that if your first language isn't English, the verbal test will be more demanding and we'll view your score on that basis.

Find out more about GRE/GMAT

In the first year you take four compulsory courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and mathematics. The compulsory pre-sessional Introductory Course in Microeconomic Principles will take place at the beginning of September before the main first year teaching programme starts.

If you successfully complete the examinations at the end of your preliminary year, you'll be awarded a Diploma in Economics. If, in addition, your examination performance meets the progression criteria set out in the programme regulations, you’ll progress to the second year of the programme.

Candidates may be allowed to substitute one other course for one of the courses listed below with the permission of the Programme Director.

If you progress to Year 2, you’ll take EC400 Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics in late August and September. The course covers concepts in optimisation, fixed point theory, dynamic programming and optimal control, probability and statistics, among others. We’ll share course content with you earlier in the summer to help you prepare for the course.

In Autumn Term, you’ll take three half-unit core courses: EC4A1 Microeconomics, EC4B1 Macroeconomics and EC4C1 Econometrics. These courses provide foundations in economic theory and econometric methods.

In Winter Term, you’ll take the distinctive half-unit core course EC4P1 Applied Economics, which will help you develop skills to apply your economics knowledge in industry, policymaking or research settings.

Alongside your core courses, you can tailor the MSc Economics (two-year programme) to your academic and professional interests by choosing from a range of optional courses.

If you’re interested in pursuing a PhD in Economics, you can choose advanced courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics or econometrics in Winter Term and/or write a Research Paper. If you’re interested in careers in areas such as consulting, finance, central banking, government or international organisations, you can choose optional courses relevant to your interests.

In total, you’ll select four half-unit optional courses to the value of two units, corresponding to 50 per cent of the degree. A maximum of two half units, corresponding to 25 per cent of the degree, can be taken from outside economics, for example courses offered by the Department of Finance or Department of Geography and Environment.

LSE is home to one of the top economics departments in the world, with expertise across the full spectrum of mainstream economics. We're ranked 6th in the world for the study of economics and econometrics, according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.

Our academics and researchers are working at the frontiers of developments in the field and our research has a global impact. Over the past 50 years, this research has influenced almost every major intellectual development within the discipline.

As a department, our academics advise governments and central banks, aid agencies, and private-sector organisations in the UK, Europe and around the world. Our research insights help tackle global challenges such as economic instability, inequality and climate change, often catalysing profound policy shifts.

Past and present faculty members have shaped, and continue to shape, economic policy at a national and international level, whilst our teaching staff have included a former Bank of England governor and Chief Economist to the World Bank. We count nine Nobel Prize winners among our current and former staff and students.

Within the department, we offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as doctoral training in economics. Our alumni find high-earning and rewarding roles in government, international institutions, business and finance.

Learn more about our programmes and research.

Department of Economics

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
• statement of academic purpose (see list of questions below)
• two academic references
• CV
• GRE/GMAT.

See further information on supporting documents and check if you're exempt from taking the GRE/GMAT.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Statement of Academic Purpose

In your Statement of Academic Purpose, you should only answer the following questions. You don't need to include an introductory paragraph. Please write no more than 200 words for each question.

1. What are your reasons for applying to the MSc Economics (two-year programme)?
2. What are your career goals (eg, academic, industry, consulting, etc)?
3. Are there any significant issues relevant to your application that merit further explanation, eg, time off from studies for medical or other reasons, displacement, long-term caring responsibilities, taking time off to reassess study/work paths? Please elaborate, or state “NONE”.
4. Are there any exceptional circumstances you'd like to bring to the attention of the Selection Committee that have impacted your academic record? Please elaborate, or state “NONE”.
5. Are there any special features in your candidature that you would like to explain? Please elaborate, or state “NONE”.

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis. This means that applications will close once the programme is full.

There is no fixed deadline. However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section below for more details.

Home students are charged tuition fees for both first and second years of study. For Home continuing students, the second-year fee is £45,300 (2028/29, provisional).

For this programme, the tuition fee is the same for home and overseas students.

Tuition fee

If you’re made an offer, we’ll ask you to pay a tuition fee deposit, normally 10 per cent of the first-year tuition fee. Paying the deposit by the specified deadline will secure your place on the programme, subject to meeting the other conditions of your offer.

Your payment deadline will usually be the earlier of six weeks after the date of your offer or 20 days before the formal start date of the programme.

Tuition fee deposits are generally non-refundable, although refunds may be available in the circumstances set out in LSE’s Tuition Fee Policy for your year of entry. Your offer letter and other correspondence from the School will also provide information about how to pay and the circumstances in which a payment deadline extension or exemption from the deposit requirement may be considered.

Find out more about tuition fee deposits.

Overseas students are charged tuition fees for both first and second years of study. For Overseas continuing students, the second-year fee is £45,300 (2028/29, provisional).

For this programme, the tuition fee is the same for home and overseas students.

Tuition fee

If you’re made an offer, we’ll ask you to pay a tuition fee deposit, normally 10 per cent of the first-year tuition fee. Paying the deposit by the specified deadline will secure your place on the programme, subject to meeting the other conditions of your offer.

Your payment deadline will usually be the earlier of six weeks after the date of your offer or 20 days before the formal start date of the programme.

Tuition fee deposits are generally non-refundable, although refunds may be available in the circumstances set out in LSE’s Tuition Fee Policy for your year of entry. Your offer letter and other correspondence from the School will also provide information about how to pay and the circumstances in which a payment deadline extension or exemption from the deposit requirement may be considered.

Find out more about tuition fee deposits.

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework. You’ll receive feedback on this work, but it doesn’t count towards your course mark or degree award. Formative coursework is developmental in nature — it's designed to help you prepare for summative assessment, which does count towards your course mark and degree award.

Summative assessment may be conducted during the course (eg, projects or continuous assessment) and/or by final examination at the end of the course. Some core course examinations take place during the January examination period (Winter Term, Week 0). Others, including all optional course examinations, take place after the end of Winter Term, during the Spring Term examination period.

An indication of the formative coursework and summative assessment for each course can be found in the relevant course guide.

Our former students are employed as economists in a wide range of national and international organisations in government, international institutions, business and finance. In recent years, our graduates have gained employment in organisations such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Bank of America, Credit Suisse, NERA Economic Consulting, PwC, Deloitte, Compass Lexecon, McKinsey, IMF, World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Bundesbank, Bank of England, and HM Treasury.

Approximately one third of students proceed to PhD programmes at LSE or other leading universities. In recent years, our MSc in Economics students have placed at MIT, Princeton, Stanford, NYU, Northwestern, Penn, Columbia, Yale, MIT Sloan, UCLA, Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell and many other top PhD programmes around the world.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.