Department of Economics

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Start date

September

Duration

2 years

Attendance mode

Full Time

Location

On Campus

Fees

Home: £12,220 (+£1,385 placement year fee)
International: £25,320 (+£1,385 placement year fee)

Course code

PGTF0277

Entry requirements

We will consider all applications with a 2:2 (or international equivalent) in Economics and other Social Sciences (such as Politics, Sociology, Finance, Business, International Relations, Law), as well as Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, or Engineering. Applicants with professional qualifications or relevant professional experience will also be considered. Applicants will need to demonstrate they have studied Economic theory (including Macroeconomics and Microeconomics) and ONE of the following: Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Quantitative Methods (Statistics or Econometrics).

In addition to degree classification, we take into account other elements of the application such as supporting statement. References are optional but can help build a stronger application if you fall below the 2:2 requirement or have non-traditional qualifications.

See international entry requirements and English language requirements

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The MSc Development Economics with Work Placement Year is the flagship Master's programme offered by the SOAS Economics Department.

It combines the two core intellectual traditions nurtured for decades in our unique department: a pluralist approach to economics and a focus on real-world development issues. If you are interested in understanding how the global economy works, what economic challenges and opportunities countries in the Global South face, and what to do about intensifying inequalities and ecological breakdown, this degree is for you.

In macroeconomics, you will engage with different schools of macroeconomic thought on issues like inflation, unemployment, inequality, money creation, climate change and macroeconomic policy. In microeconomics, different theoretical perspectives on issues like market failures, risk, market structures and production are compared and contrasted. In development economics, you are introduced to economic theories and policies for development through a historical, pluralist and decolonial approach.

For your placement year, you will have the opportunity to take part in a full-time, 10–12 month work placement at an organisation of your choice. Please note: you will be expected to secure the work placement yourself, to be approved by the academic department. The SOAS Careers team are on hand to help you with your CV, interview skills and finding the right organisation for you.

Students on this programme can apply for a dissertation co-supervised with key international organisations, such as the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Bank.

Why study MSc Development Economics with Work Placement Year at SOAS?

SOAS is ranked 27th in UK for economics (QS World University Rankings 2024)
We are top 20 in the UK for student satisfaction with teaching (Complete University Guide 2023)
We are top 40 in the UK for economics (Complete University Guide 2023)

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The MSc Development Economics is a taught Masters degree. It consists of eight modules delivered through lectures, classes, and tutorials and an 10,000-word dissertation. The degree is awarded on the basis of examinations written in May and a dissertation which is submitted in September. All students must complete the compulsory Preliminary course in Mathematics and Statistics which is taught over three weeks in August/ September before the start of the core modules of the MSc.

Completion of the placement year comes with an optional additional 60 credits (on top of the mandatory 180 credits that need to be completed for the MSc Development Economics degree).

A complete list of optional modules in the programme is listed below, not all of which are offered in any single year.

Important notice

The information on the programme page reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. If you are a current student you can find structure information on the previous year link at the top of the page or through your Department.

Please read the important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules.