UCL Msc Economics 2012....Who is going?

Original post by Ghost6

It will definitely be indispensable to master the basic computational techniques of linear algebra and (multivariable) calculus for any serious economics MSc. However having studied the theory behind these techniques seems much less important. In fact, even at the PhD level, a standard econometrics course does not require much more than some calculus and basic probability. The standard texts in graduate econometrics, including Hayashi (used at Harvard), are not rigorous mathematical texts that require, among others, an in-depth knowledge of measure, integration and probability theory. Just compare the level of the textbook of Hamilton, generally used for time series courses at economics departments, with that of Brockwell and Davis, used for time series at stats/math departments.

True. But as students progress on a high calibra PhD Economics, they will eventually need to learn advanced topics in measured theory and probability theory. Hayashi and Hamilton are actually written for first year PhD students (or master students in the UK).

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 42

Today I recieve the information that the pass mark for the Cambridge MPhil Economic Research is 60%, which is 10% higher than the UCL, LSE graduate economic courses.

Since people will need to take 8 modules, and among which 3 are core theoretical modules and 4 are advanced theoretical modules, I now have the belief that it is much harder than the UCL MSc Economics :frown:

I will obtain all lecture materials, exam papers, problem sets for the Cam MPhil Economic Research in a few days from my friend. It is quite interesting to compare them with the UCL MSc Economics and Oxford MPhil Economics to see which programme is actually the hardest and most technical.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 43

Given the high pass mark and the extra course work required for the Cam MPhil Economic Research, I imagine that if the 2010 UCL MSc Economics cohorts (about 55 people) did the Cam MPhil instead, about 35 -40% of them would actually fail the degree.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 44

OP

Original post by Lalafell

Today I recieve the information that the pass mark for the Cambridge MPhil Economic Research is 60%, which is 10% higher than the UCL, LSE graduate economic courses.

Since people will need to take 8 modules, and among which 3 are core theoretical modules and 4 are advanced theoretical modules, I now have the belief that it is much harder than the UCL MSc Economics :frown:

I will obtain all lecture materials, exam papers, problem sets for the Cam MPhil Economic Research in a few days from my friend. It is quite interesting to compare them with the UCL MSc Economics and Oxford MPhil Economics to see which programme is actually the hardest and most technical.

First, if the pass mark is higher than the UCL, this could be a signal that the Cambridge programme is less harder than UCL, this could be an explanation on why they have a higher passing grade. Eg: If you have a very easy programme, where anybody achieve nearly perfect scores as 90%, you would probably see that the passing mark is maybe 99%. On the other side, if you have a very tough programme where the almost nobody achieve more than 70%, then you'll maybe see a passing mark of no more than, let's say 60%. So in this if you can infer something, this could be that the depth and rigour of UCL programme is higher than in the Cambridge one.

I don't understand why you try to differentiate between theoretical modules. What, in UCL Msc in Economics are not theoretical?, are they just pure intuition?

Reply 45

OP

Original post by Lalafell

Given the high pass mark and the extra course work required for the Cam MPhil Economic Research, I imagine that if the 2010 UCL MSc Economics cohorts (about 55 people) did the Cam MPhil instead, about 35 -40% of them would actually fail the degree.

Lalafell, aren't you losing your objectivity?, you can't compare both programmes, If you want to compare, then use the vanilla MPhil in Economics. Many of the the students in UCL didn't bother on taking GRE (my case), so this is why I didn't applied to Oxbridge, but when I sent to the adcom my credentials to see if I had a shot, they told me that I have all the requirements to apply: 1st of my class, 1st with honours according uk system, research and teaching assistant, all necessary maths and maybe more, etc, etc, and I think in UCL there is a lot of students with much better credentials than mine, so I think that your inference lacks of rigour.

Reply 46

OP

Cambridge Maths requirements MPhil research:".......In addition, applicants must have basic competence in the following areas of mathematics:
Calculus: functions of several variables, partial and total derivatives, the chain rule, constrained optimisation using Lagrange multipliers, integration
Matrix algebra: matrices, determinants, inverses, solutions to simple simultaneous equation systems
Basic competence in this context means that the applicant should have studied these topics at the level of a first-year mathematical methods in economics course in a UK undergraduate economics degree. An equivalent course in Cambridge is the Quantitative Methods Course" http://www.econ.cam.ac.uk/prospect/ba/outlines/Part_I_Paper_3.pdf

Now, the above course recommends the following books, I suppose in order of preference since they are not listed by the authors names:

Reading
Bradley, T, Essential Mathematics for Economics and Business, (3rd edition), Wiley. Comprehensive coverage of most topics, sometimes a little basic. The early chapters cover A-level material which will not be taught in the course.
Sydsaeter, K and P Hammond, Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis (2nd edition), Prentice Hall. Covers the course syllabus, but with a rather less basic approach than Bradley.
Chiang, A, Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics, McGraw-Hill. Harder than Bradley, more in-depth coverage of advanced topics.
Pemberton, M & N Rau, Mathematics for Economists, (2nd edition), Manchester University Press. Also harder than Bradley, but a good text for those who have done Further Maths modules at A Level, or who plan to take the optional Mathematics paper in Part IIA. Some material (roughly, Chapters 21-30) goes beyond the course syllabus.

They start recommending Bradley and later they recommend Pemberton but states that this is harder than Bradley and just recommended for students that have done further maths.

UCL simply recommends Pemberton, period.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 47

I will obtain the lecture notes, problem sets for the entire degree in a few days. And I will update information here. But actually, according to my friend currently doing MPHil there, the Cam Economic Research does cover more advanced staff than the UCL MSc Economics.

When I obtain the lecture notes, I will makea thorough comparison.

Reply 48

Lalafell, if you are looking for a "hard" and "technical" course why didn't you apply to LSE EME?

On the pass marks - I think most (all?) Cambridge masters work on the 60% pass. It's my understanding that this is not quite comparable to 60% at other unis, if you look at the marking guidelines so I think you cannot compare directly (in terms of either saying more people from another uni would fail, or that it's like that because of an easier course). It's almost like trying to compare across different grading systems. Note: this is just my understanding.

Reply 49

Original post by sj27

Lalafell, if you are looking for a "hard" and "technical" course why didn't you apply to LSE EME?

On the pass marks - I think most (all?) Cambridge masters work on the 60% pass. It's my understanding that this is not quite comparable to 60% at other unis, if you look at the marking guidelines so I think you cannot compare directly (in terms of either saying more people from another uni would fail, or that it's like that because of an easier course). It's almost like trying to compare across different grading systems. Note: this is just my understanding.

that was my preliminary judgement according to the information contained in the MPhil Economic Research handbook and what my friend told me. I will also obtain Cam past exam papers. I will make a thorough comparison when I obtain them.

Reply 50

Original post by Lalafell

that was my preliminary judgement according to the information contained in the MPhil Economic Research handbook and what my friend told me. I will also obtain Cam past exam papers. I will make a thorough comparison when I obtain them.

(sigh...I wish you would actually read what you respond to)
when you compare, please make sure to get hold of the marking guidelines for both unis to compare those too. I know when I compared a Cambridge course to another one, basically the requirements for pass, merit, distinction were pretty much the same, just ascribed different numbers.

And you didn't apply for EME because....?

Reply 51

I want Oxbridge under my CV...and I have personal bias against LSE.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 52

Interesting...considering EME is probably the most prestigious master's around in the field... Wadders24 has an acceptance...

Reply 53

What are you trying to say? O_o I am happy with my MPhil Economics offer from Oxford and my future official offer from Cambridge tough...

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 54

OP

Oxbridge is a beautiful mark for any CV, but don't miss the point please. For example, anybody would like to be accepted by Harvard PhD, but for what I have heard, Stanford is more rigurous, more quantitative. As sj27 says EME is the most tough of any Master however is not comparable with a typical Master in Economics.

Reply 55

Original post by Lalafell

What are you trying to say? O_o I am happy with my MPhil Economics offer from Oxford and my future official offer from Cambridge tough...

I'm just finding it odd as you have made many posts about trying to find the hardest, most technical master's but ignore the obvious one on that front!

Reply 56

Original post by sj27

Interesting...considering EME is probably the most prestigious master's around in the field... Wadders24 has an acceptance...

Most prestigious master in the field in what sense?

Reply 57

Original post by sj27

I'm just finding it odd as you have made many posts about trying to find the hardest, most technical master's but ignore the obvious one on that front!

....

If you search my profile, you will see that I stated it multiple times that EME is the most technical master in Europe.

And since this is a fact, it is needlessly state it because it is a fact. Will you keep telling others that there are 24 hours in a day?

Reply 58

Original post by Lalafell

Most prestigious master in the field in what sense?

Reputed to be the most technical master's in the field in the world, and has a stellar record in terms of where people go on to do their PhDs at once they have it.
Like econla says, not directly comparable to 'ordinary' master's in economics as it is much more quantitatively focused/demanding.

Reply 59