Finance or Economics Postgraduate Diploma?

Hello

I've just finished an Undergraduate Degree in IT & Business and have an interest in undertaking an Economics or Finance MSc next year.

Because my undergraduate degree did not have enough relevant modules in either topic I would struggle to find a place with a relevantly good University.

I have been told if I am to complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics or Finance at Birkbeck University of London, It will give me a much better chance to get a place on either the Economics or Finance MSc course for September 2013.

Basically I'm not entirely sure whether I want to take Economics or Finance MSc next year, and because of that I'm not sure whether to do the Economics or the Finance Postgraduate Diploma. For example if I did the Economics Postgraduate Diploma surely that would give me a stronger chance with both Economics and Finance Msc, whereas the Finance Graduate Diploma will more than likely only be relevant to the Finance MSc.

Just need to get other peoples perspective.

Thank you for your time!

Ey Max-T. Look I think is not the best route to take a graduate programme right out of college. The optimal would be to work at least for a year to see what really catch your atention. Try to get some job, not neccesarily in front office, but in some related function to realize what area of an IB you like more.

Now, if you want to go now for a graduate degree anyway, a Msc in Finance clearly would give you the credentials to open you doors in many IB to start your career. On the other hand a Msc in Economics will open them for you, but maybe not with much eficiency as the former. A finance degree will give you the tools almost ready to apply for a finance related job, but an economics one will give you more than the neccesary foundations to do the same (maybe except for private equity or mergers and acquisitions stuff) and much more to do advanced research, models, etc., though is harder due to the higher level of maths you need.

What I'm trying to say is this: Finance will "put" you in IB. Economics can do the same plus many other type of industries. The analytical, quantitative and rigour level that an economist has, give you a wider spectrum of roles to work in, not just IB.

I have an engineering degree with major in finance (lot of courses in finance) and I've always thought that economists are the quantitative philosophers that can deal with almost any field related to social sciences (including finance of course).

Plus, as a former professor of economics said to me when I was trying to decide between a finance and an economics Msc: "Finance will give you $$$, but Economics is nicer". I had to add to his quote that it certainly can give you $$$, depending on where you apply your knowledge.

This is my point of view, I hope it helps you.