The Student Room Group

Which Masters degree in Economics is the best/most well regarded.

Hi,

I am currently spoilt for choice (much to my surprise) for my masters in economics that I plan to do next year and I would really appreciate any help in choosing as Im finding it very hard.

My options are:
. MPhil Economics at Oxford (2 years) - relatively cheap
. MPhil Economic at Cambridge (1 year)
. MSc Economics at LSE (1 year) - where i currently study so sort of want to go somehwere different.
. MA Economics at NYU (1 year) - outrageously expensive, not sure how well regarded the program is.
. MA International and Development Economics (IDE) Program at Yale (1 year) - not sure how well regarded the program is, cheap for US (around £22k)

seriously any help would be really really appreciated, just any opinions on the above unis and courses. think im inclined to accept one of the oxbridges..but really dont know!

Thanks in advance for any help guys!
Reply 1
Original post by cab1992
Hi,

I am currently spoilt for choice (much to my surprise) for my masters in economics that I plan to do next year and I would really appreciate any help in choosing as Im finding it very hard.

My options are:
. MPhil Economics at Oxford (2 years) - relatively cheap
. MPhil Economic at Cambridge (1 year)
. MSc Economics at LSE (1 year) - where i currently study so sort of want to go somehwere different.
. MA Economics at NYU (1 year) - outrageously expensive, not sure how well regarded the program is.
. MA International and Development Economics (IDE) Program at Yale (1 year) - not sure how well regarded the program is, cheap for US (around £22k)

seriously any help would be really really appreciated, just any opinions on the above unis and courses. think im inclined to accept one of the oxbridges..but really dont know!

Thanks in advance for any help guys!

I think the general consensus is Oxbridge for undergrad and LSE for postgrad. These three are all about the same either way, but teaching is better at Oxbridge and research is better at LSE.
Original post by cab1992
Hi,

I am currently spoilt for choice (much to my surprise) for my masters in economics that I plan to do next year and I would really appreciate any help in choosing as Im finding it very hard.

My options are:
. MPhil Economics at Oxford (2 years) - relatively cheap
. MPhil Economic at Cambridge (1 year)
. MSc Economics at LSE (1 year) - where i currently study so sort of want to go somehwere different.
. MA Economics at NYU (1 year) - outrageously expensive, not sure how well regarded the program is.
. MA International and Development Economics (IDE) Program at Yale (1 year) - not sure how well regarded the program is, cheap for US (around £22k)

seriously any help would be really really appreciated, just any opinions on the above unis and courses. think im inclined to accept one of the oxbridges..but really dont know!

Thanks in advance for any help guys!


Out of those, LSE and Oxford are your best bets by far.

I'd stay away from Cambridge - it's postgraduate department is generally regarded as inferior to that of LSE and Oxford, at least from an academia perspective.

I'd choose Oxford seeing as you're at LSE. It's good to go to a different institution for your Master's. As a 2 year course it will also give a greater taste of PhD/academic-level research, if that's an avenue you're thinking about.

Post your query in this forum: http://www.econjobrumors.com/forum/questions-from-prospective-grad-students

It's a forum dedicated to economics. It's full of postgraduate economists who love to e-battle over which economics department is the best.
Reply 3
Original post by cab1992
Hi,

I am currently spoilt for choice (much to my surprise) for my masters in economics that I plan to do next year and I would really appreciate any help in choosing as Im finding it very hard.

My options are:
. MPhil Economics at Oxford (2 years) - relatively cheap
. MPhil Economic at Cambridge (1 year)
. MSc Economics at LSE (1 year) - where i currently study so sort of want to go somehwere different.
. MA Economics at NYU (1 year) - outrageously expensive, not sure how well regarded the program is.
. MA International and Development Economics (IDE) Program at Yale (1 year) - not sure how well regarded the program is, cheap for US (around £22k)

seriously any help would be really really appreciated, just any opinions on the above unis and courses. think im inclined to accept one of the oxbridges..but really dont know!

Thanks in advance for any help guys!


A few questions, really:

1. Why limit yourself to those universities?

2. What are your career aspirations? Why are you even doing the Masters?

3. What area of economics do you want to specialise in?


Of those you listed, in the UK, without a doubt LSE. Of those in the US, Yale has a better economics department, but do you want to specialise so early on in international/development economics? Also, from reading the course website, the programme is more applied and less theoretical. They even say the courses stressed applications; so this would not be desirable if you want to do a PhD.
^ Just to add to above, I was researching Yale's IDE course a while back - it seems to be aimed at individuals who will enter development economics in a professional capacity (e.g. the public sector, NGOs). They particularly welcome applicants from developing countries who will, after graduation, go back to said country. They don't offer any programme specific scholarships, (they say they hope that candidates will get funding from their respective country's government/employer). If I remember correctly they actively dissuade IDE students from applying to the Yale economics PhD programme - clearly this is a programme that isn't for wannabe academics.

So avoid Yale's IDE programme, unless you 100% want to work in development economics straight after you finish your Master's.
Reply 5
Hi, I am wondering that does IDE programme at Yale have interviews in the admission process?

Quick Reply

Latest