MSc in Applied Economics
Course Overview
The MSc in Applied Economics at LSLPE is a UK Level 7 postgraduate degree running one year full-time or two years part-time on-campus, online and by distance learning. The programme is aligned with Royal Economic Society and Government Economic Service guidance and draws case content from IFS, NIESR, Bank of England analysis and Government Economic Service publications.
By graduation you will have completed applied-econometrics workshops, produced policy-facing analytical briefings and defended an original applied-economics dissertation supervised by a practising economist. The MSc is calibrated to UK senior-track practice in the Government Economic Service, City analytics teams, regulators and international bodies.
Key Features
- Curriculum aligned with Royal Economic Society and Government Economic Service guidance.
- Case sequences from IFS, NIESR and Bank of England applied work.
- Applied workshops in R, Python and Stata using UK ONS microdata.
- Choice of dissertation, capstone consulting project or replication portfolio.
- Named programme-tutor support across all three study modes.
- Careers alignment with the Government Economic Service graduate route.
What You Will Learn
- Applied microeconomic and macroeconomic analysis at Master's level.
- Applied econometrics — causal inference, panel and time-series methods.
- Policy-costing and impact assessment to HM Treasury Green Book standards.
- Reading and challenging IFS, NIESR and Bank of England outputs.
- Sector economics — labour, health, education, energy, financial services.
- Behavioural economics for applied questions.
- Programme evaluation techniques used by government economists.
- Research design for an applied-economics dissertation.
Who This Course Is For
- Practising analysts in the Government Economic Service or consultancy.
- Central-bank and regulator analysts.
- Career changers moving into applied-economics roles.
- PhD applicants building an applied analytical foundation.
- International applicants preparing for UK-facing senior analytical roles.
Career Pathways
- Government Economist
- Economic Policy Analyst
- Central Bank Analyst
- Research Economist
- Regulatory Economist
- Financial Economist
- Development Economist
- Economic Consultant
The LSLPE careers service runs at least one careers day each academic year connecting MSc in Applied Economics students with the Government Economic Service, City analytics teams and international bodies.
Entry Requirements
- A UK Bachelor's degree (2:2 or above) or equivalent international qualification in a relevant discipline.
- IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
- Applicants without a Bachelor's degree but with five or more years of senior analytical experience are considered on portfolio.
- One academic and one professional reference.
- A 500-word research proposal or professional practice statement identifying an applied-economics topic.
Why Study at LSLPE
LSLPE reads applied economics inside a wider law-politics-economics conversation because applied outputs are read by policymakers, argued in politics and constrained by law. Central London places HM Treasury, the Bank of England, IFS, NIESR and City analytical teams a short tube ride from every classroom.
Three parallel study modes let progressors, working practitioners and portfolio-route applicants complete the MSc in Applied Economics alongside employment, and the LSLPE careers service refreshes curriculum alignment against Royal Economic Society and Government Economic Service guidance each year.
Apply for MSc in Applied Economics
Applications for the MSc in Applied Economics open across rolling intakes and admissions responds within one working day. Enrol on an LSLPE Master's programme with a dissertation, capstone or sponsor project supervised by City economists. Enrol Now
