Program Overview
The Political Economy at University of Essex is a MSc programme in Social Sciences over 12 months, delivered On-campus. This programme equips graduates with advanced knowledge and practical skills for professional and academic careers in the field.
Students gain a rigorous grounding in both the theoretical foundations and applied dimensions of social sciences. The programme combines coursework, research components, and practical projects that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and specialist expertise relevant to industry and research needs.
Graduates of the Political Economy programme are well-prepared for careers in academia, industry, government, and the private sector across United Kingdom and internationally. The programme provides an internationally recognised qualification within the Bologna higher education framework.
Key Program Features
- Duration: 12 months
- Language of instruction: English
- Study mode: On-campus
- English requirement: IELTS 6.5
- Tuition: GBP 15,500 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 7,950 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
- Location: Colchester, United Kingdom
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Political Economy programme are prepared for diverse careers in social sciences:
- Policy Analyst
- NGO Programme Manager
- Researcher
- Social Worker
- Diplomat
- Development Consultant
Program Curriculum
Course Structure
- MA Dissertation
- Advanced Research Methods
- Political Economy
- Applications of Data Analysis (optional)
- Banking (optional)
- Behavioural Economics I: Individual Decision Making (optional)
- Behavioural Economics II: Games and Markets (optional)
- Comparative European Politics (optional)
- Computational Agent-Based Macro-Economics, Financial Markets and Policy Design (optional)
- Conflict Resolution (optional)
- Contemporary Theories of Justice (optional)
- Econometric Methods (optional)
- Economic Development Theory (optional)
- Economics of Financial Markets (optional)
- Economics of Incentives, Contracts and the Firm (optional)
- Economics of the European Union (optional)
- Economics of Transition (optional)
- Environmental Economics (optional)
- Estimation and Inference in Econometrics (optional)
- Game Theory and Applications (optional)
- Ideology and Political Discourse (optional)
- Environmental Politics (optional)
- International Finance (optional)
- International Security Studies (optional)
- International Trade (optional)
- Macroeconomics (optional)
- Market Structure and Strategic Behaviour (optional)
- Mathematical Methods (optional)
- Microeconometrics (optional)
- Microeconomics (optional)
- Monetary Economics (optional)
- Panel Data Methods (optional)
- Political Economy (optional)
- Political Explanation (optional)
- Political Parties in Britain and Europe (optional)
- Political Theory (optional)
- Public Opinion and Political Behaviour (optional)
- Research Design (optional)
- Research Seminar in Political Theory and Methods (optional)
- Survey Measurement and Question Design (optional)
- Theories of International Relations (optional)
- Theory and Explanation in Political Science (optional)
- Theory of Industrial Organisation (optional)
- Time Series Econometrics (optional)
- Topics in Financial Economics (optional)
- Courses are designed to provide you with an advanced understanding of either the politics of a geographical area or an aspect of the discipline
- Courses include both compulsory and optional modules, so the course can be tailored to fit your interests and aspirations
- Learn through discussion and problem-solving
- Lab sessions allow you to improve your technical research skills
- We encourage students to attend national conferences to meet researchers and discuss their work
- Your coursework comes in the form of essays, simulations, presentations and in-class tests
- You are given guidance on how to prepare a Masters dissertation by our Graduate Director in the spring term
- We link you with an appropriate supervisor at the earliest opportunity
Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
A degree with an overall high 2:2.
English Proficiency: IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
GBP 15,500 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 7,950 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
Tuition fees: GBP 15,500 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 7,950 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
IELTS requirement: 6.5
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Contact University of Essex directly for scholarship, grant, and financial aid information for this programme. Many European universities offer merit-based and need-based funding for international and domestic students.
About University of Essex
University of Essex
Colchester, United Kingdom
Visit the university profile page to learn more about this institution.
University Profile- Start Date Oct, 2026
- Language English
- Duration 12 months
