Economics, master programme

120 credits

In a globalized world, economists are needed to analyze and come to conclusions on economic conditions in a society in constant change. This Master programme in economics provides you with the tools you need to work with economic policy challenges.

As a student at the master’s programme in economics, you will be equipped with theoretical and empirical tools for analyzing economic challenges in society, in order to be able to study the interplay between individuals, companies, organizations, countries, and other actors on different markets.

The programme gives you an introduction to advanced empirical methods for descriptive statistical analysis, identification of causal effects and economic experiments. Compared to studies at first-cycle level, you will gain a deeper understanding of econometrics and statistics in general. You will also have the opportunity to study one semester abroad.

After completing the programme, you will be well prepared to work with analytical, decision-making, counselling, and investigative tasks, skills that you can apply in both the private and public sector.

Career

The programme is suitable for you who want to work with qualified tasks such as investigators and analysts in for example government, private organizations, companies and banks. As an economist you will have a general problem solving ability, which is useful in many different professions.
Graduates from our programme are especially skilled in working with big data analysis as well as empirical and statistical methods. Our alumni work in consulting firms, financial institutions, research institutes and government institutions. During the programme you will have the opportunity to network with our former students.

Our programme will also prepare you for studies at third-cycle (PhD) level since the content of the programme has close ties to research within different parts of the economics subject. Some our graduates continue with doctoral studies after their master’s.

Degree

Degree of Master of Science or Degree of Master of Science in Business and Economics

Main field of study: Economics

Programme Structure

The programme covers two years. In semester 1 (autumn), you will acquire fundamental master-level skills in mathematical economics, econometrics, micro- and macroeconomics. Semester 2 (spring) provides a deeper understanding of econometric methods. You will also be introduced to current economics research and start developing your own research ideas. Semester 3 (autumn) allows you to choose courses that prepare you for your future career, or you can go on exchange to one of our many partner universities. In semester 4 (spring) you write your master thesis.

The programme also provides the option to finish after one year with a one-year (60 credits) master degree. In that case, the programme ends with a master thesis in the second half of semester 2.

To prepare you for an interesting career as researcher, analyst, or consultant in the private or public sector, we offer three elective course packages for semester 3 from which you can choose:

Package 1: Big Data Analysis and Economic Policy

Advanced Statistical Data Analysis
Advanced Statistical Learning
Advanced Economic Policy Analysis with Big Data

Package 2: Financial Analysis

Advanced Statistical Data Analysis
Advanced Statistical Learning
Financial Risk Analysis
Advanced Topics in Analytical Finance

Package 3: Advanced Business Analytics

Advanced Statistical Data Analysis
Advanced Statistical Learning
Advanced Data Visualization
Advanced Data-Driven Decision Making

Alternatively you can choose courses on your own, from the School of Business and Economics, from Linnaeus University or from other universities.

Programme teachers and their research.

Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

We are accredited

The School of Business and Economics at Linnaeus University is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, AACSB.

International opportunities

The language of tuition is English. In this way, you will become prepared not only for a career in Sweden, but also for a career in international contexts. The programme admits students from all over the world, which means that you will get international and multicultural experience throughout the programme. Further opportunity for internationalisation is provided through the opportunity to study a semester abroad at one of our partner universities around the world.

Template for the Statement of Purpose intended for individual assessment to be included in the programme application.

Statement of Purpose

In the future, Nathalie wants to become either CEO or start her own business

Nathalie knew that she did not want to study in the city where she grew up, Stockholm, and that she wanted to be close to her country house in Småland. Therefore, she chose Linnaeus University. What caught her interest was the “campus bubble”, the fact that it is an international university with good exchange opportunities, and that the courses seemed to be of high quality. Nathalie has finished her masters and is now working as an analyst at Copenhagen Economics.

Read the full interview with Nathalie

- The courses are demanding but it’s always clear what is needed. You can tell that the standard is high and that focus is on learning. The teachers also show great interest in helping you succeed with your studies, says Nathalie.

In her opinion, the most challenging part has been the mathematics. Economics is taught in a very mathematical way, which may come as a shock to some students.

- As I study the bachelor’s programme in economics at Linnaeus University, I was quite prepared for that there would be a lot of mathematics. However, if you are planning to study the master’s programme, I would recommend that you freshen up your mathematics before you start, Nathalie continues.

During the course of her programme, she studied one semester in Linz, Austria, which she thought was incredibly educational and rewarding, but also challenging as studies are conducted in a completely different way than in Sweden.

- In Austria, you study all courses in parallel during the semester and we had homework to do every week, while in Sweden, at least at Linnaeus University, you study one course at a time with a written assignment and an exam. What I bring with me from my exchange semester is that you can do anything as long as you don’t give up, says Nathalie.

Nathalie does not have any specific dream job, but in the future, she would like to become a partner or CEO at a larger company, alternatively start her own business as she grew up in an enterprising family. Nathalie has finished her masters and is now working as an analyst at Copenhagen Economics.

- If you want to gain truly broad knowledge in economics, this programme is perfect for you. The quality of the programme is also incredibly good, and even though you have to take a lot of own responsibility, the teachers are always willing to help if you need support or guidance, Nathalie concludes.

Exchange semester gave Adam friends for life

Adam chose to study at Linnaeus University as he had heard from near and loved ones that it was a good university. Since he was very pleased with his bachelor’s programme, he chose to study also a master’s programme at the university. Adam has finished his masters and has started as a PhD student in Economics at Linneaus University.

Read the full interview with Adam

- Studying at Linnaeus University was a great experience! There are plenty of nice places at which you can study and all my teachers were really helpful and supportive. What is more, there is also a great offer of student activities, which makes student life fun, says Adam.

The most challenging thing about his studies was that they were more time-consuming than he had thought. Every course on the programme consisted of multiple modules, which meant that you had to plan carefully to make sure you had time for everything.

- We had about 3–4 lectures a week and an exam at the end of each period. There were also often one or several extra modules on each course that needed to be completed. These modules were often of a more practical character where you applied the knowledge you had acquired on the course in question, Adam explains.

Adam chose to study one semester in Linz, Austria. He really enjoyed studying abroad. He got to know people from all over the world and made friends for life.

- You will also get to experience what it can be like to live in another country. That’s a good life experience. One thing that I bring with me from my studies abroad is my statistics knowledge. I chose to study almost exclusively practical statistics courses. But what stays with me strongest is how much fun it was to study in another country and to meet people from different backgrounds, Adam continues.

Adam concludes by explaining why he thinks that you should study the master’s programme in economics.

- You will acquire so much knowledge in economics, but the very best thing is that you will gain an understanding of how to apply theory in practice, says Adam.

Erika travels to Australia to study abroad

After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in economics, Erika chose to stay on at Linnaeus University to study economics at master’s level. The master’s programme in economics is an international programme, as opposed to the bachelor’s programme, something that Erika quickly came to appreciate as she made friends with people from Rwanda, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Now, she is looking forward to her studies abroad, in Australia.

Read the full interview with Erika

What made you apply to the master’s programme in economics?

I obtained my bachelor’s degree in economics last summer and felt that I wanted to learn more on the subject. Economics has really caught my interest! I also chose to continue my studies because I wanted to get more opportunities on the labour market.

What are you pleased with so far on the programme?

I’m very happy with the programme so far. It’s an international programme which means that many of my fellow students come from different parts of the world; for instance, Rwanda, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Iran. It has been great fun getting to know people who are not from Sweden. It felt very natural taking the step from having studied at bachelor’s level to studying at master’s level. On the master’s programme, all students are given the opportunity to study abroad. I will spend one semester at La Trobe University in Australia, which I’m very much looking forward to! In particular getting to improve my English and experiencing a new place and a new everyday life.

How would you describe studying at Linnaeus University?

The study environment is great. There are plenty of opportunities to sit in the university’s buildings when you study, which I prefer. The University Library offers a variety of places to study; quiet sections, group study rooms, and computer rooms. Many students choose to study at the library or in other university buildings. It’s easy to communicate with the teachers and they are all very helpful and will give you information again in case you have not understood. I also like the size of the university with all departments gathered on campus. I know that in larger cities, universities sometimes have several different campuses.

What’s the style of studying?

Each course contains some 10–12 lectures. The lectures are not compulsory but you learn a lot from the lectures and also get a good picture of what you are expected to learn during the course. The general approach is one assignment and one examination for each course. Some examples of what may be part of a course are writing assignments, exercises to solve, or statistical diagrams that you should present and interpret.

What are you planning to do once you have completed your studies?

Once I’ve graduated, I will move to either Uppsala, Gothenburg or Stockholm. I haven’t yet decided in detail what I would like to work with after completing my studies. A few examples of things that I have in mind are compilation of statistical data, analysis of statistics and data, work at the Ministry of Finance, or within the banking sector.

Behnam works as a consultant

Behnam has completed a master's programme in economics, which has provided him with an analytical mindset. Today, he works at Academic Work and enjoys being challenged in his role as a consultant.

Read the interview with Behnam

After graduation, Behnam chose to take a three-month training course in Salesforce CRM systems. He then landed the job he has today.

"After finishing my CRM course at Academic Work I started working there as a data consultant. I have carried out projects for different clients. For example, I spent five months at the company Tre where I worked with data analysis, marketing automation, and uplift modeling," explains Behnam.

Through his education at Linnaeus University, he has gained an understanding of various statistical models and an ability to analyse relationships between different factors, after having worked extensively on economic projects.

However, he was new to the challenges of businesses.

"It was difficult at first because I had no idea about the tasks and challenges that exist in the business world or how to approach them," Behnam continues.

In his daily work, he blends his skills.

" I often work in teams with an agile approach. I work with data analysis in the Salesforce platform and programs like SQL (Structured Query Language) and SAS (Statistical Analysis System). This can include data management, data visualisation, providing auto-updating dashboards that help companies and departments to focus on their strategic KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and models to predict specific customer behavior and its consequences.

Integration of different systems is key in automating previously manual processes, including the process of data analysis. Charts, parameters and predictions should be updated as fast as possible as new information arrive which needs a fair automated data migration and generation process. A continued process that takes data from sources, clean, combine or filter it out, import it to the analysing instrument, and export the results automatically." Behnam says.

He describes his time on the economics master's programme as both challenging and interesting.

"I learned a lot of new things and I admire the high-quality empirical methods that are used at departmental level. I think the general mindset that we gain through working with statistical relationships and econometric modelling is one of the biggest assets that we brought with us after graduation " he says.

He believes the programme is suitable for those with an analytical and critical mindset who want to learn new things and that there is a demand on the job market for people with a combination of economics and data/IT knowledge. His advice to those considering the programme is:

"Think big and have a dynamic mindset. Always be open to learn new things from practical tools like SQL, SAS, or Python to whole new theoretical frameworks and business concepts. Stay up-to-date on the latest technology and invest in establishing high-quality professional contacts and you will find a job" Behnam concludes.

Further information

Thomas Giebe, programme coordinator: ”If you are interested in analysing how the world works, economics is the subject for you”

As an economist, you study how different national economy aspects affect each other. This sounds like a broad field and that is exactly what it is. After completing your studies, you will have the opportunity to work both locally and globally. In the private sector as well as in the public sector. Economics is about being able to account for well thought-out reasoning and statistics to provide as good a basis as possible for different decisions in the private and public sector. It can be about political decisions that affect the population of a country, or decisions that affect the profitability of an individual company.

“The programme provides you with the knowledge and tools you need to be able to affect decision-makers with the help of numbers and logical reasoning”.

Economists work at many levels in society and it is common for economists to have an international career. Most of the teachers on the programme have great international experience and good contacts with higher education institutions abroad. Students on the programme are encouraged to study their third term abroad and are also prepared for third-cycle studies.

“If you are interested in mathematics and how society works, this is the programme for you. You will acquire knowledge and valuable tools that you can use to affect the economy and society in a positive direction.

Societal relevance

The economics profession is a profession of the future, as an increasingly complex and globalised economy requires societal actors to use economic analyses to inform their decision-making processes. As a student at the programme you will become a societal analyst with in-depth knowledge of socioeconomic issues. You will be equipped with relevant theoretical and empirical tools to analyse these issues.

The specialisation with a focus on demographic changes and the analysis of the role of government to deal with these changes is likely to be highly valued on the labour market, as governments are faced with social challenges, such as migration and population ageing. A Master’s degree in economics provides a good foundation for analysing these and many other challenges in society.

Scope of Programme

All course literature in economics has an international perspective and the knowledge and skills obtained are broadly applicable. Both theoretical and practical applications are gathered from different parts of the world. Dialogue and exchange of experience between students from different parts of the world enriches the programme. In our courses in labour market economics, we illustrate how different people’s conditions (such as ethnic background) affect outcomes in the working life. In our courses in public economics, the role of government in the economy is analysed from different perspectives. For example, the government can equalise differences in outcomes, but also differences in opportunities (equal life chances).

In our applications of basic economic theory, various sustainability perspectives, such as those in relation to environmental issues and the structure of public policy, are also addressed. The programme uses educational and examination formats that stimulate the students’ capacity for analysis, critical thinking, abstraction and theorisation.

Växjö – the student city with a living campus

Just south of Växjö’s city centre you will find Linnaeus University’s campus. In Växjö, many students choose to live on campus.

Here you will have five minutes’ walking distance to friends, restaurants, lecture rooms, gym, grocery store, the University Library, nature trails, and student pubs. If you live in another part of Växjö, you can quickly get to the university by bus or bicycle.

With its 90 000 inhabitants, Växjö is one of the fastest growing cities in Sweden. Here you will find the famous Småland entrepreneurship spirit and a lot of companies, for instance within the IT industry – perfect for when you are looking for an internship position or a job. Växjö is also a picturesque city where you are always close to forests and water.

Learn more about our student cities.