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Economic reasoning and causal evidence for policy and markets
Online or on campus
This programme develops the theoretical and econometric toolkit used in top policy units, central banks, economic consultancies and research institutes. You will master micro and macro foundations, causal inference methods and applied domains — public finance, development, trade and environmental policy. The research capstone produces an empirical paper or policy evaluation meeting professional standards for clarity, identification strategy and transparent limitations. MSc Economics & Policy is taught as one award, not a list of unrelated modules. The published length is 24 months, and the credit total is 36. Students move from Advanced Microeconomics through Advanced Microeconomics; Macroeconomics & Monetary Policy; Econometrics I: Regression & Inference; Mathematical Methods for Economics; Econometrics II: Causal Inference; Public Economics & Fiscal Policy, and finish on MSc Economics Research Capstone. Each course has a question, a method, and a submission. In this field, students say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read. Reading is a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. The artefact a marker expects is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. The award is built so that a graduate can do the following in practice: Apply microeconomic and macroeconomic models to real policy questions Estimate causal effects using modern econometric designs Evaluate fiscal, trade and development programmes with transparent methods Teaching assumes the student can read a source, attempt a problem before the seminar, and revise after feedback. Attendance at live seminars is part of the design. The capstone or final course must use the methods of the earlier courses; a project that ignores them does not pass. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree. The pages for each course name the topics that are examined. Those topics are the syllabus. A brochure line is not a substitute for them.
Mathematical preparation is scaffolded in Term 1. Software training centres on Stata and/or R for reproducible policy research. Suitability for future PhD applications is supported through research methods depth.
Faculty spotlight
Professor Daniel Mensah specialises in causal inference for policy; Dr. Priya Sharma teaches applied macro and financial economics interfaces.
Study online
Online tuition is free. Online examinations are free. There is no exam fee for online study.
On-campus study
Prefer to learn at our Edinburgh campus? Campus tuition and campus examinations are charged. The published campus price is on each programme page.
| Code | Course | Credits · hours |
|---|---|---|
| ECON501 | Advanced Microeconomics Advanced Microeconomics (ECON501) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Advanced Microeconomics as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| ECON502 | Macroeconomics & Monetary Policy Macroeconomics & Monetary Policy (ECON502) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Macroeconomics & Monetary Policy as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| ECON503 | Econometrics I: Regression & Inference Econometrics I: Regression & Inference (ECON503) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Econometrics I: Regression & Inference as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| ECON504 | Mathematical Methods for Economics Mathematical Methods for Economics (ECON504) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Mathematical Methods for Economics as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| Code | Course | Credits · hours |
|---|---|---|
| ECON505 | Econometrics II: Causal Inference Econometrics II: Causal Inference (ECON505) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Econometrics II: Causal Inference as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| ECON506 | Public Economics & Fiscal Policy Public Economics & Fiscal Policy (ECON506) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Public Economics & Fiscal Policy as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| ECON507 | Development Economics & Inequality Development Economics & Inequality (ECON507) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Development Economics & Inequality as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| ECON508 | International Trade & Macroeconomic Openness International Trade & Macroeconomic Openness (ECON508) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using International Trade & Macroeconomic Openness as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| Code | Course | Credits · hours |
|---|---|---|
| ECON601 | Behavioural Economics & Policy Design Behavioural Economics & Policy Design (ECON601) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Behavioural Economics & Policy Design as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| ECON602 | Environmental & Sustainability Economics Environmental & Sustainability Economics (ECON602) is a 3-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 30 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using Environmental & Sustainability Economics as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 3 · 30 h |
| ECON603 | MSc Economics Research Capstone MSc Economics Research Capstone (ECON603) is a 6-credit course on MSc Economics & Policy, with 60 notional learning hours. By the end, students can say who decides, under which rule, and draft a note a professional could read, using MSc Economics Research Capstone as the working context rather than a generic management example. The course is taught in three movements. First, students establish the terms and the decision the course is about. Second, they apply the method to a case, dataset, text, or design and compare it with a weaker alternative. Third, they revise the work after feedback and state what the conclusion cannot support. Preparation uses a statute or instrument, a case or policy paper, and a commentary. Seminar time is for the decision, not for reading the materials aloud. Assessment is a memo or draft clause with sources and a revision note. A pass requires a clear method, evidence a marker can check, and an explicit limit. Credit is not awarded for summary alone. This course is academic. It does not admit the student to practise law and it is not a qualifying law degree.
| 6 · 60 h |
Modules are assessed through a published mix of coursework, applied projects, and examinations. Exam windows are announced in advance so students in other time zones are not forced into overnight sittings. Alternative arrangements are available where documented.
The published duration is 24 months. Teaching language: English. Actual time-to-complete depends on mode and any recognised prior learning.
You may study this award fully online from your country, or — where published — on campus at Brigant. Online study does not require a student visa. Campus study may.
Degree tuition for this award is published as £0 / tuition-free on the online pathway. Examination or administrative fees may apply at checkout — never an annual tuition invoice. Check the Fees page for any extras.
Requirements are grouped on this page (academic, English, documents). Equivalent qualifications are considered. English may be waived after prior English-medium study.
Assessment is typically a mix of coursework, projects, and examinations. Doctoral awards include a thesis or dissertation and an oral examination. Details sit in the programme specification and module outlines.
Recognition of the award for local employment, professional licence, or ministry attestation is decided by your employer or regulator. University of Brigant publishes verification pages for certificates. We do not claim automatic equivalence in every country.
Start an application on this website. Progress is saved from the first step. Admissions: admissions@brigant.uk.
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