Financial Economics (MSc) - 2013/2014 entry

This programme is designed to equip you with tools and techniques for investigating important economic issues. It provides a thorough grounding in mathematical and econometric techniques, as well as microeconomics, and examines why financial markets are prone to crises, studying the details of past and present crises, and subsequent policy responses.

You will learn to express original ideas in academic papers and to test them with the use of econometrics. The study of econometrics covers linear and dynamic linear regression models, a wide variety of hypothesis tests, and techniques for estimating systems of equations. Techniques are illustrated with economic examples, such as models with rational expectations, as well as consumption, production and money demand functions.

Economics and finance at Birkbeck has acquired an excellent reputation, not only for the quality of its research but also for the quality of its training. Employers recognise the quality of Birkbeck graduates in economics and finance. We take students who are determined to succeed and are prepared to undergo the rigours of a first-class training, whether they are studying full-time or part-time.

• Provides a solid basis for a wide variety of careers in business, government and academia.
• Enables you to work effectively when tackling problems of the sort faced in financial sector institutions, banks and regulatory institutions. 
• Excellent reputation for the quality of our teaching, providing training for employers such as The Treasury and Bank of England.
• The department enjoys an international reputation and stands among the foremost research groups in the country.
• Watch our video of Professor Ron Smith talking about studying in the Department of Economics, Mathematics and Statistics.

Preliminary/introductory modules take place in September and have to be passed in order to progress on to the programme.

Core modules reinforce economic and financial theory with practical application. Option modules provide specialised modules with current themes.

Core modules:

• Quantitative Techniques (preliminary courses in mathematical and statistical techniques) 
• Microeconomic Theory (consumer and producer theory, general equilibrium, game theory, imperfect information and imperfect competition, market failures)
• Financial Markets and Regulation (asymmetric information, bank runs, asset price bubbles, herding, monetary policy, bank supervision and regulation, corporate governance)
• Econometrics (including an empirical project, which can be on a work-related topic)
• Independent dissertation (to be completed over the summer).

Option modules:

• Advanced Econometrics
• Corporate Finance
• Game Theory
• Industrial Economics
• International Macroeconomics
• Monetary Economics and Policy.

Availability varies across years.

Computer laboratories and the College library.

If you are interested in further research, we offer a PhD/MPhil in Economics/Finance.

Graduates go on to careers in banking and finance, the public sector, in industry, or in research and analysis.

This is a new course, but see our website for examples of what MSc Economics students have gone on to do.

• You should apply as early as possible. We need to receive your supporting documents, i.e. your transcript, before we can proceed with your application.