Master’s Program in Economics

An MSc in economics provides a solid foundation for understanding how societies work, and for careers in the private and public sector, as well as PhD studies. Economics studies combine academic rigor with real-world relevance and skills. While the Master's Programs in economics are officially managed and run by the Helsinki GSE partnering universities, Helsinki GSE coordinates and develops teaching in the programs and facilitates cross-institutional participation in teaching activities.

The objective of the Master’s program in economics is to provide a high value-added education to the students irrespective of whether they go on to work in the private or public sector, in applied or research-oriented jobs. This goal is achieved by being simultaneously methodologically strong and practically oriented, applying economic approaches to real world problems instead of teaching them purely at a theoretical level. Students are equipped with the main tools of a professional economist: a way of conceptualizing problems, thinking through the incentives of decision-makers, analyzing the impact of different decision-makers knowing different things, as well as solid tools for empirical analysis.

Given that Helsinki GSE offers a wide variety of courses, and thesis topics can be flexibly chosen, students can tailor their studies to match their interests. More details regarding our current course offering can be viewed on the page:

The Master’s program in economics is suitable for anyone with a Bachelor degree in economics or related discipline. The Master’s program offers two study tracks: a general study track and a research study track. The degree requirements in the Research Master's track differ from the General Master's track degree requirements. You can apply to the Research Master's track when applying to the program. Please note that to be eligible to apply to the Research Master's track you must meet certain criteria. For more information on the Research Master's track and on how to apply can be found on the page:

You can apply to the Master’s program through any of the partnering universities. More information regarding the application process can be accessed through the links below:

The Master’s program in economics is a two-year program consisting of course work and a thesis. The program focuses on the core elements of economic analysis and methods. It provides students with an extensive exposure on applied themes of economics and on the big picture of the economy. The curriculum consists of core courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics as well as specialized courses in subfields of economics, such as:

The Master’s program in economics is suitable for anyone with a Bachelor degree in economics or related discipline, and an ambition to serve in demanding expert positions. The training is based on state-of-the-art knowledge on economic research, and is compatible with recent international trends in economics education.

The Master’s program also qualifies students to apply to PhD programs, both at the Helsinki GSE partnering universities as well in other universities in Finland and abroad. The most suitable track to PhD education is the Research Master’s track, which focuses on methodological aspects of economics.

The language of the Master’s program is English. We encourage both international and Finnish students to apply.

The Master's program in economics qualifies students to apply to varied economics PhD programs in Finland and abroad. The enables the students to acquire the transferable skills required in their potential future positions, including: