Economic Policy

Economic Policy (M.Sc.)
The MSc in Economic Policy provides students with a comprehensive grounding in the contemporary aspects of economic policy design and implementation and will equip them with the ability to engage confidently in evidence-based economic policy making. It equips students with the knowledge and understanding required to thrive in policy related careers.

This is a jointly delivered programme between the Department of Economics at Trinity College Dublin and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

It is aimed students who do not have a background in economics or who wish to refresh their economics knowledge through a policy angle. This programme will enable graduates to engage with international and national economic research with relevance for Irish policy formation. It will cover a range of key policy areas including, but not limited to, health economics, housing, climate change, banking, regulation, behavioural economics, taxation and welfare.

This degree will provide you with a unique understanding of the complex challenges of contemporary governance, providing a real-world context to the policy-making skills you will develop.

Course Structure
The M.Sc. in Economic Policy is a two-year part-time programme with one intake every two years with the next intake in January 2024.

The M.Sc. carries 90 ECTS. Candidates take 12 taught modules worth 60 ECTS and a research dissertation worth 30 ECTS.

Course Content
The course comprises 12 modules, six of which are compulsory and will focus on core concepts and skills. The other six modules are focused on key policy areas and students will select three of these. Students will carry out a dissertation in their second year relating to a relevant policy area.

Course modules include: Micro Economic Policy; Macro Economic Policy; Quantitative Methods for Economics I and II; Research Methods for Economics; Applied policy evaluation; Regulation and Banking; Behavioural Economics; Urban and Housing Economics; Health Economics; and Energy, Environment and Climate Change.

Applicants will be expected to have an NFQ Level-8 Bachelor’s degree at 2.1 (or above) in any discipline, as well as five years policy experience. Applicants with less than five years experience or an NFQ Level-7 qualification with eight years experience in a policy relevant area will be considered on a case by case basis by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

2 years part-time

Next Intake September 2024

Closing Date 31st July 2024

Career Opportunities
This course equips students with the knowledge and understanding required to thrive in policy related careers and enables graduates to engage with international and national economic research with relevance for Irish policy formation. Graduates of this course have pursued careers in NGOs, policy, cultural institutions, and the education sector.