A Guide to MBAs in Economics

Depending on where you choose to study, you may be able to specialise throughout your degree. This specialisation might influence your career progression after you have graduated. Common specialisations include:

• Corporate Finance
• Applied Economics
• Economic Theories
• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Econometrics

If your degree requires you to write a dissertation or submit a final major project, this will give you the opportunity to further research a favoured area of business.

The accreditation of an MBA is internationally standardised. This means that no matter where you choose to study your degree, you will be awarded a Master of Business Administration. The only element of your award that might change is the specific title.

Some degrees might be accredited or approved by professional bodies of business and management. These might include the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), or the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

The duration of an MBA in economics will depend on where you choose to study, and will be particularly influenced by the country in which you study. Normally, an MBA will take up to three years when studied full-time, and might take up to 8 years if studied part-time. An MBA degree is very time intensive, but will help you to achieve your career goals potentially sooner than if you were to rely on work experience.

An MBA is generally studied as a final degree, so further study does not tend to be common. However, if you do wish to continue your studies, this could be in the form of a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), a different masters degree, or a graduate diploma or certificate.

The entry requirements for an MBA in economics will depend on where you choose to study. Due to the nature of the course, different institutions will have different entry requirements. Some universities might require you to sit an entrance exam, where others may rely on your undergraduate degree results. Some universities may prefer you to have studied certain subjects, such as economics or finance, and others might require you to have a certain amount of work experience. It is possible that universities in certain countries will expect you to provide results from a GMAT or GRE test. Your institution will be able to provide you with more information about this, as not all universities require all of these things.

You should check each institution to see what entry requirements they have for their MBA in Economics programmes.

• UK – 7.0 IELTS, 2:1 undergraduate degree, work experience may be required
• US – 3.0 GPA, GRE/GMAT may be required

Tuition fees for international students are not fixed. This means that they can vary from institution to institution. You should make sure that you are aware of how much your course will cost you.

Sometimes students on MBA courses will have financial help from their workplace to complete their degree. Speak to your employer about this if you think that an MBA would lead to company progression, as well as personal progression.

You may be eligible for a scholarship or funding. This could be awarded by your institution, or by a separate funding body. For more information, visit our scholarships and funding section.

Students of an MBA in economics will most commonly already have a job in the business or management sector. Their reason for studying is to either progress in their current job, or help to change their career path. Gaining an MBA is also a great way to show international companies that you have the expertise to work in business, as it is an internationally renowned certification.