MA or MSC in Economics?

Poor_old_gill

Which is better to do- especially if you have the intention of doing a Phd abroad?

blucey

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Which is better to do- especially if you have the intention of doing a Phd abroad?

The one with more rigerous mathematical training, even if its called a Duck.

Poor_old_gill

blucey wrote: »

The one with more rigerous mathematical training, even if its called a Duck.

If you dont mind me asking, why do you say that?
Both have an econometrics module- but thats about the extent of it

Économiste Monétaire

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Which is better to do- especially if you have the intention of doing a Phd abroad?

Pretty much what blucey said above. Another consideration is the choice of modules (or lack thereof in some cases); are you just looking for the core Micro, Macro, and Econometrics, or some field courses too? Also, look at the relative ranking of the economics departments in question.

Start thinking about the GRE, too.

Edit: Are you trying to choose between TCD and UCD?

Time Magazine

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

If you dont mind me asking, why do you say that?
Both have an econometrics module- but thats about the extent of it

Micro is (or at least should be) rigorous mathematics. Macro ain't just diagrams either.

Things to consider when deciding between masters is, in approximate order of importance, are:

1. The quantitative rigour of the courses
2. The reputation of the department
3. If you'll enjoy yourself
4. Calibre of the staff in any area you might do a thesis in
5. The reputation of the university

Poor_old_gill

The Economist wrote: »

Micro is (or at least should be) rigorous mathematics. Macro ain't just diagrams either.


Things to consider when deciding between masters is, in approximate order of importance, are:

1. The quantitative rigour of the courses
2. The reputation of the department
3. If you'll enjoy yourself
4. Calibre of the staff in any area you might do a thesis in
5. The reputation of the university

Well they are both in UCC!
The MSC is Health Economics and the MA is just in economics.
The MA is basically a series of 4 projects carried out over the course of the year with a thesis at the end while the MSC in Health Economics consists of several modules with exams at the end and then a thesis.
To be honest I think the MSC would be more suited to going on and doing a Phd- as the MA is a series of projects, it seems to be more focused on practical work rather than academic(however I am open to correction)
My 1 main problem with doing the MSC in Health Economics is that I dont want to pidgeon hole myself.
I do enjoy the policy and decision making side of Health Economics, however I enjoy other aspects of Economics just as much!

Plan is to go all out after the masters and try get onto a Phd course in one of the top colleges- LSE, Oxford, etc.

Économiste Monétaire

Their MA programme contains no core subjects?

Poor_old_gill

Économiste Monétaire wrote: »

Their MA programme contains no core subjects?

I know yeah, its an odd one- would this help or hinder you in going on to do a Phd?
Its basically 4 projects completed over the course of the year- I think you have work-shop style classes where different parts of the projects are discussed and related to economics theories.

Économiste Monétaire

It (the MA) looks like a research masters to me, while the MSc in Health Economics is a taught masters (I think). Have you looked at their MEconSc programme? It seems to have the basic graduate Macro, Micro, Econometrics and Quants...

http://www.ucc.ie/en/economics/postgraduate/mecon/

Poor_old_gill

Économiste Monétaire wrote: »

It (the MA) looks like a research masters to me, while the MSc in Health Economics is a taught masters (I think). Have you looked at their MEconSc programme? It seems to have the basic graduate Macro, Micro, Econometrics and Quants...

http://www.ucc.ie/en/economics/postgraduate/mecon/

I did a Bcomm with an economics major, however I didnt do economics as part of my undergrad so I am not eligible for the MEconSc-which would be my first choice!

So if you were to choose one of the above masters as pre-cursor to doing a Phd-which would you choose?
I know I'm asking a lot here, just want to make the right decision!
LSE does summer school courses in economics, so if after doing one of the above courses I still needed to increase my mathematical skills prior to a Phd, I could attend one of these!

Économiste Monétaire

Well, do you have an interest in health economics? In my opinion, you shouldn't take either of them. That MA programme seems useless.

The MEconSc is what you're really looking for, a vanilla taught programme. Don't just settle with a course that you don't really know much about. Did you ring/email the UCC economics department directly and ask if you're eligible? If you've done 'a Bcomm with an economics major', then is this not relevant?

• have either a BComm with a Major in Economics, a BA in Economics, BSc (Hons) (Finance), a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Economics, Postgraduate Diploma in Health Economics, or the equivalent and;
• a 2H2 on the aggregate of all Economics modules in the degree or diploma award and;
• have passed either EC4221 Business Econometrics or EC3121 Quantitative Methods: Econometrics or EC3122 Quantitative Methods: Survey Methods or EC2206 Business Econometrics and Forecasting or EC3206 Survey Methods or EC5012 Health Quality Economics: Survey Methods (10 credits) or the equivalent.

Poor_old_gill

Économiste Monétaire wrote: »

Well, do you have an interest in health economics? In my opinion, you shouldn't take either of them. That MA programme seems useless.

The MEconSc is what you're really looking for, a vanilla taught programme. Don't just settle with a course that you don't really know much about. Did you ring/email the UCC economics department directly and ask if you're eligible? If you've done 'a Bcomm with an economics major', then is this not relevant?

I have been in contact with them, however although my grades are good enough for entry onto the course- I havent completed one of the listed modules

Économiste Monétaire

Ahh, well there's always the MA Qualifier programme at UCD:

http://www.ucd.ie/economics/graduateprogrammes/maqualifier/

Poor_old_gill

Économiste Monétaire wrote: »

Ahh, well there's always the MA Qualifier programme at UCD:

http://www.ucd.ie/economics/graduateprogrammes/maqualifier/

Well its prob too late at this stage, I think I will go ahead with the Health Economics as I do have an interest in certain aspects of it.
I would much prefer a 'vanilla' economics course but it looks like it wont happen that way!

Email them ffs.

Don't pay money to do a course when its not the one you wish to do.

chave

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Well its prob too late at this stage, I think I will go ahead with the Health Economics as I do have an interest in certain aspects of it.
I would much prefer a 'vanilla' economics course but it looks like it wont happen that way!

what about the Msc in TCD? or does it have to be cork?

If you're looking to apply for a PhD in 2010/11, you'll likely have to send off an application by around February 2010. Not to be harsh, but i'd think it unlikely a BComm and a few months in this Health Econ MSc will be enough to get you into somewhere like the LSE or Oxbridge. You're probably better off doing a higher diploma qualifer in economics, like the one in ucd, or some sort of postgrad in maths or stats.

Anonymous1987

I did the BComm in UCC majored in Economics and was accepted for the MA Economics at UCD so you should meet the requirements for entry. At the very least give them a call and find out, they are very helpful and will get back to you quickly (very unusual for a university department ). If you have your university transcripts ready you could still make it on to the course, its worth a shot if you would prefer to do a plain economics program. To be honest the MSc Health Economics seems a little narrow which is fine but it might go against you if you want to do a Phd.

http://www.ucd.ie/economics/graduateprogrammes/ma/

If you want to study a Phd abroad the UCD School of economics has the best international reputation in Ireland and will give you the best chance at getting into a good quality Phd program abroad. If you want to study Health economics the UCD the program allows you to study it in the second semester along with a wide range of very interesting courses. The course listing is available at their website. With regards to Phd courses have a look at the University of Warwick, very well respected and not as expensive in terms of either living costs or course fees as LSE. From what I've heard its easier to get on to a course in the US but funding could be an issue because the cost of education is so high there.

You should also take into account that as you progress to Phd level you will be doing more and more maths as undergrad economics at UCC is quite light on maths. It would help if you did some of the maths/statistics modules in the BComm, especially the second year options.

machintoshlover

Anonymous1987 wrote: »

I did the BComm in UCC majored in Economics and was accepted for the MA Economics at UCD so you should meet the requirements for entry. At the very least give them a call and find out, they are very helpful and will get back to you quickly (very unusual for a university department ). If you have your university transcripts ready you could still make it on to the course, its worth a shot if you would prefer to do a plain economics program. To be honest the MSc Health Economics seems a little narrow which is fine but it might go against you if you want to do a Phd.

I had the same experience - they were helpful and quick to respond, I only applied a few weeks ago, was offered another course and needed to find out if I had got in - they let me know within the day. So its definetly worth a shot.

There definetly seems to be the case that doing a strong generic masters is the best route to getting to the PHD.

The Warwick course is quite good and they don't really have a deadline, I know people on it who applied around this time last year. Quick response times too.

DJDC

IF you want to do a Phd in LSE or top US unis, they will like to see a good level of maths in any research work you have done. A MA in Health economics from UCC isnt going to cut it. Half the people doing economics Phds in MIT, oxford etc. will have mathematical and statisical backgrounds. Check out Merton, Angle, Sharpe etc work to see what graduate level economics is all about.

Also I used to have this obsession with the top unis before I started my MSc here in UK but I have come to realise that ranking is only half of the story. For example in the area of jump diffusion models(my thesis), KU Lueven and Aarhaus produce some great research. I had never even heard of these unis before.

Flamed Diving

I personally woudln't recommend doing your MA in Cork if you want to go abroad, tbh. Especially if you want to go to a top uni for a Phd. If you want to stay in Ireland, then TCD/UCD are where you should be heading. Maynooth has a good MA, from what I hear, but I dont know if they have any international standing.

Connemara Pony

You need to do as much maths as you possibly can. I had an undergrad from Galway in Maths and Economics before I went to England to do an MPhil, and I found the maths to be quite difficult. If you are looking at LSE, or Oxbridge then your maths needs to be bang on, you'd want to do lots of stats, linear algebra and as much calculus as you can get your hands on.

I second the idea of Warwick, you will find it really intense(I know people who did undergrad there and they did some seriously intense stuff even at that level), but it will set you up much better for a Phd abroad than if you were to to an MA in Cork.

machintoshlover

I have a habit of veering these things off topic but I'm just wondering if anyone here has completed the MA Economics in UCD? I have been accepted and I suppose its a bit late to be asking these questions but:

1) What was the workload like i.e. pressure to meet deadlines for assignments, the amount of extra hours per week needed etc... (I know most of the hours will be put in outside any classroom but a rough guide to know would be nice)

2) Any lecturers I should avoid like the plague?

3) How big are the classes (I don't know anyone else doing this course so smaller classes will enhance my friend making ability)

4) Whilst I have been accepted I have not been notified with timetables or anything so is/was there a refresher maths course like there is in other masters - I couldn't find mention of this on the website but know Trinity, NUIG and NUIM do them

5) It's a long shot but did anyone who did their undergrad in NUIG go on to do the MA in UCD and was it a big step up? (I know in general undergrad to postgrad is a big step up but I am worried that the level of maths in NUIG will not be a sufficient grounding for economics in UCD).

I know at this stage asking these questions is pointless but it would be nice to have some picture of what to expect. Regardless of anything I enjoy economics and am willing to work like a dog so thats the main thing!

Time Magazine

UCD's 2008/2009 MA timetable is attached, if anyone wants an idea of the hours.

Hasschu

The mathematical model is seriously deficient on its own. Political philosophy a la Hannah Arendt along with history, psychology and sociology should make up more than 50% of any respectable economics program. Group think aided by computer modeling will bring economics into disrepute.
Depth and breadth will triumph.

http://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2009/08/why-austrians-keynesians-and.html

Connemara Pony

machintoshlover wrote: »

I have a habit of veering these things off topic but I'm just wondering if anyone here has completed the MA Economics in UCD? I have been accepted and I suppose its a bit late to be asking these questions but:

1) What was the workload like i.e. pressure to meet deadlines for assignments, the amount of extra hours per week needed etc... (I know most of the hours will be put in outside any classroom but a rough guide to know would be nice)

2) Any lecturers I should avoid like the plague?

3) How big are the classes (I don't know anyone else doing this course so smaller classes will enhance my friend making ability)

4) Whilst I have been accepted I have not been notified with timetables or anything so is/was there a refresher maths course like there is in other masters - I couldn't find mention of this on the website but know Trinity, NUIG and NUIM do them

5) It's a long shot but did anyone who did their undergrad in NUIG go on to do the MA in UCD and was it a big step up? (I know in general undergrad to postgrad is a big step up but I am worried that the level of maths in NUIG will not be a sufficient grounding for economics in UCD).

I know at this stage asking these questions is pointless but it would be nice to have some picture of what to expect. Regardless of anything I enjoy economics and am willing to work like a dog so thats the main thing!

I don't know what the UCD course is like, but the NUIG maths component(in econ) is particularly weak at undergrad so I'd recommend you self study as much as you can before you go!

machintoshlover

Connemara Pony wrote: »

I don't know what the UCD course is like, but the NUIG maths component(in econ) is particularly weak at undergrad so I'd recommend you self study as much as you can before you go!

Yes I've heard this alot - I tried to take as many mathematical modules as possible but I'm still concerned, I will self study but wouldn't mind knowing if there is any intensive maths refresher course at the start of the course. Cheers for the advice!

Flamed Diving

In my experience of UCC, they appear to have veered more towards the Austrian School of Economics. Therefore, they are very light on the mathematics.