Dip (Grad), 1 year full time/2 years part time
Subject overview
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 100 per cent of our economics research was rated as internationally recognised or higher, and 60 per cent rated as internationally excellent or higher.
Economics at Sussex offers postgraduate-level teaching and research in applied economics.
Our faculty are engaged in research across a range of applied areas, including international economics, development, labour, macroeconomics, social policy and climate change.
While much of our research is policy oriented, and therefore responsive to external events (such as European economic integration and the economic crisis), the highest importance is attached to basing applied work on sound theoretical foundations, as well as using best-practice quantitative techniques in estimating and testing models.
Our focus on applied economics should be interpreted broadly, to include work on developing the applicability of theory and numerical modelling, as well as the analysis of empirical questions.
Members of faculty have attracted project funding from the Ford Foundation, the ESRC, the Nuffield Foundation, the Department for International Development, the Department of Trade and Industry, the European Commission, and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Specialist facilities
The University has an excellent library and widely available computing facilities. In addition, graduate students have access to specialist software such as STATA.
Interdisciplinary research conducted at Sussex is often of particular significance to economics students. There is close academic collaboration between specialist centres and the relevant departments at Sussex.
Academic activities
Economics faculty organise regular seminars at which external speakers present papers, faculty report on current activities, and research students present their thesis proposals. Seminars also provide a forum for discussing results when a thesis is close to completion.
Programme outline
This course is designed both for graduates of other disciplines who wish to change their academic direction, and for economics graduates whose training is insufficient to enable them to enter an MSc degree immediately.
All students study macro- and microeconomic principles, statistics, international trade, mathematics and the economics of development over the course of nine months. Successful completion of the Diploma with an average mark of at least 60 per cent provides guaranteed admission to an MSc degree in economics in the following academic year.
Assessment
Modules are assessed by a combination of examinations, and (for statistics) a project report.
Current modules
Please note that these are the core modules and options (subject to availability) for students starting in the academic year 2012.
Advanced Macroeconomics
15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
The module completes the macroeconomics sequence, starting with a consideration of the policy implications of rational expectations. The macroeconomy is then opened up to international trade and capital movements: the operation of monetary and fiscal policies and the international transmission of disturbances under fixed and flexible exchange rates are contrasted, and the issues bearing on the choice of exchange-rate regime are explored. The major macroeconomic problems of hyperinflation, persistent unemployment and exchange-rate crises are examined. The module concludes by drawing together the implications of the analysis for the design and operation of macroeconomic policy.
Advanced Microeconomics
15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
This module covers the topics of general equilibrium and welfare economics, including the important issue of market failure. General equilibrium is illustrated using Sen's entitlement approach to famines and also international trade. Welfare economics covers concepts of efficiency and their relationship to the market mechanism. Market failure includes issues such as adverse selection and moral hazard, and applications are drawn from health insurance, environmental economics and the second-hand car market.
Applied Econometrics
15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
This module examines in greater depth topics covered in the Introduction to Econometrics module. The module explores the analysis of time series data with particular reference to unit root testing, cointegration and dynamic modelling and also examines the use of models with limited dependent variables (eg the probit model).
Behavioural Economics
15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
During this module you will examine the psychological underpinnings of economic behaviour and examine recent theories and empirical results in behavioural economics. This forms the starting point in core economics modules and the dominant model of choice in economics, in which agents maximize expected utility given the information they possess and the choice set they have.
A growing body of empirical evidence has sought to challenge the assumption of individuals as rational economic agents; you will analyse this recent empirical evidence across a range of fields of economics and examine the new theories of economic behaviour.
Econometrics
15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This module studies the application of statistical methods to economic data. The focus is on regression analysis based on the ordinary least squares (OLS) principle. Topics covered include model specification and the analysis of regression disturbance problems (eg autocorrelation and heteroscedasticity).
International Trade
15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
Introduction to Mathematics for Finance and Economics
15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
Macroeconomics 2
15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This module is concerned with two main topics. 'The long run' is an introduction to how economies grow, gradually raising the standard of living, decade by decade. Once we have the basic analysis in place, we can begin to explain why there are such huge disparities in living standards around the world. 'Expectations' is a deepening of the behavioural background to modelling, saving and investment decisions, which emphasises the intrinsically forward-looking nature of saving and investment decisions, and analyses the financial markets that co-ordinate these decisions.
Microeconomics 2
15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This module develops the economics principles learned in Microeconomics 1. Alternative market structures such as oligopoly and monopolistic competition are studied and comparisons drawn with perfect competition and monopoly. Decision-making under uncertainty and over multiple time periods is introduced, relaxing some of the restrictive assumptions made in the level 1 module. The knowledge gained is applied to such issues as investment in human capital (eg education), saving and investment decisions, insurance and criminal deterrence.
Statistics for Economics and Finance
15 credits
Autumn teaching, year 1
This module introduces the statistical techniques used in economics, and involves computer-based applications. Topics covered include: summarising and plotting data, basic probability theory, hypothesis testing, correlation analysis, and bivariate
and multiple regression analysis. You will be introduced in greater detail to the EXCEL
spreadsheet package, which you will use for your assessed coursework.
The Economics of Development
15 credits
Spring teaching, year 1
The objective of this module is to provide you with analytical and empirical tools that enable you to understand the functioning of markets and institutions in developing countries. We will cover issues such as political institutions, corruption, property rights, credit market imperfections, the contractual structure in agriculture, and informal insurance. For each major topic covered we want to derive testable implications from the theory, subject these to econometric testing, and draw out policy conclusions.
Entry requirements
UK entrance requirements
A first- or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree in a subject other than economics or a lower second-class undergraduate degree in economics.
Overseas entrance requirements
Please refer to column A on the Overseas qualifications.
If you have any questions about your qualifications after consulting our overseas
qualifications table, contact the University.
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
Visas and immigration
Find out more about Visas and immigration.
English language requirements
IELTS 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in each section. Internet TOEFL with 95 overall, with at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.
For more information, refer to English language requirements.
For more information about the admissions process at Sussex
For pre-application enquiries:
Student Recruitment Services
T +44 (0)1273 876787
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
For post-application enquiries:
Postgraduate Admissions,
University of Sussex,
Sussex House, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 877773
F +44 (0)1273 678545
E pg.applicants@sussex.ac.uk
Related programmes
Fees and funding
Fees
Home UK/EU students: £3,9001
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £3,9002
Overseas students: £8,6003
1
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
2
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
3
The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
To find out about your fee status, living expenses and other costs, visit further financial information.
Funding
The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.
To find out more about funding and part-time work, visit further financial information.
Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust for Postgraduate Study (2013)
Region: UK
Level: PG (taught), PG (research)
Application deadline: 1 October 2013
The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust are offering bursaries to Postgraduate students following any postgraduate degree courses in any subject.
Sussex Graduate Scholarship (2013)
Region: UK, Europe (Non UK), International (Non UK/EU)
Level: PG (taught)
Application deadline: 16 August 2013
Open to final year Sussex students who graduate with a 1st or 2:1 degree and who are offered a F/T place on an eligible Masters course in 2013.
Faculty interests
The range of faculty research activities is illustrated below. More information is available at the Department of Economics.
Mike Barrow Public-sector economics, local government, efficiency and value for money.
Dr Sambit Bhattacharyya Development economics, political economy, economic history.
Dr Ingo Borchert International trade and trade policy.
Professor Richard Dickens Labour economics, poverty, inequality, minimum wages.
Professor Peter Dolton Applied econometrics, labour economics, economics of education.
Rob Eastwood Demographic change and economic development.
Dr Sonja Fagernas Development economics.
Dr Michael Gasiorek International economics, economics of integration, 20th-century economic history.
Dr Torfinn Harding International trade and investment, development, applied econometrics.
Dr Peter Holmes International and European integration, World Trade Organization law, trade and climate change.
Dr Iftikhar Hussain Labour, economics of education, development.
Professor Michael Lipton Poverty, farm size and technology, demographics, undernutrition.
Dr Julie Litchfield Poverty, inequality and income distribution.
Dr Paolo Masella Economics and culture, political economy, development, labour.
Professor Andy McKay Chronic poverty in developing countries.
Dr Alex Moradi Development economics, African economic history.
Andrew Newell Labour and historical economics, poverty, nutrition, demographic change.
Dr Panu Pelkonen Economics of education, labour economics.
Dr Dimitra Petropoulou International trade, industrial organisation, political economy.
Professor Barry Reilly Applied econometrics.
Dr Pedro Rosa Dias Economic inequality, health, education, development.
Dr Paul Segal Global poverty and inequality, economics of resource-rich countries.
Dr Shqiponja Telhaj Economics of education.
Professor Richard Tol Economics of energy, environment and climate.
Professor L Alan Winters International trade, migration, international development.
Careers and profiles
Most of our graduates go on to one of our economics MSc degrees, or to MScs elsewhere. Some go directly into employment as professional economists in government or the private sector.
Daniel's career perspective
‘When I decided it was time to go to graduate school, I took a deep breath and applied to the University of Sussex. I am so glad I did. The following two years, studying first towards a Graduate Diploma in Economics then for an MA in International Economics, were academically very challenging but an utter delight. The teaching ability of my professors coupled with their engagement with policymakers and the wider academic community was a real asset. In addition to providing a robust academic climate, the faculty fostered a friendly and relaxed atmosphere within the Department, which led to many excellent conversations between faculty and students outside the lecture hall.
‘With dedicated help from one of my professors I was able to find a post doing development economics research overseas, which a few years later led me to reach my goal of becoming a Foreign Service economist with the US Agency for International Development. My two years at Sussex are full of happy memories and set me on my professional path.’
Daniel Handel
Foreign Service Economist, US Agency for International Development
For more information, visit Careers and alumni.
School and contacts
School of Business, Management and Economics
The School of School of Business, Management and Economics is a unique, research-focused business school, which takes a strong policy-directed view on business practices while also developing the underlying core disciplines.
School of Business, Management and Economics,
Department of Economics, Jubilee Building,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9SL, UK
T +44 (0)1273 872717
E pgbmec@sussex.ac.uk
Department of Economics
Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions
You’re welcome to attend one of our Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions. These are held in the spring and summer terms and enable you to find out more about postgraduate study and the opportunities Sussex has to offer.
Visit Discover Postgraduate study to book your place.
Other ways to visit Sussex
We run weekly guided campus tours every Wednesday afternoon, year round. Book a place online at Visit us and Open Days.
You are also welcome to visit the University independently without any pre-arrangement.