2-Term Pathway - Pre-Master's in Social Sciences - Continue to Master of Science - Behavioural and Experimental Economics

If students hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, but don’t meet the entry requirements for a master’s, a Pre-Master’s can help them gain a place on a postgraduate degree. For progression to the 1st year of a postgraduate degree at the University of Essex. Course length is determined mainly by students' English language level (UKVI IELTS score).

Students on all course lengths take a set of common or similar modules to gain a solid base of skills for university. If their course is longer than 2 terms, students will take additional modules designed to improve one or more of their English language level, academic skills, and basic knowledge of particular subjects.

Behavioural economics is one of the fastest growing areas in economics in recent years. Insights inform business and public policy alike – Essex investigates the human and social factors influencing decisions made by consumers, borrowers and investors.

Students are trained in experimental design by lab experts and lecturers. From the first term, students design lab experiments for their assignments. Students will also get exposure and hands-on experience of experiments in ESSEXLab, Essex's state-of-the-art social science laboratory.

Students don’t need a background in economics to study this course. The modules are flexible so students can choose to focus on specific topics that interest them. Essex will teach a diverse set of tools and methods, preparing students well for PhD study or a career in a number of fields such as business environments or public policy and implementation.

Students explore topics including:

Essex is one of Europe’s leading economics departments, ranked top 5 in the UK for research, with over 90% rated as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”. They’re also ranked 11th in the UK for Economics in the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2020). Much of Essex's world-class research is related to policy, and they have particular strengths in the areas of: economic theory, game theory, strategic interactions, behavioural economics, applied economics and labour economics. 

There's always something fascinating going on in this Essex department, from regular lively debates with prestigious speakers in seminars, workshops and conferences to cutting-edge papers being published in leading journals, including American Economic Review, Econometrica, and Review of Economic Studies.

After completing the masters, students may wish to extend their knowledge with a research degree – many Essex graduates decide to stay for further study. Alternatively, the course also prepares students for employment. Recent surveys have shown that higher degree graduates are more likely to obtain jobs at professional or managerial level.

With its distinctive focus on questions in behavioural economics, combining theoretical foundations and real-world applications, this course will equip students with transferable employability skills valued in industry (for example in the retail and financial sectors), government and academia.

Essex's graduates find employment in roles such as business and financial analysts, management consultants, government officials, and economists for banks and other financial organisations. Recent graduates include an Analyst at E2V Technology Company, Delivery Executive at Adam Smith International, a University Lecturer and roles in large organizations such as Deutsche Bank.