Essex pushes the frontiers of accepted wisdom, critically examining the decisions of individuals, the strategies of firms, and the policies of governments to understand and challenge the standard paradigms of economics.

For students whose first degree is in a subject other than economics, or their economics training does not provide sufficient technical experience for direct entry into the MSc courses, Essex offers a full-time, nine-month Diploma in Economics. If students obtain their Diploma with Merit or Distinction, they can then automatically register for one of the MSc courses, so over the two years students gain a thorough training in economics principles and practice at the Masters level.

In Essex’s Graduate Diploma Economics, they teach students the essentials of micro- and macroeconomics, and then students have the option to explore whichever topics in economics interest them the most, from international trade and health, to mathematical methods, to theories of monopolies.