At Essex we push 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. Our popular master’s in research course (MRes) provides you with a stimulating route into PhD studies, and develops the expert research mind-set required for a high-profile job in finance or business, if you want to work in the private sector after your degree.

The MRes course is designed for you to master research methods and tools, and to acquire a solid foundation to pursue a more research focused career. MRes students are expected to commit full time to their studies and with a high level of independence to start developing a research mindset. You learn through a combination of lectures, classes and independent work which allow you to appreciate and understand the deeper connections between topics. This includes making connections during classes and lectures and independently. You also gain a deepened understanding of how to apply techniques to new problems and see beyond the surface to identify when concepts and tools from one area could be applied to another. Due to this style of learning you develop the ability to tackle economic problems with a unified approach and identify a suitable research topic for your dissertation.

You receive lectures, classes, and advanced training in the two-term sequence of microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics. You can attend specialized classes which aim at developing a research mindset and a deeper understanding of the subjects; whilst also learning complementary tools and techniques independently. So, a willingness to work with mathematical and statistical concepts, and understand rigorous mathematical reasoning, is vital.

You are strongly encouraged to work in groups, to discuss and challenge themselves beyond the material learnt from lectures or classes. Specially designed sets of exercises will help you in achieving these goals. During the MRes course you explore a variety of topics including:

• The competitive economy and imperfections in markets
• General equilibrium theory and Public Choice
• Key paradigms of macroeconomics and macroeconomic policy
• Econometric methods and mathematical methods
• Strategic behaviour and bargaining

Your future

After completing your masters, you may wish to extend your knowledge with a research degree – many Essex graduates decide to stay here for further study.

Alternatively, our course also prepares you for employment; recent surveys have shown that higher degree graduates are more likely to obtain jobs at professional or managerial level.

Our recent graduates have gone on to work for a range of high-profile organisations:

• The Ministry of Finance
• HM Treasury
• The Work Foundation
• Fitch Ratings
• Schroders Investment Management

More generally, our graduates find employment in roles such as business and financial analysts, management consultants, government officials, and economists for banks and other financial organisations.