MSc in International Economics
Course Overview
The MSc in International Economics at the London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a one-year UK master's for economists moving into senior trade-analyst and policy-lead roles — a lead trade economist at HM Treasury or the Department for Business and Trade, a senior sector economist at a City bank, or a policy lead at a UK think tank. Sitting in the International Business & Trade faculty, the course combines advanced trade modelling with open-economy macro, sovereign economics, sanctions analysis and applied research at working-analyst depth.
The MSc runs one year full-time (two years part-time via online or distance routes). Students complete a substantial dissertation supervised by a working senior trade economist, run a sponsor consulting project with a UK trade body or Whitehall department, and defend a trade-impact assessment in front of a working panel. Delivery is on-campus in central London, fully online with cohort calls scheduled across UK and APAC time zones, and by distance learning.
Key Features
- Curriculum reviewed against Government Economic Service (GES) senior-economist standards and Society of Business Economists chartered competencies.
- Applied focus — recent UK trade deals (CPTPP, UK-Australia, UK-EU TCA), Russia sanctions, CBAM.
- Three study modes — central London campus, fully online with UK/APAC cohort calls, or distance learning.
- Sponsor consulting project with a UK trade body or Whitehall department.
- Dissertation supervised by a working senior trade economist.
- Structured executive-application coaching in the final term.
What You Will Learn
The MSc organises trade economics around the working questions senior trade economists actually own: which trade deal chapter matters, which sanctions round bites, which structural shift is real, and which impact assessment survives a Select Committee grilling.
- Advanced trade modelling — gravity, CGE, computable general equilibrium at running level.
- Open-economy macro — Mundell-Fleming, currency crises, capital-flow reversals.
- Sovereign economics — debt sustainability, DSA, IMF Article IV, sovereign-CDS.
- FDI economics — Dunning's OLI, real-option valuation, greenfield vs M&A.
- Sanctions economics — OFSI regime, third-country diversion, secondary sanctions.
- Trade policy design — FTAs, market access, rules of origin, services, digital trade.
- Border regimes — Border Target Operating Model, CBAM, single-use plastics duty.
- WTO dispute-settlement and appellate-body review.
- Applied research to HM Treasury Green Book and Better Business Case standards.
- Applied dissertation on an original international-economics question.
Who This Course Is For
- Working trade economists moving into lead-analyst seats.
- Senior trade advisers at UK trade bodies, chambers and Whitehall departments.
- Sector economists at City banks and asset managers.
- Policy leads at UK exporters running structured trade-impact work.
- GES fast-streamers preparing for senior progression board.
Career Pathways
Graduates typically progress into senior trade-economics roles across UK consultancies, government departments, trade bodies, City sector desks and exporter policy functions. The MSc supports applications but does not by itself guarantee job offers or visa outcomes.
- Senior International Economist
- Lead Trade Economist
- Sector Economist (City, senior)
- Policy Lead (trade)
- Head of Trade Advisory (small team)
- Senior FDI Analyst
The MSc is a strong signal for GES senior applications, Society of Business Economists Chartered membership and PhD-track progression at UK universities.
Entry Requirements
- A UK 2:2 honours degree in a relevant discipline (economics, international relations, public policy, quantitative disciplines), or an equivalent international qualification. Applicants with three years of substantive trade-economics experience may apply on a portfolio route.
- GCSE English Language at grade 5/C (or equivalent) for domestic applicants; international applicants meet the language rule below.
- IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
- A short statement of intent (600 words) explaining research or applied interests, plus two references (one academic, one workplace or professional-body); regression comfort is essential.
Why Study at LSIBM
The London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a specialist business-education provider based in central London and part of Harold International College. Postgraduate cohorts run in small tutor-visible groups, are shaped by working senior practitioners (partner-level at a Big Four firm, Fellow-level at CIM or CIPD, CFA charter-holders in investment routes) and close with a substantial dissertation, sponsor consulting project or applied capstone defended in front of a working panel.
London puts the City, Canary Wharf, Whitehall, Companies House, the FCA, the Bank of England, the West End and the major consulting, banking and multinational headquarters within a short tube ride of every classroom. LSIBM postgraduates attend a fortnightly senior-practitioner clinic and a structured executive-application coaching programme in the final term.
Apply for the MSc in International Economics
Step into the senior track with the MSc in International Economics. Click Enrol Now and admissions will reply within one working day with intake dates, dissertation supervisor allocation guidance and the current fee schedule. LSIBM postgraduates are supported by dedicated executive-application coaching in the final term.
