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Economics at SOAS University of London serves to improve the 21st century.
It’s a defining trait of the Department of Economics, and it’s hardly the university alone that believes so. Last year, Rethinking Economics International reported that SOAS is one of the top two institutions when it comes to providing an undergraduate education that reflects the 21st century’s economy. Earlier this year, two economists at SOAS were awarded by the Financial Times for Academic Research with Impact, recognising their work studying the influence of “climate change and nature risk” on sovereign credit ratings.
“Economists are considered the ultimate defender of ‘rationality,’’ says Ha-Joon Chang, Research Professor of Economics. “It is increasingly recognised that everyone — not just students studying economics in universities but computer programmers, plumbers, pensioners, and all other citizens — should be aware of how economists are trained.”
To be trained as an economist at SOAS means dismantling Eurocentric ways of thinking and doing. In a world ridden by inequality favouring Western ideologies, the institution focuses on the Global South — that is, countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Through an international community of students and lecturers from over 135 countries, you’re set on a journey that’ll open your eyes to a world beyond mainstream media and views. From the cost-of-living crisis, to gender and climate justice, you’ll learn how economics affects everyone through these less typical, but no less important lenses.
Economics students at SOAS University of London have the opportunity to study abroad, and engage in work placement experiences. Source: SOAS University of London
SOAS’s undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes are grounded in a pluralist learning approach. So instead of advocating for one approach to economics over the other, professors highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each theoretical concept. They’ll cover the more heterodox approaches, and they’ll discuss those in tandem with the mainstream approaches that you’d find across Europe.
“There has been a balance of breadth and depth, theoretical and empirical, Global North and Global South perspectives, delivering on the pluralistic approach,” says Alysha Bagasra, an MSc Economics student. “It’s been particularly motivating to have had lecturers who are recognised leaders in their fields, as well as a number of emerging academics who are available and willing to discuss their ideas and share advice.”
World-class faculty members guide students through hands-on learning and the building of practical skills. They’re making game-changing moves, with research that covers health equity, trade and industrial policies, poverty and inequality, financial inclusion, and so much more. Their discoveries influence policy-making across the globe — so there’s really no better group of specialists to learn the ropes of the industry from.
The faculty are also members of two pioneering research centres within the Department of Economics. One of them is the Centre for Sustainable Finance, which focuses on creating an “equitable, low carbon economy” in both the Global North and South. The other is the Centre for Sustainable Structural Transformation, working to solve ecological and social crises to bring structural transformation and economic diversification. These centres reflect the Department of Economics’s commitment to building a better future.
The Department of Economics stands out for its global perspectives and concrete knowledge of the economies of the Global South, especially Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as expertise on Europe and Latin America. Source: SOAS University of London
For Bagasra, who specialises in the Economics of Environment, the SOAS curriculum has given her the tools to enhance her career in international policy and development. She’s a go-getter at heart, aiming to shift old ideologies in international institutions with new, progressive ones.
The programme has equipped her with in-demand technical skills that will boost her credibility with employers. She has developed applied skills in econometrics, received co-supervision on her MSc dissertation by international organisations and SOAS academics, and worked closely with the Centre of Sustainable Finance and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. SOAS Careers provides more networking opportunities and more chances to work with top experts in their fields.
“I have aspirations for policy leadership in cutting-edge areas such as the nexus of economic-climate-development policies,” Bagasra says. “Upon completing my studies at SOAS, I aim to build on the specialisations of the [programme] to pursue specialist roles in international or domestic institutions.”
Many Department of Economics graduates have joined SOAS’s 75,000-strong global alumni network, changing the world in their respective fields. They’ve been hired by companies and organisations like Deloitte, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and more. If you’d like to build a similar career path, then check out the Department of Economics at SOAS University of London today.
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