From deciphering market trends to crafting policy solutions, economists are the unsung heroes behind the economic stability and growth that underpin modern societies. However, their expertise extends beyond the boardroom, touching the lives of individuals, communities, and nations worldwide.
Aside from paving the way for regulatory reforms, restoring confidence in financial markets and laying the foundation for a more resilient global economy; they are the architects of policies that drive sustainable development and combat pressing issues like climate change — think the implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms and the evaluation of green investment strategies.
In the public health field, they wield their analytical prowess to strike a balance between access, affordability, and quality of healthcare services. Their studies on healthcare expenditure, insurance schemes, and resource allocation are the bedrock upon which robust healthcare systems are built. The COVID-19 pandemic, a once-in-a-generation challenge, exemplifies this reliance on economic expertise, as economists played a central role in devising stimulus packages, assessing economic fallout, and charting paths to recovery.
While the tasks at hand sound solely numbers-driven, it’s all about effective communication, too — the kind learned through a quality degree. The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) offers plenty of those and each is as relevant as can be thanks to the experts in charge.
The Department of Economics, in particular, is home to several researchers exploring cutting-edge topics within the realms of economics and data science. These scholars represent some of the brightest minds in Denmark and beyond, ensuring the degree programmes they teach and the studies they conduct remain internationally competitive and globally impactful.
SDU’s MSc in Economics is a two-year degree programme designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to become a professional economist. It offers a range of core and customisable courses. The mandatory ones form the bedrock, providing students with a robust theoretical and methodological foundation.
Meanwhile, elective courses enable them to dive into their respective areas of interest. Elective courses for Fall 2023 include Applied Machine Learning, Advanced Corporate Finance, Derivatives and Risk Management, Global Challenges: The SDG’s relevance for social sciences, as well as Historical Perspectives on Current Economics Issues.
In terms of delivery, students can expect a blend of engaging lectures, interactive lessons and hands-on assignments — both in groups and individually. Personalised guidance is offered throughout and the culmination of the programme is marked by the completion of a thesis.
Upon graduation, each graduate’s path forward is entirely theirs to shape. The MSc in Economics unlocks opportunities on both national and international scales — within the field and beyond. The competencies it instils are useful across a range of sectors, including industry, consulting firms, academia, public institutions, ministries, as well as public and private organisations. Typical job titles include, but are not limited to, Financial Advisor, Project Manager, Consultant, and Leader. The programme is also an apt choice for students who plan on pursuing a PhD in the future.
Reaching the epitome of professional — or academic — success begins at SDU’s main campus in Odense, which is just three kilometres from the city centre and larger than the Principality of Monaco. Its size is justified, given that the campus currently accommodates 141 different programmes divided between all five of SDU’s faculties, namely the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Collectively, these divisions impart crucial knowledge to approximately 22,558 students. 20% are international, and all are granted unlimited access to a variety of facilities such as a gym, a bicycle repair shop, an indoor swimming pool and the best athletics stadium in the world, according to the International Olympic Committee, and of course, a Friday bar built for letting loose after a long week.
The best part is that all international students who choose SDU are guaranteed housing when moving to Odense, particularly if they do not currently reside in Denmark at the time of applying for their study programme. To learn more about studying economics at one of the top 50 young universities in the world, click here.
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