Master's degree (2 years)Full timeApplied Economics and Sustainability
Study at one of Norway’s leading schools of economics. NMBU offers an applied and policy relevant degree in economics and sustainability, guided by an internationally oriented faculty.
Application deadline:
Norwegian, Nordic, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens: 15th of April.
Students outside EU/EEA/EFTA: 1st of December.
Non-EU/EEA/EFTA citizens must pay tuition fees: www.nmbu.no/en/studies/tuition-fees
Start of Studies:
Autumn 2024
Number of students:
25
Required points:
Requirements:
Bachelor's Degree in Economics or similar
- Applicants with a Bachelor degree in economics or other relevant fields. The degree should include courses in mathematics and statistics and intermediate level courses in micro- and macroeconomics.
All the grades from the bachelor degree will be counted in the average grade. A weighted average grade of C or better is required for admission to the programme.
Applicants must demonstrate English language ability in accordance with the NMBU regulations for programmes taught in English: Language requirements for programmes taught in English at NMBU | NMBU
The Master programme in Applied Economics and Sustainability will prepare you for life as an economist, emphasising relevance for the workplace, public life and society, and the role of sustainability.
The faculty from which the Master's is offered is internationally renowned in its fields, and is engaged in national and international policy development.
The fields of expertise span from environmental, energy and climate economics, development economics, public economics and housing economics, to financial and commodity market analysis. The Master's is conducted in English.
Structure
The programme consists of a set of mandatory courses, optional courses and a master thesis. These amount to 55, 35 and 30 ECTS points respectively. The mandatory courses cover core microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, empirical methods, and public economics and sustainability. The optional courses can be freely selected, or you can choose a specialization from the following:
- Environment, Climate and Energy Economics
- International Business and Food Markets
- Financial and Commodity Market Analysis
The specific structure and requirements within each specialization is detailed in each link. For those selecting optional courses, at least 25 ECTS points are required from Master courses (300-level) in Economics or Business. The remaining 15 ECTS can be from any intermediate or Master courses (200-level or higher) at NMBU's School of Economics and Business or from any introductory course (100-level) from another NMBU department.
Career opportunities
Economists have specialized knowledge on how the economy influences societies and the well-being of inhabitants. This makes economists well suited to work on issues in environmental policy, energy systems, development aid, enterprise development, trade policy and general economic policy. Economists are therefore in high demand in the private and public sectors as well as by many non-governmental organizations.
- The possiblity of combining courses of interest with mandatory courses was also interesting for me, in that way I could tailor my own degree. In addition, this is in an international study program, that gives opportunity to form friendships with people from many different countries all over the world. This opened up new perspectives and contributed to engaging discussions in the classroom. An interdisciplinary master's degree, such as the master's Applied Economics and Sustainability at NMBU, is very relevant in the job I will be starting at Skatteetaten.
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Do you have questions for the study counselor?
If you have any questions about the study program that you cannot find the answer to here, you are welcome to contact us. Feel free to contact us by email at studieveileder-hh@nmbu.no or by phone directly to the study counselor. You can also book a study guidance appointment if you wish to schedule a meeting.
Learning outcomes
A candidate who has completed his or her qualification should have the following learning outcomes:
An economic mindset:
- Has advanced theoretical foundation in economics, particularly in producer and consumer behaviour, market structure and analysis, and uncertainty;
- Has the aptitude to consult independently the economics literature to apply theory and reasoning when conducting qualitative and quantitative analysis to understand causal relationships, correlations, and the link between theory and empirical results;
- Is able to assemble economic datasets to analyse and interpret trends to present to management and colleagues;
- Has in-depth knowledge and understanding of methods of analysis among survey design and econometric modelling to analyse economic data, with the proficiency to interpret and report results and communicate insights, through written and oral presentation, to specialists in the field, decision makers in business, policy makers in government and to society at large.
Equipped to address real-world problems with sustainability as a guiding principle:
- Can identify contemporary problems to formulate researchable questions by which to analyse microeconomic behaviour of individual agents and markets, and macroeconomic phenomena;
- Is able to formulate researchable questions that links understanding of economy theory with its relevance for natural and environmental sciences, other social science, development studies, finance and commodity market analysis, or food and agricultural sciences; and
- Has an acute awareness of how economic sustainability involves understanding trade-offs and opportunity costs in production, consumption, resource use and the government’s role in defining societal targets.
Social skills that prepare graduate to work collegially with consciousness and integrity:
- Can conduct economic analysis in accordance with ethical guidelines for research, understanding the limitations of their data, and the constraints of their modelling construct and underlying assumptions; and
- Can work independently, or with direct responsibility to a diverse multicultural team, through their ability to organize, plan and conduct their assigned tasks within a given deadline.
- NMBU School of Economics and Business highly recommends its students to include a semester or a year of study abroad in their education. The department and the university have exchange agreements with universities in Europe and the USA at the master`s level.
The master’s degree consists of 120 ECTS, including a 30 ECTS master’s thesis. The compulsory courses amount to 55 ECTS and include: mathematics for economists; economic theory (micro and macroeconomics); quantitative analysis (data analysis, econometrics; and impact assessment); taxes, inequality and sustainability; economics of sustainability; and research methods. The specializations include core courses and electives that complete the student’s academic profile. A general studies option provides flexibility for students to tailor their own program, taking courses in economics or business across specializations and pursing interdisciplinary studies by taking courses offered in other faculties.
- The coursework involves a combination of lectures, seminars, and independent or group work on exercises. There is considerable use of independent study and semester assignments such as case studies, papers or semester projects requiring presentation and/or a final defense. Teaching is based on traditional theories, up-to-date research and issues of current interest. Academic discussions make up an important part of the learning experience. The master’s thesis is a student-driven research task on a problem selected by the student, carried out under faculty supervision with regular feedback and guidance. After submission of the written thesis, the student must present and orally defend the work.
- Students are assessed throughout the learning process (assignments requiring discussions and feedback and oral presentations) and by final oral and written examinations. The ability to structure complex problems and a scientific approach to problem solving are important assessment criteria.
- In this study program we use computers in learning situations and on exams. Therefore every student must have their own laptop as per, the Academic Regulations for the Norwegian University of Life Sciences § 17-4.
- We highly welcome incoming guest students and will do our best to adapt our courses to facilitate student exchange.
Study advisor(s):
