Master of Science in Advanced Studies in Economics

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Fact sheet

The Master's

The Master of Science in Advanced Studies in Economics is the second year of coursework within the doctoral programme in Economics. After having successfully completed core economics courses in the research track of the initial Master of Economics (or comparable programmes at other universities), the MASE programme aims to take students closer to the research frontier. Students apply the tools they have acquired during their first year to interesting problems in economics. The programme features a choice of courses from different fields within economics, a doctoral workshop and weekly seminars given by guest speakers. The goal of the programme is to enable you to find a promising research topic and to develop your own research on this topic. This research leads to the MASE thesis, which for many will become the first chapter of their doctoral dissertation. Each year, the programme brings together about 25-30 students from all corners of the globe, providing a very stimulating and international atmosphere.

The skills I developed while pursuing the Master of Advanced Studies in Economics degree at KU Leuven proved to be a valuable asset for my professional career. The MASE programme provides rigorous training in economics, helping the students to develop a deep understanding of the field and a powerful set of
techniques. The MASE degree is excellent preparation for a demanding profes - sional job in leading private or public sector institutions and for admission to doctoral programmes. The inter national dimension given to the programme by the variety of nationalities represented is also extremely enriching. Last but not least, the city of Leuven is a paradise for students!
- Marie Donnay (Belgium), graduate - European Commission, financial sector analyst)

My profile

The programme is geared towards students with an adequate background in economics, a keen interest in recent analytical developments in economics and the desire to work in research positions in business, in national and international institutions and at universities, or to pursue a PhD in economics.

Admission requirements

To the definitive admission requirements
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Study programme

All students take the course Advanced Time Series Analysis, participate in a doctoral workshop and attend the department’s weekly research seminar. In addition, students take five field courses and write a Master’s thesis. Subject to approval by the Programme Coordinator, students may take courses from the corresponding advanced economics programmes at the nearby economics department of the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). The Master’s thesis consists of a research paper on a specific problem in the student’s field of interest. The student learns how to formulate and solve an economic problem and how to report his/her findings. The thesis should represent a contribution to the field and show that the student has mastered the methodological tools used in economics and can apply them independently.

To a detailed overview of the programme

Assets

One of the faculty’s most important assets is its vast national and international network. We maintain strong links with the business and financial community by organising regular workshops with industry leaders and the European Commission, situated only 30 minutes from our campus. Many of our alumni work at European institutions, and many of the department’s staff members act as advisers to various European bodies and international companies. The student association, Ekonomika, is equally active via its Business-to-University lecture programme. Our Alumni network offers excellent communication channels and networking opportunities with leading figures in
industry and politics.
 

We have a wide international student exchange network as well. Not only do we participate extensively in the (intra-EU) Erasmus programme (with 65 partners), we also have numerous agreements with leading universities outside the EU, e.g. the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania), the University of Chicago, Cornell University, the University of Illinois and Rochester University in the United States, the University of British Columbia, Queen’s University, the University of Toronto and the Université de Montréal in Canada, the Indian Institutes of Management Calcutta and Bangalore in India, the Chinese University and the City University of Hong Kong, Beida, Tsinghua and Fudan in China, Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, National Taiwan University, Seoul National
University in South-Korea, Queensland University of Technology Brisbane and the University of Sydney in Australia, Stellenbosch in South Africa, Insper in Brazil, Esan in Peru, the University of Monterrey in Mexico and the Singapore Management University.

Career prospects

A large majority of MASE graduates find careers in managerial and/or research positions in business, national and international institutions and universities. Students graduating with distinction can apply for the PhD Programme in Economics at KU Leuven.

Originally from Canada, I graduated from HEC Montreal in Business Administration with additional courses in advanced economics at the University of Montreal. Upon graduation, I joined the two-year Financial Management Program of General Electric, which combines finance and strategy courses with a full-time position. Upon completion, I accepted a position at the Corporate European Headquarters in Brussels. In the meantime, I realized that I needed to go back to university to realign my career with my long-term objectives. I decided to join the MASE programme because of my interest in working in public policy or pursuing my PhD in Economics. I chose KU Leuven because of the possibility to do a project in environmental, energy, and transportation economics. The programme structure at KU Leuven also influenced my choice, because it offers and requires more optional courses. Finally, while dealing with a few universities, I appreciated the prompt answers and the welcoming atmosphere of KU Leuven.
- Cathérine Haeck (Canada), graduate

Registration fee

• Applications should be submitted by 1 March for non-EEA citizens and preferably by 1 June for EEA citizens. However, EEA students with the required background and language fluency may register until the end of August.
• Tuition fee: 1400 EUR

Application

More information on how to apply