MA Economics/History

About this course

Economics and history is a combination that illuminates the past and the present from two complementary angles: economics provides the analytical tools to understand how material conditions, incentives, markets, and policies shape the lives of individuals and societies, while history provides the evidence, the context, and the long perspective needed to understand how those conditions have changed over time and why. Economic history is itself a distinguished field of scholarship that has transformed our understanding of industrialisation, global trade, inequality, colonialism, and financial crises, demonstrating how deeply the two disciplines need one another. Studied part-time at the University of Glasgow, this degree draws on one of the UK's strongest and most diverse history programmes alongside rigorous economics education. The history component offers a wide-ranging curriculum from medieval to modern times and across the globe, with Glasgow's research strengths in Scottish, British, European, US, and global history alongside slavery studies, gender history, and war, intelligence, and genocide studies. The economics component develops your understanding of micro- and macroeconomic theory, empirical analysis, and the quantitative tools needed to understand how economies function. A year abroad provides the opportunity to study history and economics in another academic and cultural environment, adding a comparative dimension that is particularly valuable in a combination whose questions span national and temporal boundaries. Graduates of economics and history are well placed for careers across financial services, economic analysis, the civil service, policy consultancy, journalism, education, heritage, and management. The combination of analytical rigour from economics and historical depth from history is particularly valued in roles that require both quantitative thinking and contextual understanding, including economic research, policy analysis, and roles in international organisations. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in economics, history, economic history, or related fields, building specialist expertise for academic or advanced professional careers.

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