Economics and Governance Leiden University

Overview

In Economics and Governance students apply modern economics to address societal issues such as reforming pension and healthcare systems in ageing societies, global environmental challenges, the impact of globalization on labour markets and income inequality, and pressure from immigration. This programme offers advanced knowledge and analytical tools on how to use data and statistics in doing analyses, which has become more and more important on today’s and tomorrow’s labour market. Moreover, our programme allows students to increase their economic reasoning skills and to critically evaluate various policy instruments.

The programme aims to develop professionals who are able to analyse and address policy problems broadly, and in the field of social policy and market regulation specifically. The focal point is on welfare states and markets. You learn about the role of government in creating, facilitating and controlling markets. You also examine the status of the current welfare state, such as the pension system, social security, and income distribution in society. You are provided a strong multidisciplinary preparation for a professional career in areas such as socio-economic policy- making or market regulation. The combination of applied economics and public governance forms a solid base for policy-makers, consultants and future leaders.

What you will learn

You will learn to produce solutions to current issues found where economics and public administration meet. You will analyse the ways in which social-economic policy and regulatory governance can be improved, and how to realise those improvements in the recalcitrant administrative playing field, in which you will be confronted with politics and differing interests. You will combine theoretical knowledge with academic and professional skills, in doing so, preparing yourself for a career as a policy advisor, policy analyst or consultant.

As a graduate of the Economics and Governance specialisation you are provided with strong multidisciplinary preparation for a professional carreer in such areas as social- economic policy making or market regulation; you have a unique cross- disciplinary understanding that combines the insights of Public Administration and Economic. During your study you learn to utilise analyses and practical experience to create problem-solving responses to issues such as the labour market, pensions, income inequality - the areas where economics and public administration meet.

Career prospects

Our graduates have both strong analytical skills to design and evaluate effective policies and they have the right skills for managing policy processes. Economics and Governance educates professionals who can deliver solutions based on sound economic analysis for current societal problems and who have learnt how to operate effectively in a complex environment of real-life decision-making. Our students learn how to apply analytical tools in order to solve current societal issues.

Our students work as an economic policy-advisor or as a financial professional at a government ministry or at a consultancy firm, but we also have alumni who started a career at well-known multinational companies or in the financial sector. Because of the unique combination of economics and public administration, our students are much appreciated by public as well as private institutions, both in the Netherlands and abroad. Still others successfully manage to get into strong PhD programs.

Did you know that:

• 42% of our alumni end up in Business, 28% in Government positions, 19% in Research and Education, and 11% in Other positions.
• 91% of our alumni found a job within a year after graduation?
• Over 60 % of our alumni has a job for which the MSc Public Administration or a closely related studies was a requirement?
• Our alumni work on average 38 hours per week and have a gross monthly salary of more than € 3.000?

Accreditation

Accredited by NVAO, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders.