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Philip Hedges & Peter Urwin, Department of Economics & Quantitative Methods

Explore the factors and key issues in designing a postgraduate qualification in Applied Economics, considering market opportunities, employability, internal processes, marketing, and recruitment strategies.

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Philip Hedges & Peter Urwin, Department of Economics & Quantitative Methods

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  1. FIFTH INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN ECONOMICS EDUCATION CONFERENCEDesigning a new Masters in Applied Economics Philip Hedges & Peter Urwin, Department of Economics & Quantitative Methods Westminster Business School, UK 09/09/09 email: hedgesp@westminster.ac.uk urwinp@westminster.ac.uk

  2. Aims • To consider the factors taken into account during the design process for a new PG qualification in Applied Economics within a post 92 university • Briefly set out some of the key factors driving the setting up of the new course • Flag up key issues of debate during the process of validation – for exploration with today’s participants • Consider ideas for curriculum content & design

  3. Drivers of the design process • A Market Opportunity? • Employability in Professional Practice • Employability in Academic Practice • Internal Process • School and Department • University Validation and Review Process • Subject Benchmarks, the GES & the Economics Network • Marketing, Recruitment & Brand

  4. A Market Opportunity? Buscha, Latreille and Urwin, 2007

  5. A Market Opportunity? • Colander (2004) and O’Doherty, Street and Webber (2007) highlight qualitative evidence of skills gap in the typical Economics graduate • Shortage of application & communication skills • However this is reflection of wider mismatch • Application and Appraisal in Professional practice • Econometric Evaluation in Academic careers • For example, Business Studies takes Appraisal (Strategy) and is able to recruit students with less technical ability • RAE drives recruitment in Economics departments

  6. Internal Process & Constraints Department and School • Wholly new programmes a rarity - University modular system (8 modules full-time) allows courses to be launched with less risk – but also downside to this • MSc App Econ - 2 Economics Dept.; 2 School-wide and 4 new modules • Economics staff interest, experience & availability University Validation System • “First Filter” 18 to 24 months in advance • Curriculum Enhancement Workshop & Action Plan event • Then Validation Documents for Validation Panel: • Programme Specification • Course Handbook • Course Diagram, Module Specifications, Assessment Regimes etc.

  7. Marketing & Recruitment • Economics social networking site used from Feb 2009 Economics Forum & Jobs • Open evenings on campus • Respond to email enquiries • Advertise in The Guardian (PG Course Listings)? • Entry Points (Oct & Jan FT & PT) • Potential students • BA Business Studies graduates who want less technical & mathematical Economics • Eastern European students • GES staff for particular modules • Practising consultants with only a first degree

  8. Issues for Consideration • Is there a market opportunity in the way we perceive? More of a focus on Evaluation at the expense of Application and Appraisal • A&A module able to tackle cross cutting issues (decisions at the margin), without Macro/Micro distinction? • How do we teach this? Assumed knowledge of new students and tapping into other modules; Inductive/deductive? Communication (assessment by Viva and tech briefing) • Examples of Application and Appraisal

  9. Application • Use of scenarios in problem based learning setting of A and A: • Public smoking ban • Congestion charging • Handheld mobiles & driving • Low emissions vehicles & govt’s role • Should the company sell <insert product/service> in <insert country/region>? • Imposing regulation on food standards

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