Why you should consider doing a master's in international political economy

International political economy is the interaction between politics and economics, and how politics influences economics and how economics influences politics. It is a very interesting field of politics and international relations that also interacts with economics.

There are multiple master’s available from different universities, for example KCL and LSE, in international political economy. They are certainly interesting, here are some reasons why you as a politics or social science student should consider taking this master’s.

You discover more in depth the interplay between politics and economics - both of these disciplines and fields have important effects and influence upon each other, arising in different forms such as government policy, central banking or global trade. As a social science student, even if you do not have much economics knowledge, that is fine as these courses seem to have more of a focus on the politics rather than theories of microeconomics, macroeconomics or econometrics, it is still useful to have some economic understanding where you will better be able to understand certain political effects.

They are varied courses and cover a range of different subjects - the range of different subjects studied are important as they give you a holistic and balanced view to understand the overall international political economy.

It can be useful to go into different pathways - due to the wide range of topics, it could be useful to get insights into different fields and see what industry you may wish to go into more specifically, for example KCL’s course has modules on supply chains, energy and security.

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That sounds really fascinating! I love how the field delves into the dynamics between politics and economics. The variety of topics and modules, especially those focusing on supply chains, energy, and security, seem super relevant in today’s global context.

How does the curriculum balance the political and economic aspects? Also, do you know if there are any opportunities for internships or practical experiences within these programs, like at KCL or LSE?

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Very helpful! What career opportunities specifically stem from a master’s degree in international political economy, and how do they differ from traditional political science or economics roles?

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