Your applied economics career prospects

Bath’s online MSc in Applied Economics can help you thrive in all types of economics careers. With this course, you can progress in your current career or change your profession to economics. Every component of the course gives you the foundational macro-and microeconomic theory and knowledge, applied econometrics skills, and quantitative tools necessary to succeed in landing or advancing a career in economics, finance, banking, consulting firms, government organisations, research institutions, or PhD courses.

You could take on any of the following roles that are common for applied economics graduates in the UK and internationally:

  • Applied economist
  • Civil servant
  • Analytical consultant
  • Financial analyst / director
  • Investment banker
  • Risk analyst
  • Loan manager
  • Data miner

Apply your potential

The applied nature of Bath’s economics MSc means that you will gain hands-on experience with the skills and tools that today’s jobs require. In 2024, nearly one-third (31%) of job vacancies in the UK's business services sector were hard to fill due to skill shortages. The financial services sector also struggled, with skill shortage vacancies making up 17% of all openings1. These opportunities span the public and private sectors, from the Government Economic Service (GES) to major organisations like the Bank of England2. 

Prepare for these competitive opportunities by developing your software skills and soft skills. During the Applied Economics course, you can access software tool packages including the statistical software programmes Stata and R. Target the career you want most by individualising your master’s project, the culmination of your course. The master’s project allows you to collaborate with a faculty member, explore a topic most relevant to you, and hone your soft skills. The final project, with its real-world policy briefs and video presentations, allows you to demonstrate how well you can apply quantitative research methods and tools. Your final project experience will show potential employers that you are prepared for the demands of your chosen career path.

"I very much enjoyed my time studying. I am a distance learner on a part time masters. I enjoyed the new learning and the sense of accomplishment. I do think the degree has helped my CV and my day-to-day thinking." - Nicholas Jones, Applied Economics (Banking and Financial Markets) online MSc student

Build your network

The MSc in Applied Economics encourages online communication and interaction through discussion forums, which often form part of your weekly activities. You will study alongside students from all around the world, representing over 56 countries. Many students and graduates of this MSc course are from the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, China, Canada, the United States, Malta, Germany, Switzerland, Uganda, Nigeria, and more. Through high levels of interaction with your peers, you will be able to build your network and make lifelong connections.

Students currently undertaking our course are from a mixture of backgrounds including approximately 14% who are analysts, 11% who work in finance, 8% who are managers, 5% who are working as traders, and a variety of others work in auditing, risk-analysis, and sales. The professional experiences of our online students add great depth to our applied economics master’s because you can learn from the experiences of those around you in addition to our faculty and the course content. 

Where Our Students Work

We have an excellent record for graduate employment in economics, with well-known employers keen to recruit our graduates. Online Applied Economics MSc students have been employed by some of the leading UK and international organisations, including:

 
  • World Bank 
  • Bank of England
  • Royal Bank of Scotland
  • HSBC
  • TSB
  • UK Government (and other countries) 
  • ANZ Bank
  • Barclays
  • Deloitte
  • Accenture
  • HMRC
  • JP Morgan Chase & Co.

 

Career Spotlight

 

  • Risk Analyst: Risk analysts usually work for financial institutions. They must verify customer information, follow up on missing data, and assess data from credit bureaus, financial statements, credit reports, and other organisations. Their goal is to determine the potential risks and rewards of business and financial decisions. Skills in risk management/risk control, as well as proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial analysis, often correlate with higher salaries for risk analysts in the UK.3
  • Investment Banker: Investment bankers serve as liaisons between companies seeking to raise revenue and individuals or entities wishing to invest capital. They help companies meet their financial needs through strategic industry research, financial modelling, and relationship building. Skilled investment bankers with expertise in financial analysis, investment management, and mergers and acquisitions often earn higher salaries in the UK.4   
  • Economist: Economists advise businesses and government organisations on taxes, industry statistics, energy consumption, transportation, trading, and any other relevant topics. They use computer programs to gather and present data to stakeholders who will use it to make decisions. Skills in data analysis, research analysis, and policy analysis are correlated to higher salaries for economists in the UK.5

 

Career Development

We know that the key reason for studying an online master’s in economics is to develop your career, and we’ll give you all the support you need to develop the skills and abilities you need. We offer services for both online and on-campus students that provide additional guidance on presentation, writing, language, mathematics, and statistics skills. 

As well as providing the teaching and experience to further your career, we:

  • Help you improve your CV 
  • Find your perfect position
  • Provide networking opportunities
  • Offer 1:1 faculty support
You can also network with the Applied Economics course faculty, many of whom are recognisable names in the field. They bring a wealth of advanced economics research theory and knowledge to Bath’s online student experience. You will work closely with an applied economics faculty member as you research and write your master’s project. Bath’s Applied Economics MSc faculty can be an ideal career reference for you because they will be familiar with your quality of work and your leadership style.

 

The Applied Economics (Banking & Financial Markets) course at the University of Bath offered a platform to learn from my cohort and share a plethora of lived experiences and perspectives, and the connections forged in and outside the classroom have proved lucrative.

Emmanuel Nkrumah

Applied Economics (Banking and Financial Markets) online MSc student

Real-world expertise

Focused on practice in genuine banking and finance contexts, this online course will provide you with the tools to solve a host of real-world economics challenges, preparing you for a high-level career in the UK and internationally.

Skills Learned

  • Sharpen soft business skills (such as critical thinking, writing, communication, and presentation)
  • Develop advanced quantitative analysis skills
  • Train with quantitative data analysis software tools Stata and R
  • Apply cutting-edge tools and methodologies to high-stakes economic situations
  • Make sound business decisions that can impact and improve lives 
  1. Employer Skills Survey | GOV.UK (2024). Retrieved on December 1, 2025, from GOV.UK website: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/employer-skills-survey/2024
  2. Economist Job Profile | Prospects (2025). Retrieved on December 1, 2025, from Prospects website: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/economist/
  3. Risk Analyst. (2025). Retrieved November 17, 2025, from Payscale.com website: https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Risk_Analyst/Salary
  4. Investment Banker. (2025). Retrieved November 17, 2025, from Payscale.com website: https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Investment_Banker/Salary
  5. Economist. (2025). Retrieved November 17, 2025, from Payscale.com website:https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Economist/Salary