Master in Economics

Master in Economics is one of 6 English-taught Economics programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 3 institutions. 6 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 5,000 to EUR 16,300; this programme lists EUR 5,000 a year. 6 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students. The same programme title is offered at 3 institutions, so compare the content, campus and requirements before you choose.

The MSc in Economics at Aarhus University is a two year, full time master's taught in English. You build your own profile from a large course catalogue, or you follow the specialisation in Public Policy. Either way you finish with a Master's thesis supervised by faculty from the Department of Economics and Business Economics.

What you study

The general programme covers four fields: microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and finance. You can specialise inside one field or combine courses across several. The department offers around 25 elective courses each year, so there is room to shape a distinct profile. Courses sit at an advanced academic level and assume you are comfortable with economic theory, mathematics, econometrics and finance. Compulsory progression between courses keeps your academic development on track.

The Public Policy specialisation mixes economics and political science. It has four compulsory courses in economics and public policy, filled out with electives from both the economics and the political science programmes. Your thesis in this track is supervised by faculty from the Department of Economics and Business Economics and the Department of Political Science.

How the programme is organised

You spend four semesters on the degree. The fourth semester is set aside for the Master's thesis, written under faculty supervision. Teaching usually pairs lectures with smaller classroom tutorials, so you can ask questions and discuss the material in a smaller group. The department sits in the University City in Aarhus, next to the City Auditorium, with lecture halls, study areas and faculty offices in the same place. Students from several economics and business administration programmes share the campus.

Outside class, student organisations run academic events, company visits, study trips and social activities. Økonomisk Forening arranges seminars, courses, trips in Denmark and abroad, Friday bars and larger parties. Oeconrådet works on the study environment and gives you a look at how decisions are made at the department. Kvindeligt Økonomisk Netværk (KØN) is a network for female students, and FinanceLab connects students with the financial industry.

Who it suits

This programme suits someone who wants to go deep into economic theory and methods and is willing to put in the maths. If you like the idea of picking your own mix of micro, macro, econometrics and finance, the general track gives you that freedom. If you want economics applied to policy questions, with political science in the mix, take Public Policy. The department has a large international faculty, so you will study in a diverse environment.

Admission, language and next steps

You need a bachelor's degree comparable to a Danish one, 180 ECTS. The specific requirements are measured in ECTS: microeconomics 20, macroeconomics 20, statistics and econometrics 20, accounting, finance and investment 20, and mathematics 15, for a total of 95. Applicants with a degree from outside Denmark must fill in an appendix and upload it with the application.

Some Danish degrees give direct admission, including BSc degrees in Economics and in Mathematics-Economics from Aarhus University, the University of Copenhagen, the University of Southern Denmark and Aalborg University, and the BSc in Public Policy from Aarhus University. A BSc in Economics or in Public Policy from Aarhus University also carries the legal right of admission, provided you apply within three years of finishing. From the summer 2027 admission round, a bachelor's degree in Economics and Business Administration from Aarhus University with the listed electives will no longer meet the requirements.

Intake is limited, so meeting the entry requirements does not guarantee a place. Applications are ranked on grades from your qualifying degree, grades in microeconomics, macroeconomics and statistics and econometrics, and extra ECTS in those fields (up to 15 points). You must meet the university's English language requirements. Apply directly to the institution. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland study free of charge; other students pay a fee set by the institution.

Master’s applications go straight to Aarhus University, not through optagelse.dk, and the institution sets its own deadline. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, residence permits and housing.