FAQ Master's Programme in Economics
1. Is it possible to register for more than a full-time course load?
Yes, but students subject to study fees may only register for the amount of courses they have paid for. We allow students to register for up to 45 credits each semester.
2. Do I need to apply/register for courses?
Yes!
3. Do I need to register for exams?
Yes!
4. What if I fail an exam?
You will be offered opportunities for re-examination. The same criteria for grade levels are applied to all examination occasions on the same course. It will not show in any certificates how many times you have retaken an exam.
5. Can I take courses in the PhD programme?
Depending on your background, we may let you take some course in the PhD programme, but in general we advise against it. See below.
6. Is it a good idea to take courses at the PhD level, if I want to continue with PhD studies?
In general, it is not. There are two reasons for this. The first is that you in that case miss some of the more applied master courses which are very useful for writing a good thesis (this is very important when applying to a PhD programme). Second, history shows that many fail the exams given in PhD courses, which is not a good sign to the committees deciding on acceptance to PhD programmes. Getting high grades on master courses and writing a good thesis gives you the best chance for being accepted for a PhD programme.
7. How do I apply to courses in the standard track?
Through universityadmissions.se. The deadlines are (minor variations may occur): 15 April (for the fall) and 15 October (for the spring). You have to log on before you choose courses. You can use Uppsala University’s student account to log in.
8. How do I apply to courses at other departments?
Some courses are open to Master’s students through the national application system, universityadmissions.se (in that case, see above). You may find other courses through the respective departments’ homepages. You then need to contact the director or student counselor at the responsible department.
9. How do I get a certificate?
You can get a certificate of registration or a transcript of records by yourself in Ladok. If you need a signed certificate, you can contact studentadmin@nek.uu.se.
10. Are there any strictly mandatory courses in the programme?
Except for the thesis, no course is strictly mandatory. However, for most students the standard track is strongly recommended. Without the first year courses, it is very difficult to follow some of the courses offered later in the programme.
11. What happens if I do not get a passing grade on my thesis?
You will have to re-register the next term. You do not need to redo the start-up exam if you have done this before. However, the final exam is compulsory even if you have done it before. You are only guaranteed supervision from an advisor the first term you write your thesis. If you need more than one term, it is up to the advisor to decide how much supervision he/she can provide.
12. Who grades the thesis?
The thesis is graded by your advisor and an assigned co-evaluator. You find more information about the grading process and the formal grading criteria on the course page on Studium.
13. If I fail to complete the programme within two years, what happens then?
If you do not need a visa to study in Sweden, you simply reregister and complete the course(s) next semester(s). If you need a visa, the Swedish migration board will require a certificate from the department stating that you are still studying, and preferably an estimate of when you will graduate. If you have been inactive (i.e. not taken any credits) for 1–2 semesters, we will not be able to certify that you are still an active student.
14. What are the formal requirements for a Master’s degree in economics?
You need the following:
- i) 30 ECTS-credits on advanced level in economics
- ii) 30 ECTS-credits on advanced level in any subject
- iii) 30 ECTS-credits on any level in any subject
- iv) 30 ECTS-credits thesis
It is only the thesis which is formally required to be written at the department. However, please note that the host university of the last course studied, which is included in the degree, is the university which issues the degree diploma.
15. How do I obtain my degree certificate?
The degree certificates are issued by the Graduation Office at Uppsala University.
16. How do I transfer course credits from a non-Swedish university?
To credit courses in Economics and other subjects taken at foreign universities, you apply for a transfer of credits to the Graduation Office at Uppsala University. The transfer of credits is done after you return home from the exchange.
Courses in Economics that are credited should be at a level equivalent to Economics A, B, C or the Master's level.
Before you go on an exchange, it is advisable that you check with us whether the courses you plan to take can be credited as courses in Economics. Such a request should include course syllabuses, with information on course content, course literature, course level, and course length in English.
If you have questions about transfer of credits for courses in Economics, you should contact Associate Professor Stefan Eriksson.