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Comparative Business Economics MA

London, Bloomsbury

Our Comparative Business Economics MA is focused principally at company-level study and offers the chance to examine: the role of multinationals; corporate governance and finance; privatisation; entrepreneurship, and the determinants of innovation and technological change within the European area.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£24,100
£12,050
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£36,500
£18,250
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants are usually expected to have studied macroeconomics, microeconomics and quantitative methods/statistics in their degree. Applicants whose studies for their undergraduate degree have been undertaken wholly or mainly at a university located outside of the UK must submit either GMAT or GRE score as part of the application. There is no minimum score required, but this will be used as part of our assessment alongside the rest of your application.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


Our programme offers you discipline-based training combined with practical application, drawing on the experience of the 28 nations that have emerged from the former Soviet block in Europe and Asia. You will be equipped with strong foundations in both international business and economics as well as in finance and corporate governance.

Further details on structure and modules can be found in the Programme Handbook.

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for students with a background in economics who wish to develop the skills necessary for further research in this field, for work in international business for European and national government institutions, and for developing their own entrepreneurial ventures. Solid evidence of macroeconomics, microeconomics and quantitative methods at an undergraduate level are expected. 

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies (SSEES) is one of the largest national centres in the UK, for the study of central, Eastern and south-east Europe and Russia.

SSEES hosts a number of research centres and seminar series which help complement your study, including the Economics and Business Seminar Series, and CNET- the Centre for New Economic Transitions. We attract a range of external influential speakers via our public events. 

Our unique specialist library and central London location provide an ideal environment for research, while our close contacts with employers, policymakers, embassies and alumni afford you excellent opportunities for networking and career development.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The Comparative Business Economics MA prepares you for both further research, and for work in international business, for European and national government institutions, and for developing your own entrepreneurial ventures. A range of topical events and research seminars complement your studies. 

Employability

With their specialist knowledge and language skills, SSEES graduates can be found in business, finance, the media, international agencies, charities, diplomacy, international security organisations, the law, and academia.

Networking

SSEES scholars have developed strong links with a range of institutions in London, including the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development), Roubini Global Economics, NGOs such as Health Prom, Amnesty International and others through the BEARR Trust, Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs), as well as with the European Commission. SSEES also cultivates connections with the London embassies of the region, which regularly co-sponsor round-table events and lectures by leading international figures relevant to our area interests.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and private study. The third term is devoted to revision sessions and the dissertation project. 

A 15-credit module is equivalent to 150 hours of study and a 30-credit module equivalent to 300 hours. This includes contact time, private study and the undertaking of coursework assignments.

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, film viewings, tutorials and specialist language courses. You will be assessed through unseen examinations, long essays, coursework and the research dissertation.

For a full-time postgraduate course, we recommend around 20-25 hours of independent study per week. Contact hours may vary depending on module choices, but full-time students will have approximately 8-10 contact hours each week during term time, spent in lectures and seminars.

For a part-time postgraduate course, contact hours would usually be 4-6 hours per week across 2-3 days and we recommend around 10-12 hours of independent study per week.

Those undertaking language modules may have additional contact hours. There is minimal teaching during Term 3, as students focus on the dissertation and assessments.

Modules

You undertake modules to the value of 180 credits, 120 credits of which are taught courses. 

The taught courses comprise compulsory methods modules, a module in Political Economy of International Business, at least one module from a list of core policy papers and finally a choice from a list of available electives. 

In addition, you must also undertake a free-standing dissertation (60 credits) and a Dissertation Preparation Module (0 credits).

Further details on structure and modules can be found in the Programme Handbook.

The MA can be taken part-time, across two years. Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

In Year 1, you will take compulsory methods modules, a module in Political Economy of International Business and options from a list of core modules.

In Year 2, you will take optional modules to develop your broader understanding and develop key concepts learnt in Year 1. You will also continue to formulate and develop your dissertation outline and structure with support from your supervisor. You will then spend the summer of Year 2 researching and writing your 12,000 word dissertation on a topic to be determined in discussion with your supervisor.

Compulsory modules







Optional modules

















Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

You will undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Comparative Business Economics.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £24,100 £12,050
Tuition fees (2025/26) £36,500 £18,250

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying, or conference registration fees and associated travel costs.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Comparative Business Economics at graduate level
  • why you want to study Comparative Business Economics at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of a challenging and truly international academic environment
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

SSEES - School of Slavonic and East European Studies
SSEES - School of Slavonic and East European Studies

tjmsmaa@ucl.ac.uk

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