Global Economy MSc
The Masters in Global Economy explores the history, shape and economic impact of contemporary globalisation, in a profoundly multinational, multilingual environment. Our programme will enhance your understanding of the shape of the global economy and the institutions (formal and informal) that govern it. It is ideal for those who do not have a degree or background in economics or business but wish to explore the field.
- Academic contact:
- Teaching start: September
- Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
- MSc: 12 months full-time; 24 months part‑time
Why this programme
- Central to the programme’s curriculum is an understanding of how economic growth is (and is not) stimulated and sustained under conditions of intense global competition, and how institutions and infrastructure can play crucial roles in attracting appropriate economic activity.
- You will consider the respective roles of national governments and supra-national bodies in the global economy and interrogate the ways in which economic and business systems have an impact on the lives of citizens in both developing and developed countries.
- You will be encouraged to think about how your local economies fit into the broader global environment. The knowledge and skills gained could lead to enhanced trade capacity, improved economic understanding or decision- making by business or government, new products and services, or long-term capacity building, through the development of entrepreneurial skills.
- Topics covered include the study of international trade, the relationships between education, innovation and investment, foreign direct investment, multinational companies, and the impact of Global Value Chains and Global Production Networks – and the associated corporate social responsibility and global citizenship programmes.
- You may have the opportunity to spend up to three weeks in March at Kyoto University in Japan. You will attend specially organised classes, take part in study trips and site visits, and begin thinking about your dissertation. Places are limited and offered on a competitive basis.
- The programme will equip you to return to your home country and make substantial contributions in a wide array of fields such as local and national policy development, corporate management and third sector or advocacy groups, including those working primarily in environmental, educational or citizenship arenas.
- Watch:Global Economy MSc programme overview
Programme structure
You will take three core and three optional courses, as well as undertake a dissertation. You will attend lectures, seminars and tutorials and take part in project and team work. You will also benefit from our programme of guest seminars.
Core courses
- Business in the Global Economy
- Designing your Global Economy Research Project
- The Globalised Economy
Optional courses
- Business in Times of Global Instability
- Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Context
- Development and the Global South: African Experiences since 1945
- Diversity of Entrepreneurships: Gender, SMEs, Immigrants and Ethnicities
- Global Development and Human Rights
- Globalisation: Challenges from the South
- Globalisation Of International Banking And Finance
- Inequalities in the Global Economy
- Labour and the Global Economy
- Latin American Development from Independence to the Present
- Technology Transfer in the Global Economy
- The Wealth of Nations
Research project
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
After completing this programme, you will have gained a strong and critical understanding of the extent, causes, shifting patterns and policies, tensions and implications of a more fully integrated global economy.
Career opportunities and pathways
As a graduate of this programme, you will be well placed to begin your professional career. The interdisciplinary courses are designed to help you develop your employability skills as you will be tasked with reviewing a range of data, including:
- historical and recent case studies
- policy reports
- corporate information
- academic literature.
You will learn to analyse these different types of data within a global context. You will gain experience of team-working and presenting, as well as writing individually and with peers for a wide range of audiences.
Career opportunities for graduates exist within:
- corporate organisations with a focus on global business and foreign trade
- international non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- policy-driven environments.
Some students choose to pursue an academic or research-focused career; some of whom continue their PhD studies at the University of Glasgow. The programme specialises in developing your research skills, critical thinking and writing skills. These are valuable for your future career, particularly for academic or research-focused roles. One of the core courses, Designing your Global Economy Research Project, will help you to prepare and learn research skills valuable to your future as any future career will require you to survey a vast amount of policy reports, analyse corporate information, and transform them into presentable materials for any sector you join.
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Professional development
Through the programme, you will have opportunities to enhance your professional development. The visiting speaker series includes a mix of in-person and online seminars, giving insights into key research themes, possible career trajectories, and networking opportunities. You also benefit from our close links with the Centre for Business History in Scotland (CBHS), Scotland’s only dedicated research unit for this discipline, and the Scottish Business Archives, an internationally important collections of business records covering the whole of Scotland and beyond from the 18th century to present. You will also be able to access the University of Glasgow’s collection of official publications from the European Union in our University Library.
The programme is located in our Economic & Social History subject area, providing access to our multi-disciplinary department and blend of research experts. This uniquely gives you a longer-term historical perspective to current global economic patterns, opportunities and challenges.
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Career support from the University of Glasgow
As a postgraduate student at the University of Glasgow you will have access to our Careers, Employability & Opportunity service. This service offers students the opportunity to network through organised events, help with finding employment, internships and work experience, and career development masterclasses.
Learn more about Careers, Employability & Opportunity
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Hear from our alumni
'Studying Global Economy at the University of Glasgow was a highly rewarding experience that has had a lasting impact on my personal and professional development. I particularly valued the practical application of economic theory to real-world challenges and the opportunity to learn alongside people from diverse backgrounds. I made friendships that have become lifelong relationships and developed meaningful connections with tutors that have continued even after completing the programme.' - Emmanuel Jesse Nyamson
Learn more about Jesse's experience
'Studying Global Economy at the University of Glasgow was a transformative experience. The programme challenged me to think critically about development and public policy, while its diverse international community broadened my global outlook Returning to the city this year reminded me that Glasgow is not just where I earned my degree; it is a community that continues to shape my professional and personal journey.' -Tasnim Alam
Learn more about Tasnim's experience
'I am very grateful to the Global Economy programme for providing a good foundation for my PhD research process. The exposure to a wide range of interdisciplinary fields of study clarified my research interests. The extensive essay writing training was also very helpful for the subsequent PhD thesis writing, and I started to be able to express my own opinions and develop good writing habits.” – Qinxian Zhang - Global Economy, MSc graduate
Read more about Qinxian’s experience
'Participating in the Global Economy MSc was an impressive and rewarding experience. As an international student aspiring to pursue an academic career, the Masters programme has significantly enhanced my academic writing skills. Finally, what I have learned from the programme encouraged me to continue my studies and pursue a PhD.' – Xin Lee
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2026-27
MSc
Home & RUK
- Full-time fee: £11,367
- Part-time fee: £1,263 per 20 credits
International & EU
- Full-time fee: £29,355
Fee status
Deposits
International and EU applicants are required to pay a deposit of £2,000 when an offer is made.
Deposits: terms & conditions
The following guidelines will apply in determining whether a deposit will be refunded. Where the deposit is refunded, a 25% administration fee will be deducted unless otherwise stated.
a: Deposits WILL be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:
- Where the University is unable to offer you a place on the programme as specified on the offer. A full refund will be issued in this case.
- Death of a close family member (parent/guardian, grandparent, sibling, spouse, child/dependent). Official evidence (signed and stamped) must be provided.
- SERIOUS ill health of the applicant or a close family member (parent/guardian, grandparent, sibling, spouse, child/dependent). Official evidence (signed and stamped) must be provided.
- Applicant does not meet conditions of offer. This may be academic or language test requirements. Satisfactory evidence must be uploaded to the student’s applicant self-service to prove that they have not met the conditions of their offer (note that applicants who do not meet the language condition of their offer must show reasonable attempt to meet this, i.e. they must provide at least two language tests which were taken after the date the deposit was paid).
- Visa / ATAS refusal: we will only consider a refund if the visa / ATAS refusal was based on matters outside of the applicant’s control.
- If a refund request is received within 14 days of the deposit being received a full refund will be issued under the Consumer Protection Regulations.
b: Deposits WILL NOT be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:
- An applicant decides not to attend the University for any reason not outlined above.
- Personal financial constraints / unsuccessful scholarship application.
- Applicant has decided to defer – in this situation the University will retain the deposit and hold it against the applicant’s account to secure their place for the following year of entry. You may defer twice. After the second deferral standard conditions will apply.
- There is still time to meet the English language test requirement before the final upload date. Please see section a) 4.
- Visa / ATAS was applied for too late. Please see section a) 5.
- Any documents used for admission are proven to be fraudulent. We work in partnership with Qualification Check to check academic qualifications. English language qualifications are verified with the provider.
- The refund request is received more than 30 days after the official course start date as outlined in your offer email.
Timeframe for requesting a refund
Refund requests must be received no later than 30 days after the official course start date as outlined in your offer email. As per section b)7 above the request will be denied.
Receiving a refund
- To comply with Money Laundering Regulations, the University will pay all refunds to the original payer using the source payment details. This is known as a “return to source” payment.
- All appropriate documentation and evidence relating to the original payment must be provided, when requested.
- All payments and refunds are in GBP currency - the University is not responsible for any exchange rate fluctuations or beneficiary bank charges associated with the refund.
- Where University approved payment methods have not been used, this may cause significant delays or prevent payment altogether.
- We will aim to issue the deposit refund within 8 weeks of receipt of information per point 2 above. At peak times this may be longer.
How to request a deposit refund
Please go to our enquiry form and select 'Fees and Deposit' as the enquiry reason and then 'Can I have a deposit refund?'.
Please upload all supporting documentation to your applicant self-service portal before submitting the above request.
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Entry requirements
2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in Social Sciences and Humanities, Business School Courses, Finance, Economics, Management, HR Management, History, or Geography. Other related subjects may be accepted.
If your degree is in a subject not listed above, please submit a question-based personal statement using the link below, explaining why you want to undertake this programme.
International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of pre-Masters courses.
English language requirements
For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
- IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Common equivalent English language qualifications accepted for entry to this programme:
TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)
Tests taken up to 20 January 2026
- 90 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.
Tests taken from 21 January 2026
- 92 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 23; Writing 21
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.
Pearsons PTE Academic
- 65 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 60; Speaking 65; Writing 60
- Online PTE not accepted for entry
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)
- 176 overall with no subtest less than 169
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Oxford English Test
- 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
LanguageCert Academic/ Academic Online
- 70 overall with no subtest less than 65
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Password Skills Plus
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II
- Two subtests at 96 or higher, and two subtests at 80 or higher
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Kaplan Test of English
- Any two subtests at 480 or higher, and any two subtests at 450 or higher
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses
Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.
Alternatives to English Language qualification
- Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
- Undergraduate 2+2 and 3+1 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have completed their final year of study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:
- direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS);
- essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University;
- flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.
More information on our Pre-sessional courses.
We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:
- Heriot Watt
- Kingston Upon Thames
- Middlesex University
- Manchester University
- Reading University
- Edinburgh University
- ST Andrews University
- UCL
- Durham
For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
International students
We are proud of our diverse University community that includes students and staff from more than 140 different countries.
How to apply
To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.
Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.
Documents
As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:
- A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
- A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
- Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
- One reference letter on headed paper
- Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
- Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
- A copy of the photo page of your passport
You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.
You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.
For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
Guidance notes for using the online application
These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.
If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.
- Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
- Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
- Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
- Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
- Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
- English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
- Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.
Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.
Application deadlines
Application deadlines for 2027 entry will be published in due course. Please check back later.
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