Economics: Public Policy
Winter intake start date
2027-02-01
Winter intake deadline
2026-11-25
Study important public policy issues, ranging from reduced income inequality and job security, to an affordable health care and pension system. Upon graduation you are an economic expert on how governments can achieve such critical goals, design effective solutions, and finance these activities. This is a track of MSc Economics.
The Master’s program in Economics is an excellent choice if you want to acquire the skills to address today’s societal challenges. The program is taught by internationally renowned economics professors from Tilburg University. With many international fellow students, there is a great diversity of nationalities in your classroom.
Program and courses
Learn how public policies and tax schemes can be designed to create the right incentives and nudges to bring important societal goals within reach.
- Experience what it means to be a policy advisor in national governments and international organizations.
- Study with fellow international students of many different nationalities.
- This is a track of MSc Economics. You can choose to follow the main program or one of the tracks.
Typical courses are:
- Labor Economics
- Health Economics
- Economics and Psychology of Social Norms and Strategic Behavior
- ECTS transcript – If you are still completing your Bachelor’s degree, upload an ECTS transcript showing the subjects you have studied, your grades, and the number of credits awarded. Your Bachelor’s diploma must be uploaded later, as soon as you receive it.
- Bachelor’s diploma – If you have already graduated, upload your Bachelor’s diploma. A separate ECTS transcript is not required.
Note: Your Bachelor’s degree must be in the same or a related field as the Master’s programme you are applying for. The university will check whether you have completed enough relevant subjects and ECTS credits.
Important! View the full requirements on the university’s official website. Requirements may vary depending where you completed your bachelor education.
Applicants have to prove their English language skills either by an internationally recognized language test or upon previous studies. Usually English language skills can be proved by the following documents:
- TOEFL iBT*
- IELTS Academic
- A Cambridge English qualification
- Higher education degree completed in English
- Secondary education completed in English in a country or school qualification accepted by the university
- An English subject and grade on your secondary school leaving certificate that meet the university’s requirements
- Other
Important: Accepted methods and minimum results depend on study programme and the country where you completed your education. Check the official requirements for your chosen study programme.
*Use the Kastu promo code LTU1000102 when registering for TOEFL iBT and receive a 5% discount.
A Bachelor’s degree in Economics or in a similar program (e.g., in Econometrics) from a university that is recognized by the program management
A solid academic background in economics, especially:
- Macroeconomics (minimum 12 ECTS)
- Microeconomics (minimum 12 ECTS)
- Game Theory (minimum 6 ECTS)
- Mathematics (minimum 12 ECTS)
- Econometrics / Statistics (minimum 12 ECTS)And at least 2 applied Economics courses (in total minimum 12 ECTS), for instance (but not exclusively!):
- Environmental Economics (minimum 6 ECTS)
- Public Economics (minimum 6 ECTS)
- Development Economics (minimum 6 ECTS)
- Industrial Organization (minimum 6 ECTS)
Our Admissions Board may give you the opportunity to rectify deficiencies (max. 30 ECTS) during a Pre-Master's program.
It is compulsory for this program to submit your GRE General Test
Our incoming students usually score above the 75% percentile.
The GRE institution code for Tilburg University is 0730.
Exemptions from the GRE requirement
Students with a relevant degree from one of the official partner universities of the Tilburg School of Economics and Management are exempted from the GRE requirement.
With a specialization in Public Policy, you can apply economic theories and models to urgent domestic policy objectives; advising governments on how to achieve, design and finance these goals. These skills are tailored for a career as policy advisor in national governments or international organizations such as the EU; researcher in applied research institutes, or consultant within nationally or internationally oriented consultancy firms.
Graduates work or started for example as:
Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Finance
Statistical Analyst at De Nederlandsche Bank
Doctoral student at the University of Oxford
Alumni facts
Average number of months until first paid job: 2
Finds a job within 3 months after graduation: 82%
Gross monthly income one year after graduation: €2,542
Source: National Alumni Survey, 2016 | n=16
