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rohan5271 · 07-31-2008, 05:05 PM

Hi all,

I have been for quite sometime a lurker when it comes to this excellent forum.This shall be my first thread or post.I am in real fix and I need your help.

I have received a fully funded offer(HSBC scholarship) to pursue Msc Economics with reference to South Asia at SOAS,University of London.I have also received a partially funded offer (TUSP scholarship) to pursue my Msc Economics at Tilburg University.I plan to pursue a research Masters or an MPhil from a good university after my Msc in Europe so that I can strengthen my C.V before I apply for my Phd in the US.

My interest pimarily lies in Development Economics and I plan to specialise in the field.

It would be a great help if anyone could guide me in choosing between the above two options considering my interest and future goals.

Thanks

Gecko · 07-31-2008, 05:40 PM

as far as i remember, one of the guys here Asianeconomist, mentioned before that micro and econo are the strongest fields at tillburg. not so sure about development.

rohan5271 · 07-31-2008, 06:41 PM

Thanks Geko. Actually my dilemma lies in choosing a course that is general in nature at Tilburg versus a course which is very development oriented focusing upon South Asia (my area of interest).

I am in a fix whether to first pursue a general economics say at Tilburg and then move on towards a specialization in development economics (South Asia) or directly start of with a development oriented course say at SOAS and then continue further.I would like to know which among the two can prepare me well for the rigours of a research masters/Mphil (say at Toulouse,UPF,Bocconi,Oxbridge,Tilburg etc where I intend to apply later on).

Gecko · 07-31-2008, 07:01 PM

Purely for signalling purposes, i'd think that Tilburg is better, as it (the coursework) is more rigorous. since ur eventual aim is phd, that could be a slightly heavier factor.

that said haha, i wonder if there is a need for the emphasis on that, considering that most development programs are more applied in nature (i think ^_^)

Gecko · 07-31-2008, 07:16 PM

oh yes, i took a look at the courses under SOAS. their quantitative methods uses the textbook that we use for our undergrad in our 1st econometric mod. For Tilburg, they din mention, so i can't compare it directly.

In any case, i think your electives should be filled with a couple of modules that are essential, such as Linear Algebra and Analysis. That should make your applications for research in future more competitive

..

asianeconomist · 08-01-2008, 05:47 AM

In Tilburg, the MSc and eventually the MPhil coourses will be pretty rigorous - the MPhil Micro uses MWG (Standard Grad Micro text) and MPhil Macro is taught with Rogoff/Obstfeld.

If you can hack the MSc, then you'll have a good chance of continuing to the MPhil (1st or 2nd year). With regards to continuing to an US PhD, Tilburg seems to place at least 2 MPhil students every year (out of around 15) to top 15 Econ PhDs. I am not sure that SOAS boasts such a track record.

The SOAS courses appear to be a bit less rigorous than those of Tilburg's. Although, they use Varian's Analysis for Micro; the Econometrics text and Macro text are really intermediate in nature. Also, don't forget that Tilburg also has a few courses in Development, such as the Seminar on Growth and Development.

LouisBD · 08-01-2008, 07:53 AM

If you would choose the msc program in tilburg you should consider taking courses from the mathematical economics and econometric methods (MEEM) program. They tend to be a lot more rigorous and you will surely become much better prepared for the mphil (be it over there or elsewere).
I am just suggesting this because I have taken a quick look at the courses from the msc economics program and some seem a bit basic to me (judging by the textbooks they use).
Some courses from the MEEM program:
Subject information
Subject information
Subject information

Good luck with your choice.

Diplomer · 08-01-2008, 09:35 AM

SOAS is quite a good university with respect to applided development. A degree from SOAS can get you into international organisations like the UN or into the governments of developing countries. They usually get lots of ODA scholarships and so on.

However, if you want to pursue an PhD, I would reject SOAS. They explicitly say that they do not want formal proofs or anythink the like. Also, looking at the IDEAS or econphd rankings for development, SOAS is not even listed (as far as I remember).

An additional problem could be that there are really strange people. Consider, for instance, McCartney. This guy published some stuff at the "post-autistic economics review". You can read it online for free. His papers are really bad. Others, like Myriam Blin, focusses entirely on feminist economics. However, what I would like to say is that a SOAS degree and the SOAS LOR writers could be an obstacle for trying to get into a good PhD course (if you do not want to go to NSSR or the like). But it open doors if you would like to go into the public sector or to ngos.

Kind regards,
Diplomer

asianeconomist · 08-01-2008, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisBD

If you would choose the msc program in tilburg you should consider taking courses from the mathematical economics and econometric methods (MEEM) program. They tend to be a lot more rigorous and you will surely become much better prepared for the mphil (be it over there or elsewere).
I am just suggesting this because I have taken a quick look at the courses from the msc economics program and some seem a bit basic to me (judging by the textbooks they use).
Some courses from the MEEM program:
Subject information
Subject information
Subject information

Good luck with your choice.

In fact, without IO, the other two courses are also electives for the MPhil and are often chosen by the MPhil students. This courses should be good preparation.

Btw, LouisBD, are you studying/studied at Tilburg ?

rohan5271 · 08-01-2008, 04:29 PM

Thanks everyone for all those replies

To Asianeconomist and Gecko:Its true that the Quantitative courses at SOAS is less rigourous than at Tilburg,but if you look closely at the Msc Economics programme at Tilburg they have no conventional micro and macro courses that you would find in the Msc at SOAS.Also dont you think despite the fact that the SOAS course uses intermediate econometrics textbook (like Gujarati and Woolridge)..it should prepare me well when I apply for a two years research masters in Europe say Mphil @Tilburg or two masters at Toulouse for that matter.Moreover the econometrics course taught in the Msc program at Tilburg also uses Woolridge and their focus is also on the applied stuff (I have friend a who recently finished his Msc eco from Tilburg).

To Diplomer:I am very much interested in development economics of South Asia (as I hail from India) and want to specialise in it through a Phd.Hence would not the development focus of the Msc Eco programme at SOAS help me to get through two years masters say at UPF,LSE etc which I plan to do (by doing this I can further strengthen my mathematics and do more research in development)before applying to the US.

Also why do you say that the degree and LORs from SOAS professors would be detrimental when I apply for an eventual PHd in the US after my second masters.They have very good people like Mushtaq Ahmed,Ben Finer(a very famous marxist economist),Costas Lapavitsas to name a few who are very well known in the field of development finance and economics

07-31-2008, 05:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
rohan5271 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7	Msc Economics (South Asia) at SOAS,London vs Msc Economics at Tilburg University Hi all, I have been for quite sometime a lurker when it comes to this excellent forum.This shall be my first thread or post.I am in real fix and I need your help. I have received a fully funded offer(HSBC scholarship) to pursue Msc Economics with reference to South Asia at SOAS,University of London.I have also received a partially funded offer (TUSP scholarship) to pursue my Msc Economics at Tilburg University.I plan to pursue a research Masters or an MPhil from a good university after my Msc in Europe so that I can strengthen my C.V before I apply for my Phd in the US. My interest pimarily lies in Development Economics and I plan to specialise in the field. It would be a great help if anyone could guide me in choosing between the above two options considering my interest and future goals. Thanks

08-01-2008, 05:47 AM	#6 (permalink)
asianeconomist Loving the game Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 1,017	In Tilburg, the MSc and eventually the MPhil coourses will be pretty rigorous - the MPhil Micro uses MWG (Standard Grad Micro text) and MPhil Macro is taught with Rogoff/Obstfeld. If you can hack the MSc, then you'll have a good chance of continuing to the MPhil (1st or 2nd year). With regards to continuing to an US PhD, Tilburg seems to place at least 2 MPhil students every year (out of around 15) to top 15 Econ PhDs. I am not sure that SOAS boasts such a track record. The SOAS courses appear to be a bit less rigorous than those of Tilburg's. Although, they use Varian's Analysis for Micro; the Econometrics text and Macro text are really intermediate in nature. Also, don't forget that Tilburg also has a few courses in Development, such as the Seminar on Growth and Development. _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ The Pens have been lifted and the Pages have dried. - recorded by At Tirmidhee.

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07-31-2008, 05:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gecko Eager! Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 52	as far as i remember, one of the guys here Asianeconomist, mentioned before that micro and econo are the strongest fields at tillburg. not so sure about development.

07-31-2008, 06:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
rohan5271 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7	Thanks Geko. Actually my dilemma lies in choosing a course that is general in nature at Tilburg versus a course which is very development oriented focusing upon South Asia (my area of interest). I am in a fix whether to first pursue a general economics say at Tilburg and then move on towards a specialization in development economics (South Asia) or directly start of with a development oriented course say at SOAS and then continue further.I would like to know which among the two can prepare me well for the rigours of a research masters/Mphil (say at Toulouse,UPF,Bocconi,Oxbridge,Tilburg etc where I intend to apply later on).

07-31-2008, 07:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gecko Eager! Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 52	Purely for signalling purposes, i'd think that Tilburg is better, as it (the coursework) is more rigorous. since ur eventual aim is phd, that could be a slightly heavier factor. that said haha, i wonder if there is a need for the emphasis on that, considering that most development programs are more applied in nature (i think ^_^)

07-31-2008, 07:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Gecko Eager! Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 52	oh yes, i took a look at the courses under SOAS. their quantitative methods uses the textbook that we use for our undergrad in our 1st econometric mod. For Tilburg, they din mention, so i can't compare it directly. In any case, i think your electives should be filled with a couple of modules that are essential, such as Linear Algebra and Analysis. That should make your applications for research in future more competitive ..

08-01-2008, 07:53 AM	#7 (permalink)
LouisBD Eager! Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 43	If you would choose the msc program in tilburg you should consider taking courses from the mathematical economics and econometric methods (MEEM) program. They tend to be a lot more rigorous and you will surely become much better prepared for the mphil (be it over there or elsewere). I am just suggesting this because I have taken a quick look at the courses from the msc economics program and some seem a bit basic to me (judging by the textbooks they use). Some courses from the MEEM program: Subject information Subject information Subject information Good luck with your choice.

08-01-2008, 09:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
Diplomer Eager! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 48	SOAS is quite a good university with respect to applided development. A degree from SOAS can get you into international organisations like the UN or into the governments of developing countries. They usually get lots of ODA scholarships and so on. However, if you want to pursue an PhD, I would reject SOAS. They explicitly say that they do not want formal proofs or anythink the like. Also, looking at the IDEAS or econphd rankings for development, SOAS is not even listed (as far as I remember). An additional problem could be that there are really strange people. Consider, for instance, McCartney. This guy published some stuff at the "post-autistic economics review". You can read it online for free. His papers are really bad. Others, like Myriam Blin, focusses entirely on feminist economics. However, what I would like to say is that a SOAS degree and the SOAS LOR writers could be an obstacle for trying to get into a good PhD course (if you do not want to go to NSSR or the like). But it open doors if you would like to go into the public sector or to ngos. Kind regards, Diplomer

08-01-2008, 04:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
rohan5271 Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 7	Thanks everyone for all those replies To Asianeconomist and Gecko:Its true that the Quantitative courses at SOAS is less rigourous than at Tilburg,but if you look closely at the Msc Economics programme at Tilburg they have no conventional micro and macro courses that you would find in the Msc at SOAS.Also dont you think despite the fact that the SOAS course uses intermediate econometrics textbook (like Gujarati and Woolridge)..it should prepare me well when I apply for a two years research masters in Europe say Mphil @Tilburg or two masters at Toulouse for that matter.Moreover the econometrics course taught in the Msc program at Tilburg also uses Woolridge and their focus is also on the applied stuff (I have friend a who recently finished his Msc eco from Tilburg). To Diplomer:I am very much interested in development economics of South Asia (as I hail from India) and want to specialise in it through a Phd.Hence would not the development focus of the Msc Eco programme at SOAS help me to get through two years masters say at UPF,LSE etc which I plan to do (by doing this I can further strengthen my mathematics and do more research in development)before applying to the US. Also why do you say that the degree and LORs from SOAS professors would be detrimental when I apply for an eventual PHd in the US after my second masters.They have very good people like Mushtaq Ahmed,Ben Finer(a very famous marxist economist),Costas Lapavitsas to name a few who are very well known in the field of development finance and economics

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