Programme structure
The Economics master is a full time program. Learning activities are organized according to the following plan for 120 credits in total. This page shows the programme structure for students?admitted autumn 2019 or later.
Common structure
- Common mandatory courses:?40 ECTS
- Optional courses or programme option course: 50 ECTS
- Mandatory master's thesis: 30 ECTS
This table gives an overview of the master's programme. You must click on the programme option in order to see a schedule specified for the track you have chosen.
| 4.?semester | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.?semester | Optional ECON4000 course or programme option course | Optional ECON4000 course or programme option course | Optional ECON4000 course or programme option course | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2.?semester | Optional ECON4000 course or programme option course | Optional ECON4000 course or programme option course | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1.?semester | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ? | 10?ECTS credits | 10?ECTS credits | 10?ECTS credits | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Programme structure for students who started autumn 2018
Programme structure for students who started autumn 2017 or earlier
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Common mandatory courses
ECON4120 – Mathematics 2: Calculus and Linear Algebra ECON4150 – Introductory Econometrics ECON4220 – Microeconomics 3 ECON4310 – Macroeconomic Theory
If you have already passed any of these courses as a part of your?bachelor's degree at UiO, you must replace the courses with an optional 4000-course in economics.
Programme options
The master's programme has the following three programme options that encompass both?mandatory and optional courses. You must sign up for one of these programme options in StudentWeb during your first semester of the programme.
From autumn 2026?Environmental-, Resource- and Development Economics will be discontinued as a programme option.
Economics
The Economics programme option includes five optional courses. This allows you to choose freely among the Department’s master’s courses, and?tailor your degree according to your academic?interests and career plans.?
| 4.?semester | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.?semester | Optional ECON4000 course | Optional ECON4000 course | Optional ECON4000 course | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2.?semester | ECON4150 - Introductory Econometrics | Optional ECON4000 course | Optional ECON4000 course | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1.?semester | ECON4120 - Mathematics 2: Calculus and Linear Algebra | ECON4220 - Microeconomics 3 | ECON4310 - Macroeconomic Theory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ? | 10?ECTS credits | 10?ECTS credits | 10?ECTS credits | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- 50 credits in optional ECON4000 courses
- If you want to spend a semester abroad, we recommend that you choose this programme option.
Environmental-, Resource- and Development Economics-discontinued?from autumn 2026
From autumn 2026?Environmental-, Resource- and Development Economics will be discontinued as a programme option.
Environmental-, Resource- and Development Economics (ERDEC) programme option are?amongst the Department's core research areas and are highly relevant in our society. The courses in this programme option?are taught by leading researchers in these fields.
| 4.?semester | ECON4091 - Master's Thesis and Oral Exam (with ERDEC topic) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3.?semester | ECON4925 - Resource Economics | Optional ECON4000 course | Optional ECON4000 course | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2.?semester | ECON4150 - Introductory Econometrics | ECON4910 - Environmental Economics | ECON4915 - Development Economics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1.?semester | ECON4120 - Mathematics 2: Calculus and Linear Algebra | ECON4220 - Microeconomics 3 | ECON4310 - Macroeconomic Theory | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ? | 10?ECTS credits | 10?ECTS credits | 10?ECTS credits | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mandatory courses for?Environmental-, Resource- and Development Economics programme option
Optional courses
Research
You should choose the Research programme option if you plan for doctoral studies or if you want to extend your skills to the research frontier.
| 4. semester | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3. semester | ECON5000 one of two | ECON5000 one of two | Optional ECON4000 course |
| 2. semester | Optional ECON4000 course | Optional ECON4000 course | |
| 1. semester | |||
| ? | 10?ECTS credits | 10?ECTS credits | 10?ECTS credits |
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Mandatory courses for the Research programme option
You must choose two courses from the list, and write a master thesis so?it could form the starting point for a future doctoral thesis.?
- 20 credits in advanced courses
- 10 credits in ECON4000 courses.
Mandatory master's thesis
See more information about rules and regulations, how to obatin a supervisor, formal requirements, deadlines and?submission.
You are responsible for planning your own programme structure
We recommend that students follow the common programme structure. If you do this, you are guaranteed that exams in obligatory courses do not collide. If you choose to organize a different programme structure, you have to check the prerequisites, teaching schedules and time and place for the exams. If you want to retake an exam, we cannot guarantee?that the date and time for the exams will not collide with other courses you are taking.
There are restrictions on retaking certain exams after you pass courses that are more advanced.
Recognition of education
If you have education from another higher education institution, you will find information about what to do here.
External economics courses
You can apply to take economics courses at another higher education institution while studying the 2-year master in Economics.?Please note that at least 60 ECTS must be submitted at UiO, and that the master thesis can not be submitted or completed at another educational institution if you want to obtain a diploma at UiO.?
External courses in another field of study
If a course from?another higher education institution or Department at UiO is relevant enough to the field of Economics to essentially be an economics course, you may apply to replace up to 20 credits in the category "optional ECON4000 course" with other master's level courses within the following fields:
- Mathematics
- Statistics
- Informatics
- Economic history
- Health economics
- Business (only courses like investment analysis, budgeting, accounting and finance. Not marketing, management, organization and psychology).?
ENERGI4010 – B?rekraftig energiomstilling
You may apply to replace up to 20 credits in the category "optional ECON4000 course" with other bachelor’s level courses within the following fields:
- Mathematics
- Statistics
- Informatics
Note that the total of credits recognized in another field of study may not exceed 20 credits.
How to apply
You want to take a course:
- Contact the relevant department / the higher education institution to ask if you can get access to the course.
- Send an e-mail to post@econ.uio.no with information regarding the course you want to take (course content, learning outcome and syllabus). In the application there should be given a justification for why the courses strengthen the qualifications in your degree.
- Apply for recognition of education when you get a passing grade in the course.
You have taken the course:
Discover Your Future
Through the master's degree, you will be offered a complete programme to make it easier for you to discover your opportunities along the way and to make way for good choices later. Discover your future consists of four courses, one for each semester of the master's degree. The courses consist of a combination of four e-learning modules in Canvas, which you can take as you see fit, as well as some physical workshops where you get the opportunity to work on the various topics.
Honours certificate
Are you academically ambitious? It is possible to supplement your master`s degree with an honours certificate worth 20 credits. You take the certificate concurrently with the master`s programme.
A semester abroad
We recommend that you go on exchange during your third semester (autumn semester) and take courses that can be approved as optional courses at the 4000-level. You can also go on exchange during the spring semester, if you have taken?ECON4150 - Introductory Econometrics?or?equivalent in your bachelor degree. See more information about a semester abroad.
Course evaluations?
Here you can fin all of the course evaluations for the Economics (master's two years).?
Diploma and degree
This programme leads to the following degree: Master of Philosophy in Economics