Master of Science in Applied Economics
Current students
- The programme takes three semesters for full-time students (90 ECTS). The first two semesters are devoted to course work (60 ECTS) and the third semester to writing the master’s thesis (30 ECTS). 1 ECTS is equivalent to about 25-30 hours of total workload during the semester.
- The programme is flexible and allows for part-time work or family obligations. However, there is a maximum of 6 semesters to complete the studies. We also allow part-time studies with personalized pedagogical contracts. If you are interested in this option, contact the programme administration and/or the student counsellor.
Selecting courses
- The study plan includes both compulsory and elective courses. Compulsory courses lay the foundation for the more specialized elective courses. It is therefore recommended to take as many compulsory courses as possible each semester and complete the remaining credits with electives (approximately 30 credits per semester for full-time study).
- Students must register for and pass at least three compulsory courses during the first semester of their studies on the first attempt to be admitted to the next semester.
- Students can freely choose 21 ECTS among the elective courses listed on the study plan. They also have the possibility to choose courses from other Universities or other Master’s programmes in Neuchâtel. However, this requires prior approval by the programme director and the student counsellor (see form below).
- In any case, students must earn 80% of credits at the University of Neuchâtel implying that only 18 ECTS can be earned at another University.
With the exception of compulsory courses during the first semester, students have two attempts to pass courses. Upon request, students can keep insufficient grades (if they are equal to or above 3.0) for a maximum of 9 ECTS if the overall ECTS-weighted average is 4.0 or higher. In addition, elective courses that have not been passed may be dropped and replaced with other electives. All requests concerning courses with insufficient grades should be directed to the secretariat of the Faculty of Economics and Business.
Registering for courses and exams
Students must register for courses during the designated registration periods listed on the academic calendar. After the first registration, students are automatically enrolled in the exam. For retake exams, students have to register themselves during the registration period. Various platforms are available where students can access course and exam schedules, register for exams, monitor their grades, as well as online learning platforms used in the courses. Please find all relevant deadlines and platforms on the homepage of the Faculty of Economics and Business.
Selecting a major
Students can complete the programme with or without a major. For each major, students must complete specific elective courses listed on the study plan and write a research or internship thesis in the corresponding field. Currently, the programme offers the following majors:
- Major in Energy and Environmental Policy
- Major in Data Science
Students are not automatically enrolled in a major. They can still enroll when submitting their Master’s thesis registration form.
Writing the thesis
Once students have acquired at least 30 ECTS in coursework they can formally start working on their thesis. However, to have a solid background in economic methods, we recommend that they pass at least 45 ECTS before starting with a thesis project. Information on a typical timeline and general tips for writing a thesis are available in the following documents:
- For a research thesis, students must find a supervisor among members of the Faculty. The subject of the thesis is jointly determined in a preliminary meeting. They then have to submit a registration form signed by the supervisor and the programme director as well as register on IS-Academia. The submission date is set by the supervisor. After submitting the final thesis, students must present their work in a 20 minutes defense before the supervisor and a second qualified jury member. The defense has to take place before the end of the exam session.
- For an internship thesis, students must find an internship of at least 12 weeks and at most six months (full-time). In addition, students must find an academic supervisor among the members of the Faculty. The subject of the thesis will be determined jointly with the internship host institution and the academic supervisor. In addition to the standard registration form for Master’s theses and registering on IS-Academia, students must submit an internship and confidentiality agreement. The submission date is set by the academic supervisor and the internship host institution. After submitting the final thesis, students must present their work in a 20 minutes defense before the supervisor and a second qualified jury member from the host institution. The defense has to take place before the end of the exam session.
The specific timeline and requirements depend on the academic supervisor and the internship host institution (only for internship thesis). This also implies that exceptions for the submission or defense date may be possible, if the supervisors agree. We therefore recommend contacting all relevant parties early to clarify any questions.
Before starting the thesis, students must provide the programme administration with:
- the signed thesis agreement
- the signed internship and confidentiality agreement (only for internship thesis)
After the successful defense students must provide the programme administration with:
- two bound copies of the thesis using the official title page
- the signed pledge of honour
- the signed validation and assessment form
- the signed internship certificate (only for internship thesis)
Conflict prevention and support
The University of Neuchâtel is committed to promoting a respectful and caring learning and working environment. Anyone who feels they are the victim of a conflict situation, discrimination, psychological harassment (mobbing), sexual harassment can obtain support from the Conflict Prevention and Support unit or the Programm Director :
Contact
Programme administration: master.economics@unine.ch
Faculty (course registration, exams, grades): secretariat.seco@unine.ch
Student counsellor (courses, pre-programs, mobility): conseil-etudes.seco@unine.ch
