Politics and Economics

Politics and economics at the LSE is one of the most intellectually demanding and practically significant combinations available in higher education. Economics provides rigorous analytical tools for understanding how resources are allocated, how markets function, how incentives shape behaviour, and how macroeconomic forces affect prosperity and welfare. Politics examines how power is exercised and contested, how institutions are structured, and how collective decisions are made in democratic and non-democratic systems.

From a broad social science perspective, the two disciplines together provide a comprehensive framework for understanding how the world is governed and how it might be different.

At the London School of Economics and Political Science this three-year full-time programme takes you through the core methods and theories of both disciplines, developing your capacity for rigorous quantitative and qualitative analysis alongside the ability to engage with normative and empirical questions at the intersection of political and economic life. You will study how countries are run, how taxes are collected and spent, how governments and markets interact, and how political institutions shape economic outcomes. A year abroad is incorporated into the programme, offering you the chance to study at a partner institution and develop an international perspective on political economy.

Graduates from politics and economics at the LSE go on to some of the most sought-after careers available to any graduate. The civil service, international organisations, central banks, think tanks, financial institutions, consulting firms, politics, journalism, and academic research are all common destinations. The combination of quantitative analytical skills and deep understanding of political and economic institutions is valued across a remarkable range of contexts, and the LSE's reputation and alumni network are significant professional assets.

Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in economics, political science, or public policy.