In the Department of Economics, we offer you a range of opportunities to engage with your peers and enrich your academic experience. Our offerings include insightful guest lectures, practical workshops, social events, and career sessions —there's something for everyone.
We host a Treasure Hunt at the start of the academic year to help you familiarise yourself with our campus and the local area. A trail of clues leads you on a historical journey around some of London’s most well-known landmarks. Working together as a team, you uncover hidden gems in and around our LSE campus with fellow students. At the same time, you experience the beauty of London on foot and develop new connections with your cohort.
Back on campus, the School’s Events programme brings together some of the world’s most influential figures in the social sciences. All events are free and open to the public. You can also expect opportunities to engage with researchers across the School and to hear new perspectives.
(Top tip: Look out for LSE Music’s Lunchtime Concerts, every Thursday during term time!)
The Department of Economics hosts our own public lectures, research seminars and annual Economica Coase-Phillips Lectures. Past speakers include Nobel Prize Laureates Joshua Angrist, Abhijit Banerjee and Claudia Goldin. Check our website to find out more about our departmental events.
Get involved in the department, and get support if you need it
Take a break from your studies and get involved with our student social events! The people you meet within the department will impact your overall experience and form part of your support network during your time here. There are several opportunities to get involved in department life during your time with us. Read on to learn more about some of the events we’ve held in the past.
At LSE Department of Economics, we love a bit of friendly competition but it’s taking part that counts! In Welcome 2023, we went to Bloomsbury Bowl for Bowling and Games Night. The venue’s Kingpin Suite buzzed with sounds of animated chatter, popular tunes, classic arcade games and karaoke. Make sure you get involved in our Welcome events at the start of the academic year. It’s a great way to unwind and meet new people before all the hard work begins.
At the start of Autumn term, we invite our undergraduate students to volunteer in the Department of Economics as part of the Social Events Committee. The Committee is open to undergraduate students across all year groups in the Department. This is a great way to develop your communication, networking, problem-solving and organisation skills in a professional setting. You will collaborate with our Student Engagement and Communications Officer to generate event ideas for undergraduate students in the Department (students on the BSc Economics and BSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics programmes). If you’d like to learn more about the role, feel free to email us.
To celebrate the end of Autumn Term 2023/24, we went to Flight Club Darts for drinks, food and networking. Social darts create the perfect environment for meeting new people and building a supportive community.
Our trip to Bounce in Winter term 2023/24 was a hit (pardon the pun) with our undergraduate students! We got together for a casual evening of ping-pong, drinks and snacks.
In Spring term 2023/24, we welcomed a cute convoy of puppy dogs to support our undergraduate students in the lead-up to the Spring 2024 Exams. We know that exam preparation can sometimes feel overwhelming, so we created the Exam Wind Down sessions. We invited each undergraduate year group to the Sir Arthur Lewis Building for some post-exam snacks and a catch-up with friends after one of their core exams.
In your final year, you can look forward to joining us for the Celebration Ball. We mark the end of your programme in style with a three-course meal, live entertainment and dancing.
Whether you need support with your academic work or your wellbeing, help is available. You can reach us via Econ.BSc@lse.ac.uk if you need support with your studies. You can also visit the School’s My Support webpage for advice about small things you can do every day to look after your wellbeing, and what to do if you’re concerned about someone else.
Enhance your education and make the most of your experience at LSE
Discover career-building opportunities and ways to develop your study skills. You can get involved in a way that suits you, no matter where you are in your LSE journey. The School’s My Skills and Opportunities webpage features tips on enhancing your career prospects, prioritising your wellbeing and supporting those around you.
The First Year Challenge (FYC) is the coursework component of EC1P1 Economics, one of the first courses you take as an Economics student at LSE. The FYC introduces you to academic research and collaborative working at the start of your degree. You receive an economics-related theme and a set of clues that will lead you around London and our LSE campus. As you work together, you develop friendships and confidence in communicating your ideas.
This is also the first time you will meet the Undergraduate Tutor assigned to your cohort. The Undergraduate Tutors work together to coordinate the FYC while the Academic Mentors assess your entries. Your Undergraduate Tutor will support you with academic and pastoral issues throughout your programme.
Wherever you are in your career planning, we aim to help you with your next steps. You will also discover several opportunities and resources on the CareerHub. In Autumn term 2023/24, our LSE Department of Economics alumni panel shared advice and insights from their career journeys to date. Our panellists showcased the diverse career opportunities for BSc Economics & BSc EME graduates and encouraged students to rethink their career values.
Bringing together economics alumni from a range of organisations, our LSE alumni offered insights into their career history and current roles. Join future panels for advice about getting into various industries. Previous panellists have included representatives from Goldman Sachs, the HM Treasury & Ministry of Justice and the Bank of England. Our panels typically include a Q&A session to help you learn more about careers in economics.
At LSE Department of Economics, you will engage with professionals across several industry areas including consulting, finance, economics, and academia. Visit LSE Careers (current LSE user account required) to book an appointment and register for forthcoming events.
Our student newsletters (sent weekly during term time) are the best way to stay informed about skills workshops and career opportunities.
Take advantage of the support on offer to get the most out of your education
Immerse yourself in a world-class education that will challenge and inspire you. Join us in building a supportive and dynamic community where learning extends beyond the classroom.
The Student Academic Mentors (SAM) Programme pairs new students in the department with undergraduate mentors in their second and third year of study. SAM Mentors are fully trained and uniquely placed to provide a student’s perspective and tips on how to make the most of LSE. In your first year of study, the SAM Mentors will help you navigate academic challenges and adjust to your new surroundings.
In the second and third year, you will have the opportunity to share your expertise and lend support to incoming students! This is a chance to develop skills in leadership, relationship building, communication, organisation and time management.
Sen Club (named after Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen) is a weekly discussion group hosted by the LSESU Economics Society. Every Tuesday during term time, you can attend Sen Club to hear from prominent voices within the field of economics, deepen your understanding of economic concepts and network with fellow students. Click here to find out more and see a list of past speakers.
The Beverage Report is a student-led podcast hosted by the LSE Department of Economics. The podcast hosts world-leading academics and policy makers to discuss prominent issues of our time. The podcast team regularly interviews esteemed thinkers, including Nobel Laureates, central bank governors and Chancellors of the Exchequer. Visit The Beverage Report webpage to find out more and discover past episodes.
The Annual Econometrics Game is a prestigious competition organised by the University of Chicago. The competition is spearheaded by the University of Chicago's Undergraduate Economics Research Society, Oeconomica, the Becker Friedman Institute, and the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics. This offers you a chance to dive into economic research and present your findings to an esteemed panel. We support you as you prepare to showcase your skills on a global stage and engage with some of the brightest minds in economics.
Several students from LSE participated in the competition over the years, and one of the teams from LSE emerged as the winner in 2021 when the judge was a Nobel Prize winner Lars Peter Hansen! In other years, LSE teams have reached the final stages.
Among several exciting prizes, participants receive the chance to network with top academics at the University of Chicago and economic consulting firms that are sponsoring the game such as Cornerstone Research and Analysis Group. The Annual Econometrics Game is also a remarkable achievement to add to your resume.
We were very pleased to forward our congratulations to one of our BSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics (BSc EME) students who won the ONS Renaissance Prize in 2021 for considering the changes the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought to the measurement of consumer prices. In 2022, the winning essay came from an LSE group featuring another BSc EME student from the Department of Economics. The essay explored the inclusion of assets that are currently excluded from the nation’s capital stock.
The annual LSESU Economics Society Policy Competition brings together students from all over the United Kingdom. Each team offers a proposal on how to tackle an important contemporary problem facing society. Their solutions are judged by a panel of experts from a range of reputable institutions including LSE, University of Oxford, University of Warwick and King’s College London.
Essay competitions help you develop your research skills and strengthen your ability to present complex ideas. You are encouraged to solve real-world problems through economics, deepening your understanding of what you are learning in the classroom. Throughout your time in the Department of Economics, you will have several chances to supplement your academic learning with co-curricular activities like the Annual Econometrics Game. Keep an eye on your LSE inbox for similar opportunities. You will receive additional prompts from your tutors, academic mentors and the Programme Director.
The Department of Economics has its own Departmental Tutor and Undergraduate Tutors, dedicated to supporting you with any teaching or pastoral concerns. Administrative matters are shared between the BSc Programmes Team and the Programme Director. If you don’t know who to contact, the Programmes Team will direct you.
Make sure you get the most out of your education. The School’s My Education webpage contains guidance about assessments, accessing academic support and ensuring that your My Adjustments (MAs) are in place.