This minor is the new version of the minor “Economie en transities: ongelijkheid, klimaat en globalisering” that was taught until 2024-2025. Analyze societal issues using the economics toolkit.

About this minor

The minor Economics gives you the knowledge and skills to analyze important societal issues using the economics toolkit.

With this minor, you will get to know and to apply economic concepts to understand decision making by individuals and firms, the working of the economy as a whole, the role of government, and trade and finance. Furthermore, you will gain data analysis skills, and the skills needed to reason and communicate as an economist. After following the minor, you will also understand better what is included in the economics toolkit and what is not, and how economic insights relate to insights from other disciplines.

Together with students from different disciplines, you will learn to look at societal issues from an economic perspective and formulate policy responses.

For whom is this minor?

All third-year students from Leiden University, Delft University of Technology, Erasmus University Rotterdam and other universities (all programs) with 30 EC minor space in the first semester.

This minor is a good addition to various study programs, for instance in Law, Political Science, Public Administration, International Studies or Security Studies.

Are you studying Public Administration at Leiden University? You can take this minor if you follow the specialization “Beleid, Bestuur en Organisatie”, but not if you follow the specialization “Economie, Bestuur en Management”.

Successful completion of the full minor gives access to the Master Economie van de Publieke Sector to students who hold a University bachelor without a major in Economics.

The minor can also be a good preparation for the Master of Public Administration – Economics and Governance track.

Only students holding a university propaedeutic certificate and who are also enrolled at a university institution can be admitted to the minor.

Program (30 EC)

You will take the minor in the first semester of the third undergraduate year. The minor is taught at Leiden University's The Hague Campus. The language of instruction is English.

The minor consists of the following 6 courses of 5 EC:

Block 1:

1. Micro-economics
2. Macro-economics
3. Project 1: Introduction to data science

Block 2:

4. Public Economics
5. Trade and finance in the global economy
6. Project 2: Applied economic analysis

 

In block 1, you get a broad introduction in economic theory about individual decision making (“Micro-economics”) and about the working of the economy as a whole (“Macro-economics”). “Project 1: Introduction to data science” serves on the one hand as an introductory statistics course for students without a quantitative background, but is also attractive for students who have already had statistics, due to its focus on visualizations.

In block 2, economic concepts are further used to analyse policy issues at the national level (“Public Economics”) and about international trade, the international financial system and the role of organizations such as WTO, IMF and EU (“Trade and Finance in the Global Economy”). In “Project 2: Applied economic analysis”, you learn to understand quantitative methods used by economists to establish causal relationships, and apply them to a societal issue of your choice.

The teaching format and testing will combine written examinations, work on data analysis projects, presenting and writing notes on societal issues. You will develop skills in data analysis, analyzing and weighing information and presenting in writing and orally, so that you can use them in the world of economics and policy after your studies.

Given the structure of the program, preference is given to students taking the full minor of 30 EC. If you can fill a maximum of 15 EC of elective space, the courses taken, once passed, will be listed as electives on your degree. If you can take only 15 EC, we recommend taking the courses in Block 1, but you can also contact us for alternative arrangements.