When you think ‘Economics’, think ‘the U.K.’. When you think ‘Economics in the U.K.’, think ‘Warwick’.
‘A dream come true’ doesn't really cover it. Studying M.Sc. Economics at the University of Warwick is what I am talking about. It is ranked fourth among the universities in the U.K. for providing one of the best Masters and Ph.D. programmes in Economics anyone could wish for.
Apart from this and several other courses offered by the university, courses at the Warwick Business School and the Warwick Manufacturing Group are popular among Indian students.
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Before I describe the M.Sc. Economics programme and life at the university, I should I tell you that I am a student of the 2012 batch of Economics in Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai.
The application process should start at least eight months before the course begins. A combination of planning, hard work and preparation should go into it — but, when you reach the university, all of it will be like a drop in an ocean. Just looking at the campus — the number of people it houses, the faces from myriad nationalities and the towering buildings — will give you vertigo.
But, the staff and students at the university will make the atmosphere as comfortable as possible, taking great personal care to ensure that students don’t feel out of place. The security for students is very high, and the campus is safe.
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Convenient
There are many halls on campus for students, and off-campus accommodation is also available. The student hall where I live houses 30 flats with eight rooms each, and is also conveniently situated near the central campus and Tesco. There is a kitchen for each flat. Flat life is something every student should experience — I learnt the importance of integrity and tolerance here. People from various nationalities live in one flat, and this provides a great opportunity to learn about the different cultures of the world.
There are a lot of Indians at Warwick, and you are bound to meet a person from your State at least once on the campus. This reduces the chances of Indian students getting homesick.
The one-year M.Sc. Economics course is packed. If there is some preparation in Mathematics for Economists before the course starts, it is easier to cope with the technical component of the course. The teachers and non-academic staff make it as easy as possible for a student to settle in and learn the ropes.
The public transport facilities are excellent, and for students who miss home food, there is even an Indian market 20 minutes away from the campus.
The writer is pursuing M.sc. in Ecnomics at Warwick, U.K.