Case studies: London School of Political Science and Economics: Maggie Tzekova

Maggie studied for an MSc in Economics and Management at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), having previously studied economics as an undergraduate. Originally from Bulgaria, she has secured a job at Citi Investment Research and Analysis in London.

After completing my undergraduate studies, I felt that I needed a more in-depth knowledge of microeconomics, in order to better prepare for a career in the financial services sector.

I enrolled on the MSc Economics and Management programme because I knew it would give me the opportunity to be taught industrial organisation and learn of its links to the science of management. The course is taught at the highest level by two well-known academics - Professor John Sutton and Professor Luis Garicano - and is very business orientated with weekly case studies.

LSE has always been the university that I wanted to study at because of its focus on economics and its application of quantitative methods.

The MSc Economics and Management course is a special programme in many respects. Many of the modules are designed specifically for the programme and the quality of education is exceptional. There are only around 20-25 students enrolled on the course each year, which means there is close interaction between students and the teaching body.

The course has really enhanced my ability to apply quantitative skills to economic theory. The individual project, which every student in the programme works on, is aimed at applying one of the taught modules to a topic in economics or management and further developing it. Moreover, the entry requirements for this degree are among the highest, which guarantees that you study with some of the best students from different parts of the world.

The most exciting part of studying in the UK is the opportunity to have colleagues from diverse backgrounds. During my studies, I have had a Lebanese dinner, sang at a European karaoke, learned my first Chinese and French words and had many other unforgettable moments with my fellow students.

I would strongly recommend studying abroad because an individual can develop a range of skills when in a foreign country. I would recommend the UK in particular because it offers a superb standard of education. 

The most important considerations I made were the quality of the education at a university and my future career choice. LSE is one of the world’s leading social science institutions and London is the most developed financial centre in Europe.