BA, MSc and PhD Programs

HEC Lausanne offers a complete sequence of programs in economics, following the "Bologna" model of European university curricula: a three-year Bachelor program, a two-year Masters program and a four-to-five year PhD program.
 Our Masters and PhD programs are taught entirely in English. And, as of the Fall 2023, the Bachelor courses are given both in French and in English.



The professors of the Department of Economics are in charge of the academic coordination of the three programs in economics. Our overarching philosophy is "quantitative-led teaching”. Hence, we aim to teach state-of-the art scientific methods to equip our graduates with the necessary skills for exploring fundamental economic questions faced by contemporary society. We attach equal importance to formal theoretical quantitative and to empirical analysis guided by the rigors of econometrics. The department would like to extend a particular welcome to international students.

Our three-year introductory program aims to equip students with a thorough understanding of the basic tools of economic analysis. This covers mathematical and statistical methods used in modern economics as well as the most prominent models in microeconomics and macroeconomics. A strong quantitative component ensures that our Bachelor graduates are well equipped to enroll in Masters programs at any leading university. As of the Fall 2023, our Bachelor program is taught both in French and in English.



For more information on the Bachelor in Economics, see here.

The MscE is Switzerland’s longest established graduate program in economics, dating back to 1982. This tradition bears testimony to our research-led pedagogical approach and to our emphasis on advanced teaching. 

For students wishing to obtain a state-of-the art education in economics and an internationally recognized academic qualification, this program will provide the basis for a successful career as a professional economist. For those interested in further academic and professional research, it also constitutes an excellent preparation for PhD programs in economics, both in Switzerland and abroad. Our Masters program is taught entirely in English.


For interviews of the graduates of the Master of Science in Economics, see here.

For more information on the MScE, see here.

Our doctoral program familiarizes students with state-of-the art scientific methods through a combination of coursework and individual research. The taught component of the program is delivered at the Study Center Gerzensee by leading international academics. international academics. The Department of Economics faculty members offer specialized thesis supervision in a number of areas, including macroeconomics, international economics, experimental economics, labor economics, industrial organization, public economics, financial economics, econometrics and health economics. The majority of our PhD graduates take up high-ranking analytically oriented position in the public administration, international organizations and in private firms. A sizable number of our graduates also continue to pursue academic careers. In recent years postdocs and doctoral students have obtained academic job offers from places such as e.g. the Universities of Essex, Bristol, Vienna, Zurich, Bocconi, Princeton/Crisis Group, King's College, Geneva, NUS (Singapour), Kiel Institute, Osaka University, Ecole Hotelière, as well as Swiss National Bank, European Central Bank and Banque de France.

For more information on the PhD in Economics, see here.