Competition, Regulation and Development MSc

Competition policy and regulation has a high importance in contemporary economic activities and its influence on day-to-day business has been growing in recent years.  It is in particular important for developing countries where poverty has been the key concern. A consensus has emerged that poverty reduction in developing countries would be better served by the adoption of a more market-oriented development strategy which requires reshaping the role of the state in regulating the behaviour of markets, institutions and individuals in the interests of efficiency while safeguarding those of the poor. Competition policy and regulation is also important for capturing the potential advantages of market liberalisation and structural change in developing countries. In less-developed countries the scope of regulation and competition policy needed is wider because of the urgent social and economic problems they face.

The course is designed to put the newly emerging issues of regulation and competition in a development and global context, and provides comprehensive training in the theoretical underpinnings of competition and regulation as they may be applied to developing and transitional economies, and tools and technical skills to assess critical competition and regulatory problems faced by them. The programme takes a multi-disciplinary approach towards regulation and competition policy, drawing on modules from both IDPM and the School of Law.

Informal enquiries, prior to applications, are welcomed. Please contact: Dr Yin-Fang Zhang (Programme Director) | Tel: +44 (0) 161 2752819 Email: yin-fang.zhang@manchester.ac.uk

  On completion of the programme, students will:

• have obtained a sufficiently detailed knowledge of the major issues relating to competition and regulation and an appreciation of the differences and complexity of policy approaches in the field.
• be able to understand and offer a critical appraisal of key theoretical perspectives and their policy implications.
• through the preparation and completion of a dissertation, be able to explore the relationship between theory and practice, and test hypothesis using data and economic and institutional analysis.
• have developed skills that will enable them to assess competition and regulation in relation to broader development objectives.
• understand how national and global objectives interact in relation to competition and regulation and what policy problems and solutions are posed.

  Core course units typically include:

• Economic Development
• Research Skills for Economic Development - Applied Quantitative Research and Dissertation Skills
• Research Skills for Economic Development - Quantitative Methods
• Competition, Regulation and Regultory Governance
• Private Sector Management for Development

The remaining four optional course units may include

• Public Sector Reform and Management
• Economic Analysis of Public Sector
• Industrial competitiveness
• Global Institutions, Trade rules and Industrialisation
• E-Government
• Transformation in the World Economy
• Environment and Development
• Economics of Governance and Development
• Law and Finance in Emerging Markets
• Law, Governance & Development

Availability of course units may vary from year to year.  Details of course units, including methods of assessment and suggested reading, can be found online: www.manchester.ac.uk/sed/postgraduate/taught/courses/modules

Postgraduate open days provide a great opportunity to take a look at the University and find out what Manchester has to offer you. For further information, please see: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/opendays