Master's Degree in Economics and Finance

Master's Degree in Specialized Economic Analysis

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Master's Degree in Specialized Economic Analysis

Economics of Public Policy Program

Learn theoretical and empirical fundamentals to answer questions that impact entire populations.

9 months
full time

17,500€

Face-to-face

English

60 ECTS

Campus: Bellaterra (UAB) and Ciutadella (UPF)

Program begins in September 2025

Application deadline for 2025-2026, is July 2, 2025

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Master's Degree in Specialized Economic Analysis

Applications for 2025-2026 Master´s Degrees are now open!

Master's Degrees

Master's Degree in Specialized Economic Analysis

Economics of Public Policy Program

About this Master’s program

The Master’s program in Economics of Public Policy provides students with the theoretical and empirical fundamentals to answer questions that impact entire populations.

How and why do particular public policies get implemented? How are they designed? How do we know if they work? Why are some policies more successful than others?

Finance and planning at the national level involve big numbers: pensions, health systems, income support, social programs, and so forth. Having successful public policies can make all the difference for the lives of millions of individuals, with numbers and effects becoming much larger for developed countries and faster growing in developing ones.

Students will be trained in commanding advanced empirical public policy evaluation tools, and will be ready to use these tools in practice.

Students will familiarize themselves with the views of experts from fields other than Economics in order to build an appreciation for the multidisciplinary nature of public policy design and evaluation. A master’s advisor will guide each student in completing an independent master’s project by the end of the program, allowing specialization in a policy topic of the student’s choice.

Our graduates will be prepared to take on analytical positions at public institutions, international organizations, consulting firms, research institutions, and think tanks.

Graduates will also be well-prepared to pursue advanced post-graduate study of Policy or Economics.

Program Structure

Students from this Master’s program will be able to choose from different elective courses that are also available in the Competition, Regulation, and Markets Program and the Economics of Energy, Climate Change, and Sustainability Program. These three programs share the same fundamental basic courses that will provide you with an in-depth knowledge of how economic policy and markets work. At the same time, each program provides its own specialization courses that will make you an expert in one of the specific fields.

Discover what makes this program truly exceptional

1

Learn advanced empirical tools: Evaluate public policies, understand their impact, and enhance your practical skills in policy analysis.

2

Shape Policy Decisions: Develop rigorous analytical skills essential for influencing policy decisions within governmental and private institutions.

3

Faculty renowned for leading-edge research: Learn from professors who are top published researchers in the field.

4

Exceptional student placements: Graduates go on to work in prestigious research and professional roles.

Meet the Program Directors

Program Director

Lídia Farré

Scientific Director

Joan Llull

Ready to make a difference? This program is designed for

Students who are passionate about becoming a policy maker. Here’s why it is perfect for you:

You have a background in Business Administration, Economics, International Relations, Political Science, Public Policy, or Statistics.
You are a Junior analyst or professional looking to upgrade your analytical skills.
You are an aspiring PhD student who want to build a solid foundation with a Master’s.

What skills and knowledge will you learn?

Learn the skills to design and evaluate public policies

Applied Analysis

Of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Information Economics, Game Theory, and Political Economy.

Public Policy Design

Expert knowledge of how public policies are designed and implemented.

Empirical Tools

Evaluate policies and their impact.

Economic Theory

Examine the Economic theory behind the design and evaluation of public policies.

Policy Report Writing

Write technical and non-technical policy reports based on multidisciplinary approaches.

Professors

BSE Professors are renowned researchers who are published in leading Economics Journals.

Princeton University and Office of Population Research

Alícia Adserà

Universitat de Barcelona

Cristina Bellés-Obrero

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Maite Cabeza Gutés

Full professor at Universidad Complutense de Madrid

J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz

UPF and BSE

Bruno Conte

UAB and BSE

Michael Creel

ICREA-UPF and BSE

Ruben Enikolopov

IAE-CSIC and BSE

Lídia Farré

Chair of the UAB Department of Economics and Economic History

Javier Fernández-Blanco

IAE-CSIC and BSE

Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell

Professor, GSEM-University of Geneva

Giacomo De Giorgi

UAB and BSE

Andre Groeger

UPF and BSE

Vasily Korovkin

UPF and BSE

Gianmarco León-Ciliotta

UPF and BSE

Humberto Llavador

IAE-CSIC and BSE

Joan Llull

IAE-CSIC and BSE

Laura Mayoral

MOVE, UAB and BSE

Pau Milán

UAB and BSE

Fernando Payró Chew

ICREA-UPF and BSE

Maria Petrova

Professor, UAB

Xavier Ramos

Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA)

Pere Riera

Assistant Professor, ESADE

André B.M. Souza

Program Schedule

In September, students will have the opportunity to take a brush-up course in Mathematics and Statistics, Stata and Matlab. These courses are not mandatory but highly recommended to assure a smooth start.

In the beginning of the first term, students will also have to take brush-up courses in Coding in R and Coding in Python. These two courses are mandatory in order to take Foundations of Data Science in Term 1.

Term 1 (September-December)

Course title	Credits	Professor(s)
Mandatory
Quantitative and Statistical Methods I	6	Maite Cabeza Gutés , Michael Creel
Microeconomics: Markets, Strategies and Information	6	Fernando Payró Chew
Public Economics I: Market Failures, Taxation and Social Insurance	3	Pau Milán
Macroeconomics: Public Finance	3	Javier Fernández-Blanco
Foundation of Data Science	3	André B.M. Souza

Term 2 (January-March)

Course title	Credits	Professor(s)
Mandatory
Quantitative and Statistical Methods II	6	Joan Llull
Public Economics II: Economics of Health and Education (Offered for 2025-26)	3	Cristina Bellés-Obrero
Public Economics II: Inequality and Poverty (Offered for 2025-26)	3	Xavier Ramos
Labor Markets	3	Lídia Farré
Elective (Choose 3 to 9 ECTS)
Quantitative Evaluation of Public Policies and the Environment	3	Pere Riera
The Economics of Climate Change	3	Humberto Llavador , Bruno Conte
Geospatial Data Science and Economic Spatial Models (Offered for 2025-26)	3	Bruno Conte
Political Economy (Offered for 2025-26)	3	Ruben Enikolopov , Maria Petrova
Development Economics (Offered for 2025-26)	3	Gianmarco León-Ciliotta , Vasily Korovkin

Term 3 (April-June)

*Policy Lessons are shared by all programs in the Master’s in Specialized Economic Analysis. Students must choose two Policy Lessons among those organized by any of the programs (CRM, ECCS, EPP, ITFD, and MACRO)

Course title	Credits	Professor(s)
Mandatory
Master Project	6	Joan Llull , Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell
Topics in Applied Econometrics for Public Policy	6	Lídia Farré , Laura Mayoral
Policy Lessons*	3	J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz
Elective (Choose 0 to 6 ECTS)
Social Economics (Offered for 2025-26)	3	Giacomo De Giorgi , Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell
Demographic Economics: Aging, Family, Fertility and Migration	3	Alícia Adserà , J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz , Jesus Fernandez-Huertas Moraga , Nezih Guner
Economic Geography and Climate Change	3	Andre Groeger

Master's Project

Students use the tools and knowledge they've acquired during the Master’s to explore a topic of their choice for the Master’s project. It can be carried out individually or in groups.

Examples of Master's Projects

Class of 2023

The Impact of a Minimum Wage Increase on Labour Market Outcomes: Evidence from the Northern Mexican Border by Maria Jimena Contreras Contreras, Joseph Easterling, Silvia Ríos Juaristi, Inés Torres Rojas.

Class of 2022

Taking a Rain-Check: The Effect of Droughts on Educational Attainment in Brazil by Dario Maddaloni, Lucille McKnight, Francesco Serra, Iqbal Dawam Wibisono.

Class of 2021

Extreme Weather and Health Outcomes in Women: Evidence from Colombia and Peru by Melina Aliayi, Manohar Gannavarapu, and André López.
Personality Traits and Mental Health Outcomes: The Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Young Adults in the UK by Nour Hammad, Alexandre Marin, and Ruben van den Akker.

Master’s degree awarded by UAB and UPF

Upon successful completion of the BSE Economics of Public Policy Program, students will receive a Master’s Degree in Specialized Economics Analysis awarded jointly with Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF).

BSE Institutional Accreditations

Quality Accreditations

All Barcelona School of Economics Master’s degrees have been recognized by the Catalan and Spanish Education authorities within the framework of the Bologna Process (in Spanish, “Master Universitario o Master Oficial”).

Quality indicators for this Master’s degree

BSE commitment to quality

Placement Rate

92%

Job titles: Research Assistant, Economist, Consultant.
Industries: Consulting Firms, Research and Academic Institutions, Government and Authorities.
Companies: European Commission, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Ministry of Education of Peru, German Ministry of Finance, ifo Institute – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research, Alma Economics.
Higher Education: 6% go on to a PhD or further education.

Work Internationally

Cities with the most alumni

Barcelona

Madrid

London

Paris

Zurich

Testimonials

Avery Atencio

I want to help people in my community and I believe that Economic Policy is the best way to do this. Studying Economics and Public Policy surrounded by peers and professors that are from all over the world has been one of the most eye-opening and educational experiences I have had.

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Tim Hewett

I chose the EPP program because I believe that evidence-based public policy is a powerful tool for achieving social progress and improving the lives of others. The program has been challenging but highly fascinating and provided an invaluable international perspective and skills I look forward to implementing in my professional career.

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Why study a Master’s at BSE

1

RePEc has ranked BSE among the top institutions for economics research in the world.

2

Prestigious economists including Nobel Laureates guide the development of BSE Master’s.

3

Learn from faculty who are renowned for their research.

4

Study and live for a year in the vibrant city of Barcelona.

Admissions and Entry Requirements

At BSE, we look for excellence. Key elements of a strong application are a high GPA, a sound statement of purpose, and standout reference letters. Strong knowledge of Economics and good quantitative skills are also recommended.

Master’s program starts: September 2025

Application deadline: July 2, 2025

Requirements:

An undergraduate/bachelor/grado/laurea, or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university (for Bologna degrees, a minimum of 180 ECTS are required).
University diploma in Economics, Finance, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or Business Administration. Students with academic backgrounds in other subjects will be considered.
An advanced level of English language skills: TOEFL score of 90 or above; IELTS Academic Test score of 6.5 or above; Duolingo English Test 120 points.

Candidates will also be evaluated on the following admission criteria:

Outstanding academic record.
Quantitative skills.
Reference letters.

FAQ

Below you will find our most frequently asked questions but do not hesitate to contact the BSE Admissions Team to learn more about our Master’s programs.

What are the most common student profiles in the Economics of Public Policy Program?

13 students from 10 countries (80% international) in 2024-2025

Most represented countries this year:

United States (3)
Spain (2)

Most common academic backgrounds:

Economics
Business Administration

Is the Barcelona School of Economics listed in any rankings?

Here you will find a list of the Rankings BSE is part of, including RePEc and QS

Can I apply to different Master’s programs?

You can apply to up to three programs for the same academic year.

How can I apply for tuition fee funding?

You will automatically be considered for our tuition fee funding when you apply

Do I need an advanced level of English to study this Master’s?

You need to have the following test results to prove your level of English is high enough: TOEFL score of 90 or above; IELTS Academic Test score of 6.5 or above; Duolingo English Test 120 points

Do I need to take the GRE General Test to apply?

The GRE General Test is optional, however it is highly recommended

Can I enter another BSE Master's directly from this program?

Students who successfully complete the Economics of Public Policy Program are eligible for direct admission to the following programs, if they stay for a second consecutive year:

Master’s Degree in Data Science:

Data Science for Decision Making

OR

Master’s Degree in Economics and Finance:

A 20% discount will be applied on the second program’s tuition fees. All BSE Alumni are eligible for this discount at any time. Learn more about taking a second BSE Master’s degree.

Contact our Admissions Team