Macroeconomic Policy and Financial Markets

Policy-makers are often forced to make decisions under conditions of uncertainty, but the results of these decisions may directly influence a country’s overall economic performance.

While a thorough understanding of aggregate economy dynamics is necessary for success, it is not entirely sufficient. Organizations must also be knowledgeable of the many sources of aggregate risk and uncertainty, and must rely on the analytical tools available to study the aggregate economy.

Students in the Barcelona GSE Macroeconomic Policy and Financial Markets Program will obtain relevant knowledge about the central issues in Macroeconomic and Financial Economics analysis, as well as the key tools, data, models, and techniques now being used by public and private institutions.

Financial and consulting firms increasingly utilize complex economic theories. Students will not only learn how to use these modeling and statistical techniques, but will conduct an independent master's project to learn how to apply these new skills to real empirical work. 

Our program also offers students guest seminars and lectures by international academics and practitioners.

A closing conference will be held as an interactive forum between the academic and professional worlds. The presentation and discussion of students' applied work will be combined with expert talks covering both institutional topics as well as the presentation of original academic research.

This program covers economic models such as the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE), vector autoregression (VAR), and autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARCH). Our graduates are prepared with an expert grasp of aggregate economy and financial function fundamentals, able to build macroeconomic and market forecasts - skills that consulting firms, investment banks, and government agencies are all in need of.

Skills acquired  

• Deep knowledge of the Economic theory behind macroeconomic models of financial markets
• Comprehension of the dynamics affecting financial and policy-oriented decision-making
• Numerical methods and simulation techniques applied to quantitative macroeconomics, policy design, and evaluation
• Precise econometric techniques required for a state-of-the-art applied analysis
• Ability to create and deliver technical and executive reports and publicly communicate and discuss research work

Addressed to

• Graduates in Economics, Business Administration, and Engineering
• Junior analysts and other professionals at central banks and public institutions seeking to improve their profile
• Prospective PhD students looking for a solid master's program in Economics

Prospective Employers

• Research departments in financial institutions
• International Organizations and Government Agencies
• Public and Private Financial Institutions

Entry criteria

At the Barcelona GSE we look for excellence and talent. Key elements of a strong application are a high GPA, a sound statement of purpose and a standout reference letter. Strong knowledge in economics and good quantitative skills are also recommended.

The entry criteria for applicants are:

• An Undergraduate/bachelor/grado/laurea, or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university (for Bologna degrees, a minimum of 180 ECTS are required).
• A typical applicant would hold a University Diploma in Economics, Finance, Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics or Business Administration. See our Student Profile for more detailed information.
• An advanced level of English language skills: TOEFL 90 and IELTS 6.5
• GRE exam is mandatory for the Data Science Program and highly recommended for those applicants to the Economics Program who want to be considered for the UPF PhD program (GPEFM).

Note that the fulfillment of the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee admission. Candidates will also be evaluated on the following admission criteria:

• Outstanding academic record
• Quantitative skills
• Reference letters

The Barcelona GSE is able to offer tuition waivers and fully-funded scholarships based on academic merit.

The financial aid that is available to students includes:

• Fully funded scholarships

• Waivers for 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% of tuition fees

• Teaching assistantships

Financial aid will only be awarded to candidates that have an outstanding academic record. All candidates will automatically be considered for any available financial aid when they submit a completed application for a master program. 

While applications are open every year until June 25, preference in funding will be given to candidates who apply before January 15. 

In the Class of 2016, 34% of students were awarded with scholarships or tuition waivers.

Master degree awarded

Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a Master Degree in Specialized Economic Analysis awarded jointly with Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF).

All Barcelona GSE master 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”).