
Overview
The ITFD Program provides rigorous training in the economics of international finance, trade, and development for students interested in demanding professional careers and doctoral programs.
What can be done to avoid financial crises? How can growth in the least developed countries be accelerated? How can wealth be distributed equitably and sustainably? This program will allow students to acquire a thorough knowledge of the conceptual and empirical tools of modern Economics applied to international trade, finance, and development.
Tailor your program to fit your interests and goals
The program starts in the first term with a set of courses on economic growth and development, international trade and finance, and quantitative methods. In the second and third terms, students can choose from a wide array of courses and tailor their learning experience to their interests. Some students chose to specialize in the development, others in international trade and finance, while others opt instead for a more balanced approach that combines training in both areas.
Students complete a master project by the end of the academic year, allowing them to specialize in a policy topic of their choice. They also attend a series of policy lessons delivered by international experts.
Study with experts from academia and international organizations
The master's faculty consists of internationally renowned scholars who have previously held academic positions at MIT, NYU, Chicago, Berkeley, Stanford, and Cambridge. They have also worked or held consulting appointments at international organizations, including the World Bank, the IMF, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the European Central Bank.
Who hires ITFD graduates?
- Consulting Firms
- Financial Services
- Government & Authorities
- International Organizations / Non-profits
- Research & Academic Institutions
- Other Industries
Examples of recent ITFD placements:
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) − Research Associate − Manila, Philippines
- Banco de España − Research Assistant − Madrid, Spain
- Bloomberg − Debt Capital Markets Data Analyst − London, United Kingdom
- Economic and Finance Ministery − Capital Market Analyst − Lima, Peru
- European Central Bank − Traineeship in the DG International and European Relations − Frankfurt, Germany
- European Commission − Traineeship − Brussels, Belgium
- European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) − Trainee − Frankfurt, Germany
- European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) − Trainee − Frankfurt, Germany
- Evidence for Policy Design Harvard − Research Associate − Delhi, India
- Goldman Sachs − Analyst in High Yield Credit Institutional Sales − New York, NY, United States
- HM Treasury − Head of International Trade and business investment, economics groups − London, United Kingdom
- Imperial College London − PhD Student − London, United Kingdom
- Instiglio − Associate − Bogota, Colombia
- Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) − Consultant − Washington DC, United States
- Laterite − Research Assistant − Kigali, Rwanda
- OECD − Trainee in the Development Center − Paris, France
- Organization of American States (OAS) − Consultant − Washington DC, United States
- Princeton University − Senior Research Specialist − Princeton, NJ, USA
- United Nations (UN) − Internship at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia − Geneva, Switzerland
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) − PhD Student − Barcelona, Spain
- World Bank − Investment Analyst − Johannesburg, South Africa
- World Food Programme − Programme Officer − Colombo, Sri Lanka
Here is a brief profile of the classmates that a Master's student in the BSE Class of 2022 will meet this year:
- Most students have undergraduate degrees in Economics or Finance. Others come from Engineering, Mathematics, or other backgrounds.
- Most of the students has work experience before joining BSE, but there are other students who were accepted to pursue the Master's programs immediately after obtaining their undergraduate degrees.
- All continents are represented in the Class of 2022. This year, students come from 49 different countries, with 86% of students coming from outside of Spain and 44% of students coming from outside Europe.
Accreditation
All Barcelona School of Economics Master's degrees have been recognized by the Catalan and Spanish Education authorities and within the framework of the Bologna Process (in Spanish, “Master Universitario o Master Oficial”).
The Barcelona School of Economics has been distinguished as a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence in every edition of the program (2012-15; 2016-19; 2020-23)
Get more details
Visit official programme websiteProgramme Structure
Program schedule
- In the first term, program students are required to take a Mathematics, Statistics and Computational Tools brush-up course.
- A master project, which will be supervised in regular meetings with an advisor, will allow each student to put their knowledge into practice and improve their writing and exposition skills.
- Students must complete 60 ECTS by the end of the program (a total of 6 mandatory courses and between 5 and 9 elective courses)
What skills and knowledge will I acquire in this program?
- Gain a thorough understanding of the economics of international trade, finance, and development
- Build an in-depth knowledge of the analytical tools of modern economics
- Receive extensive training in econometrics and statistical methods
- Acquire the ability to apply theoretical and empirical tools to address pressing policy issues
Audience
- Graduates with a strong quantitative background from all fields, particularly Economics, Business, Engineering, Political Science
- Junior professionals from private firms, research centers, central banks, financial institutions, the civil service, and NGOs
- Aspiring PhD students looking for a solid foundation in the theory and empirics of international trade, finance, and development.
Check out the full curriculum
Visit official programme websiteKey information
Duration
- Full-time
- 9 months
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting
- Apply before
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Language
Credits
Delivered
Disciplines
Economics Finance International Development View 43 other Masters in Finance in SpainExplore more key information
Visit official programme websiteAcademic requirements
English requirements
Other requirements
General 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).
- 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.
- GRE General Test
- Outstanding academic record
- Quantitative skills
- Reference letters
Candidates will also be evaluated on the following admission criteria:
Make sure you meet all requirements
Visit official programme websiteTuition Fee
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International
16500 EUR/fullTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 16500 EUR for the full programme during 9 months. -
EU/EEA
16500 EUR/fullTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 16500 EUR for the full programme during 9 months.
Living costs for Barcelona
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Funding
Types of financial aid that may be offered to students include:
- Waivers for 100%, 75%, 50% and 25% of tuition fees
- A limited number of fully-funded scholarships
Financial aid will only be awarded to candidates who have an outstanding academic record. While applications are open every year until June 25, preference in funding will be given to candidates with completed applications who apply before January 15.
Studyportals Tip: Students can search online for independent or external scholarships that can help fund their studies. Check the scholarships to see whether you are eligible to apply. Many scholarships are either merit-based or needs-based.