Economics and Public Policy

Overview

Public policy challenges are everywhere: How can we combat climate change and shape the economy towards a more sustainable future? Does the rise and dominance of new firms in the digital sector call for strict anti-trust measures? Does increasing concentration of incomes and wealth call for more redistribution or intervention on the labor market? How much government intervention is needed in a crisis like the 2020/21 Covid-19 pandemic?

The curriculum of the Master of Science in Economics and Public Policy from University of Basel provides you with the tools that you need to understand public policy challenges and to develop effective solutions. A series of core courses teach you fundamentals of economics and quantitative methods essential for the analysis of public policy using real-world applications. 

Moreover, you can specialize in one of three economic policy fields: Energy & the environment, competition & regulation, and health & labor markets. This will sharpen your profile and foster your skills directed towards problem solving in the manifold areas of economic policy. Your lecturers are internationally renowned scholars, dedicated researchers, and policy advisers active in these areas.

Career Opportunities

The Master of Economics and Public Policy prepares you for positions in private sector companies that are subject to public policy, in public administration that prepares and implements policy measures, in non-governmental organizations, international organizations and political parties that develop strategies for public policy, and in think tanks or policy consulting agencies that support all of the above actors. The program also serves as a preparation for a career in research and a possible academic track in the broad field of Economics and Public Policy.

By focusing on modern methods and gaining insight into several policy fields, you will be prepared to work in dynamic environments where priorities often change rapidly and where interfaces between policy fields become increasingly important.