Goal
The Master in Institutions and Political Economy is an interdisciplinary research program at the intersection of Political Science, Economics and Economic History, that offers advanced training in quantitative research methods. The program combines solid theoretical foundations with empirical applications and a deep understanding of current social science debates.
The Master in Institutions and Political Economy is a collaborative project by three research groups based at University of Barcelona with a strong international reputation, focused in Comparative Politics, Political Economy and Economic History. These groups are the backbone of a vibrant network of Social Science research at UB and will give students access to a versatile group of faculty and researchers at the top of their fields.
The program responds to the gradual convergence between the fields of Political Science, Political Economy and Economic History, both in research and policymaking. This convergence has been accompanied by a growing demand by social science postgraduate students of programs of interdisciplinary nature that overcome the limitations associated to the traditional boundaries between disciplines.
Our courses addresses many of the most relevant Social Science debates:
- What is the relationship between political institutions and economic outcomes?
- What determines the distribution of material and political resources?
- What is at the root of social cooperation and conflict?
- Why are some countries and regions less egalitarian and prosperous than others?
- What are the sources of increasing political polarization?
- How can we best understand the causes and consequences of globalization and technological change?
- What are the main economic and political challenges in the face of global environmental crisis?
Our goal is training students to conduct their own research and equipping them to apply to high-level PhD programs, including those at University of Barcelona. With this aim, students will devote one semester to the elaboration of a dissertation and will have access to a rich variety of seminars and workshops organized by the research groups involved. Throughout their time at with us, students will be in close contact with faculty and researchers and will have the opportunity to get involved in research projects in a diverse range of areas.
Our graduates will also acquire skills that are highly sought outside academia. Political Science and Economics are unequivocally intertwined in the analysis of the most pressing current issues, from immigration and international trade to environmental protection, financial regulation and digital rights. Our graduates will acquire the skills to thrive in these fields working in international agencies, research centers, consulting firms, regulatory authorities and public administrations.
It is only through a multidisciplinary approach to Social Science that we can properly address these questions, and it is our main mission to try to meet this need.