Master's Degree in Institutions and Political Economy
Barcelona, Spain
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
EUR 19 / per credit *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* 19.37 euros per credit (82 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2025-2026
Key Summary
The master in Institutions and Political Economy (MIPE) is an interdisciplinary research program at the intersection of Political Science, Economics and Economic History, that offers advanced training in quantitative and qualitative research methods, and combines solid theoretical foundations with empirical applications and a deep understanding of current social science debates. MIPE is a collaborative project by three research groups based at University of Barcelona with a strong international reputation, focused in Comparative Politics (PI, Carles Boix), Political Economy (PI, Albert Solé-Ollé) and Economic History (PI, Alfonso Herranz-Loncán). 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.
MIPE 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.
MIPE 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? What are the main economic and political challenges in the face of global environmental crisis? It is only through a multidisciplinary approach to Social Science that we can properly address these questions, and it is MIPE's main mission to try to meet this need.
a) Compulsory courses (60 ECTS credits). Students will devote the first year to compulsory courses that provide the core analytical and methodological foundations of their training and an advanced knowledge of the fields covered in the program.
b) Optional courses (30 ECTS credits). The first half of the second year is devoted to optional courses, in which students will go deep into more specialized topics related to their specific research interests.
c) Research Dissertation (30 ECTS credits). The last semester will be devoted entirely to the completion of a Dissertation (or Master Thesis) that will ideally lead to the publication of a peer-reviewed article. The student will have worked on developing the Dissertation project during the previous semesters in various workshops and courses, and will have been assigned an advisor that fits the topic sufficiently in advance.
Students that the selection committee finds to be less skilled in quantitative methods will have to register in an intensive Introductory course in Mathematics and Statistics, Similarly, those with a insufficient background in Economics will have to register in an intensive Introductory course in Economics. Both introductory courses will be held before the start of the program.
The University of Barcelona consistently ranks among the top institutions nationally, in Europe, and worldwide. Its performance in the most prestigious international rankings reflects excellence in teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and global engagement.
- Ranked 1st nationally in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)
- Ranked 1st nationally in the THE (Times Higher Education) World University Rankings
- Ranked 1st nationally and 68th in Europe in the QS World University Rankings
- Ranked 1st nationally and 27th in Europe in the Best Global Universities Rankings
Studying at the University of Barcelona means joining a world-class academic community recognized for its innovation and impact.
MIPE's main goal is to train students to conduct research at the highest level by providing them with a deep understanding of empirical topics in Economics, Political Science and Economic History, state-of-the-art quantitative skills and a first-hand research experience in the Master Dissertation. Thanks to their advanced training, MIPE graduates will be perfectly equipped to competitively apply to the top international PhD programs and research centers in the various fields covered by the program, including those at University of Barcelona. Additionally, the multidisciplinary nature of MIPE will allow students to access programs with different academic profiles. MIPE graduates will also acquire skills that are highly sought in other fields of employment outside academia: strong analytical and statistical tools, the ability to design research projects from the ground and the capacity to engage with complex information related to current economic, social and political debates. As Economics and Political Science are inherently linked in the analysis of the most pressing current debates from globalization and inequality to environmental protection and digital rights MIPE graduates will be able to transition smoothly to jobs focused on these fields in public administration, international agencies, regulatory authorities and consulting firms.