PhD

PhD Program in Economics Finance and Management

The PhD program in Economics, Finance and Management attracts international students of exceptional talent, provides world-class academic training, and placement in top universities, research centers, public policy instititions, and the private sector. 

Graduate students work closely with our international faculty, covering a wide variety of research areas, and include recipients of ERC grants, fellows of the Econometric Society and the NBER, and authors of publications in top journals, among other prestigious achievements. 

The PhD program is a full-time, residential program, entirely taught in English, with a total duration of 5 to 6 years.

  • In year 1 students should complete the mandatory core coursework, including brush-up courses in Math and Probability & Statistics (in early September), the three course sequences in Econometrics, Macroeconomics and Microeconomics, and a short final project. Upon successful completion of the first year, students are awarded the Master in Economics and Finance (PhD Track) by Universitat Pompeu Fabra and the Barcelona School of Economics (60 ECTS).
     
  • In year 2 students must take a Research Tools seminar, pass a number of elective courses, and present a master thesis. Upon successful completion of these requirements, students are awarded a Master of Research in Economics, Finance and Management by Universitat Pompeu Fabra (60 ECTS).
     
  • The subsequent years are dedicated to the dissertation phase. During these years students are expected to work under the guidance of at least one faculty member, to regularly present in internal seminars, and more generally to actively participate in the academic life of the Department. A formal thesis proposal must be presented before the end of year 3. The PhD Degree in Economics Finance and Management is awarded upon successful defense of the thesis in front of tribunal with internal and external faculty members. Students typically obtain the PhD degree within a total of 5 or 6 years, including the coursework and the dissertation phase (longer or shorter intervals are possible, but uncommon).