Marta Guasch ’17
Research Assistant, The World Bank
PhD Student, London School of Economics
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.
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 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.
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.
Past ITFD graduates have found employment in international organizations, government agencies, central banks, financial institutions, research and consulting firms, and NGOs.
Several past graduates have decided to pursue further studies and have joined prestigious PhD programs in Europe and the United States, including the London School of Economics, Stanford University, and Harvard University.
In September, students are required to take a Mathematics, Statistics and Computational Tools brush-up course.
The course offer displayed is for next year's edition (2021-22). Course offer is subject to change.
Course list for current students (2020-21)
The master project is a required component of all Barcelona GSE Master's programs. Working individually or in groups, students use the tools and knowledge they've acquired during the entire year to explore a topic of their choice. A professor supervises throughout the project.
Examples of master projects from recent International Trade, Finance, and Development cohorts
Select a project to view a summary on the Barcelona GSE Voice, our student and alumni blog:
Maria Dale, Giacomo Gattorno, Andre Osorio, Rebeca Peers, and Kerenny Torres
Emma Howard, Kean Murphy, Wouter Nientker, Karim El-Ouaghlidi, and Harry Schmidt
Sofía Álvarez, Michael Barczay, Guadalupe Galambos, Ina Sandler, and Rasmus Schmidt
Zhuldyz Ashikbayeva, Marei Fürstenberg, Timo Kapelari, Albert Pierres, and Stephan Thies
Deepshikha Deb, Nils Handler, Vladimír Peciar, Ksenia Proka, and Juliane Stolle
Samuel Jones, Annanya Mahajan, Maria Oliva, Debora Reyna, and Marta Vila
Upon successful completion of the Barcelona GSE International Trade, Finance, and Development Program, students will receive a Master's Degree in Specialized Economics Analysis awarded jointly with Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF).
All Barcelona GSE Master's degrees have been recognized by the Catalan and Spanish Education authorities within the framework of the Bologna Process (in Spanish, “Master Universitario o Master Oficial”).
Examples of recent ITFD placements:
31 students from 18 countries (94% international)
Most represented countries in this year's cohort:
Most common academic backgrounds:
An overview of ITFD career paths for recent cohorts
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