International Trade, Finance, and Development Program 

    Letter from the Director

Dear Prospective Student,

The world was breathing a sigh of relief in early 2010 – stock markets had recovered a good part of their losses, and growth was turning positive. The risk of another depression seemed to have passed. Then, the Greek debt crisis erupted. What most economists used to think of as crises that could only occur in the Third World – queues forming outside banks, sovereigns being unable to repay their debts – is now a threat in OECD countries. At the same time, and contrary to what most economists had predicted, many emerging economies are still thriving. Beyond newspaper headlines, however, billions of citizens in the developing world continue to live in severe poverty.

The MSc in International Trade, Finance, and Development (ITFD) is aimed at young men and women who want to think deeply about these issues. The program combines analytical rigor with a focus on policy. The ITFD Master prepares students to work in international development organizations, in government agencies, in NGOs, and in the financial sector. It also offers a stepping stone to students wishing to pursue doctoral studies.

Faculty teaching in the program are renowned internationally and have outstanding academic records. In addition to standard classes, we invite leading policy experts with real-world experience, such as Simon Johnson (former Chief Economist of the IMF), Eduardo Levy-Yeyati (former Head of Emerging Market Research at Barclays), and Xavier Sala-i-Martin (Economics professor and founder of NGO Umbele) to teach policy classes. These classes give a flavor of what it takes to apply economic analysis in real-life situations, whether it is in designing bail-out packages, in devising trading strategies, or in helping children in Africa.

Applicants to ITFD should have an excellent academic background - in a typical year, we can admit fewer than 40% of applicants. You should be excited about economic questions, and care deeply about the challenges to stability and prosperity the world faces. In exchange, we offer a challenging and innovative program, taught right in the center of Europe’s most stunning metropolis – Barcelona. If you feel that this could be you, please get in touch. We look forward to welcoming you next year.

To get the latest program updates, visit the ITFD Director's Blog.