The Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, commonly referred to as Barcelona GSE, is an independent institution of research and graduate education located in Barcelona, Spain. The School offers a variety of master's degrees in Economics, Finance, and Data Science. It has been ranked by RePEc among the top Economics Departments in the world.
History
The Barcelona GSE was founded in 2006 as a joint venture of four academic institutions. The School is supported by private and public institutions. The School was legally recognized by the Government of Catalonia in October 2006 as a foundation dedicated to higher education.
The Barcelona GSE's Scientific Council works with faculty and administrators to ensure the quality of teaching, research, and admissions procedures. It is chaired by Prof. Hugo Sonnenschein, President Emeritus of the University of Chicago. The Council is made up of leading academics, including several Nobel Laureates in Economics. Members of the Scientific Council
One of the Barcelona GSE's main objectives is to make Barcelona a worldwide primary reference in economic research.
Research Rankings
The GSE community constitutes one of the leading clusters of economics research in Europe. Three studies in the Journal of the European Economic Association placed it near the top of its rankings. According to P. Kalaitzidakis, T.P. Mamuneas, and T. Stengos "Ranking of Academic Journals and Institutions in Economics", it should be ranked 2nd, when their top 30 journals are taken into account. In another study by M. Lubrano, L. Bauwens, A. Kirman and C. Protopopescu, "Ranking Economics Departments in Europe: A Statistical Approach", the GSE community should be ranked #3 when their top journal list is considered. And according to J. Drèze and F. Estevan "Research and Higher Education in Economics: Can We Deliver The Lisbon Objectives?" the Barcelona GSE's total research output would rank between second and third in Europe. The Barcelona GSE has been ranked by RePEc among the top 35 Economic Research Institutions and the top 20 Economics Departments in the world, the top 5 in Europe and as the best in Spain.
Severo Ochoa Research Excellence Accreditation
In 2011, the School was distinguished as one of only eight top research institutions of excellence with an international impact in the framework of the Severo Ochoa Research Excellence Program, which promotes frontier research and distinguish those institutions that are defining the global scientific debate. In 2016, it became the only center focused on Economics and the Social Sciences to receive a second Severo Ochoa distinction.
The Barcelona GSE derives its core strength from the faculty of its four academic institutions, which employ over one hundred renowned scholars, some of whom are also Affiliated Professors at the Barcelona GSE. Among the Affiliated Professors there are Fellows of the Econometric Society, Fellows of the European Economic Association, Research Fellows of the Centre for Economic Policy and Research, and Research Fellows of the CESifo. They publish in the leading journals of Economics and many of the journals of the different subfields of the discipline. They also serve as coeditors and associate editors of these journals. At present there are some 150 affiliated professors, including:
The Barcelona GSE offers master programs leading to three different master's degrees: Master's degree in Economics and Finance
Master's degree in Specialized Economic Analysis
Master's degree in Data Science
The master program in Economics is divided into the standard track and the advanced track. Students may choose between advanced or standard core courses, depending on their background and their interest in pursuing a PhD program. Advanced courses will be required for students who wish to be considered for admission to the GPEFM PhD program at UPF.
Ph.D. Programs
The Barcelona GSE offers two Ph.D. programs in Economics, one at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and one at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
