International Economic Policy (IEP)

The Master of Science in International Economic Policy is an internationally-oriented programme that aims at preparing students to apply rigorous theoretical and empirical economic analysis to a wide range of issues relevant for business and public policy. Students who successfully complete this programme will receive a legally accredited Master’s degree in International Economic Policy, which serves as a stepping stone for a professional career in the private or public sector or an academic career. After completing advanced-level courses in the core areas of economics (microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics), students can self-select elective courses in major economic policy areas (e.g. public finance, labour economics, monetary economics, international economics, competition policy), in theoretical fields (e.g. behavioural economics, game theory, contract theory), in research methods (e.g. microeconometrics, computational economics, experimental economics), or in economic journalism. The programme finishes with a policy- or research-oriented seminar, which prepares students for the Master's thesis. In the spirit of its international orientation, the language of instruction is English. Students are encouraged to spend an exchange semester at one of the partner universities abroad and courses taken there are accredited. Furthermore, the programme offers the opportunity to pursue a double degree, which integrates two semesters at the faculty of economics and business administration at the University of Ghent, Belgium (www.ugent.be/eb/en) or at the University of Verona, Italy (https://www.corsi.univr.it/?ent=cs&id=952). Students who successfully complete this double degree programme will receive a Master’s degree in International Economic Policy from the University of Würzburg and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Ghent or Verona. Prospective students are expected to display a strong interest in acquiring the academic skills necessary to address economic policy questions and to pursue scientific work. In this regard, a solid knowledge in mathematics and statistics is an essential prerequisite. The Master's degree programme in International Economic Policy is a two-year programme. Students earn 120 ECTS credits during the course of the programme. The programme can be started in October (winter semester) or in April (summer semester). The application deadline is 15 July and 15 January, respectively. Most of the courses in the programme account for 5 ECTS credits and are typically taught four hours per week, with approximately half of the time devoted to the discussion of exercises and problem sets. As depicted below, students have to select four courses from the core area (i.e. 20 ECTS credits), eight courses from the core elective area (i.e. 40 ECTS credits), and four courses from the elective area (i.e. 20 ECTS credits). In contrast to the narrowly defined core area and core elective area, the elective area includes a broad range of courses in economics and business as well as courses taken at partner universities and specific project seminars. The programme requirements can be entirely met with courses taught in English. The programme is completed with a policy-oriented or research-oriented seminar (10 ECTS credits) and the Master’s thesis (30 ECTS credits). The programme offers its students a high degree of flexibility regarding the individual arrangement of the study plan. In general, students are advised to spread their workload evenly over the course of the programme. As depicted in the figure below, this can be achieved by the following: choosing courses from the core area in the first and second semesters, choosing courses from the core elective area in the first, second, and third semesters, choosing courses from the elective area in the second and third semesters, taking the seminar in the third semester, and writing the Master's thesis in the fourth semester. Following this study plan, st