'I believe that there is so much added value in learning both economics and public administration, as they truly complement each other in their pursuit to understand and capture the complexity of the social world.'

Governance and Economy

This MSc programme has exceeded my expectations in so many ways. First and foremost, I find the content I am being taught every day stimulating, challenging and diversified. In this sense, I think it reflects the need in society for professionals with a broad, holistic range of different perspectives and competences very well. I believe that there is so much added value in learning both economics and public administration, as they truly complement each other in their pursuit to understand and capture the complexity of the social world. If you have a curious mind, delving into the literature of these disciplines is definitely something to recommend. In the same week, I may be learning about the ethics and values in public policy and decision-making, the laws of market competition, the economics of the welfare state, or learning how to use STATA for my research projects. This not only enhances my intellectual curiosity, but it also equips me with a wide range of both soft and hard skills. So far, the programme has helped me understand the multifaceted societal issues that interest me, and I know that I will be better prepared to tackle them in the real-world after I graduate. 

I also find the people in my course extremely interesting and bright, they all come from very different backgrounds, carry different ideas, perspectives, knowledge and hopes for the future. Each with their own story and journey that brought them here.

Last, but not least, the city of The Hague, where all the lectures are, has been such a pleasant discovery for me. I had never been here before, and now I enjoy spending time in the city, the architecture, historical importance, and vibrancy. Most of all, I am at the doorstep of great institutions, where maybe one day I will be lucky enough to work! 

'I acknowledged the importance of also being empowered with a better understanding of economics and skills of economic reasoning. The MPA specialisation in economics and governance was the opportunity to develop those skills and knowledge, with an additional advantage: not only I would expand my knowledge on economics, as I would also be studying how public administrations work.'

    I always had a strong sentiment about public service. When I finished my bachelor´s in law, I felt I had developed a good picture of how the World works and how society is regulated and their different fields ´operate`. Simultaneously, however, I did recognize that if I wanted to deliver a positive change to the World in a future professional career, some steps were still to be taken. In this context, I acknowledged the importance of also being empowered with a better understanding of economics and skills of economic reasoning. The MPA specialisation in economics and governance was the opportunity to develop those skills and knowledge, with an additional advantage: not only I would expand my knowledge on economics, as I would also be studying how public administrations work.     The combination between courses on economics and public administration is the greatest advantage of this Master, and definitely what makes it unique. On the one hand, we are being taught public policy and administration theory. On the other hand, we are developing skills in a central field of the governance of our societies: economics. I believe this complementarity has the potential to empower future public servants, politicians and people motivated about public affairs with the capacity to not only understand the environment in which they will work, but also to contribute for better public policies.     In fact, I feel I am applying myself some of the skills I developed in this Master. In my traineeship in the European Commission, I am constantly performing tasks that require me to be able to understand and analyse economic data and research. I also feel that on discussions on different policies` design, implementation, and evaluation I can devote a critical look to what is under consideration and reflect myself on the consequences of a given decision or intervention. Moreover, I sharpened my ability to read the policy cycles and the political phenomena inherent to the work of the Commission. Lastly and even before starting my traineeship, the Master gave me the opportunity to devote a Master`s thesis to the economic impact of the EU`s cohesion policy. This not only provided me the space to deep my expertise on the field I am currently working at, as it also forced me to develop very important skills for my career, including the ability to conduct economic research, apply econometric models and use statistical software.     I would recommend this programme to all those interested to devote a career to public service and/or affairs. The Master is particularly useful for those that aim at being competent in a very relevant field of the governance of our societies – economics -, but who also want to be prepared to understand the environment in which public policies are born and shaped – administrations/organizations.

'What is unique about this programme is the combination of two disciplines. On the one hand you will apply sound economic analysis to design effective policies to address societal challenges and on the other hand you will learn how to operate successfully in a complex decision-making process.'

In Economics and Governance students apply modern economics to address societal issues such as reforming pension and healthcare systems in ageing societies, global environmental challenges, the impact of globalization on labour markets and income inequality, and pressure from immigration.

Our graduates have both strong analytical skills to design and evaluate effective policies and they have the right skills for managing policy processes.  They go on to work as economic policy-advisors or as financial professionals at a government ministry or at a consultancy firm, but we also have alumni who started a career at well-known multinational companies or in the financial sector.