The MSc in Economics and Development is a two-year (120 ECTS) program which allows students to choose between a curriculum in Development Economics and a curriculum in Economics. Both curricula rely on a multidisciplinary approach, as a rigorous education in economics and quantitative methods is matched with courses in coding, finance, business, law, and history to allow students to earn additional useful skills for the job market. In particular, after a first year meant to provide solid foundations, during the second year students can largely tailor their study path to their interests. Key competencies acquired by students include solid economic knowledge, problem-solving skills, analytical thinking and economic intuition, which are essential for a successful career as an economist and for admission to the best PhD programs worldwide.

The MSc offers an excellent student-to-staff ratio and an international environment, with students coming from all over the world -- for a.y. 2023-24, only 50.3% of enrolled students are Italian. Moreover, students can participate in joint courses with the Syracuse University in Florence, thereby enjoying the life of an American Campus and its facilities in Florence.

Students are provided with tools to

• conduct research in the field of economic development or economics;
• analyse and possibly solve socio-economic problems within international organisations, companies or governments;
• use economic and econometric methods – after learning software as Matlab, Python, R, Stata -- to formulate and evaluate global and sectoral economic policies;
• collect, analyze and interpret quantitative and qualitative information from local, national and international datasets.

Curriculum in Development Economics

For whom? This curriculum is designed for students interested in understanding the economies of less developed countries, why some countries managed to grow and reduce poverty but others did not, the drivers of successful economic development and the causes for stagnation, the design and evaluation of policies that promote sustainable/inclusive growth, education for all, global health, food security and reduce income inequality, gender inequality, conflict, etc. More details on this curriculum.

Double Degree First-year students can apply to earn a double degree offered jointly with the MSc in Development Economics of the University of Göttingen (Germany). Each year, shortly before the beginning of the second semester, up to 5 first-year students of the curriculum Development Economics are selected to spend their second year at the University of Göttingen and earn a double degree. More details on double degree programs.

Career opportunities This curriculum provides an ideal background for work as a professional development economist in national and international agencies, civil service appointments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and private sector companies with interests in developing countries, or for pursuing a PhD programme in Development Economics or related topics at leading universities around the world.

Testimonials for Develpment Economics Please click here

 

Curriculum in Economics

For whom? This curriculum is designed for students interested in acquiring skills for a successful career as a professional economist, in learning quantitative tools to analyze major economic issues and policies, in learning theoretical and empirical techniques to analyze the competitiveness of markets, to forecast macroeconomic and financial variables, to evaluate programs for private and public institutions.

Within this curriculum, students can choose between two tracks:

Track in Economics for students interested in using economics and econometric methods to conduct theoretical and applied research in economics, analyze data and formulate or evaluate global and sectorial economic policies. More details on this track.

Track in Behavioral Economics for students interested in theoretical and experimental analysis of individual behaviors and institutions, taking into account the effects of psychological, cognitive, emotional, cultural and social factors. More details on this track.

Double Degree First-year students can apply to earn a double degree offered jointly with the MSc in European Economic Studies of the University of Bamberg (Germany), or a double degree offered jointly with the International Master in Public Policies of the University of Rennes (France). Each year, shortly before the beginning of the second semester up to 5 first-year students of the curriculum Economics are selected to spend their second year at the University of Bamberg and earn a double degree, and up to 5 first-year students of the curriculum Economics are selected to spend their second year at the University of Rennes and earn a double degree. More details on double degree programs.

Career opportunities Both tracks provide an ideal background for work as a professional economist in a wide range of positions in private economic consultancy agencies, business, finance, central banking, national and international organisations and governments, or for pursuing a PhD programme in Economics or related topics at leading universities around the world.

Testimonials for Economics Please click here

Introductory courses

In the first half of September 2024, an introductory course in Mathematics and an introductory course in Statistics will be offered. Please find here additional information.

Grants

Two grants are awarded to first-year students of the MSc: one grant for students of the curriculum in Development Economics, one grant for students of the curriculum in Economics.

 

International Mobility

Students have extensive opportunities of international mobility within the Erasmus+ Programme, which allows them to spend one semester in a foreign university to take exams, undertake a traineeship, work on the master thesis. More information is available here.

 

Internships

Students can choose to undertake an internship in selected institutions.  In the past few years, several firms/organizations welcomed students of the MSc as interns. Please find here additional information.

After the Master

Job Placement Graduates are prepared for careers in corporations, financial institutions, public or private research centers, consulting firms, regulating authorities, international organizations, and other professions based on strong analytical skills. More information about graduates job placements is available here.

PhD Admissions Graduates are well prepared for an academic career, as shown by the significant number of graduates entering PhD programs in Economics or related topics. A professor of the MSc is available to advise students interested in entering a PhD program and to help them in preparing their applications. More information is available here.

 

Additional information

This flyer provides a bird’s eye view of the program.

This booklet provides more detailed information, including academic calendar, study plans for the two curricula, syllabi for courses, ...

This set of slides has been used for the presentation of the program during an Open Day in May 2024.

This set of slides has been used for a brief presentation of the program during the first lecture of a.y. 2024-25.

 

In the platform Federica Web Learning you can find an animated presentation of the MSc, including an interview with the previous director and some brief videos in which four of our instructors introduce their courses (all in English).

In detail, access Federica Web Learning and register. Then

1: From the bottom of the page, select "Tutti i MOOC";

2: From the top left of the page, select "Partners";

3: Look for the logo of UniFi and click on it;

4: Find the rectangle "UniFI Orienta - Economia e impresa" and click on it;

5: Click on "Esplora i corsi" (Explore courses) and choose "Economics and Development". As a result, the presentation material becomes available.

Linkedin website of Economics and Development: please click here

 

Econometric Game 2025

One student of the MSc in Economics and Development will participate in the Econometric Game (Amsterdam, Netherlands, April 2025) in the Unifi team. More information here.

 

Simuvaction on AI 2025

Two students of the MSc in Economics and Development will participate in Simuvaction on AI (Quebec City, Canada, April 2025). More information here.

 

The School of Economics and Management

The MSc in Economics and Development is a course of study of the School of Economics and Management, which coordinates a grand total of 12 courses of study of Unifi about economics or statistics.

The School is at the first floor of Building D1 (Via delle Pandette 32) of Campus Novoli. Its email address is scuola@economia.unifi.it. The Dean of the School is professor Andrea Paci, pres-scuola@economia.unifi.it.