Program Overview

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Master in Governance

The Master in Governance is designed to prepare researchers and experts with the skills to work autonomously and productively in the field of governance and in any of the three tracks offered – Politics & Policy, Current Democracies, and Migration. The programme emphasizes the application of cutting-edge techniques and methodologies, enabling graduates to contribute effectively to research teams, study centres, and both public and private organizations.

Why Choose This Program?

• Advance Your Career: This program provides a pathway to excel in academic and professional fields such as public policy, democracy, diversity, and migration studies.
• Expand Your Expertise: Gain in-depth knowledge across a range of social and political science topics, including public policy, democracy, diversity, and migration.
• Enhance Your Analytical Skills: Develop advanced analytical methods to tackle complex social and political realities with precision and insight.
• Prepare You for a PhD: Acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to transition into a PhD program within just one academic year.

Who is it for?

This master is designed for a diverse range of individuals with a strong interest in governance and a commitment to addressing the complexities of today’s social and political challenges. Whether you hold a degree in Political Science, Social and Legal Sciences, Health Sciences, or come from a more interdisciplinary academic background, this program is for you. It is particularly well-suited for:

• Aspiring Analysts and Researchers in governance, public policy, democracy, migration, and diversity studies
• Policy and Governance Enthusiasts: Students seeking a solid foundation in political science combined with interdisciplinary approaches
• Professionals in any of three Master’s tracks: Young professionals, policymakers, and experts in government bodies, as well as social workers and members of political or social organizations, looking to specialize further.
• Future Academics and Practitioners: Those aiming to join a PhD program within a year or seeking to advance their careers by gaining expertise in the latest techniques and methodologies in social sciences.

Program Structure

• Duration: 1 academic year full-time, 2 academic years part-time
• Calendar: From September to June
• Timetable: Monday to Friday, the courses run in the morning and afternoon
• Fee: Students UE: 1,302 €, Non UE students: 5,749.8 €
• Places: 60
• Course type: On Campus
• Language: English
• Grants access to: PhD in Political and Social Sciences
• Center: Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Department of Political and Social Sciences

Academic Information

The structure of the Master in Governance in ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) is as follows:

• 20 ECTS of compulsory courses
• 20 ECTS of elective courses, of which at least 15 ECTS correspond to a specialized track (Politics and Public Policy; Current Democracies; or Migration Studies)
• 20 ECTS Master Thesis.

The Master in Governance has three tracks, each with its own training objectives based on the elective courses that comprise them. To complete a specific track, the student must complete a minimum of 15 ECTS of the corresponding electives.

Tracks

a) Politics and Public Policies track

• Training objectives:
  • Enable the student to understand and use the quantitative and qualitative analysis tools specific to political science and governance.
  • Introduce the institutions (and their functioning) of liberal democracies and the European Union.
  • Provide the necessary knowledge and tools to develop the analysis of European and international political systems in relation to their governance.
  • Train experts in electoral systems, the European integration process, democratic representation, institutional reform, and the evolution of the European Union.
• Elective courses:
  • Advanced analysis of electoral systems
  • Idioms of Analysis in Political Science
  • The Consequences of the European Integration on EU Citizens
  • Citizenship and Democracy in the European Union
  • Comparative Political Economy: Regimes, Conflict and Development
  • Advanced analysis of political parties
  • Social psychology: individual and society
  • Advanced Techniques of Statistical Analysis II

b) Current Democracies track

• Training objectives:
  • Enable the student to understand and use the quantitative and qualitative analysis tools specific to political science and political theory, with special emphasis on diverse societies.
  • Enable the student to understand and use the tools of power organization in diverse democracies and their political theories.
  • Provide the necessary knowledge and tools to develop the analysis of European and international political systems.
  • Train experts in the study of the significance of political theories of justice, liberalism, and cultural diversity; the territorial distribution of power; and the comparative politics of federalism, power-sharing, and self-government in both theoretical and empirical aspects.
• Elective courses:
  • Federalism, self-determination and multilevel governance: comparative political theory
  • Inequality and diversity: theoretical and institutional aspects
  • Politics and Gender
  • Critical Environmental Politics
  • Current research on diverse democracies
  • Nationalisms and liberal democracy
  • Advanced Political Theory of the 21st century

c) Migration Studies track

• Training objectives:
  • Enable the student to understand and use the quantitative and qualitative analysis tools specific to political science and political theory, with special emphasis on migration studies.
  • Provide expert information and knowledge about the different approaches to migration, understanding their main differences, how immigration policies are developed, and their impact.
  • Enable the student to understand and use the tools of institutions in relation to immigration concerning work, social cohesion, diversity, and other aspects.
  • Train experts in the study of migrations, especially in their analysis, institutions, and policies.
• Elective courses:
  • Theoretical and conceptual foundations of migration policies
  • Postcolonial studies and Mediterranean migration history
  • Theories of International Human Mobility
  • Intersectionality and discrimination in politics and society
  • Comparative policy and governance of migrations
  • Geopolitics of human mobility in the Mediterranean
  • The challenges of superdiverse societies

Compulsory Courses

• 1st Term:
  • Advanced Techniques of Statistical Analysis I
  • Theory and Research Fundamentals in Social Sciences
• 2nd Term:
  • Advanced Qualitative Research Methods
• 3rd Term:
  • Master Thesis Seminar
  • Master Thesis 3rd Term (20 ECTS)

Faculty Staff

• Juan Carlos Triviño Salazar: Assistant Professor of Public Policy / Program coordinator

Double Degrees

The Double Degrees are one of the hallmarks of the master's degrees in the Department of Political and Social Sciences. A Double Degree is a two-year academic program that allows you to spend one year studying at UPF and the other year at a partner university. If you meet the specific course requirements in each institution, you will be granted the UPF Master in Governance degree as well as the partner university's master’s degree.

• Double Degree with LMU Munich
• Double Degree with the University of Konstanz
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA

Career Prospects

The Master in Governance graduates are prepared to navigate complex and diverse professional challenges with proficiency in key qualifications, scientific methods, and the ability to abstract, concretize, and transfer knowledge effectively across various sectors.

Academic Career Path

Graduates are equipped with advanced academic skills, paving the way for PhD opportunities and research positions in fields such as political science, political philosophy, sociology, and migration studies.

Professional Career Path

The program develops expert political analysts and policy professionals with theoretical, practical, and comparative skills suited for roles in public and private institutions. This includes governmental organizations, NGOs, think tanks, and corporate environments.

Career Pathways

• Public and Private Sector Careers:
  • Political Analyst for public and private institutions.
  • Migration and Diversity Analyst
  • Project Manager in public and private sector organizations
  • Consultant for International Organizations
  • Government Official
  • European Institutions Official
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs):
  • Advisor or Manager in local and international NGOs.
  • Migration Programme Specialist
• Academic and Research Careers:
  • PhD Candidate and Researcher
  • University Lecturer and Researcher.
  • Academic Researcher
• Media and Communication:
  • Political Journalist on politics, policy, and migration issues
• Consulting and Data Management:
  • Data Management Consultant in data analysis and application in migration and governance contexts.
  • Expert in Public Policies and Migration

Practical Information

• Student Guide
• International Students
• Scholarships and grants
• Learn Catalan and Spanish at the UPF
• PhD Programme in Political and Social Sciences
• Research in Political and Socials Sciences

With the Support of

[Supporting institutions or organizations, if any]