Program Content
The Master’s Program in International Economics & Economic Policy is designed as a four-semester program, with the fourth semester being devoted to research and writing of a master’s thesis. The program is composed of fundamental courses, specialization courses and the master's thesis. In order to be awarded a Master of Science in International Economics & Economic Policy, students have to accumulate a total of at least 120 credit points. It is recommended to distribute this workload evenly over the four semesters by alloting 30 credit points to each semester.
Plan of Study
The following table shows a suggested plan of studies. In general, students have flexibility in shaping their study plan. The only requirement is that the fundamental courses must be completed within the first year of study. These courses are only offered during the winter semester. We strongly recommend dedicating the first semester to mastering the fundamentals and aiming to pass them successfully.
By the end of this program each student will have to complete:
- the five fundamental courses (equalling a total of 30 CP)
- five specialization courses (equalling a total of 24 CP), consisting of:
- two courses in International Economics & Economic Policy
- two supplementary courses
- one seminar
- both components of the research segment (equalling a total of 30 CP)
- thesis seminar
- master's thesis
- additional courses equalling a total of 36 CP that can come from the course lists of International Economics, Public Policy, seminars or electives
The Fundamentals are mandatory courses designed to provide students with the essential tools needed for subsequent coursework and thesis work. These five courses lay the foundation in microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, international economics, and economic policy.
Short descriptions of the content of the courses are provided here.
Courses in International Economics and Economic Policy offer students a deep understanding of the theoretical foundations and quantitative methods used to analyze issues in areas such as international trade, public policy, development, environmental, health, labor, and monetary economics.
Short descriptions of the content of current and past courses are provided here.
Electives are courses designed to equip students with supplementary methodological skills, such as statistics and econometrics, as well as interdisciplinary perspectives on topics at the intersection of economics and fields such as psychology or philosophy.
Short descriptions of the content of current and past Electives are provided here.
Courses from the area Electives can also be covered by courses from International Economics and Public Policy or seminars.
Seminars are courses that allow students to apply their economic expertise and methodological skills to analyze a specific economic issue or research question in depth, typically culminating in independent projects or presentations.
Short descriptions of the content of current and past Seminars are provided here.
Supplementary courses are taught by experts, practitioners, and non-academic economists (e.g., from the European Central Bank, Bundesbank, S&P Global, etc.) who offer valuable perspectives on current economic developments, issues, and policy challenges, bridging the gap between theory and real-world applications.
Short descriptions of the content of current and past Supplementaries are provided here.
The Thesis seminar accompanies students throughout the process of writing their master’s thesis, providing a platform to present their work-in-progress and receive feedback on their research.
Find more information about the Thesis seminar here.
The Master thesis is a comprehensive research project undertaken in the final semester of the program, supervised by an academic advisor. It provides students with an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout the program to an independently chosen research question, utilizing theoretical, empirical, or quantitative methods. Through the thesis, students demonstrate their ability to conduct original, independent research on a specific economic issue.
Find more information about the Master thesis here.
Course Duration
Course attendance is mandatory, and there is no distance-learning option (except for the provisions regarding master’s thesis research). Part-time studies are no longer available.
The normal duration of the program is four semesters. Students are not required to stay in Frankfurt during the fourth semester, provided that they have met all other requirements and they are working on their thesis. They are required to attend the research seminar, which will usually be offered as a block seminar over approximately 4 days.
If a student fails a fundamental course, the student has to retake the corresponding exam. Failure to pass all fundamental courses as planned in the schedules (i.e. after two semesters) results in automatic expulsion from the program. Failure to pass an elective, a supplementary course or a seminar, requires the student to substitute it with another course from the relevant category or to retake the specific course when it is offered again. In making this choice, students are encouraged to consult with the instructors in order to make sure that the course they intend to repeat or use as replacement is offered in the relevant semester.
The maximum duration of study is eight semesters. Failure to obtain a passing grade in any of the three fundamental courses after two semesters or to meet the complete requirements of the program by the end of the eight semester results in expulsion from the program.
A leave of absence interrupts the normal schedule, but is given only in exceptional circumstances (typically for well-documented medical reasons).
Further Information
Please note that this page only provides a broad overview of the program structure. The official rules and regulations of the master program are binding and should be taken into account; they can be found here (in German) and here (in English, please note that for legal purposes only the original German version applies).
