alumni
Alumni Enjoy a Multitude of Options After Graduation
When Toni Anhert was accepted into an economics PhD program at the London School of Economics last spring, he knew that his rigorous ten months spent at the BSE had paid off.
MSc in Economics graduate Toni Anhert
“The MSc in Economics was a splendid preparation for [the PhD program]. I benefitted tremendously from both the conceptual comprehension and the technical rigor of the program, which helped smooth the transition from the Master level to the PhD level.”
Most students of the BSE, like Toni, have achieved the post-graduation goals that they entered the program with. When the 2007-2008 class graduated in June 2008, the majority of students had already found employment or gained entry into a doctoral program (career placement report).
Each year, around half of the students in the MSc in Economics and MSc in Finance continue on in a doctoral program. However, the majority of BSE students choose to enter the job market. Italian student Ambrogio Cesa Bianchi used his experience in the MSc in Economics to prepare himself to enter the labor market, and as a result fielded several excellent employment options upon graduation.
“Through the BSE, I was able to complete an internship in macroeconomic analysis at Banc Sabadell after graduation, as well as find my current job as Researcher at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC”, he says.
MSc in Economics graduate Ambrogio Cesa Bianchi
He sums up his experience, saying, “The excellent instruction I received from prominent professors, as well as the wonderful student environment, makes the BSE an unbeatable place to study. I recommend it to anyone wishing to spend an unforgettable year studying hard in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.”
Students from other master programs have shared similar success in the job market. Fabiana Tito, a 2008 graduate of the MSc in Competition and Market Regulation (MCR), had four internship opportunities at her disposal at the time of graduation. Currently at the UK Competition Commission in London, through the MCR Internship Program she also completed full time, paid internships at RBB Economics (London) and LECG (Madrid).
"The MCR program benefits from the strong reputations of the UPF and UAB, and from the fact that their experts are renowned academics, former senior government officials and experienced consultancy leaders," she says. This combination of reputation and top contacts in desirable industries gives students a strong position to enter the labor market or, in some cases, pursue further study at PhD level.
Canadian student Crosby MacDonald, a 2008 graduate of the MSc in the Economics of Science and Innovation (MESI), emphasizes the importance of the BSE’s global network in entering the job market. While in the program, he was offered a position as Associate at the London office of LECG, a global economic and financial consultancy.
MSc in Competition and Market Regulation graduate Fabiana Tito
“The GSE helped by placing me within an excellent network of economists,” says Crosby, “and by providing me with an opportunity to learn from some highly respected professors in a program that is gaining a solid reputation."
As students in the Class of 2008-2009, including students in the new MSc in Macroeconomics and Financial Markets and MSc in International Trade, Finance, and Development, begin exploring job prospects, many are taking advantage of the GSE’s resources. In addition to offering the MCR Internship Program and organizing the Financial Institution Seminars, the school has partnerships with a number of top firms who recruit GSE students, including RBB Economics, The Brattle Group, the Office of Fair Trading (UK), Competition Commission (UK), LECG, Konkurrensverket (Swedish Competition Authority), OfCom (UK), Conseil de la Concurrence, CRA International, Banc Sabadell, and the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRI).
In addition, the BSE will soon launch an Alumni Association in cooperation with current and former students. The Association will create a global network for social and professional interaction among GSE students, graduates, and friends from around the world.