Introduction

The Double Degree Program offered by the MSc in Economics and Development of the University of Florence and the MSc in European Economic Studies of the University of Bamberg (Germany) is a high-quality two-year program specialising in economics which allows students to earn both Master's degrees. Students with Home University Florence spend their first academic year at the University of Florence and their second academic year at the University of Bamberg -- webpage of the Institute of Economics of the University of Bamberg.

 

Structure of the program and educational objectives

The program provides students with advanced quantitative methods and techniques in order to use both theoretical and empirical tools to analyse major current economic issues and policies, to appraise the competitiveness of markets, to forecast macroeconomic and financial variables, to evaluate programs for private and public institutions, especially with reference to the European Institutions. Key competences provided include the capacity to conduct both theoretical and applied research in the fields of economics, the ability to use econometric tools to analyze data and formulate or evaluate global and sectorial economic policies, and a deep understanding of the international economic structures.

At the University of Florence, the program starts in September and students take courses in the curriculum Economics of the MSc in Economics and Development. Shortly before the beginning of the second semester, first-year students of the curriculum Economics can apply to enter the double degree program and up to 5 students are selected to spend their entire second year at the University of Bamberg, attending courses, taking exams, and writing a Master's thesis at the MSc European Economic Studies, according to the latter's regulations. These activities count toward earning the degree in Economics and Development from the University of Florence. At the MSc in European Economic Studies, students enjoy a high degree of flexibility and can choose among a variety of courses, both theoretical and applied.

The program will provide a sound background in economics and quantitative methods, and will also give students a multidisciplinary approach. At the end of the program, graduates will be able to:

• collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data from local, national, and international data sets;
• understand micro and macro phenomena from an economic point of view;
• use theoretical and applied (including econometric) tools to analyse economic systems;
• evaluate and formulate economic policies;
• have a personalized academic profile thanks to a high degree of flexibility in the program;
• acquire an international and interdisciplinary economics profile.

The program requires the student to earn 120 credits, according to the regulations described below.

Students with Home University Florence: please click here -- this is Appendix 1.3 of the Implementing Agreement between the University of Florence and the Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg establishing the Double Degree Program. The first document in this page contains the syllabus of each course offered by the MSc in European Economic Studies of UBamberg.

Students with Home University Bamberg: please click here -- this is Appendix 1.2 of the Implementing Agreement between the University of Florence and the Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg establishing the Double Degree Program. The syllabus of each course of the MSc in Economics and Development of the University of Florence is available here or here, after clicking on the course's instructor's name.

 

Career perspectives

Graduates are prepared for employment as professional economists in a wide range of fields, including private consultancy, business, finance, and government or international organizations. Additionally, the program provides a strong foundation for enrollment in a Ph.D. program in Economics at leading universities worldwide.

 

Admission requirements, selection criteria

Students from Unifi applying to enter the Double Degree Program need to be first-year students of the curriculum Economics, and will be selected according to the following criteria:

• Final grade of the Bachelor degree;
• motivation letter;
• ECTS and grades earned at the exams of the courses Game Theory and Microeconomics, Mathematics for Economics, Statistical Inference.
• If two or more applicants have the same rank, then certified knowledge of the German language and  ECTS and grades earned at other exams of the first semester of the first year of the MSc in Economics and Development are considered.

In order to enter the Double Degree Program, the selected students need to earn at least 42 ECTS at Unifi before moving to Bamberg in the month of September.

 

Tuition fees, financial support

Students entering the Double Degree pay tuition fees only at Unifi for both years, and receive from Unifi an Erasmus+ scholarship. Please find here information (in Italian) about the scholarship.

 

Applications for a.y. 2025-26 and program presentation

The call for applications and the application form for a.y. 2025-26 are here and here.

Please find here a report written by a Unifi student who participated in the program and has spent at UBamberg the a.y. 2024-25.

Please find here the slides of a presentation of this program given on Oct. 21, 2025.