RESEARCH TRACKS, COURSEWORK AND WORKSHOPS

MSc Program

Classes begin in the first semester, and the course lasts no more than 21 months, divided into four quarters during which students must obtain 26 credits (the equivalent to 13 30-hours courses/ 2 credits each). Subsequently, students’ thesis project must be approved (until the end of the 5th quarter) and the Master’s thesis defended (until the end of the 7th quarter). In addition to these courses, students are expected to engage in research projects with professors at the School.

The MSc students must attend the following courses in order to complete the program: 

• Methods Courses: Statistics IA, Statistics IB and Qualitative Data Collection & Analysis or Comparative and Historical Methods;
• Research Track Courses: 4 courses of the Research Track (To be chosen by the student);
• Elective Courses: 5 elective courses ((related to any research track offered by the program);
• Graduate Seminars:  I, II, III and IV (equivalent to one 30-hour course / 2 credits).

PhD Program

Classes begin in the second semester, and the course lasts no more than 48 months. During the first eight quarters, students must obtain 36 credits ((the equivalent to 18 30-hour courses / 2 credits). Subsequently, students must submit a conceptual paper which must be approved (until the end of the 8th quarter); submit and present the dissertation proposal (12th quarter) and finally present and defend the doctoral dissertation (until end of the 16^th quarter). Additionally, students must engage in research projects with professors at the School, in order to strengthen their skills and enhance their academic records.

The PhD students must attend the following courses in order to complete the program:

• Methods Courses: Statistics IIA, Statistics IIB + 4 methods courses (chosen by the student).
• ResearchTrack Courses: 7 courses of the student’s chosen Research Track (To be chosen by the student).
• Elective Courses: 4 courses (related to any research track offered by program).
• Graduate Seminars: I, II, III and IV (equivalent to one 30-hour course / 2 credits)

RESEARCH TRACKS

The MSc and PhD include four research tracks, namely:

• Behavioral & Decision Sciences: Focus on individual decision making processes.
• Strategy, Management & Organizations: Focus on processes at the organizational level.
• Finance: Focus on business economics, asset pricing, corporate finance, banking and financial decision making.
• Institutions, Policy and Government: Focus on the institutional level and policy-making processes.

Each student must follow one of the tracks and may select as electives the mandatory courses from other tracks, as well as the list of elective courses available. The conceptual knowledge obtained in each of the tracks may be used in the Public and Business Administration fields. Similarly, qualitative and quantitative methods can be applied.

METHODS COURSES (MSc & PhD)

COURSES BY RESEARCH TRACK

Behavioral and Decision Sciences
Track Coordinator (Ishani Aggarwal)

The Behavioral and Decision Sciences track consists of an interdisciplinary group of faculty and courses whose main purpose is to better understand how individuals and teams make decisions in contexts relevant to business and governments.

Strategy, Management & Organizations
Track Coordinator (Olivier Bertrand)

The Strategy, Management & Organizations Research Track strives to understand management phenomena in organizations at the public and business levels. The topics discussed in this Research Track include Organizational Theory, Competitive Strategy, Internationalization, Governance and Control, Organizational Culture and Management Processes.

Finance
Track Coordinator (Lars Norden)

The Finance track consists of a set of courses ensuring in-depth studies of essential issues in Corporate Finance, Banking, Asset Pricing, Accounting and Financial Decision Making. There are also courses on key econometric methods, specialized workshops and research events organized by the Center for Banking and Finance Research in Rio (CBFR).

Institutions, Policies and Government
Track Coordinator (Carlos Pereira)

The Institutions, Policy &Government track covers the study of political institutions, public policy and government in comparative perspective. The key issue addressed by this track is: How and when do political institutions affect government, policy-making, and public policy outcomes? Theoretical and methodological tools related to comparative political economics are used to investigate the functioning of political institutions, political systems and the policy-making process, as well as their effects on public policies and economic performance.

Graduate Seminars

All MSc and first-year PhD students must sign up for Graduate Seminars I, II, III & IV. During these seminars, researchers are invited to present and discuss their recent research projects. The Graduate Seminars are held throughout the academic year, depending on the availability of guest researchers.

ELECTIVE COURSES & WORKSHOPS

In addition to method courses and to the substantive courses from the three Research Tracks, MSc and PhD students may also sign up for additional elective courses and workshops.

Workshops

As well as these elective courses, the program offers workshops – intensive fifteen-hour courses taught by well-known professors from Brazilian and international institutions.