The teaching format involves on-campus classes that stimulate students' participation as well as individual tutorials in order to make the relationship with teachers more personal. Students must carry out a personal piece of coursework, tutored by teaching staff.

The course syllabus presents an innovative structure specifically designed to stimulate continuous learning. Courses are taught by IBEI's highly-qualified staff as well as world-class experts from the two universities that jointly offer the degree, the Universitat de Barcelona and Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and other major international academic institutions.

The syllabus is made up of a combination of core subjects and a wide range of electives that reflect the students' individual interests, comprising a total of 60 ECTS credits. The programme offers two specialisations: European Public Policy and Global Public Policy. Building on knowledge acquired in the first semester, in the second semester students will take a pathway specialty and, in this way, build their education according to their individual interests within the different Public Policy themes.

During their second semester of studies, students can choose one of the following two pathways:

• Global Public Policy

• European Public Policy

In addition, IBEI is offering concentrations, suggested groups of four or five elective courses and a pathway course that combine to give a clear focus on Public Policy and Globalization or European Studies. Students may choose how many of the electives to take and may also choose freely from across all of the electives on offer. 

Public Policy and Globalization
Pathway	Global Public Policy
Semester 1 electives	International Migrations Globalization and Society
Semester 2 electives	Global Governance Public Policies and Global Agendas Global Trade Governance Geopolitics of Energy Development Finance and SDGs Politics of International Organizations International Legal System Regulatory Governance Politics and Practice of International Humanitarianism

European Studies
Pathway	European Public Policy
Semester 1 electives	European Union political processes EU and its Neighbours: politics, institutions, and instruments Political Economy of Welfare State
Semester 2 electives	Single Market and Competition Policy in Europe The European Union and the Developing World European Security and Defence Policy Policy Implementation and delivery Policy Integration in Europe The European Union, Human Rights and Democracy Promotion European Foreign Policy

The Master's in Public Policy includes three different types of courses and a final research project: 

• Core courses: 26 ECTS credits
• Public Policy specialisation elective (pathway): 6 ECTS credits
• Other elective courses: 20 ECTS credits
• Final research project: 8 credits

Furthermore, and with regard to these subjects, periodically throughout the year, the institute hosts conferences and seminars which are open to Master's students and lecturers. Specifically, there will be seminars with prominent policy-makers, allowing them to transmit their experience. There are also conferences, debates and presentations of recent research from scholars of national and international importance.