Master's Degree in Geopolitics

• Global economic analysis – 6 ECTS
• New paradigms in international trade – 6 ECTS
• Emerging perspectives in the international financial economy – 6 ECTS
• Geopolitics: actors, theories and concepts – 6 ECTS
• Geoeconomics – 6 ECTS
• Geostrategy – 6 ECTS
• Risk analysis as an intelligence tool – 6 ECTS
• Strategic spaces in dispute: analysis of areas of geopolitical and geoeconomic tension – 6 ECTS
• Research methodologies and techniques – 6 ECTS
• Master's Thesis (TFM) – 6 ECTS

Global economic analysis

• Analysis of the international economic system. Post-pandemic global trends and their economic implications.
• Impact of transnational technology companies on economic revitalisation.
• United States: economic leadership and structural challenges.
• China: global expansion and transition to a new growth model.
• European Union: economic integration and internal tensions.
• Other economic actors.

New paradigms in international trade

• Advanced theories of international trade.
• Trade agreements and their impact on international trade.
• Value, distribution and supply chains: main characteristics and changes.
• Emerging economies: the BRICS and the new multipolar balance.
• Transformations of international economic organisations related to trade: WTO and related bodies.
• Trade revisionism in the context of globalisation: trade wars and tariff tensions.

Emerging perspectives in the international financial economy

• Structure and functioning of the international financial system: financial, monetary and foreign exchange markets
• International financial regulation: impact, implementation and consequences
• Transformation and innovation in international finance: AI, emerging technologies, crypto-assets and sustainability
• Evolution of monetary policies and the role of central banks in the 21st century
• Geopolitics of international finance: power, influence and markets
• Restructuring of global value chains and their effect on international investment flows

Geopolitics: actors, theories and concepts

• Influence of classical geopolitics on 21st-century geopolitics
• Critical approaches to the study of contemporary geopolitics
• Geopolitical analysis tools
• New emerging actors on the global stage: geopolitical challenges and strategies
• Dynamics of global change: new geopolitical and economic scenarios
• Effect of geopolitical conflicts on the international economy

Geoeconomics

• Economic power as a factor in social, political and territorial transformation
• Geoeconomics of natural resources: energy, raw materials and water
• Strategic infrastructure for global trade: logistics hubs and trade corridors
• Resilient initiatives in global geoeconomic strategies: Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); Friendshoring and Nearshoring; and the European Union's Global Gateway
• The new geoeconomics: power strategies and emerging rivalries
• Costs and opportunities of the energy transition in a changing climate

Subject 6. Geostrategy

• Geostrategy of space: occupation, security and interest
• Projection of force and balance of power in contemporary geostrategy: the military dimension in international politics
• Main strategic doctrines: the BRICS; the US, the UK, the European Union and Turkey
• New security dynamics: evolution and adaptation of geostrategic alliances
• New frontiers of strategic security: the virtual world
• Cybersecurity, cyberstrategy and other emerging technologies key to security

Risk analysis as intelligence tools

• Social and demographic risks: population growth, rural exodus and gentrification, migration and forced displacement, religious fanaticism, human rights, minorities and inequality, epidemics
• Political risks: terrorism, political disaffection, state disintegration, institutional delegitimisation, ideological polarisation
• Economic risks: offshoring, financial volatility, tariff protectionism, fiscal dumping, transnational holdings and megacorporations, critical raw materials and energy sources, illegal exploitation of resources
• Regulatory risks: lawfare, compliance, investment security, conflicts of law, intellectual property
• Technological risks: emergence of AI, cybersecurity, Dark Web, disinformation, concentration of technological resources and media, social networks
• Environmental risks: water resources, desertification, deforestation, melting ice caps, waste management, natural disasters, marine pollution, proliferation and containment of pests, fracking, GMOs.

Strategic areas in dispute: analysis of zones of geopolitical and geoeconomic tension

• Traditional geopolitical spheres: North Atlantic, Eastern Europe and the Balkans, Mediterranean, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Far East
• Peripheral conflict zones: Sahel, Central Africa and Congo Basin, Gulf of Guinea, Central America and the Caribbean, Central Asia

Research methodologies and techniques

• The scientific process applied to global economics and geopolitics. Structure, topics and current research trends
• The scientific method and research methodologies: deductive, inductive, descriptive, analytical, systematic review. Other methodologies. Research techniques: quantitative, qualitative and mixed. Other techniques.
• Formulation of the object of study: presentation/justification of the topic; definition of the spatial-temporal framework: hypothesis/research question; research objectives (general and specific); list of sources (primary and/or secondary)
• Theoretical-conceptual framework. State of the art; academic theories and concepts applied to the subject of study.
• Drafting of conclusions: related to the hypothesis/research question and the objectives formulated; proposal for future lines of research.
• Drafting and presentation of the final report.

Master's Thesis (TFM)

In order to access the master's degree, the student must meet the legal requirement in accordance with the provisions of RD 822/2021:

• The possession of an official university degree of Spanish Graduate or equivalent is a condition for access to a University Master's Degree, or in its case to have another University Master's Degree, or degrees of the same level as the Spanish Degree or Master's Degree issued by universities and institutions of higher education of a country of the European Higher Education Area that in that country allows access to Master's studies.
• Likewise, persons in possession of degrees from educational systems that do not form part of the EHEA, which are equivalent to the Bachelor's degree, may access a Master's degree of the Spanish university system, without the need for homologation of the degree, but with verification by the university of the level of training involved, provided that in the country where said degree has been issued it allows access to postgraduate university level studies. In no case will access by this route imply the homologation of the previous degree held by the person concerned or its recognition for purposes other than that of carrying out the Master's studies.

Non-English speaking students who study the degree in English must accredit a language level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages by presenting a document issued by any officially authorized center that can accredit this level.