Students

Certificate in Quantitative Economics

The Graduate School of Economics, Finance, and Management (GSEFM) is excited to offer, in collaboration with the Faculty of Economics and Business, a unique opportunity for Bachelor students at Goethe University to advance their studies and career: the Certificate in Quantitative Economics. Bachelor students from TU Darmstadt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz are also welcome to attend courses listed for the Certificate in Quantitative Economics and are encouraged to contact the office of the certificate program at qecertificate@wiwi.uni-frankfurt.de.

The certificate grants students in the Bachelor Program in Economics and Business at Goethe University, irrespective of their area of specialization, a first-rate opportunity to (i) learn how to tackle issues in economics and society at large with foresight rather than hindsight and (ii) enhance their credentials for future applications for research-oriented graduate-level degree programs. This is as the certificate conveys that its holder has completed at least three courses and one seminar that, by the judgement of one of Europe’s premier graduate schools in economics, finance, and management, involve understanding and employing state-of-the-art quantitative methods as adapted to the undergraduate level. Certificate holders thus demonstrate that they have strong interest in and possess skills at using quantitative methods to take on substantive questions in economics and society at large. This combination of interests and skills is highly valued by premier research-oriented graduate-level degree programs in economics, finance, and management. The certificate furthermore verifies that its holder has completed in English language three courses and one seminar, and that the holder thus can be presumed to be comfortable with pursuing research-oriented graduate studies in economics, finance, or management that take place in English language.

What is more, the certificate program also provides the opportunity for outside-the-classroom-interaction with the Graduate School of Economics, Finance and Management (GSEFM): There will be about two events per semester that provide information on research-oriented graduate studies in economics, finance, or management at GSEFM, shed some insight into the academic life at GSEFM, and/or entail the opportunity to meet current GSEFM graduate students, GSEFM staff and GSEFM faculty in a social setting. GSEFM faculty members will also be happy to provide during these events practical advice for future studies.

The application is expected to comprise (i) a current transcript as issued by the Examinations Office of the Faculty of Economics and Business (while a GPA of 1,7 or better is expected, grades for prior courses with quantitative emphasis are considered of particular relevance), (ii) a current CV, and (iii) a one-page letter detailing the motivation to be part of the certificate program. Applications are to be sent in printed form to: Quantitative Economics Certificate, GSEFM, House of Finance, Goethe University Frankfurt, Theodor-W.-Adorno Platz 3, 60323 Frankfurt am Main. Application dossiers may be dropped into the letter box of the post office of Goethe University (east-side entrance of the PA Building, letter box is on the outside, close to the entrance), are expected to be in English (the transcript may also be in German), and may be sent throughout the year. The application is to include only xeroxed copies of any documents included, as the application dossiers cannot be returned. During class periods, applications will be reviewed once a month.

Students admitted to the certificate program on or after October 1, 2024 (irrespective of date of application) will need to complete at least three courses and one seminar that are part of the certificate program, each of these with a grade of 2.3 or better. Once an official transcript or degree certificate confirming such completion of courses has been issued by the Examinations Office of the Faculty of Economics and Business, students may contact the office of the certificate program at qecertificate@wiwi.uni-frankfurt.de to have the certificate issued.

Retroactive recognition of courses and seminars will be considered, provided that these have been included in the Certificate Program during the semesters in which participation took place. For seminars, only seminars offered in Sommersemester 2025 or later can be considered.

The courses and seminars that are part of the certificate program share the following characteristics: (i) They build on and go beyond the contents of the core courses in econometrics, macroeconomics and microeconomics (EOEK, BMAK, PMAK, BMIK, and PMIK). (ii) They involve a strong analytical/quantitative profile. (iii) The course/seminar language is English. (iv) They are taught by faculty members who also regularly teach in the MSQ and Ph.D. programs of GSEFM and thus also provide first insights into the courses of the MSQ and Ph.D. programs.

Wintersemester 2026/27

Sommersemester 2026

Wintersemester 2025/26

Sommersemester 2025

  • Causal Inference for Macroeconomics and Financial Economics, Dr. Johannes Zahner

  • Quantitative Economic Research (Seminar), Prof. Michael Binder, Ph.D.

  • Recent Research in Macroeconomics (Seminar), Prof. Dr. Mathias Trabandt

Wintersemester 2024/25

Sommersemester 2024

Wintersemester 2023/24

Sommersemester 2023

Wintersemester 2022/23

Sommersemester 2022

Wintersemester 2021/22

Sommersemester 2021

Wintersemester 2020/21

Sommersemester 2020

Wintersemester 2019/20

This list will be updated every semester, during the first weeks of classes. Enrollees in the certificate program are kindly requested to refrain from petitioning for the eligibility of courses and/or seminars other than those listed on this website.