The school MPSE
   

The ambition of the Midi Pyrénées School of Economics is to provide a doctoral programme of excellence, amongst the best in Europe, a programme whose teaching style is inspired by that of the finest European and American universities. A decidedly European and international programme in its spirit, it recruits the ablest students from all countries in the European Union and further afield.

An exceptional situation

An integral part of the Université de Toulouse 1 - Sciences Sociales , MPSE is also part of a rich university programme of research and partnership with industry.

The Midi Pyrénées School of Economics is housed in the old Manufacure des Tabacs building (Tobacco manufacturing company - more than 1 000 women once worked there and cigarettes were produced until 1979!) in the city centre and in an agreeable environment, between the Garonne and the Brienne Canal, 10 minutes from the Place du Capitole.

The Manufacture is a fine building, designed and built between 1888 and 1894 by the Parisian engineers of the 'Service Central des Constructions et des Appareils Mécaniques' under the la Direction Générale des Manufactures de l'Etat. The building has been carefully restored and converted and it now provides an exceptional working environment.

A university tradition steeped in history

Toulouse is one of the oldest university towns in Europe, fourth after Paris, Oxford and Bologna. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Toulouse University was a source of powerful civil servants for the monarchy and of prelates for the church : several popes were students there! Today, the Université de Toulouse 1 satisfies both a decidedly European tradition, that of a university established in the town centre, and the more modern concept of a campus with numerous services.

A unique programme

The MPSE programme started in September 1996 and is unique in France. It is an innovative programme coming from twenty years of experience, when the first DEA in economics was created at the Université de Toulouse. To this day, more than 200 students have successfully completed their PhDs. The MPSE teaching methods have been inspired by the best European and American universities. In order to enable easier understanding to foreign students, all courses are taught in English for new students to follow the programme.

The first year is dedicated to the Master (M Sc in quantitative economics) and provides rigorous and original courses. For those who continue to the PhD, there is a second year of specialisation providing them with a solid basis for the writing of their dissertation ; at the end of the second year they obtain the DEEQA, the Diplôme Européen d'Economie Quantitative Approfondie.

Researchers teaching in the MPSE programme are totally committed to their teaching activities and every effort is made to provide students with an education of the highest quality. Students therefore find a remarkable learning environment. Courses enable students both to acquire a broad general culture as economists and to pursue their chosen area of specialisation in depth. Furthermore for those who continue to the PhD, the quality of thesis supervision is exceptional.

An international reputation

The Economics Department at Toulouse 1 University has a well established reputation. Its researchers are active in all areas of economics and are especially well-known in industrial economics, game theory, econometrics (both theoretical and applied), finance and insurance. During the last years, we recruited mostly renown specialists in environmental economics, development economics and especially macroeconomics. The Faculty received numerous French and international honours and its members include two presidents of the Econometric Society and a president of the European Economic Association. An active programme of internatinal conferences, seminars and visits enables students to listen to and meet the greatest names in economics.