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Management Schools and Programs in Barcelona, Spain

About Management Schools and Programs in Barcelona, Spain

Management covers how organisations are run: strategy, finance, marketing, operations and people. In Barcelona it is taught at public and private universities, at business schools linked to them and at independent business schools, from four-year bachelor's degrees to master's degrees and MBAs, in Spanish, Catalan and English.

How the studies are organised

Under Royal Decree 822/2021, official bachelor's degrees (grados) in Spain have 240 ECTS credits, usually four years, and official master's degrees (máster universitario) have 60, 90 or 120 credits. Universities and business schools can also award their own qualifications (títulos propios), such as many MBAs and executive master's programmes. These are not official degrees; check the RUCT, the national register of official degrees, if a recognised qualification matters for your plans.

Where to study Management in Barcelona

  • Public universities: the Universitat de Barcelona and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra both offer the official bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Management (ADE); UPF also has a degree in Business Management and Innovation. The UPF Barcelona School of Management, UPF's management school, teaches master's programmes in management
  • Universitat Ramon Llull: its centres in Barcelona include ESADE, IQS and La Salle. Its official degrees listed in the RUCT include ADE, a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and master's degrees in International Management, Sustainability Management and Artificial Intelligence for Business Management. La Salle teaches an official four-year degree in Management of Business and Technology (240 ECTS) in Spanish and English, and official master's degrees such as Supply Chain Management and Technology
  • Universitat Abat Oliba CEU: a private university offering a bilingual official degree in Business Management (Dirección de Empresas), four years and 240 ECTS, with 70 places
  • EU Mediterrani: teaches the official degree in International Business Management of the Universitat de Girona, four years and 240 ECTS, with about 70 places; the school asks for a C1 level of English
  • Business schools: EAE Business School offers its ADE bachelor's in Barcelona in Spanish or English, MBAs and master's programmes, and lists its official master's degrees separately. C3S Business School runs bachelor's and master's programmes in business management with partner universities

Admission, costs and recognition

Students who completed secondary school abroad usually apply for UNEDasiss accreditation, the UNED service that assesses international students' records for entry to Spanish bachelor's degrees, and then apply to each university. A master's degree requires a bachelor's degree. Fees vary widely between public and private centres. As an example, EU Mediterrani gives a total of 7,215 € for a year of 60 ECTS of its International Business Management degree (108 € per ECTS plus enrolment and university fees), pending the official price decree.

Management is not a regulated profession in Spain, so a foreign degree does not need homologation to work in the field. A declaration of equivalence certifies its academic level (bachelor's or master's) if an employer or a public competition asks for it.

Careers

Graduates work in management, finance, marketing, consulting, logistics and human resources, in multinationals, start-ups and family businesses. EU Mediterrani, for example, points its international business graduates to global companies, international start-ups and multinational organisations.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study Management in English in Barcelona?

Yes. La Salle teaches its degree in Management of Business and Technology in Spanish and English, EAE offers its ADE degree in English in Barcelona, and Abat Oliba CEU's business degree is bilingual. Many master's programmes and MBAs are also taught in English.

What is the difference between a máster universitario and an MBA?

A máster universitario is an official degree of 60 to 120 ECTS listed in the RUCT. Many MBAs are the school's own qualification (título propio): useful for a career, but not an official Spanish degree.

How long is a business degree in Barcelona?

Official bachelor's degrees in business and management have 240 ECTS credits and take four years. Official master's degrees take one to two years.