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Studies & Degrees in Governance and Culture of Organizations

Governance and culture of organizations is a postgraduate field that studies how companies, public bodies and non-profit institutions are directed, and which ideas, values and habits shape them from the inside. It sits between business studies and the humanities. Alongside strategy and the theory of the firm, students read political thought, ethics, economic history and law.

The name comes from the programmes of the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, which describes its approach as deeply humanistic and interdisciplinary. Its master's programme aims to give an integrated view of the economic environment, linking economic, political, legal and ethical aspects. Similar content appears elsewhere under names such as corporate governance, organisational behaviour or business ethics, usually as courses inside a business, law or political science degree.

What students learn

The master's programme of the Universidad de Navarra shows how the field is organised. Its study plan has three modules:

  • Methodological module (6 ECTS credits): research methodology, academic writing, and a corporate governance workshop with talks on governance and leadership
  • Theoretical module (34 ECTS credits): subjects such as economics, politics and development; innovation in organizations; ethics and social order; power, government and authority; global economic history; strategy in organizations; and theory of the firm
  • Research module (20 ECTS credits): the master's thesis (Trabajo Fin de Máster)

The emphasis is academic. The university describes its graduates as people with advanced multidisciplinary training in the governance of organizations, oriented to academic specialisation and to a first step in research.

Qualifications and levels

There is no bachelor's degree with this name in the SpainExchange directory. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits and a master's degree has 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits, and this subject is taught after the bachelor's degree.

  • Master's degree. The Máster Universitario en Gobierno y Cultura de las Organizaciones of the Universidad de Navarra has 60 credits and lasts 12 months. It is taught in Spanish, in Pamplona, in a blended format. Classes run from September to March, are on campus and have compulsory attendance; from March to June students write the thesis, in Pamplona or from their place of residence. The programme page states that no places are offered for the 2025-26 academic year, so ask the university whether a new intake is planned before making plans.
  • Doctorate. The same university runs a doctoral programme in Gobierno y Cultura de las Organizaciones on its Pamplona campus, with 12 places and a blended format.

Admission

The master's programme is open to Spanish and foreign applicants, preferably with previous studies in social sciences or law. Applicants register on the university's portal, pay an application fee of €100 and upload:

  • the academic transcript of a degree that gives direct access to master's programmes in their country of residence
  • a curriculum vitae of up to two pages
  • a letter of recommendation
  • a statement of reasons of up to 400 words

The application period ends one month before the programme starts. For applicants who study outside the European Union, the university also assesses professional competences.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists one active school for this subject: the Universidad de Navarra, in Pamplona, Spain. The language of instruction is Spanish. Students who want a programme in English, or in another country, should look at neighbouring subjects such as business administration, business law or organisational psychology, where the same questions are covered under other titles.

Careers

The master's degree leads first to research: the university looks for applicants who are interested in going on to its doctoral programme. Outside the university, the subject is relevant to people who hold or aim for directing roles in companies, public administration, foundations and political organizations.

A postgraduate degree does not lead directly to those roles. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, top executives plan strategies and policies so that an organization meets its goals and often report to a board of directors; they typically need at least a bachelor's degree and considerable work experience. The Bureau projects overall employment of top executives in the United States to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035.

Frequently asked questions

Is governance and culture of organizations the same as an MBA?

No. The master's programme of the Universidad de Navarra is oriented to academic specialisation and research, with a 20-credit thesis and subjects in ethics, political thought and economic history next to strategy and theory of the firm.

How long does the master's degree take?

The programme of the Universidad de Navarra has 60 credits and lasts one academic year, from September to June.

In which language is it taught?

In Spanish. The university lists Castellano as the language of the master's programme.

Can I apply for the next intake?

Check with the university first. Its programme page states that no places are offered for the 2025-26 academic year.