The students that enter the Program come from diverse backgrounds, not only in Economics. For this reason, the course includes a set of disciplines demanding constant learning, deepening of the reflection and discussion of the themes related to the economic development and the areas of concentration. The Master's Program also ensures training in specific dimensions of economic development, such as history, social and labor relations, environmental, rural, urban and regional development. The Doctorate's main concern is the intellectual and theoretical-methodological development of the researcher, in which incoming students are faced with special contents of greater theoretical, analytical and methodological rigor. 

It is intended, therefore, to prepare researchers and professors with a comprehensive theoretical training so that they can contribute in a relevant way to the advancement of knowledge, teaching and practice about Economic Development in Brazil. Recently there has been an increase in exchanges with research groups in the country itself and the formation of new research networks with institutions in Latin America, the United States and Europe, as well as with the BRICS countries, increasing the internationalization strategy of the Program.