Nick Galland is a graduate of USC’s Master of International Trade Law and Economics (MITLE) degree program, which is offered jointly by the Gould School of Law with the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Department of Economics. In the Q&A, Galland elaborates on his meaningful student experiences, his economic research work with the World Trade Organization, and his future aspirations to pursue a PhD.
What sparked your interest in learning about law and economics?
I got my undergraduate degree studying political science and math, so you could say I was always interested in policy and quantitative reasoning. For math, I was always interested in the practice of problem solving, but never found an application that appealed to me until I realized how quantitative high-level economics is. There is also a fundamental relationship between economics, policy and law that I find alluring since they are often impacted by one another.
What made you pursue the MITLE degree in particular, and why at USC?
The MITLE program offered a unique perspective on international trade that spoke to my interests in quantitative analysis as well as law and policy. From all of the programs I searched for and applied to, no other offered such a multifaceted approach that was tailored specifically to international economics about which I found myself most curious.
As for why USC, it was about community. Having been in Southern California for most of my life, I heard great things from students and alumni about the culture and networking opportunities available at USC. When the perfect program came around I knew it would be the right step for my future.
How has it been transitioning into your program, and how has USC assisted you?
The transition was smooth. Getting familiar with the academic environment and pacing of the workload was tricky at first, but with help from my cohort and administration I was able to settle in nicely. Everyone was eager to help and no question, no matter how small, went unanswered.
What is the most memorable experience from your USC studies so far?
In my first semester I was fortunate enough to take antitrust law with Professor Jonathan Barnett. He was a very energetic and passionate lecturer with a lot of experience in the field. While I had never taken a law class previously, his familiarity with the relevant economic concepts helped me gain an understanding of the core concepts quickly so I could spend more time on learning how to structure legal arguments. I had always considered international economics separate from antitrust, but I have since been delighted to learn there are many intersections and I look forward to taking what I learned in the class and applying it to the study of international market structures.
How will your degree from USC give you an advantage for your future career? What do you want to do next with your degree?
Since graduating I’ve worked in economic research with the World Trade Organization (WTO). There were a few skills that I picked up in the MITLE program that they found rare and interesting, so I can definitely say it made a direct impact there. The next steps in my career are going to get a PhD in economics and eventually doing government work. The program provided me with rigorous preparation for further graduate study with courses in advanced applications and theory of economics, and the background in law has been instrumental in working with international organizations and I suspect will serve me well in future government work.
What advice do you have for students who may be interested in following a similar path to yours?
First, I would say to be deliberate in your approach. Decide what you are interested in pursuing, figure out what skills you can develop to assist you, create a network and work toward your goal. It sounds basic, but you can’t skip steps in the process. That’s just good advice for anyone.
For those specifically interested in international economics or law, I would say be patient. The geopolitical landscape is in a state of change right now, at least temporarily. While in the near term that may make jobs scarce and funding for research hard to come by, it also presents an opportunity to explore new issues, new data and a new way of viewing the field that would not otherwise be present. If anything, the current state of global affairs will only emphasize the importance of international trade law and economics in the years to come.
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