ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE M.A. DEGREE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE M.A. DEGREE

The Master of Arts degree may be obtained by following the Master's program of study with thesis; it can also be earned by students in the Ph.D. program upon completion of certain Ph.D. requirements; or it can be earned by following the Applied Economics track. In addition, an M.A. can be obtained through the Law and Economics track. The requirements for the each of the M.A. programs follow.

M.A. in Applied Economics

The curriculum for a Master of Arts in Applied Economics is customized to suit the needs of a graduate student pursuing a career as an economist for a business or financial institution, government agency, or as a senior manager who must analyze external economic forces affecting a firm and factor them into corporate decisions. The program combines economic theory with quantitative skills and training it provides is useful for corporations and financial institutions in their economic decision-making. A rigorous framework is established for the study of government policy and the growing openness of the U.S. economy to foreign competition. Necessary concepts are developed from the basics, but at a more deliberate pace than in a Ph.D. program. Since many candidates in this program prefer to pursue the degree while being employed, many courses are scheduled for evening hours.

Students take three required core courses in economics that form the building blocks for further study and analysis in economics. Another three required courses provide applied training in econometrics and microeconomic analysis. Six additional courses are needed to complete the degree, two of which must be 6000 level courses. Some courses are offered in sequence which means they are not offered every semester.

Required Core Courses:

ECO 5350 Introductory Econometrics
ECO 6381 Economic Analysis I (microeconomics)
ECO 6382 Economic Analysis II (macroeconomics)

Required Applied Economics Courses: (3 out of 4)

ECO 5375 Business and Economic Forecasting
ECO 5385 Data Mining Techniques for Economist
ECO 6352 Applied Econometric Analysis
ECO 6383 New Approaches to Managerial Economics
 

Six of the following Courses (two of which must be 6000 level):

ECO 5337 Urban Economics
ECO 5340 Decision Making Under Uncertainty
ECO 5341 Strategic Behavior
ECO 5353 Law and Economics
ECO 5357 Economics of Human Resources
ECO 5360 Economic Development in the Third World
ECO 5365 Public Finance
ECO 5370 Cost Benefit Analysis
ECO 6320 Applied Monetary Theory and Policy
ECO 6330 Exchange Rates and International Capital Markets
ECO 6331 International Trade
ECO 6333 Trade Policy and the World Trading System
ECO 6337 Emerging Markets
ECO 6339 Topics in International Economics

Credit Hours: Every students must earn at least 36 term credit hours of an approved program of study. This plan does not require a Master’s Thesis or Master papers. A comprehensive final exam is required.

Grade Point Average: All courses must be completed with a grade of C (2.00) or better, and a B (3.00) average over all the courses taken in the program.

Admission Requirements: A graduate course in economics at the MBA level may be substituted for the 12 hours undergraduate training in economics required for the Ph.D. program. In addition, three hours of calculus and three hours of statistics are necessary for admission requirements. GMAT scores may be submitted instead of the GRE scores if the applicant desires.

This curriculum is designed for students who wish to deepen their understanding of the changing global economic environment. Equal emphasis is placed on theory and practice in international economics. All of the entrance requirements for the MA in Economics-Applied Track hold for this track. Students take three core courses in economic and quantitative analysis that are the building blocks for further study and analysis in economics. The three required international courses provide students with the necessary background in theory and practice of international trade, finance, and policy. Students can pursue special interests in international economics through elective courses.

ECO 5350 Introductory Econometrics
ECO 6381 Economic Analysis I (microeconomics)
ECO 6382 Economic Analysis II (macroeconomics)

ECO 6330 Exchange Rates and International Capital Markets
ECO 6331 International Trade
ECO 6333 Trade Policy and the World Trading System

ECO 5360 Economic Development in the Third World
ECO 5370 Cost Benefit Analysis
ECO 5375 Business and Economic Forecasting
ECO 5385 Data Mining Techniques for Economist
ECO 6337 Emerging Markets
ECO 6339 Topics in International Economics
ECO 6352 Applied Econometric Analysis
 

Electives: Nine hours (three courses) of free electives

Credit Hours: Every student must earn at least 36 term credit hours of an approved program of study. All of the entrance requirements for the MA in Economics - Applied Track hold for the International Economics and Policy Track. This plan does not require a Master’s Thesis or Masters papers. A final comprehensive exam is required.

Grade Point Average: All courses must be completed with a grade of C (2.00) or better, and a B (3.00) average over all the courses taken in the program.

This degree is designed for those students admitted to the School of Law who wish to have further training in economics. The program is useful both for those who do not plan to practice law after graduation as well as for those who anticipate representing clients in legal matters that engage complex economic and quantitative issues. In addition, the program is designed to investigate the differences and similarities between economic and legal reasoning and to provide an alternative perspective on law and society.

Students are admitted separately into the law school and the M.A. program in the economics department. The first year of the program consists entirely of law school courses, and students may apply for admission into the joint degree plan at any time during their first year of law school.

ECO 5341 Strategic Behavior
ECO 5350 Introductory Econometrics
ECO 5353 Law and Economics
ECO 6352 Applied Econometric Analysis
ECO 6381 Economic Analysis I
ECO 6383 New Approaches to Managerial Economics

Credit Hours: Once admitted to the joint program, the Law School will accept six hours of economics credit toward the J.D. degree and the economics department will accept nine hours of law toward the M.A. degree. Thus, the entire program requires 111 hours. The economics curriculum consists of six required courses (18 hours) and three electives in economics (9 hours). Students who attend at least one summer session can complete the program with one additional semester in residence. Those who have received the J.D. degree are encouraged to apply for the program, although law school credit cannot be granted after the J.D. degree is conferred. This plan does not require a Master's thesis or Master's papers. A final exam is required.

Grade Point Average: All courses must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better, and with an overall B (3.0) cumulative average maintained in the degree program.

M.A. with Thesis

Required Courses: Each of the courses, ECO 6371 (Introduction to Quantitative Economics), ECO 6384 (Microeconomic Theory I), and ECO 6394 (Macroeconomics Theory I), must be completed with a grade of C or better.

Credit Hours: Every student must earn at least 30 semester credit hours in an approved program of study with the possibility of no more than six credit hours from another institution. No credit will be allowed toward a Master's degree for courses taken more than six years before the date on which the degree is to be conferred.

Grade Point Average: Every student must maintain at least a cumulative B (3.0) average over courses taken in the degree program.

Thesis and Master's Papers: A student must submit either a Master's thesis or two approved Master's papers.

Qualifying Examination: Upon completion of the course work and the acceptance of the thesis or the papers, the student must pass an oral examination given by a faculty committee.

Residency: A residency of at least nine months in the regular sessions or the full equivalent of this residence period in the summer.

M.A. in Conjunction with Ph.D.

Students pursuing a Ph.D. program are qualified to receive the M.A. degree after having fulfilled the following requirements: a) passing the written qualifying examination in Microeconomic Theory, and Macroeconomic Theory; b) completing 30 semester hours of courses in their program.