Mar 28, 2024  
2011-2012 General Catalog 
    
2011-2012 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

Economics, MA


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Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

Department of Economics and Finance

 

Economics MS/MA


Introduction

The Master of Science (MS) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees in Economic Theory offered through the Department of Economics and Finance, Huntsman School of Business, are primarily intended to prepare students for subsequent doctoral study in Economics. Consequently, students are required to take the same first-year core theory and econometrics courses as the PhD students.  Students that choose to do an MA are required to satisfy the foreign language requirement by earning an additional 15 credits in the study of a foreign language.

Our graduates in Economics are well prepared to continue their studies at the doctoral level.  Graduates have recently continued their studies at a variety of institutions, including Brown University, the University of Oregon, Harvard Law School, University of California at Irvine, and George Mason University.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the master’s program in the Department of Economics and Finance requires a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (4.0 = A) for the last 60 semester credits earned prior to applying for the program.  Educational requirements include a bachelor’s degree, courses in intermediate microeconomic theory, econometrics/statistics, and mathematical economics/calculus. A student whose prior academic performance warrants admission, although some of these courses have not been taken, may be admitted provisionally.  Such a student will be required to make up deficiencies by enrolling in appropriate courses prior to beginning the master’s program.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required.  GRE scores should be included with the application.  Scores must be at or above the 40th percentile for both the quantitative and verbal portions of the examination.  A TOEFL score is also required of all students whose native tongue is not English.  Application forms and more information about application requirements (such as GRE and TOEFL scores) can be found online at http://www.usu.edu/graduateschool/ or by phoning 435-797-1189. 

Program Requirements

A student must earn a minimum of 30 credits above a bachelor’s degree for Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (research paper), or 33 credits for Plan C (coursework only).  For Plan A students, these credit requirements include a minimum of 6 (maximum of 15) thesis research credits. For Plan B students, these credit requirements include a minimum of 2 (maximum of 3) thesis research credits. The thesis or Plan B paper is typically completed by the end of the second fall semester or the end of the second spring semester. 

The Plan of Study (POS) is as follows:

 

First Fall Semester (12 credits)                      First Spring Semester (12 credits)

ECN 7230                                                     ECN 7240 

ECN 7130                                                     ECN 7140 

ECN 7350                                                     ECN 7360     

ECN 7310                                                     ECN 7320 

 

Additional 6000-level courses or thesis credits as required; dependent upon choice of Plan A, B or C.

Financial Assistance

The Department of Economics and Finance offers a number of one-year, $9,000 assistantships.  An assistantship also comes with a waiver of the out-of-state portion of tuition.  In addition, students have the opportunity to enroll in the university’s health care program with Blue Cross/Blue Shield at a subsidized rate.  Note that the assistantship is competitive.  A GRE score of 700 or above on the quantitative portion of the exam is generally required in order to be competitive for a departmental assistantship.  The Huntsman School of Business also offers several graduate scholarships.  GRE scores at the 70th percentile on both the verbal and quantitative parts of the exam are required in order to be considered for these scholarships. Your completed application automatically places you in the pool for both assistantships and scholarships.  You should apply by March 15th to be considered for a scholarship. 

Application Information

To apply, go to http://www.usu.edu/graduateschool/ and begin the application process by clicking on the Future Students link near the middle of the screen.  From there you’ll be able to navigate through the application process, and you will also find more information about the requirements for successfully completing your application.  The general application deadline is June 30th.  However, early application will increase your chance of receiving a departmental assistantship.

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