College of Science
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Master’s Program in Economics and Statistics
The Master of Science (MS) degree in Economics and Statistics is offered through the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Science (in collaboration with the Department of Applied Economics, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences), is 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.
Our graduates in Economics and Statistics are well-prepared to continue their studies at the doctoral level, particularly in programs with a strong quantitative emphasis. 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 this master’s program 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 previous bachelors (BA or BS) level (or above) courses in intermediate microeconomic theory, econometrics/statistics, and mathematical economics/calculus. Students whose prior academic performance warrants admission, although some of these courses have not been taken, may be admitted provisionally. These students 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 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:
Fall Semester (12 credits)
APEC 7130
APEC 7350
APEC 7310
MATH 5710
Spring Semester (12 credits)
APEC 7140
APEC 7360
APEC 7320
MATH 5720
Second Fall Semester (Plan B and C only)
Additional 6000-level or above economics or mathematics and statistics courses as necessary.
Note: For those Plan B and C students interested in studying Macroeconomic Theory, the Department of Economics and Finance in the Huntsman School of Business offers two courses at the master’s/PhD level (cross-listed as APEC 7240 that can be taken during the Second Fall Semester. Also, the two Math courses taken during the first fall and spring semesters (MATH 5710 and MATH 5720 ) are pre-requisites for higher-level math and statistics courses offered through the Mathematics and Statistics Department. These higher-level math courses can therefore be taken during the Second Fall Semester as well.
For More Information
Arthur J. Caplan
Director of Graduate Programs
Department of Applied Economics
3530 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322-3530
Phone: 435-797-0775, email: arthur.caplan@usu.edu, website: apec.usu.edu
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