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. 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. Student’s 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 50th percentile for the verbal portion of the examinations and above the 60th percentile for the quantitative portion. A TOEFL score is also required of all students whose native tongue is not English. Application forms and more information about application requirements 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 students (thesis), these credit requirements include a minimum of 6 thesis research credits. For Plan B students, these credit requirements include a minimum of 3 thesis research credits.
The Plan of Study (POS) is as follows:
FALL SEMESTER
Required
APEC 7350 - Mathematical Economics I (taught two weeks prior to beginning of semester)
ECN 7310 - Econometrics I
Electives
ECN 5300 - Industrial Organization-Game Theory
ECN 5500 - Public Finance (CI)
SPRING SEMESTER
Required
APEC 7360 - Mathematical Economics II
ECN 6000 - Macroeconomic Theory I
ECN 7320 - Econometrics II
Electives
ECN 5700 - Economics of Public Choice
APEC 7140 - Microeconomic Theory II
SUMMER SEMESTER
ECN 6970 - Thesis Research
Other elective credits may be substituted with the approval of the student’s graduate committee.
Financial Assistance
Your completed application automatically places you in the pool for both assistantships and scholarships.
The Department of Economics and Finance offers a number of competitive graduate assistantships ranging from $3,200 to $9,000. Non-resident students are eligible to compete for a tuition waiver for 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. A GRE score above the 80th percentile is generally required in order to be competitive for a departmental assistantship.
The Huntsman School of Business also offers several graduate scholarships. A GRE score above the 80th percentile on both the verbal and quantitative parts of the exam is generally required in order to be considered for these scholarships. You should apply by February 17th 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.
For More Information
Randy Simmons, Director of Graduate Programs
Department of Economics and Finance
3565 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322-3565
Phone: 435-797-1310, email: randy.simmons@usu.edu
website: http://huntsman.usu.edu/economicsandfinance/
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