| The MS degree in the Applied Economics Graduate Program prepares
students for employment opportunities in the public and private sector
and for further graduate study. This rigorous but flexible program
includes core coursework in economic theory and quantitative methods
and offers opportunities for specialized coursework and research in all
the fields of study offered by the program.
Applicants for the MS degree should have completed courses in micro
and macroeconomic theory at the intermediate level, basic statistics,
calculus, and linear algebra. Nearly all of the coursework in this
fast-paced program builds on skills in these areas.
Degree Requirements for the MS
The MS program requires completion of at least 30 semester credits.
Of these, at least 14 credits must be in the major field, including a
minimum of 9 credits in Applied Economics (excluding thesis, special
topics, and independent study credits). Also, at least 6 credits must
be in a supporting field or designated minor. Coursework in the
Departments of Applied Economics, Economics and/or Statistics may be
counted in the major field.
Minimum Core Course Requirements
- ApEc 5151: Applied Microeconomics - Firm and Household, 3 credits
- ApEc 5152: Applied Macroeconomics - Income and Employment, 3 credits
- ApEc 5031: Methods of Economic Data Analysis, 3 credits
or
- Stat 5302: Applied Regression Analysis, 4 credits
- ApEc 8901 M.S. Seminar, 1 credit
All core courses must be completed on an A-F grade basis, and the
Graduate School requires that at least two-thirds of the course credits
included on any MS degree program be taken under the A-F grade basis. A
minimum GPA of 3.0 for all program coursework is preferred.
There are two research options - Plan A and Plan B. Under Plan A
students write a thesis and register for 10 credits of ApEc 8777
(thesis credits) at any time during the program. Under Plan B students
do more coursework. Plan B students complete a research project(s) and
register for 4-6 credits of ApEc 8793 at any time during the program.
An MS student completes an oral examination which may be based on
coursework and the research component of the program. This exam is
administered by a three member committee consisting of the student's
advisor (as Chair), one other member of the program’s graduate faculty,
and one member of the graduate faculty from outside the Applied
Economics Graduate Program. There is no written comprehensive
examination in the MS program.
The expected time for completing the MS degree is eighteen to twenty-one months for full-time students.
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