Columbia Campus

Sep 09, 2024

2014-2015 Graduate Studies Bulletin

HELP

2014-2015 Graduate Studies Bulletin [Archived Catalog]

Economics, M.A.

(opens a new window) |

Admission	Department of Economics
Degree Requirements	Moore School of Business
Learning Outcomes

The Master of Arts in Economics program prepares the student for a career as a professional economist in business and government and/or for further graduate work in the field of economics. Prior degree work in economics is not required.

Admission

Requirements for admission to the program conform to the general regulations of The Graduate School and the accreditation standards of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International). Applicants submit the Moore School of Business application, an official transcript of their complete academic record and competitive scores on the GRE or GMAT.

International applicants whose native language is not English are also required to submit a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or the IELTS International Academic Course Type 2 Exam. Otherwise-qualified candidates are required to achieve a TOEFL score of at least iBT of 100 or 600 paper-based or a score of at least 7.0 on the IELTS exam. The TOEFL is not required of international students who have a degree from an American college or university.

New students are admitted in the fall semester only. Please visit the Moore School of Business website for admissions information.

Degree Requirements (30 Hours)

The M.A. in economics normally takes three full semesters of work. Each student must complete 30 credit hours, successfully complete a comprehensive exam, and maintain a B average (3.00) in the program. The student may elect the thesis option or non-thesis option. The thesis option requires 24 credit hours of coursework and a 6-credit hour thesis. The non-thesis option requires 30 credit hours of coursework.

At the beginning of the first semester, the student must construct a program of study and choose the thesis or non-thesis option. At least half of all coursework (excluding thesis hours) must be at the 700-800 level. In the first year of the program, all M.A. students must take the four core courses listed below. Elective courses and thesis hours will depend on whether the thesis or non-thesis option is selected, as specified below. M.A. students may wish to construct a program of study around the Moore School strengths in International Economics, Economics of Sustainability, or Development Economics.

The program of study (and any subsequent changes) must be approved by the graduate coordinator, the associate dean and director of graduate programs, and the dean of The Graduate School.

1. Core Courses in Economic Theory and Quantitative Methods

ECON 711 - Applied Microeconomics|
ECON 712 - Applied Macroeconomics|
STAT 700 - Applied Statistics I|
ECON 594 - Introduction to Econometrics|

2. The Thesis Option (12 credit-hours of coursework plus 6 credit-hours of thesis preparation)

A total of 4 three-credit-hour, elective courses and 6 credit-hours of thesis preparation must be taken. Elective courses may be chosen from a variety of offerings both within and outside the department. Students pursuing this option may take up to two courses outside the department.

At the appropriate time, a thesis committee will be appointed by the graduate coordinator with the approval of the department chair. The committee must consist of at least two faculty members. The student must defend orally a written proposal to this committee. The student must present and successfully defend a completed thesis that gives evidence of mature research within two years of passing the comprehensive exam and not later than six years after entering the program.

3. The Non-Thesis Option (18 credit-hours of coursework)

With this option, a total of 6 three-credit-hour, elective courses must be taken by the student. Elective courses may be chosen from a variety of offerings both within and outside the department. Students pursuing this option may take up to three courses outside the department. All course work must be complete within two years of passing the comprehensive exam and not later than six years after entering the program.

Back to Top | (opens a new window) |

All © 2024 Columbia Campus.

Powered by the .