Department of Economics
Requirements for the Master of Arts/Doctor of Philosophy in Economics
The Department of Economics offers an integrated program of study that leads to both a Master of Arts in Applied Economics and a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics for well-qualified applicants with a baccalaureate degree in economics. Within this 81 credit hour program the student completes all of the requirements of Option 1 of the M.A. program in Applied Economics and the requirements of the 63 credit hour Ph.D. program outlined below. Courses marked (*) below fulfill the requirements for the 35 hour M.A. degree program.
Courses in Economic Theory and Mathematical Economics (15 hours)
- *ECO 619 Mathematical Economics (3)
- *ECO 641 Microeconomics I (3)
- *ECO 646 Macroeconomics I (3)
- *ECO 741 Advanced Mathematical Economics (3) (M.A. elective)
- *ECO 742 Advanced Microeconomics I (3) (substitutes for M.A. requirement ECO 642)
Required Courses in Econometrics (17 hours)
- *ECO 643 Econometric Methods (3)
- *ECO 644 Econometric Theory (3)
- *ECO 745 Advanced Econometric Theory (3) (M.A. elective)
- ECO 761 Advanced Econometrics I (2)
- ECO 762 Advanced Econometrics II (2)
- ECO 763 Applied Econometrics (4)
Required Research Methods (12 hours)
- *ECO 721 Empirical Microeconomics (4)
- *ECO 725 Data Methods in Economics (3)
- *ECO 726 Data Project in Economics (3)
- either *ECO 731 Applied Policy Methods (2)
- or *ECO 732 Appraising Economics (2)
Required Courses in Applied Economic Theory (8 hours)
- Students are required to take four courses from the following:
- ECO 754 Applied Theory I: Game Theory (2)
- ECO 755 Applied Theory II: Information Economics (2)
- ECO 756 Applied Theory III: Intertemporal Economics (2)
- ECO 757 Applied Theory IV: Public Goods (2)
- ECO 758 Applied Theory V: Directed Study (2)
Required Empirical Field Courses (8 hours)
- Students must complete at least eight (8) hours chosen from:
- ECO 771 Labor Economics (4)
- ECO 772 Public Economics (4)
- ECO 773 Health Economics (4)
- ECO 775 Independent Field Course (4)
Required Supervised independent field research (9 hours)
- Students must complete research seminars ECO 797 (3) and 798 (6).
Comprehensive Examinations
As a requirement for the M.A. degree, every student must successfully complete the comprehensive examination in economic theory and econometrics after their first semester of coursework. That examination is described more fully in the description of the M.A. program.
For the Ph.D. degree, every student is required to successfully complete a qualifying examination in economic theory and econometrics after completion of the PhD core. The qualifying examinations are administered in the summer after completion of the first year of coursework, and students who do not pass either examination may retake it once in the following December.
Ph.D. students must also pass a written and oral preliminary examination administered by their dissertation committee before being admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree and before registering for dissertation credit. The preliminary examination is administered after the student has completed the required field courses.
Dissertation Research (12 hours)
Each candidate for a doctoral degree must prepare and present a dissertation that reflects an independent investigation of an economic topic that is acceptable in form and content to the student’s advisory/dissertation committee and The Graduate School.