Advancement to Candidacy

Associateships

Courses Acceptable on Master's Degree Programs in Economics

Faculty

General Information

Scholarships

Specific Requirements for the Master of
Arts Degree

Faculty

Associateships

Graduate associateships in economics are available to a limited number of qualified students. Application forms and additional information may be obtained from the graduate adviser of the Department of Economics.

Scholarships

Annually the Center for Public Economics awards the $1000 Henry Cramer scholarship, the $300 Leonard Chadwick scholarship, the $600 Sidney Evans scholarship, the $300 Louis Freeman scholarship, the $600 Henry George scholarship, the $500 Walter Weiss scholarship, and a general $500 scholarship.

General Information

The Department of Economics offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts degree in Economics. After completing the core analytical courses, students may elect general economic applications or focus on (1) microeconomic behavior and public economics or (2) macroeconomic performance and development policy. Courses in the graduate program are designed to provide advanced training in economics both for students who plan to terminate their graduate studies at the master's level and for those who plan additional graduate studies leading to the doctoral degree in economics or related fields. Special research facilities include the Center for Public Economics and the Social Science Research Laboratory of the College.

Admission to Graduate Study

General requirements for admission to the University with classified graduate standing are described in Part Two of this bulletin. In addition, the graduate committee of the department must judge the applicant capable of graduate work in economics. The committee's judgment will be based on (1) the applicant's transcripts of prior academic work; (2) three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic ability; and (3) the applicant's scores on the GRE General Test (combined verbal and quantitative). The letters of reference should be addressed directly to the graduate adviser of the Department of Economics. Official transcripts must be received by the Admissions Office directly from the institutions attended. All documents should be on file by June 30 for fall admission and by November 30 for spring admission. Normally students should attempt to enter for fall semester.

Applicants will be expected to have completed undergraduate courses in mathematical economics, intermediate micro and macro theory, and econometrics. Applicants whose preparation in economics and mathematics is judged inadequate by the graduate committee may be admitted with conditional graduate standing (classified). Students so admitted will be required to remove the deficiency by satisfactory performance on placement examinations or by additional coursework within an amount of time specified by the graduate adviser.

Advancement to Candidacy

In addition to the general requirements to candidacy described in Part Two of this bulletin, the student must have satisfactorily completed Economics 610, 620, 630, and 640 with a GPA of 3.0 and no grade less than a B-.

At the time of advancement to candidacy, students selecting Plan A must have a thesis proposal including an oral defense approved by the department graduate committee.

Specific Requirements for the Master of
Arts Degree

(Major Code: 22041)

In addition to meeting the requirements for classified graduate standing and the basic requirements for the master's degree described in Part Two of this bulletin, the student must complete an approved graduate program of at least 30 units. Each program must include Economics 610, 620, 630, and 640. No program may contain more than a combined total of six units of 500-level economics courses or approved courses outside economics.

Written comprehensive examinations covering the core fields of mathematical economics, macroeconomics, microeconomics, and econometrics are required for Plan B students. Students selecting Plan A must include Economics 799A in their program and complete a master's thesis. No program may contain more than six units from Economics 795, 797, 798, and 799A. Students selecting Plan B must take Economics 740A and 740B.

As an alternative to electing a general program, the student may choose to specialize in (1) microeconomic behavior and public economics or (2) macroeconomic and development policy. To specialize in (1) the student would select at least nine units from the seminar topics listed under Economics 700, 710, and 750 below. To specialize in (2) the student would choose at least nine units from Economics 720, 730, and 750. Up to six units may be taken within each seminar number.

Microeconomic Behavior and Public Economics Specialization

Macroeconomic and Development Policy Specialization

Courses Acceptable on Master's Degree Programs in Economics

UPPER DIVISION COURSES

561. International Trade (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 320 and 321.

Theory and policy of international trade with examples drawn from current issues. Models of determinants of trade. Free trade and protectionism. Trade and economic development. Trading blocs, the European community, GATT and U.S. trade policy.

565. North American Economic Relations (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 101 and 102. Recommended: Economics 360.

Socioeconomic development of U.S., Mexico, and Canada since World War II. Issues affecting the three countries' relations, including trade investment, technology, and international organizations and agreements.

592. International Monetary Theory and Policy (3)

Prerequisite: Economics 320 or 490.

International monetary spillovers from domestic macroeconomic policies. Foreign exchange markets and balance of payments. Fixed, flexible and managed exchange rates. Bretton Woods, international monetary fund, and world debt crisis.

596. Experimental Topics (3)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Intensive study in specific areas of economics. Topics to be announced in the Class Schedule. Limit of nine units of any combination of 296, 496, 596 courses applicable to a bachelor's degree. Maximum credit of six units of 596 applicable to a bachelor's degree. Maximum combined credit of six units of 596 and 696 applicable to a 30-unit master's degree.

GRADUATE COURSES

603. Economic Analysis (3)

Prerequisite: Classified graduate standing.

Economic analysis of the firm in a market economy and the economics of national income determination. Not open to students with credit for Economics 320 or 321. Not applicable to a master's degree in economics.

610. Mathematical Economics (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 307 and credit or concurrent registration in Economics 320 and 321.

Static and dynamic modeling of linear and nonlinear economic systems. Optimization techniques, matrix algebra, quadratic forms, and difference equations. Cost functions, production functions and duality.

620. Macroeconomic Theory (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 320, 321, and credit or concurrent registration in Economics 610.

Static and dynamic theories of income, employment, and inflation in open and closed economies with emphasis on policy analysis. Alternative theories of investment and consumption and the role of expectations in the short and long run.

630. Microeconomic Theory (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 307, 320, 321, and credit or concurrent registration in Economics 610.

Theories of the consumer, the firm, and the market. Topics in welfare and general equilibrium. Duality and uncertainty.

640. Econometrics (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 341 and 610.

Measurement in economics. Use of economic models involving multiple regression analysis, simultaneous equation systems, and time series analysis.

696. Experimental Topics (3)

Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Intensive study in specific areas of economics. May be repeated with new content. See Class Schedule for specific content. Maximum credit six units applicable to a master's degree. Maximum combined credit of six units of 596 and 696 applicable to a 30-unit master's degree.

700. Seminar in Microeconomic Applications (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 630 or classified graduate standing in another department and consent of instructor.

Microeconomic applications to individual, firm, or government. Maximum credit six units of Economics 700 applicable to a master's degree. See Class Schedule for specific content. Seminar topics include:

Seminar in Industrial Organization and Firm Behavior

Seminar in Labor Economics

Seminar in Economic Issues in Demography

Seminar in Experimental Economics

710. Seminar in Public Economics (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 630 or classified graduate standing in another department and consent of instructor.

Government in a market economy. Impact on individual and firm behavior. Maximum credit six units of Economics 710 applicable to a master's degree. See Class Schedule for specific content. Seminar topics include:

Seminar in Environmental Issues

Seminar in Public Expenditures

Seminar in Urban and Regional

Seminar in Regulation

Seminar in Tax Policy

720. Seminar in Development and Planning (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 620 or classified standing in another department and consent of instructor.

Development process and policies. Planning techniques. Relations among developing and developed countries. Maximum credit six units of Economics 720 applicable to a master's degree. See Class Schedule for specific content. Seminar topics include:

Seminar in Development Economics

Seminar in Development Planning

Seminar in International Trade and Commercial Policy

730. Seminar in Macroeconomic Policy (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 620, credit or concurrent registration in Economics 640, or classified standing in another department, and consent of instructor.

Applications of macroeconomics to open economics. Maximum credit six units of Economics 730 applicable to a master's degree. See Class Schedule for specific content. Seminar topics include:

Seminar in National Monetary Institutions

Seminar in International Monetary Policy

Seminar in Business Cycles

Seminar in Macroeconomic Modeling and Prediction

740A. Seminar in Applied Economic Research (3)

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy and 15 units credit from the approved program, including Economics 610, 620, 630, and 640. Concurrent registration in Economics 740B.

Advanced treatment of research design and methodology. Application of empirical techniques to selected problems.

740B. Workshop in Applied Economics Research (3)

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy and 15 units credit from the approved program, including Economics 610, 620, 630, and 640. Concurrent registration in Economics 740A.

Application of economic research techniques. Each student will choose, develop, and present an original research project.

750. Seminar in Economic History and Institutions (3)

Prerequisites: Economics 620, credit or concurrent registration in Economics 640, or classified graduate standing in another department, and consent of instructor.

Economic development in historical perspective. Maximum credit six units of Economics 750 applicable to a master's degree. See Class Schedule for specific content. Seminar topics include:

Seminar in U.S. Economic History

Seminar in Economic Growth in Historical Perspective

Seminar in Contemporary Economic Systems

795. Internship in Economics (3) Cr/NC

Prerequisites: Economics 610, 620, 630, 640 and approval of graduate adviser.

Students will be assigned to various jobs in which economics theory can be applied to decision making. Supervision will be shared by the graduate adviser and on-the-job supervisor.

797. Research (3) Cr/NC/SP

Prerequisites: Classified graduate standing and consent of instructor.

Independent research project in an area of economics.

798. Special Study (1-3) Cr/NC/SP

Prerequisite: Consent of staff; to be arranged with department chair and instructor.

Individual study. Maximum credit six units applicable to a master's degree.

799A. Thesis (3) Cr/NC/SP

Prerequisites: An officially appointed thesis committee and advancement to candidacy.

Preparation of a project or thesis for the master's degree.

799B. Thesis Extension (0) Cr/NC

Prerequisite: Prior registration in Thesis 799A with an assigned grade symbol of SP.

Registration required in any semester or term following assignment of SP in Course 799A in which the student expects to use the facilities and resources of the university; also student must be registered in the course when the completed thesis is granted final approval.