Program: Economics, M.A. - Columbia Campus

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to engage in effective business communication, with competencies demonstrated for both oral and written communication.

Students will be able to use specialized expertise in a functional area or domain area to address complex business or economic issues.

Students will examine the role of quantitative data in managerial decision making. They will understand the importance and roles of different types of data (financial, economic, accounting, etc.) Utilize appropriate format for presentation of data.

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 100 on the iBT exam, at least 600 paper-based exam, or 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. Students must have completed a Bachelor’s degree before enrolling in the MA program. Students must also have passed prerequisite courses in principles of economics and basic calculus before enrolling in the program. Please visit the Darla 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 Economics track or the Financial Economics track. Within the Economics track, 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. The Financial Economics track requires 30 credit hours of coursework.

In the first year of the program, all MA students must complete the four core courses listed below. Elective courses and thesis hours will depend on the track selected, and whether the thesis or non-thesis option is chosen, as specified below.

Economics Track

Non-Thesis Option

With this option, in addition to the 4 core courses, a total of 6 three-credit-hour elective courses must be taken. Up to three elective courses can be taken outside the department. All coursework must be completed within two years of passing the comprehensive exam and not later than six years after entering the program.

Thesis Option

With this option, in addition to the 4 core courses, a total of 4 three-credit-hour elective courses and 6 credit hours of thesis preparation must be taken. Up to two elective courses can be taken outside the department. 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.

Note:

For both option A and B, at least one of the Economics electives must be at the 700-level or above.

Financial Economics Track

Students in the Financial Economics Track take 6 three-credit hour courses in addition to the four core courses listed above. All coursework must be completed within two years of passing the comprehensive exam and not later than six years after entering the program.

Of the six courses, there are two required courses:

Electives

The other courses will be chosen from finance courses at the 700-level or above, with approval by the academic advisor. Exceptions will be at the discretion of the advisor.

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Economics, M.A.