The M.A. program in economics provides the opportunity to acquire the basic skills of economic analysis and to apply them in an area of concentration. The curriculum prepares students for careers in administration and research in government and private organizations.
Program of Study (30 credits, minimum)*
Special M.A. Program in Economics
For students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in economics, a master's degree may be awarded after the satisfactory completion of the following:
The Ph.D. program in economics trains highly qualified professional economists for careers in teaching and research in colleges and universities and in research and administration in government and private organizations.
Ordinarily the program of study and research requires at least four academic years of full-time work beyond the baccalaureate. Students take courses in economic theory, econometrics, and in at least two of the following fields of concentration: advanced macroeconomics, advanced microeconomics, econometrics, industrial organization, international economics, labor and income distribution, and public economics.
Requirements for Admission
Applicants must fulfill the general University requirements for admission to doctoral study. An undergraduate major in economics is not essential but applicants are expected to have completed a year sequence in intermediate economic theory, three semesters of calculus, and one semester of linear algebra. For those whose undergraduate training in economics and mathematics is deficient, courses are available during the summer session prior to entering the program.
All applicants for the doctoral program must present official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the verbal, quantitative, and analytical tests. Applicants who are not residents of the United States may be exempted from this requirement by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department if they reside in countries where GRE examinations are not administered. Foreign students whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) administered by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Program of Study and Research (60 credits, minimum)
Students must demonstrate proficiency in economic theory, econometrics, and two fields of concentration. A minimum of 60 credits in graduate credits in economics and supporting fields (as approved by the Department) beyond the baccalaureate are required, including:
Preparation for a field of concentration normally requires a year of coursework at the 700 level or above. With the approval of the Department's Graduate Studies Committee, one of the two fields may be replaced by another appropriate discipline or by a specialization combining economics with a related field. Advanced doctoral students are required to participate in at least one of the three workshops of the department (Eco 800, Eco 801, or Eco 820).
Research Tool Requirement
Students must demonstrate proficiency in either a foreign language or at least one of the research tools used by economists. These include mathematical and quantitative techniques of problem solving and statistical and econometric techniques involving data analysis.
Departmental Qualifying Examinations
The Departmental Qualifying Examination consists of three parts.
The first part, in economic theory, consists of two written examinations covering the subject areas of Economics 600, 601, 700, and 701 and must be taken at the end of the first year in the program. A student must pass the theory examination in order to continue in the Ph.D. program.
The second part, in econometrics, is a written examination normally taken at the end of the second year. This requirement may be waived upon completion of Eco 621 and Eco 720 with grades of B or better.
The third part consists of written examinations in two fields of concentration, normally taken at the end of the second year.
A student who fails any qualifying examination twice may petition the Graduate Studies Committee for permission to retake it.
Full Time Study in Residence
Each student in the Economics doctoral program must complete 9 credits in Ph.D. core or elective courses in each of two semesters (not necessarily consecutive). This requirement is designed to ensure for each student a period of intensive intellectual growth and interaction with other participants in the program.
Admission to Candidacy
A student is admitted to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy having met the following requirements:
The student will select a chair for the Dissertation Committee from the Department in the first semester after passing the qualifying examinations. With the committee chair's advice and approval of the Graduate Studies Committee, the student will select two or three additional members for the committee. A description of the dissertation and the composition of the committee will be filed with the Department.
An oral presentation of the preliminary results of the dissertation will be made at one of the department workshops (Eco 800, 801, or 820).
Before accepting the final draft of the dissertation, the dissertation committee will conduct a public oral examination of the candidate on the dissertation, at a time and place to be announced at least one week in advance.
The dissertation must be approved by a majority of the committee members,
consisting of at least three members of the committee.
Certificate Program in Economic Forecasting
The graduate certificate in economic forecasting is designed to give intensive
training in the techniques of economic forecasting used in the public and private sectors.
The program is aimed at students in the M.A. program in economics, students in other
graduate degree programs, and professional in the field. The courses cover survey methods,
general statistical an econometric methods, time-series models, and forecasting applications
in the public and private sectors.
Requirements for Admission
In addition to the general University requirements for admission to graduate study, applicants
must have sufficient backgrounds in economics, mathematics, and statistics to undertake the program.
Program of Study
The program requires 15 credits of coursework, as follows;
| Eco 519 | Economic Surveys and Forecasting |
| Eco 520 | Quantitative Methods I |
| Eco 521 | Quantitative Methods II |
| Eco 525 | Time Series and Forecasting |
| Eco 529 | Forecasting in the Public Sector |
Students whose previous study or experience allows them to waive a particular course may take an alternative course that complements this program.
Certificate Program in Regulatory Economics
Regulatory economics is one of the traditional fields in economics. Regulatory economics includes both the health effects from certain occupations and the effect of inflation on electricity prices as part of its field of study. Many of these regulations are administered by state government, e.g. gas and electricity prices, telephone prices, cable-TV.
This program will provide needed training for professionals (especially attorneys, engineers, and accountants) employed by the New York State Public Service Commission and other agencies (e.g., the Office of Energy, Department of Environmental Conservation). The courses initiated by the program will serve also as an additional specialization available to students in the Economics M.A. program; M.A. students specializing in other fields of Economics will have the opportunity to broaden their expertise by qualifying for the Certificate as well as the M.A. degree. The same opportunity holds, of course, for other graduate students (e.g., those in Public Administration and the School of Business).
Program of Study
The program requires four specific courses in Economics: