Economics, M.S. Program
Program Description
The MS in Economics combines a thorough grounding in modern economic theory with training in applied skills, informed by data analysis. It is the integration of all these elements that is powerful and distinctive; students not only master statistical methods and programming but, crucially, learn to interpret findings through the lens of economic theory. The program enables students to identify optimal actions in a variety of contexts, anticipate economic consequences, evaluate the effects of policy changes, understand strategic behavior, and explain and predict market outcomes. Students are prepared for a range of analytical careers through their quantitative skills: an ability to mathematically model and solve complex business and policy problems, as well as an advanced command of statistical tools. They may go on to work in corporate finance and banking, marketing research, consulting, public and non-governmental organization (NGO) administration, research, or teaching. Students declare one (and only one) concentration. The Quantitative Business Modeling concentration permits students to gain exposure to finance, marketing, and business analytics that is valuable in corporate careers, through selected courses in CBE’s business programs. The General Economics concentration is geared to advisory professions, the public sector, or PhD programs.
Career Opportunities
Typical career destinations for professional economists are:
Corporate Finance and Banking • Marketing Research • Consulting • Public and Non-governmental Organization (NGO) Administration • Research • Teaching
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission, students must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and have a grade point average of 2.75 or better over the last 90 quarter units or 60 semester units of their undergraduate program. A student who does not meet the grade point requirements may be admitted at the discretion of the department pending receipt of other evidence of the student’s academic achievement. A student with a three year undergraduate degree may be considered for ‘Conditional Admission’ to the MS Economics program, which requires successful completion of a set of undergraduate courses prior to taking graduate level courses. The set of courses will be identified by the director of the program at the time of ‘Conditional Admission.’
International students must show English proficiency by posting an official TOEFL score of 580 or above (237 on the Computer-Based TOEFL), or by posting an official transcript showing graduation with a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university, or an international college or university where English is the principal language of instruction, or by an official letter from the college or university certifying that English was the language of instruction.
Students enrolling in the program are expected to have completed the equivalent of MATH 180 and ECON 210 (quantitative methods for economists) or a two-course sequence in calculus; STAT 100 or equivalent; and at least one course in intermediate micro-economics and one course in intermediate macro-economics. Students who have not completed the Economics prerequisites must demonstrate competency and promise for quantitative graduate work in other ways to the satisfaction of the Program Director and the Department Chair.
Classification in the Program
There are three levels of advancement for students within the M.S. program: “Conditionally Classified Graduate” standing, “Classified Graduate” standing, and “Advancement to Candidacy.”
Conditionally Classified Graduate Standing
A student who has been admitted to a graduate degree program but who has not satisfied all prerequisite coursework or other requirements such as the MCC-GRADIR- Graduation Requirement in Writing Proficiency [GRADUATE] (GDRP) is a “Conditionally Classified Graduate” student. A student may be admitted to a graduate degree program as a “Conditionally Classified” graduate student upon:
- submission of a written application, with required supporting documents, to the Admissions Office declaring an intent to pursue the M.S. degree in Economics;
- acceptance by the department; and
- completion of other appropriate requirements as specified in the Admission/Graduate chapter in this catalog.
Classified Graduate Standing
A student who has been admitted to the M.S. program by meeting the requirements established in item 1 above; has fulfilled all prerequisite coursework and other requirements such as the University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR); and has a strong background in economics may begin as a “Classified Graduate” student. Students admitted into the program but lacking such background will be designated as “Conditionally Classified Graduate” students until deficiencies are made up and they are recommended for “Classified Graduate” standing by the department. The student must have satisfied the University Writing Skills Requirement (UWSR) to become a “Classified Graduate” student. For more information on meeting the University Writing Skills Requirement, contact the Testing Office at (510) 885-3661.
Advancement to Candidacy
To be Advanced to Candidacy in the M.S. program a student must:
- be a “Classified Graduate” student in good standing;
- have filed an approved program of study with the department;
- have completed at least 8 semester units in Economics, considered applicable by the department toward the M.S. degree requirements, in residence at Cal State East Bay; and
- have been recommended for Advancement to Candidacy by the department.
Requirements for Graduation
To be eligible for the M.S. degree in economics a student must:
- have been Advanced to Candidacy
- have completed at least 32 semester units of graduate work as indicated in (C) below, of which:
- all must have been earned within the five years just preceding the completion of the requirements for the degree;
- not fewer than 24 units must have been completed in residence;
- all units must have been in Economics courses in the 600-699 series or approved courses in the QBM concentration as specified below, unless an exception is granted by the Program Director in writing;
- each course must have a grade of “C” or better and all 32 or more units must result in at least a 3.00 GPA;
- have completed a satisfactory program of study (16 units of core classes and at least 12 units in one of two concentrations) as approved by the department and the graduate coordinator. (See required courses in the Major Requirements section of this catalog.)
Program Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with a Master in Science in Economics will be able to:
- Generate solutions to economic optimization problems under constraints.
- Construct equilibria in models of strategic behavior.
- Identify and apply appropriate empirical techniques for estimation problems.
- Estimate models informed by economic theory using specialized software for data analysis.
Economics Degree Requirements (32 units)
Core Courses
The following 16 units are required:
Concentrations
Students must select one (1) of the following concentrations for 12 units to fulfill the program requirements:
IMPORTANT: It is not possible for one student to take both concentrations, General Economics requires a special research course that is only open to students in that concentration. If a student takes this class for credit, he or she is in General Economics; if not, then he or she is in Quantitative Business Modeling (QBM) and must complete electives from the QBM list.
