Degree Title and Name:  Master of Arts in Economics

Program Name and Number:  Economics – MA4221

Department/Unit:  Economics

Delivery Mode:  Athens Campus

Term(s) of Entry:  Fall

Program Overview:  The program mission is to provide students with rigorous quantitative and analytical skills to find a career in the public/private sector or pursue a Ph.D. degree in economics. The program emphasizes practical applications of economic theory. It is organized to provide students with analytical tools by which they can use to solve many economic problems existing in the real world.  The program provides students with practical econometric skills that are popularly used in both private and public sectors.

All academic requirements can be completed within 12 months, beginning in the fall semester and ending in August of the following year.

Program Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to apply

1. Critical thinking
   • Apply economic analysis to evaluate everyday problems
   • Apply economic analysis to evaluate specific policy proposals
2. Quantitative reasoning skill
   • Understand how to use empirical evidence to evaluate an economic argument
   • Obtain or collect relevant data using specific research methods
   • Interpret statistical results
   • Perform appropriate statistical analysis of data
   • Develop deeper quantitative thinking skills
3. Problem-solving skills
   • Analyze problems that have clear solutions
   • Propose solutions for problems that do not have clear answers
4. Communication skills
   • Communicate effectively in written or spoken form about specific economic issues
   • Develop a well-organized written argument that states a hypothesis
   • Present an economic argument orally

Opportunities for Graduates:

1. Research Analyst: Research and analyze economic issues
2. Financial manager: Analyze monetary aspects of a company/organization
3. Policy analyst: Collect and compile data related to the economy, analyze them, recommend policies to social and political groups
4. College instructor

Link to Program: http://www.ohio.edu/economics/g_index.html

Graduation Requirements:

Complete a minimum of 36 credit hours in nine courses as follows, with no grade below a “C”:

• Core courses: Mathematical Economics and Statistics (Econ 6003), Advanced Microeconomic Theory I (Econ 6030), Advanced Microeconomic Theory II (Econ 6031), Advanced Macroeconomic Theory I (Econ 6040), Advanced Macroeconomic Theory II (Econ 6041), Econometrics I (Econ 6350), Applied Econometrics (Econ 6380)
• An elective course in any given area in economics (examples include International Trade, Money and Banking, and Monetary Economics)
• Capstone project course: Master’s Seminar (Econ 6960) or Master’s Thesis (Econ 6950)
• Students taking the normal load of four courses per term in Fall and Spring semester and a capstone course in summer complete the program in 12 months. The final course is a capstone project that measures the overall knowledge of students in the field of study. Two advisors will supervise the student. Students are required to submit a proposal first.

Culminating Experience:

All students writing a master’s paper/thesis are required to submit a proposal first.

In reviewing the proposal, the committee examines if the student has:

1. Developed a testable hypothesis on the basis of theory.
2. Conducted a review of literature related to the hypothesis at hand.
3. Developed a testable model to examine the hypothesis empirically.
4. Gathered the data needed or knows where to go to gather the data.

The proposal must have an organizational structure and a clear focus throughout.

The master’s seminar paper should:

1. Be clearly written with ideas are presented effectively. Sentences should be grammatically correct, and paragraphs and subheadings should be appropriate.
2. Have an introduction that overviews the conceptual and theoretical issues related to the study hypothesis.
3. Demonstrate outstanding critical thinking.
4. Use econometric methods correctly to test the hypothesis.
5. Give empirical findings clearly aligned with study hypothesis and the data analytic plan. Tables should be well integrated and discussed in the section. The results should be well explained and justified.
6. Explain conclusions that can be drawn from the empirical findings.

If a student chooses to write a thesis, in addition to the above criteria, the student must make an oral presentation and defend before an audience of students and faculty.

Upon a student’s completion of the master’s seminar, each member of the committee will complete an assessment form in order to evaluate the student’s achievement. The student receives a score from 1 to 3 in each of the six measurement units listed above with 1 being Limited, 2 Acceptable, and 3 Excellent. Upon approval, the student will receive a CR for the course. The maximum number of master’s seminar/thesis hours credited to the degree is 4.

Admission Requirements:

Unconditional Admission

Students should ideally have some undergraduate training that includes courses in the social sciences, mathematics, and statistics. Ultimately, your undergraduate program must be approved by the department admissions committee before you begin graduate work.

A complete application requires:

• U.S. bachelor’s equivalent degree from an accredited degree-granting institution.
• The equivalent of a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a scale of 4.0 is required.
• Minimum requirement of English proficiency for international students: TOEFL 550 (or 80 on the iBT, or 6.5 or greater across on all bands of the IELTS). Test results of TOEFL 525 (or 70 on the iBT, or 6.0 or greater across on all bands of the IELTS) will also be acceptable, but the student will not be eligible for funding consideration.
• Official copies of all transcripts and graduation diploma and bachelor’s degree certificate are required in English and native language. These documents should be issued by the degree granting university.
• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE test results (recommended)
• Resume
• Personal statement outlining career objectives
• A completed online application form

The application deadline is March 1. No separate form is required to apply for funding.

Conditional Admission

Domestic applicants whose GPA is marginally below 3.0 may be considered for admission, provided that their other credentials are satisfactory. They are required to submit the test results of GRE (150 or better on verbal, 150 or better on quantitative, 3.0 or better on analytical). All other requirements for admission are the same as for unconditional admission.

International Students: This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.