Economics, M.S.

Program Specific Degree Requirements

A minimum of 18 hours in economics is required; at least 15 of these must be at the 5000 level. A basic core sequence of ECON 5010  (macro), ECON 5390  (math micro), ECON 5530  (computational), ECON 5230  (econometrics), and ECON 5300  (game theory) is required, which completes 15 hours of 5000-level courses, which is required.

The student must complete 26 hours of coursework and 4 hours of ECON 5960 - Thesis Research  for the Plan A option. The student must complete 30 hours of coursework and a shorter paper for the Plan B option.

Students may take 4000-level courses for graduate credit up to 6 hours.

A maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate coursework not used toward any other degree from another institution may be applied to the M.S. economics program subject to regulations regarding transfer of credit listed in this bulletin and with the approval of the director of graduate studies.

At the beginning of the third semester, the student selects a major professor who directs the Plan A or Plan B research. A graduate committee, nominated by the major professor, the student, and the department chair, conducts an oral examination of the student on the paper or thesis and area he/she has studied in the program. A favorable report by the committee and approval by the Office of the Registrar complete the degree requirements.

The majority of students complete the M.S. degree within two years.

QuickStart Master of Science in Economics

UW undergraduates can complete the M.S. degree in just one year after completing their B.S. degree if they apply to the QuickStart M.S. program in their junior year. To be eligible, students must have (and maintain) a cumulative GPA of 3.200 or better as well as an Economics GPA of 3.200 or better. They are also required to take the GRE by the fall of their senior year and score above 300 combined on the verbal and quantitative sections combined. Admission to the QuickStart program allows students to double-count 6 credits of courses taken as an undergraduate towards both the B.S. and M.S. degrees, and reserve an additional 6 credits of courses taken as an undergraduate towards the M.S. degree alone. This then leaves only 18 credits to be taken after completion of the B.S. degree, which is feasible in just one year.