Curriculum Academic Year 2006-2007 PLAN OF STUDY: By the end of the second semester of work in the Masters program (or before enrollment in the 17th credit hour) each student must submit a tentative Plan of Study to the Graduate College. Students meet with the Graduate Advisor to develop their Plan and then submit it to the Department Assistant, who routes it for approval by the Graduate Studies Committee and Graduate College. At the start of the semester of graduation, any changes to the original plan of study must be noted on a copy of the original and initialed by the student, the graduate coordinator and the department head, then submitted to the Graduate College. All courses on the final plan of study must be on the student’s transcript, but not all courses taken during the program need to be on the plan of study. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: The Masters program provides students with a solid background in economic theory and broadens their acquaintance with special subject areas within the discipline. A total of 30 graduate credit hours are required to complete the program with a Thesis. A total of 33 graduate credit hours are required to complete the program with a Research Report/Creative Component. A minimum of 21 total hours must be at the 5000 level. The requirements are as follows: The Theory Core (9 hours) (a) ECON 5123 – Microeconomic Theory I (b) ECON 5133 – Macroeconomic Theory I (c) ECON 5223 – Math Econ Distribution Requirements (9 hours) (a) Public Finance (b) International Economics (c) Economic Development (d) Urban and Regional Economics (e) Labor Economics (f) Industrial Organization (g) Econometrics (h) Monetary Economics A minimum of 3 hours must be taken at the 5000 level in three of the above fields. Electives 12 hours of electives are required if the Statistics requirement was fulfilled prior to enrolling in the graduate program; 9 hours of electives are required if Statistics must be taken; 6 hours of electives are required if a student writes a Thesis instead of a Master’s Report or a Creative Component. ECON 5113 may not be used as an elective by students planning to go into an Economics PhD program. Statistics (3 hours) STAT 5013 is a required course, unless an equivalent course was taken in an undergraduate program. Mathematics MATH 2145 (Calculus I) is required of all graduate students in economics. If this course or its equivalent has not been taken as an undergraduate, it must be taken as a graduate student without graduate credit. It may be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis. Thesis/Research Report/Creative Component The Master's Thesis is similar to a Doctoral Dissertation only less rigorous. The student must select a topic, research and write a critical paper with analyzed results, and then present and defend the paper before the thesis committee and other Departmental faculty. An advisor supervises research and writing. The thesis must conform to the Graduate College Style Manual guidelines. The Thesis, 6 credit hours of ECON 5000, is part of the total of 30 credit hours for graduation. When a student chooses to write a Thesis then only 6 credit hours of electives are required. Research Report/Creative Component is 3 credit hours of ECON 5003 as part of the 33 total credit hours for graduation. It is counted as an elective. The Creative Component is a researched report in the form of a journal article. The report demonstrates the student's ability (a) to examine an economic issue or problem, (b) to review the relevant research and bring to bear data and information dealing with the problem, including methodologicalconsiderations, and (c) to report in a professional format the results of the inquiry. A faculty member approvesthe topic, directs the inquiry and assigns the grade. A grade no less than “B” must be earned for the Creative Component. SEVEN YEAR COMPLETION RULE The Graduate College requires that Masters students complete their program within seven years of the date of first enrollment in the Masters program. The Department also offers a Master's-Applied Option program in which quantitative skills and concentration in a specific area are emphasized. The following requirements must be met for the Applied Option. Prerequisites Intermediate Micro and Macro, Basic Statistics and Calculus I or Business Calculus. Students with weak backgrounds in English composition may be required to complete a course in Technical Writing. Core Requirements (9 hours) (a) ECON 5113 – Managerial Econ or ECON 5123 – Micro Theory I (b) ECON 5033 – Macro Analysis or ECON 5133 – Macro Theory I (c) ECON 5213 – Intro to Econometrics Economics Electives (9 hours) (a) Chosen in accordance with career objectives (b) At least 6 hours at the 5000 level Supporting Electives (12 hours) (a) STAT 5013 (b) Electives in economics or other areas chosen in accordance with career objectives. Research Report/Creative Component (3 hours) The Creative Component report (ECON 5003) has an applied emphasis. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE, EACH STUDENT MUST MEET ALL GRADUATE COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MASTER’S DEGREE.   [ Back ]