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Graduate Studies

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economics graduate programs.

The graduate program in economics is designed to provide a solid background in theory, quantitative methods and application appropriate to the needs of economists involved in the analysis of domestic and international business and economic conditions, financial analysis, policy analysis, forecasting, simulation and related work. In addition, the program prepares students for further graduate work in economics and related fields.

All applicant need to submit:

Admission is based on grade point average and undergraduate field of study. New economics graduate students will be admitted only to the MS in Economics (non thesis) Program. After completing nine hours of course work in the Master's in Economics Program, a student may submit a written request to the Economics Graduate Program Committee (GPC) to transfer from the MS Program to the MA (thesis) Program. The student's request should state the field of economics s(he) is interested in writing a thesis on and the thesis topic. The student should attach an unofficial graduate transcript, a writing sample, and any other relevant information to the request. The GPC based on its evaluation of the student's potential to complete a quality master's thesis will approve or deny this request. If the GPC denies the student's request to transfer to the MA program, the student may submit a second written request to transfer to the MA program with supporting material to the GPC after s(he) has completed 18 credit hours of course work in the Master's in Economics Degree Program.

Master of Science

The MS program consists of core requirements (15 hours), an elected concentration (9 hours) or a minor, electives (12 hours), and a comprehensive examination in the area of microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics. No thesis is required for the M.S. degree. All courses are three credits.

Total hours required: 36 hours

Each student must complete the core requirements.

Core: 15 hours

  • ECON 8296 Research Methods in Economics and Business
  • ECON 8306 Quantitative Applications in Economics & Business*
  • ECON 8220 Macroeconomic Theory
  • ECON 8200 Microeconomic Theory
  • ECON 8300 Econometrics

*Not required for students demonstrating satisfactory mathematical skills. In that case, add three hours to electives.

Each student may elect a concentration from those suggested below. Concentrations consist of 9 hours of interrelated graduate-level course work.

Concentrations

Business Economics: 9 hours (select three courses)

  • ECON 8160 Seminar in Labor Economics
  • ECON 8210 Managerial Economics
  • ECON 8216 Industrial Organization
  • ECON 8230 Business Conditions Analysis
  • ECON 8310 Forecasting
  • ECON 8346 Economics of Technology
  • ECON 8456 Monetary Theory and Policy
  • ECON 8616 International Trade
  • ECON 8626 International Monetary Economics
  • ECON 8706 Economics of eBusiness
  • ECON 8940 Economic Internship

International Economics: 9 hours (select three courses)

  • ECON 8616 International Trade
  • ECON 8626 International Monetary Economics
  • ECON 8650 Seminar in International Economics
  • ECON 8666 International Economic Development
  • BSAD 8540 Multinational Financial Management

Monetary and Financial Economics: 9 hours (select three courses)

  • ECON 8010 Public Finance
  • ECON 8626 International Monetary Economics
  • ECON 8450 Seminar in Money and Banking
  • ECON 8456 Monetary Theory and Policy
  • BSAD 8530 Banking and Financial Markets

PhD Preparatory: 9 hours (select three courses)

  • ECON 8010 Public Finance
  • ECON 8160 Seminar in Labor Economics
  • ECON 8216 Industrial Organization
  • ECON 8266 History of Economic Thought
  • ECON 8310 Forecasting
  • ECON 8346 Economics of Technology
  • ECON 8450 Seminar in Money and Banking
  • ECON 8456 Monetary Theory and Policy
  • ECON 8600 Health Economics
  • ECON 8616 International Trade
  • ECON 8650 Seminar in International Economics
  • ECON 8626 International Monetary Economics
  • ECON 8666 International Economic Development
  • ECON 8706 Economics of eBusiness

Public Policy Economics: 9 hours (select three courses)

  • ECON 8010 Public Finance
  • ECON 8160 Seminar in Labor Economics
  • ECON 8210 Managerial Economics
  • ECON 8216 Industrial Organization
  • ECON 8230 Business Conditions Analysis
  • ECON 8326 Natural Resource Economics
  • ECON 8346 Economics of Technology
  • ECON 8456 Monetary Theory and Policy
  • BSAD 8566 State and Local Finance
  • ECON 8600 Health Economics
  • ECON 8706 Economics of eBusiness

General Electives: 12 hours

Graduate-level elective courses must be approved by the Economics Program Graduate Advisor.

Master of Arts

The MA program consists of core requirements (15 hours), elective courses as necessary (including six hours of thesis) an oral comprehensive exam and a defense of the thesis.

Total hours required: 30 hours

Core: 15 hours

The core is the same as that described under the MS program.

Elective/s include: ECON 8990 Thesis: 6 hours

Concentrations

Each student may elect a concentration from those suggested above.Concentrations are the same as those described under the M.S. program, with the following additional concentration available for the M.A. program:

Real Estate and Land Use Economics: 18 hours

  • BSAD 8600 Real Estate and Land Use Economic Theory
  • BSAD 8610 Current Problems in Real Estate
  • BSAD 8990 Thesis**: 6 hours
  • Electives: 6 hours **Must be written under the supervision of a member of the RELU program.

Graduate Minor in Economics

The department of Economics offers a graduate minor to students pursuing graduate degrees in other programs at the University of Nebraska. The requirement for the minor is that the student completes a minimum of three graduate courses (9 hours) in economics, receiving a grade of "B" (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better in each course. The courses to be taken for the minor are to be approved both by the student's adviser in the student's major subject and by the Graduate Program Committee Chair in economics.

For more information...

Please call (402) 554-2570.

last updated: 11/2/2011 at 1:09pm