UNO Economics Receives STEM Designation, Adds Accelerated Degree Track

Undergraduate and graduate students studying economics at UNO will benefit from the following new program updates, which allow a faster path toward earning an advanced degree and additional opportunities for international students to gain work experience.

M.S. and M.A. in Economics receive STEM designation

In recognition of the quantitative nature of UNO’s economics graduate programs, the degree programs have received STEM designation effective fall 2018.

Under current rules, international students with science, technology, engineering and math degrees are eligible for an additional 24 months of optional practical training (OPT) beyond the standard 12 months of OPT.

UNO’s Master of Science and Master of Arts in Economics programs provide a solid background in economic theory, econometric and quantitative methods, and other applied skills.

Students choose from several concentrations to tailor their degree:

• Business Economics
• Econometrics and Data Analytics
• Growth and Innovation Economics
• International Economics
• Monetary and Financial Economics
• Ph.D. Preparatory
• Public Policy Economics
• Trade and Global Value Chains

Economists’ unique blend of understanding human behavior and strong empirical skills allows them to solve many societal or organizational problems.

For more information about UNO’s economics graduate programs, visit cba.economics.edu/economics.

Economics Department adds accelerated 4+1 degree track

The new 4+1 economics program provides the opportunity for eligible undergraduate UNO students to earn a Master of Science in Economics degree in one additional year of study beyond completion of their bachelor’s degree.

Eligible students can obtain a joint Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (with an economics concentration), Bachelor of Science in Economics, or Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and a Master of Science in Economics within a five-year period.

Students in this program complete 12 hours of dual-level economics courses as a graduate student. Students apply during their junior year (at least 58 credit hours earned, preferably after completing ECON 3200, ECON 3220, and BSAD 2130 or its equivalent).

The minimum GPA necessary for admission to the 4+1 economics program is 3.50 (both overall GPA and economics GPA). If grades for ECON 3200, ECON 3220, or BSAD 2130 are not available when an application is made, an admission decision is postponed to the end of the semester once grades for these courses are officially available.   

For more information, contact the economics graduate program chair and advisor, Dr. Catherine Y. Co, at cco@unomaha.edu.