Admissions & Requirements

Admissions at a Glance

Tracks
Applied Economics, Data Science, Development Economics, Financial Economics, Gender Analysis, International Economics
Deadlines
Fall priority admission: March 1
Spring priority admission: November 1
Rolling Admission
Summer admission
Yes
Admissions Requirements
Statement of Purpose
Transcripts
2 letters of recommendation
Resume
Application form and fee
Submission of GRE scores is optional 
Learn more about additional requirements for international students

How to Apply  Request Info  Tuition & Funding

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Prior to enrolling in any MS courses, however, students must show that they have met the prerequisites for the program including: Intermediate Microeconomics (ECON-300) and Intermediate Macroeconomics (ECON-301) (or Introduction to Economic Theory (ECON-603); Basic Statistics (ECON-202); and Applied Calculus (ECON-211). We are happy to waive these prerequisites for students who have completed comparable courses from another institution. Prerequisite credits are not counted toward your degree.

All MS students must complete 15 credit hours of core courses, including Introduction to Mathematical Economics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, and Econometrics I and II. Students choose from one of six tracks: Applied, Development Economics, Data Science, Gender Economics, International Economics, and Financial Economics. Depending on the track chosen, students complete their degree by taking an additional 15 to 21 credits of electives or required courses.

Students must complete 30 hours of approved graduate work. It takes 1.5 to 2 years to complete the MS. All of our MS courses are offered in the evening.

AU offers an online MS in Economics with a specialization in Applied Economics.

Still have questions? Send us an email: econ@american.edu


Economics (MS)

Admission to the Program

Applicants must meet the minimum university requirements for graduate study. Admission is based on the academic record and two letters of recommendation. In general, a B average in undergraduate or previous graduate coursework is required. Prior to enrollment in the program, applicants must have completed the following: MATH-221 Calculus I (4); and STAT-202 Basic Statistics (4) or STAT-203 Basic Statistics with Calculus (4). Prerequisites may be waived for qualified persons with comparable prior education or experience. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test is optional. Admission is not automatic for students who qualify and may be limited by programmatic constraints.

A student whose undergraduate background does not meet the standards for admission may be considered for admission after completing 12 credit hours of approved graduate coursework in nondegree status with a grade point average of at least 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale). ECON-600 Microeconomics (3), ECON-601 Macroeconomics (3), and ECON-605 Introduction to Mathematical Economics (3) must be taken within these 12 credit hours.

Degree Requirements

  • 30 credit hours of approved graduate work
    • Prerequisite credit (including ECON-603 Introduction to Economic Theory (3)) does not count toward the degree
    • All courses must be taken for grades (the pass/fail option is not permitted)
    • No more than 3 credit hours of ECON-691 Internship (3) may be taken
    • All courses must be approved by the student’s advisor and fit into a coherent educational program developed by the student in consultation with the advisor
    • Students may not receive credit for ECON-670 Survey of International Economics (3) if they take either ECON-671 International Economics: Trade (3) or ECON-672 International Economics: Finance (3).
    • Students may not receive credit for ECON-673 Labor Economics (3) if they take ECON-678 Advanced Labor Economics (3).
  • ECON-600 Microeconomics (3) and ECON-601 Macroeconomics (3) completed with grades of B- or better
  • Specializations: Applied Economics, Applied Economics (Online), Data Science, Data Science (Online), Development Economics, Financial Economics, Gender Analysis in Economics, or International Economics
  • Capstone Experience:

ECON-680 Economics MA Capstone Seminar (3)

Course Requirements

Core (15 credit hours)

Note: ECON-600 and ECON-601 must be completed within the first 12 credit hours of the program with grades of B- or better.

  • ECON-600 Microeconomics (3)
  • ECON-601 Macroeconomics (3)
  • ECON-605 Introduction to Mathematical Economics (3)
  • ECON-623 Applied Econometrics I (3)
  • ECON-624 Applied Econometrics II (3)

Capstone (3 credit hours)

  • ECON-680 Economics MA Capstone Seminar (3)

Specialization (12 credit hours)

Complete one of the following specializations:

Applied Economics (12 credit hours)

Complete 12 credit hours from the following, or other courses approved by advisor:

Note: 3 credit hours may be taken outside the Department of Economics with the advisor’s approval.

  • ECON-547 Economics of Antitrust and Regulation (3)
  • ECON-618 Economic History: Macroeconomic Aspects (3)
  • ECON-619 Economic History: Microeconomics Aspects (3)
  • ECON-620 Economic Thought (3)
  • ECON-630 Monetary Economics (3)
  • ECON-632 Finance, Stability and Growth (3)
  • ECON-633 Financial Economics (3)
  • ECON-634 Development Finance and Banking (3)
  • ECON-640 Communicating Economics (3)
  • ECON-642 Public Economics (3)
  • ECON-646 Industrial Economics (3)
  • ECON-650 Growing Artificial Societies (3)
  • ECON-661 Survey of Economic Development (3)
  • ECON-662 Development Microeconomics (3)
  • ECON-663 Development Macroeconomics (3)
  • ECON-665 Economic Experiments and Impact Evaluation (3)
  • ECON-670 Survey of International Economics (3)
  • ECON-671 International Economics: Trade (3)
  • ECON-672 International Economics: Finance (3)
  • ECON-673 Labor Economics (3)
  • ECON-674 Gender Economics I (3)
  • ECON-675 Gender Economics II (3)
  • ECON-676 Applied Microeconometrics for Labor and Development (3)
  • ECON-677 GIS Applications in Empirical Economics (3)
  • ECON-678 Advanced Labor Economics (3)
  • ECON-679 Introduction to Environmental Economics (3)
  • ECON-690 Independent Study Project in Economics (1-6)
  • ECON-691 Internship (3)
  • ECON-696 Selected Topics: Non-Recurring (1-6)

ECON-825 Seminar in the Study of Info-Metrics and Inference (3)

Applied Economics (Online) (12 credit hours)

Complete 12 credit hours from the following, or other courses approved by advisor:

Note: 3 credit hours may be taken outside the Department of Economics with the advisor’s approval.

  • ECON-632 Finance, Stability and Growth (3)
  • ECON-640 Communicating Economics (3)
  • ECON-642 Public Economics (3)
  • ECON-661 Survey of Economic Development (3)
  • ECON-670 Survey of International Economics (3)
  • ECON-673 Labor Economics (3)
  • ECON-690 Independent Study Project in Economics (1-6)
  • ECON-691 Internship (3)

Data Science (12 credit hours)

Complete 12 credit hours from the following.

  • DATA-612 Statistical Programming in R (3)
  • DATA-613 Data Science (3)
  • DATA-641 Applied Natural Language Processing (3)
  • DATA-642 Advanced Machine Learning (3)
  • DATA-645 Neural Networks and Deep Learning
  • ECON-650 Growing Artificial Societies
  • ECON-665 Economic Experiments and Impact Evaluation (3)
  • ECON-676 Applied Microeconometrics for Labor and Development (3)
  • ECON-677 GIS Applications in Empirical Economics (3)
  • ECON-690 Independent Study Project in Economics (1-6)
  • ECON-691 Internship (3)
  • ECON-825 Seminar in the Study of Info-Metrics and Inference (3)
  • STAT-627 Statistical Machine Learning

Data Science (Online) (12 credit hours)

Complete 12 credit hours from the following.

  • DATA-612 Statistical Programming in R (3)
  • DATA-613 Data Science (3)
  • DATA-641 Applied Natural Language Processing (3)
  • DATA-642 Advanced Machine Learning (3)
  • DATA-645 Neural Networks and Deep Learning
  • ECON-690 Independent Study Project in Economics (1-6)
  • ECON-691 Internship (3)
  • STAT-627 Statistical Machine Learning

Development Economics (12 credit hours)

Development (3-6 credit hours)

Complete at least three (3) credits from the following:

  • ECON-662 Development Microeconomics (3)
  • ECON-663 Development Macroeconomics (3)
Electives (6-9 credit hours)

Complete 6-9 credit hours from the following, with no more than 3 credit hours from School of International Service:

  • ECON-630 Monetary Economics (3)
  • ECON-633 Financial Economics (3)
  • ECON-634 Development Finance and Banking (3)
  • ECON-642 Public Economics (3)
  • ECON-662 Development Microeconomics (3)
  • ECON-663 Development Macroeconomics (3)
  • ECON-665 Economic Experiments and Impact Evaluation (3)
  • ECON-670 Survey of International Economics (3)
  • ECON-671 International Economics: Trade (3)
  • ECON-672 International Economics: Finance (3)
  • ECON-673 Labor Economics (3)
  • ECON-674 Gender Economics I (3)
  • ECON-675 Gender Economics II (3)
  • ECON-676 Applied Microeconometrics for Labor and Development (3)
  • ECON-677 GIS Applications in Empirical Economics (3)
  • ECON-678 Advanced Labor Economics (3)
  • ECON-679 Introduction to Environmental Economics (3)
  • ECON-690 Independent Study Project in Economics (3)
  • ECON-691 Internship (3)
  • SIS-632 Microfinance (3)
  • SIS-635 Advanced Topics in Development Management (3)
  • SIS-637 International Development (3)
  • SIS-650 Economic Globalization and Development Alternatives (3)
  • SIS-651 Managing Economic Policy Reform (3)

Financial Economics (12 credit hours)

Complete 12 credit hours from the following, with no more than 3 credit hours from the Kogod School of Business:

  • ACCT-607 Financial Accounting (3)
  • ECON-547 Economics of Antitrust and Regulation (3)
  • ECON-630 Monetary Economics (3)
  • ECON-632 Finance, Stability and Growth (3)
  • ECON-633 Financial Economics (3)
  • ECON-634 Development Finance and Banking (3)
  • ECON-642 Public Economics (3)
  • ECON-663 Development Macroeconomics (3)
  • ECON-672 International Economics: Finance (3)
  • ECON-690 Independent Study Project in Economics (3)
  • ECON-691 Internship (3)
  • FIN-614 Financial Management (3)
  • FIN-633 International Finance (3)
  • FIN-672 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management (3)
  • FIN-674 Derivatives and Risk Management (3)

Gender Analysis in Economics (12 credit hours)

Gender (3-6 credit hours)

Complete at least 3 credit hours from the following:

  • ECON-674 Gender Economics I (3)
  • ECON-675 Gender Economics II (3)
Electives (6-9 credit hours)

Complete 6-9 credit hours from the following, with no more than 3 credit hours from outside the Department of Economics

  • ECON-551 Comparative Economic Systems (3)
  • ECON-620 Economic Thought (3)
  • ECON-633 Financial Economics (3)
  • ECON-634 Development Finance and Banking (3)
  • ECON-658 Economics of the World Regions (3) (topics)
  • ECON-662 Development Microeconomics (3)
  • ECON-663 Development Macroeconomics (3)
  • ECON-665 Economic Experiments and Impact Evaluation (3)
  • ECON-670 Survey of International Economics (3)
  • ECON-673 Labor Economics (3)
  • ECON-676 Applied Microeconometrics for Labor and Development (3)
  • ECON-679 Introduction to Environmental Economics (3)
  • ECON-690 Independent Study Project in Economics (1-6)
  • ANTH-635 Race, Gender and Social Justice (3)
  • GOVT-686 Feminist Political Theory (3)
  • JLC-615 Law and Human Rights (3)
  • PHIL-616 Feminist Philosophy (3)
  • SOCY-661 Racial Inequalities and Social Transformation (3)
  • WGSS-600 Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Theory (3)

International Economics (12 credit hours)

International Economics Core (3-6 credit hours):

Complete at least three (3) credit hours from the following:

  • ECON-671 International Economics: Trade (3)
  • ECON-672 International Economics: Finance (3)
Electives (6-9 credit hours)

Complete 6-9 credit hours from the following:

  • ECON-630 Monetary Economics (3)
  • ECON-632 Finance, Stability and Growth (3)
  • ECON-633 Financial Economics (3)
  • ECON-634 Development Finance and Banking (3)
  • ECON-642 Public Economics (3)
  • ECON-662 Development Microeconomics (3)
  • ECON-663 Development Macroeconomics (3)
  • ECON-676 Applied Microeconometrics for Labor and Development (3)
  • ECON-677 GIS Applications in Empirical Economics (3)
  • ECON-678 Advanced Labor Economics (3)
  • ECON-679 Introduction to Environmental Economics (3)
  • ECON-690 Independent Study Project in Economics (3)
  • ECON-691 Internship (3)
  • SIS-665 International Trade Relations (3)
  • SIS-666 International Financial Relations (3)
  • SIS-751 International Political Economy (3)