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Master of Arts in Economics

Department Website: https://economics.uchicago.edu/masters-programs/master-arts-economics

Economics Department Chair:

Azeem Shaikh

MA Program Co-Directors:

Min Sok Lee
Assistant Senior Instructional Professor in Economics

Victor Lima
Senior Instructional Professor in Economics

The Master of Arts in Economics provides students with a comprehensive foundation in economic theory, quantitative methods, and applied research—all within a one-year, full-time format. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of students pursuing careers in industry, policy, or academia.
 

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements

Standard Track

To satisfy the requirements of the MAE, students must complete a total of 9 courses:

  • ECMA 30100 (micro) in Autumn quarter
  • ECMA 33220 (macro) in Autumn quarter
  • ECMA 31000 (metrics) in Autumn quarter
  • 6 graduate elective courses from ECMA, Harris, or Booth (undergraduate math and statistics courses can also be counted by petition) in Winter and Spring

RIT Track

In the RIT track, students may take up to three economics Core PhD courses in the Autumn quarter. Grades of B+ or better are required to continue each sequence into Winter and Spring quarters. Students cannot start a Core sequence in Winter or Spring quarters.

To satisfy the coursework requirements of the Master of Arts in Economics, RIT track, students must complete a total of 9 courses:
 

  • A minimum of three Econ/ECMA courses in total drawn from:

-PhD level courses numbered ECON 30100 or higher (excluding ECON 30400)

-MA level courses numbered ECMA 30000 or higher

  • Students must complete 6 additional graduate elective courses from Econ, Harris, or Booth (undergraduate math and statistics courses can also be counted by petition)

Please note: BA/MA students have the option to petition for Econ PhD coursework at the discretion of their advisor.

Research Requirement

Standard Track

Independent Reading and Research (ECMA 39700)

Standard track students have the option to fulfill their research requirement by registering for ECMA 39700: Independent Reading and Research and engaging in an independent research project supervised by an instructional professor.

In order to participate in this option, students must propose their research project to a member of the Instructional Professor Staff and complete a form that can be made available to them by the MAE Student Affairs Administrator.

Students may register for ECMA 39700 during winter or spring quarter and have until the end of spring quarter to complete this project and be assigned their grade.

ECMA Paper Course

Standard track students also have the option to complete their program research requirement by completing a paper that is at least 15 pages for an ECMA course in winter or spring quarter. Students also have the chance to petition select Booth and Harris classes as these paper-writing courses by submitting either the course syllabus or the paper themselves. These were then reviewed by our Program Co-Directors and, if these papers were deemed to constitute a substantive research experience on-par with the ECMA assignments, they were accepted.

Research Intensive Track (RIT)

Thesis Option

Students in the RIT track have the option to independently produce a traditional, journal length thesis with a research faculty advisor.

Students must secure a thesis advisor and return their completed thesis proposal form to the MAE Students Affairs Administrator by February 28.

They will then use Winter and Spring to complete their research and draft their paper.

Students must earn a minimum of a B- on their thesis in order to graduate.

Independent Reading and Research (ECMA 39700)

RIT students also have the option to use ECMA 39700 in one of two ways.

  1. They may  fulfill their research requirement by registering for ECMA 39700: Independent Reading and Research and engaging in an independent research project supervised by an instructional professor.
  2. They may enroll in ECMA 39700 as a “thesis ghost course” to provide them with extra time in their schedule to work on this project. The primary reader’s grade will appear on the transcript, if the student enrolls in this MAE thesis course or any undergraduate writing course for BA/MA students as one of their nine courses. Otherwise, the thesis grades and evaluations are retained in the student’s confidential academic file.

In order to participate in this option, students must propose their research project to a member of the Instructional Professor Staff and complete a form that can be made available to them by the MAE Student Affairs Administrator.

Students in the RIT The primary reader’s grade will appear on the transcript, if the student selected the ECMA 39700 as a thesis ghost course option or any undergraduate writing course for BA/MA students as one of their nine courses. Otherwise, the thesis grades and evaluations are retained in the student’s confidential academic file.

ECMA Paper Course

RIT students have the option to complete their program research requirement by completing a paper that is at least 15 pages for an ECMA course. Students also had the chance to petition select Booth and Harris classes as these paper-writing courses by submitting either the course syllabus or the paper themselves. These were then reviewed by our Program Co-Directors and, if these papers were deemed to constitute a substantive research experience on-par with the ECMA assignments, they were accepted.

Minimum Program GPA

Students must earn a minimum 3.0 GPA to receive their MA degree

Maximum Time to Degree

All students must earn the MA degree no more than 10 years following their initial matriculation into the MA program.

Admissions

The Admissions Committee evaluates all official transcripts of academic work, candidate statements and essays, letters of recommendation, performance on any required standardized test, and any special factors brought to its attention. The committee considers each application on the basis of all materials submitted and does not automatically eliminate applications based on grade point averages or test scores.

How to Apply

Applications for the Master of Arts in Economics are currently being accepted via UChicago Advanced Scholars.