Graduate Programs
Degree Programs
Economics
The Master of Arts program has a twofold objective: (1) to provide students with analytical capabilities and research skills for careers in business, government, and the nonprofit sector; and (2) to prepare those who wish to pursue the Ph.D. at IUPUI, Indiana University Bloomington, or another university.Admission Requirements
Applicants should have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Ordinarily, applicants should have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in their undergraduate course work and in their previous economics courses. Before undertaking graduate study in economics, a student should have knowledge of intermediate-level undergraduate economic theory (E321 and E322), statistics (E270), multivariate differential and integral calculus (the IUPUI equivalent M 16500 offered by the mathematics department, and finite mathematics (M118). Students with deficiencies in economics and/or mathematics may be admitted on a conditional basis.The verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required and applicants are urged to complete the examination by December of the year before admission.
Three letters of recommendation are required. For students with English as a second language, a minimum TOEFL score of at least 550 is required, higher scores are recommended.
Course Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate course work. Twelve (12) credit hours are devoted to the following required core courses: E520 Mathematics of Optimization, E521 Theory of Prices and Markets, E522 Theory of Income and Employment, and E570 Fundamentals of Statistics and Econometrics. These core courses serve as prerequisites for 500-level field courses. The student must also complete six (6) credits of outside field classes in the mathematics and statistics department, at the graduate level. Consult the department’s graduate study guide for a list of acceptable outside courses.Grades
The student must receive at least a C (2.0) in each course and must average at least a B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) for all courses taken.
Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. program is designed to (i) advance knowledge concerning Health Economics and Philanthropy/Nonprofit Economics; (ii) develop the skills essential for our graduates to conduct independent research in these two areas. The two fields for our Ph.D. program are Health Economics and Philanthropy/Nonprofits Economics.
Admission Requirements
Course sequence in univariate and multivariate calculus (equivalent to MATH M16500, M16600, and M26100 at IUPUI.
Linear algebra (equivalent to Math M35100 at IUPUI).
Either a calculus-based undergraduate level course in probability or statistics or any undergraduate statistics course plus a course in introductory econometrics (equivalent to E270 and E470 at IUPUI).
Recommended Coursework includes Intermediate Microeconomic Theory (equivalent to E321 at IUPUI) and the course sequence in Mathematical Analysis (equivalent to Math M44100 and Math M44200 at IUPUI). Additional courses in Economics will also be useful.
Required Testing
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (Quantitative, Verbal and Analytical Writing). Successful candidates typically have quantitative scores at the 700 level and above and scores below 650 are typically not sufficient for admission. Analytical Writing and Verbal scores can be somewhat lower.
For non-native English speakers who did not attend college in the U.S.: Either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Successful candidates must achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 570 (or 230 on the computer version of the test or 88 on the internet version, iBT). Typically successful candidate have scores of 600 or better (250 or better - computer version; 100 iBT). The minimum acceptable IELTS score is 6.5; in practice, we look for an IELTS of 7 or more. It is required that applicants take the academic reading and writing modules, the general training reading and writing modules.
Undergraduate Record
Requirements include a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, a minimum 3.0 grade point average on a scale of 4, and a minimum 3.0 average in the major field. In unusual circumstances, if the minimum GPA requirement is not met, a conditional admittance could be considered.
Applications will be viewed in their entirety wherein a candidate’s outstanding qualifications in one area can be balanced against more marginal qualifications in another dimension. However, admission is competitive and financial support even more competitive. Most of the students admitted and supported will exceed the minimal requirements.