The M.A. in economics is suitable either for students intending to pursue a Ph.D. in economics or for those seeking a practical program of study to prepare them for technical or administrative positions in business or government. For those seeking a career dealing with financial markets, the department offers a concentration in Financial Economics as part of its M.A. program.
The M.A. program in economics requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit.
Check departmental information for any additional requirements.
Admission for the M.A. program in the Department of Economics is available for the fall or spring semester with applications for the fall enrollment to be reviewed beginning in November and applications for spring enrollment reviewed beginning in May.
Students seeking admission to the master’s program in Economics must meet all the requirements for admission to the NIU Graduate School. In addition to the standard requirements for graduate admission, the master’s program in Economics requires degree-seeking applicants to submit the following materials:
Baccalaureate Field: Transcripts indicating a B.A./B.S. in any field in addition to a minimum of at least two semesters of Calculus (differentiation and integration), one semester of calculus-based probability, and courses in intermediate level microeconomic and macroeconomic theory.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE): All applicants must provide official scores on all sections of the General Test of the GRE taken in the past 5 years. Students with extensive mathematics or statistics course work may apply for a waiver of this requirement by contacting the department.
Letters of Recommendation: Two (2) letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak to your ability to be successful in the completion of a graduate-level degree program. The individuals who submit a letter for you should be individuals who have a professional or academic relationship with you.
Personal Statement: Your personal statement should be approximately 500 to 2,000 words in length. It should outline your preparation for graduate study in your chosen field, as well as your goals for graduate school and beyond. You should also use this statement to demonstrate to the committee how you have met the necessary math and statistics expectations in your previous course work.
Resume/CV: Copy of current resume/CV in a pdf format indicating your professional or volunteer experience.
OR a substantial research paper written in a 500- or 600-level economics course and approved by the professor teaching the course.
Electives
Students must choose at least 11 elective semester hours from courses numbered 500 or greater and only 6 of those 11 semester hours may be from outside the department with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.
Concentration in Financial Economics
Students may earn a Concentration in Financial Economics by taking the following courses in place of their 11 hours of electives.
Students having a grade below B in ECON 660 will be required to pass a comprehensive examination in microeconomic theory. Those having a grade below B in ECON 661 will be required to pass a comprehensive examination in macroeconomic theory. Comprehensive examinations in microeconomic and macroeconomic analysis will normally be taken by each student in the master’s degree program the first time that these examinations are offered following the completion of ECON 660 and ECON 661. A student who fails either of these examinations twice will generally not be permitted to continue in the M.A. program. However, in extenuating circumstances a student may submit a written appeal to the department to take an examination a third and final time.
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