M.A.
M.A. Economics | MAEDP | M.S. Mathematical Finance
M.A. in Economics and J.D. | M.A. in Economics and Planning

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Prerequisites

The typical applicant for admission will have completed an undergraduate major in economics. Minimal prerequisites for admission to a master’s degree program include courses in intermediate microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, a year of calculus, and a semester of statistics.

Criteria

The Graduate Record Examinations General Test, three letters of recommendation, and the student’s statement of purpose are required. The letters and statement should be sent directly to:

Morgan Ponder
Graduate Admissions
Department of Economics
KAP 300
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California 90089-0253

International applicants are required to take the TOEFL examination. Admission is based on the appropriateness and quality of completed course work, GRE scores, and the letters of recommendation.

Application Deadline

Application deadline for the M.A. in Economics program is April 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring.

Program Requirements

Core Requirements

ECON 500 – Microeconomics Analysis and Policy

ECON 501 – Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy

ECON 513 – Practice of Econometrics

• A total of 32 units are required for the M.A. 
• 20 units of elective courses in Economics to be chosen in consultation with graduate advisor. (At least three classes must be ECON grad courses; others can be either Policy, Planning, and Development or Finance and Business Economics.)
• No more than two 400-level electives can be applied to the degree. 
• No more than 4 units of ECON 590 can be applied to the degree. 

A comprehensive examination is held at the end of the first year in May