Economics, M.A.
Gain technical skills and advanced understanding of markets, government policy, and institutions to prepare for research careers in higher education, industry, or government.

About the Master of Arts in Economics
The Department of Economics in the College of Liberal Arts offers the M.A. in Economics degree. It prepares students for doctoral studies in economics or business, for teaching positions at community colleges, or for careers as professional economists in business or government as researchers or policy analysts.
Students in the M.A. in Economics
- deepen their understanding of fundamental theories of micro- and macroeconomic behavior,
- develop necessary analytical skills for economic problem solving and empirical testing, and
- are exposed to current economic research.
On this Page…
Program Information
Degree
M.A. in Economics
Required Credit Hours
30
Program Type
Master's Program
Program Location
School
Duration
2 years
Welcome from the Graduate Program Coordinator
"Our department offers both doctoral and master-level degrees in economics. Our faculty have a wide variety of research areas, with specialization in a few subfields, including Monetary Economics, Labor, Law & Economics, and Public Economics. Please contact me with any questions regarding the graduate programs in economics."
Ennio Piano
Assistant Professor of Economics
M.A. in Economics Program Details
Learn about the application process, academic requirements, and financial support available to you.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 1
The Department of Economics welcomes student applications.
- Complete the Graduate School's Online Application.
- Upload Supplemental Application materials for the Department of Economics to the link provided on the online application.
The Graduate School requires a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA. The Department of Economics welcomes students from any academic background, but expects students to be prepared for the rigors of graduate study in economics. When the Admissions Committee reviews an applicant’s transcript, it looks at the overall performance and specific performance in economics or economics-related courses and quantitative courses (math, statistics).
Students in the M.A. in Economics complete 30 credit hours of graduate courses, including:
- Econ 604: Applied Statistical Techniques in Economics (or 629: Statistical Methods for Economics)
- Econ 605: Microeconomics I
- Econ 606: Macroeconomics I
- Econ 609: Mathematics for Economists
Students may apply up to 9 credit hours in finance (Fin 634: Financial Management I and two 500-level courses) toward the M.A. in Economics degree. Alternately, 6 credit hours may be taken in mathematics, history, political science, computer science, MIS/POM, or marketing.
A student may opt for a thesis, which constitutes 6 credit hours. All students complete a comprehensive examination is required of all students during the last semester.
The Mississippi Experimental Research Laboratory (MERL) is a computerized research facility used by economics faculty and graduate students to conduct a wide variety of research projects in experimental economics, econometrics, microeconomics, and more.
The university also has the Mississippi Center for Supercomputing Research.
Department of Economics
Department Video
Hear firsthand from students and faculty about the Economics program.
Next Steps
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