Program Overview

Economics, M.A.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Economics is offered by the Jones College of Business at MTSU. The program focuses on decision analysis and applied research. Students prepare for careers in private business and public service.

Mission

The mission of the graduate program in economics is to provide students with advanced studies in economic theory and research methodology. The department's approach to these degree programs is global, interactive, and innovative.

Program Requirements

The Master of Arts in Economics requires completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours (10 courses) if a thesis is written or 33 semester hours (11 courses) if a thesis is not written. Candidates must successfully complete a written comprehensive examination that may be taken no more than twice. For the major in Economics, the comprehensive examination covers the three core areas: macroeconomics, microeconomics, and econometrics.

Curriculum

The curriculum includes:

• Core courses:
  • ECON 6010 - Macroeconomics I
  • ECON 6020 - Microeconomics I
  • ECON 6070 - Econometrics II
• Electives:
  • Students completing a thesis must take 15 hours of electives from ECON (excluding designated core courses).
  • Students choosing the non-thesis option must take 21 hours of electives from ECON (excluding designated core courses).
• Thesis (for thesis option):
  • ECON 6640 - Thesis Research (3 credit hours)

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the M.A. in Economics program can pursue various career fields, including:

• Economist
• Financial Analyst
• Data Analyst
• Management Consultant
• Accountant
• Financial Planner
• Business Journalist
• Economics Instructor

Faculty

The faculty members of the Economics department include:

• Dr. Charles L. Baum, Professor
• Dr. Mamit Deme, Professor
• Dr. Stuart J. Fowler, Associate Professor
• Dr. Aaron M. Gamino, Associate Professor
• Dr. Franklin A. Michello, Professor
• Dr. Adam D. Rennhoff, Professor
• Dr. Michael Roach, Professor
• Dr. Daniel J. Smith, Professor
• Dr. Steven Sprick Schuster, Associate Professor
• Dr. Wisarut Suwanprasert, Associate Professor
• Dr. Kevin Zhao, Professor
• Dr. Emily Norman Zietz, Professor

Admission Requirements

Applicants are expected to possess a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The application process involves submitting an application with the appropriate fee, official scores on the GRE, and official transcripts of previous college work.

Program Notes

Students may include a minor in their degree programs, which consists of a minimum of 12 semester hours of approved courses. Students not electing a minor may include a cognate area of up to 6 semester hours in their programs. Cognate areas can be formed from courses in accounting, agriculture, finance, geography, geology, history, insurance, management, political science, psychology, real estate, sociology, and data science.