Program Overview

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International Economics and Finance, Master of Arts

The Master of Arts in International Economics and Finance (MIEF) positions early- to mid-career professionals to excel in rigorous economic and financial analysis roles. The curriculum prepares students to understand advanced economic theories, master professional quantitative economics and econometrics skills, and assess a wide range of international economic and financial scenarios.

Overview

Students in this cohort-based program take courses together that increase in complexity throughout the program. Economics knowledge, analytical abilities, and the capacity to apply economic analysis to real-world problems give our students a distinct professional advantage. Whether students are interested in pursuing a career in international finance, public policy, economic development, or research, the MIEF program provides students with a firm grasp of the theory and tools of international economics and finance.

Degree Requirements

• Campus: Washington, DC
• Credits: 56
• Duration: 2 academic years, Full-time or 10 months accelerated, Full-time
• Course delivery: In-person

Curriculum

The MIEF degree is conferred upon successfully completing fourteen courses totaling 56 credit hours. In designing their academic plan, students are required to take the core MIEF courses, but students also choose a combination of international economics electives.

Core Courses

The program requires fourteen core courses, including:

• Three quantitative methods courses
• Five economics electives
• Skills workshops
• An applied research project
• The capstone course

Students are required to have a minimum 2.67 cumulative GPA to graduate.

Course Structure

2-Year Program

Coursework begins in the fall term and students enroll in two successive academic years (fall/spring). Students may complete optional skills courses in the intercession. Students do not enroll in courses during the summer term.

• Fall Semester:
  • Advanced Macroeconomics (4 credits)
  • Advanced Microeconomics (4 credits)
  • Quantitative Methods I (4 credits)
  • Optional Math for Economics
  • Optional Skills Workshop (1 credit)
• January Intersession:
  • Optional Skills Workshop (1 credit)
• Spring Semester:
  • International Trade (4 credits)
  • International Finance (4 credits)
  • Quantitative Methods II (4 credits)
  • MIEF Elective (4 credits)

Accelerated 10-Month Program

Coursework begins with a six-week summer term starting in mid-July, and follows the school's regular fall and spring semesters with the addition of a January intersession. The capstone course is completed during the spring semester.

• Summer:
  • Advanced Macroeconomics (4 credits)
  • Advanced Microeconomics (4 credits)
  • Quantitative Methods I (4 credits)
• Fall Semester:
  • Quantitative Methods II (4 credits)
  • International Finance (4 credits)
  • International Trade (4 credits)
  • MIEF Elective (4 credits)
  • MIEF Elective (4 credits)
  • Optional Math for Economics
  • Optional Skills Workshop (1 credit)
• January Intersession:
  • Applied Research Project 1 (2 credits)
  • Skills Workshop (1 credit)
  • Skills Workshop (1 credit)
• Spring Semester:
  • Quantitative Methods III (4 credits)
  • International Economics and Finance (IEF) Elective (4 credits)
  • International Economics and Finance (IEF) Elective (4 credits)
  • International Economics and Finance (IEF) Elective (4 credits)
  • Capstone (4 credits)

Sample Electives

• Advanced International Macroeconomics (4 credits)
• Advanced Topics in Trade Theory (4 credits)
• Business Strategies for Global Financial Institutions (4 credits)
• Central Banking in Emerging Markets (4 credits)
• Cost-Benefit Analysis (4 credits)
• Credit Markets & Credit Risk (4 credits)
• Development Finance (4 credits)
• Economic Development (4 credits)
• Environmental Economics (4 credits)
• Financial Decision-Making (4 credits)
• Game Theory (4 credits)
• Global Risk Management and Valuation (4 credits)
• Impact Evaluation in Development (4 credits)
• International Economic Policy (4 credits)
• International Financial Markets (4 credits)
• International Financial Organizations: Institutions and Analytical Methods (4 credits)
• Investments: From Theory to Practice (4 credits)
• Project Finance (4 credits)
• Quantitative Global Economics (4 credits)
• Sustainable Finance and Impact Investing (4 credits)
• Sustainable Finance: Applications and Methods (4 credits)
• Topics in Growth and Development (4 credits)

Skills Workshops

Students take two skills workshops to expand their professional skills and knowledge related to careers in international economics. Past workshops have covered working with economic and statistical analysis tools such as EViews, MATLAB, PcGive, R, and Stata, as well as addressed topics related to working in strategic consulting, investment banking, and business strategy roles.

Applied Research Project

The Applied Research Project prepares students to provide reliable answers to practical research questions. This project requires students to organize data and develop suitable statistical methods to summarize the significance and attributes of the data into an intelligible answer to the question at hand.

Capstone Course

The capstone course consists of small groups of students working on a practical project or a current policy issue in their area of interest. Students will apply the knowledge, skills, and tools they have learned in the program to address an international economics issue impacting the public, private, or nonprofit sector through research projects. Students will prepare a detailed presentation to be made to the class, faculty, as well as outside professionals. Topics may include:

• Current account sustainability
• Exchange rate exposure
• Investment case study
• Studies on financial markets
• Growth and debt sustainability studies

International students in F-1 status who complete this program and obtain post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) may be eligible for the STEM OPT Extension. Students should consult the Office of International Services if they have questions about this benefit.