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    Dec 05, 2025  
American University Catalog 2025-2026 
    
American University Catalog 2025-2026

Economics (MS)


Offered by the Department of Economics , College of Arts and Sciences .

Admission to Program


Applicants must meet the minimum university requirements for graduate study. Admission is based on the academic record and two letters of recommendation. In general, a B average in undergraduate or previous graduate coursework is required. Prior to enrollment in the program, applicants must have completed the following: MATH-221 Calculus I (4) ; and STAT-202 Basic Statistics (4)  or STAT-203 Basic Statistics with Calculus (4) . Prerequisites may be waived for qualified persons with comparable prior education or experience. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test is optional. Admission is not automatic for students who qualify and may be limited by programmatic constraints.

A student whose undergraduate background does not meet the standards for admission may be considered for admission after completing 12 credit hours of approved graduate coursework in nondegree status with a grade point average of at least 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale). ECON-600 Microeconomics (3) , ECON-601 Macroeconomics (3) , and ECON-605 Introduction to Mathematical Economics (3)  must be taken within these 12 credit hours.

Degree Requirements


  • 30 credit hours of approved graduate work
    • Prerequisite credit (including ECON-603 Introduction to Economic Theory (3) ) does not count toward the degree
    • All courses must be taken for grades (the pass/fail option is not permitted)
    • No more than 3 credit hours of ECON-691 Internship (3)  may be taken
    • All courses must be approved by the student’s advisor and fit into a coherent educational program developed by the student in consultation with the advisor
  • ECON-600 Microeconomics (3)  and ECON-601 Macroeconomics (3)  completed with grades of B- or better
  • Specializations: Applied Economics; Applied Economics (Online); Data Science; Data Science (Online); Development Economics; Financial Economics; Gender Analysis in Economics; International Economics
  • Capstone Experience: ECON-680 Economics MS Capstone Seminar (3)  

Course Requirements


Core (15 credits)


Note: ECON-600  and ECON-601  must be completed within the first 12 credit hours of the program with grades of B- or better.

Specialization (12 credit hours)


Complete one of the following specializations:

Applied Economics


Complete 12 credit hours from the following, or other courses approved by advisor:

Note: 3 credit hours may be taken outside the Department of Economics  with the advisor’s approval.

Note: Students may not receive credit for ECON-670  if they take either ECON-671  or ECON-672 

​​​​​​​Note: Students may not receive credit for ECON-673  if they take ECON-678 .

Development Economics


Core (3 credits)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Gender Analysis in Economics


International Economics