Economics

The Department of Economics and Finance offers a program of graduate study in economics leading to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree. This program provides for the thesis and non-thesis options.

Both program options provide analytical and decision-making tools appropriate for a broad range of professional careers. A core in microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, and quantitative methods provides students with the foundation necessary to make sound decisions in different environments. These principles are further developed and reinforced in a variety of elective courses appropriate for many applied areas.

These program options can be completed over periods of as little as one year of full-time study or two years part-time. Late afternoon and evening classes permit the employed individual to pursue a degree without altering current employment status.
The M.A. program offers a concentration in Public Administration. The concentration is structured to integrate broad principles of decision-making criteria, cost-benefit analysis, and planning functions with problems pertinent to Public Administration. The courses in this concentration are designed to permit an overall view of both policy and applications of economic principles to the functional requirements of public administrators. Public Administration Theory is a requirement for the concentration. Possible courses in the Public Administration concentration include:

Economic Problems and Public Policy
Management Economics
Personnel Administration
Organizational Behavior
Public Administration Theory (required)
Population Economics
Public Policy Process and Evaluation
Public Finance
Public Sector Budgeting
Economics of Regulation
Internship in Public Administration

Unconditional Admission

(a) All applicants must meet the general requirements of the Graduate School. (b) Students must also have three semester hours of college algebra (or calculus) and three semester hours each of microeconomics and macroeconomics, which could normally be met through a two-semester course in Principles of Economics. This sequence of courses are Economics 210 and 211. This requirement may also be met by completing Economics 500. The latter are Economics 210 and 211 respectively at Virginia State University. There is no foreign language requirement for the graduate Economics program. The Department requires at least a 330 in the quantitative and verbal sections of the Graduate Record Examination for advancement to candidacy in the degree program.

Conditional Admission

In addition to meeting the standards for conditional admission to the Graduate School, the applicant must have not less than three semester hours each of college algebra (or calculus) and microeconomics and make up the remaining deficiencies in the first semester of graduate study at Virginia State University.

Thesis Program Requirement

A minimum of 30 semester hours of credit are required for completion of the M.A. degree program. Up to 9 of the 30 hours may be taken in related fields outside of Economics, in 400-level courses, and in transfer graduate credits subject to the approval of the graduate advisor in Economics and the Graduate School. The core curriculum, which all majors are required to complete, includes the following courses:

ECON 510 -ADVANCED MICROECONOMICS
ECON 520 -ADVANCED MACROECONOMICS
ECON 530 -QUANTITATIVE METHODS
ECON 590 -RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
ECON 599 -THESIS

Non-Thesis Program Requirement

A student must complete a minimum of 36 semester hours of acceptable course work for the non-thesis option.

Every student must complete 12 semester hours in the following core courses:

ECON 510 -ADVANCED MICROECONOMICS
ECON 520 -ADVANCED MACROECONOMICS
ECON 530 -QUANTITATIVE METHODS
ECON 590 -RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The remaining 24 hours are electives, but 9 of the 24 semester hours shall be 500-level Economics courses taken in residence. In all instances, electives taken in areas outside of the Economics Department must be with the approval of the student's major advisor. The approval must be received prior to enrolling in the course. Up to 9 of the remaining 15 hours can be taken in 400-level courses, and up to 9 graduate hours can be transferred from other institutions subject to Graduate School and advisor approval. No thesis is required in this program.

Each student must pass a comprehensive examination after successful completion of the 30 required hours of course work and concurrent with the last 6 hours of course work. The examination consists of two parts: (1) a written examination covering the core areas of microeconomics and macroeconomics and (2) a comprehensive oral examination to be taken at the discretion of the Department.