Graduate Degrees
The graduate program in economics is designed to prepare students for careers in teaching, research, industry and government. The department emphasizes economic theory and econometrics; applied economic analysis, including microeconomics, macroeconomics, international development economics, and urban and regional economics; and political economy, including history of economic thought and comparative economic systems.
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites
The typical applicant for admission will normally have completed an undergraduate major in economics. Minimal prerequisites for admission to a master's degree program include courses in intermediate microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, a year of calculus, and a semester of statistics. Applicants for the Ph.D. program are normally expected to have completed more than the minimum, particularly in the areas of mathematics and statistics.
Criteria
The Graduate Record Examinations General Test, three letters of recommendation and the student's statement of purpose are required. The letters and statement should be sent directly to the Director of Graduate Admissions, Department of Economics, KAP 300, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0253. International applicants are required to take the TOEFL examination. In addition, applicants for financial aid are advised to take the GRE Economics Subject Test and international students must have a TSE score of 200. Admission is based on the appropriateness and quality of completed course work, GRE scores and the letters of recommendation.
Procedure
Application deadlines are normally April 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring. Completed fellowship and assistantship applications are due by February 1. Except for unusual cases, students are permitted to begin Ph.D. programs only during the fall semester.
Placement Examinations
Prior to registration, all entering graduate students are required to take the Economics Department placement examinations in general economic theory and the basic principles of algebra, calculus and statistics. Depending on the outcome of these examinations, deficiency course work yielding no credit toward graduate degrees may be required. Students whose native language is other than English will be required to take an English placement examination. Course work in English may be required.
Degree Requirements
These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.
Foreign Language/Research Tool Requirements
There is no foreign language requirement. However, competence in the use of one computer programming language is required for all graduate degrees offered through the Department of Economics, except the Ph.D. in Political Economy and Public Policy. Such competence can be demonstrated either by course work or examination. Students in master's programs must meet this requirement before starting the thesis or taking the comprehensive examination; students in the Ph.D. program must complete it before taking the qualifying examination.
Master of Arts in Economics
Thesis Option
At least 24 units (usually six courses; at least four must be in economics at the graduate level) including 414 or 511, 500 or 503 and 501 or 505; and completion of an acceptable thesis accompanied by registration in 594ab is required.
Comprehensive Examination Option
At least 32 units (usually eight courses; at least six must be in economics at the graduate level) including 414 or 511, 500 or 503 and 501 or 505 and satisfactory performance on a comprehensive examination in economic theory is required.
Not more than eight units may be 590 Directed Research; 590 units cannot be counted as part of the required minimum of graduate level courses specified above.
Master of Arts in Economic Developmental Programming
This degree program is designed to provide advanced training in the basic tools of development programming and how to apply them to practical problems of developing countries. The program is structured to enable well-prepared students entering in May to finish the following summer. Requirements include the following courses in economics: 500 or 503; 501 or 505; 401; either 417 and 511 or 414; 506 or 507 or 615; 523 or 534 or 541 or 544; 650 or 701; 590 or 598; and a total of three courses in one of several designated options in economics (inclusive of any one taken from among 650 or 701 or among 523, 534, 541 or 544) international relations, public administration, urban and regional planning, demography, or business administration. In certain cases units can be granted for internship work. The total unit requirements are 32-48 including a comprehensive examination or a thesis.
For a detailed description of the program and its requirements see Master of Arts in Economic Developmental Programming, available from the Department of Economics faculty advisor.
Dual Master of Arts in Economics and Juris Doctor
The Law Center and the Department of Economics jointly offer a three-year program leading to the J.D. and M.A. degrees. Applicants must apply to both the Law Center and the Graduate School and meet requirements for admission to both. Work toward the M.A. degree normally begins during the student's second year of residence.
Required economics courses include 500, 501 and two others at the graduate level. Students are required to complete 89 units of law and economics course work, four units of which must constitute a thesis acceptable to the faculties of the Law Center and the Department of Economics. For a detailed description of this program, consult the