This program is for individuals seeking advancement in their career, and/or seeking careers in more quantitative and analytical fields. The culminating activity is a capstone course designed to give students hands-on experience using the skills and knowledge gained through the program.
You will learn:
Applied microeconomics
Analytical thinking
Quantitative analysis skills
Application of statistical methods to economic data
The M.Ec. program requires the completion of a capstone course as the culminating activity. The M.Ec. requires a completion of a minimum of 31 credits, including one course in math for economists, two core courses in microeconomic theory, two core courses in statistical methods and econometrics, four courses in electives and three credits of capstone course. The program begins with a special session in August of a 2-credit course in mathematics for economists.
A required meeting with the graduate coordinator will take place typically during your second semester to discuss your project to be completed in the capstone course.
A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is required for continuation in and graduation from the program. All requirements for the degree must be completed within a period of seven years.
Course Number and Title
Credits
Core Requirements
ECON 501 Mathematics for Economists (2 cr)
ECON 511 Microeconomic Theory I (3 cr)
ECON 512 Microeconomic Theory II (3 cr)
ECON 521 Mathematical Statistics and Introduction to Advanced
Econometrics (4 cr)
ECON 522 Advanced Econometrics (4 cr)
16
Elective Courses
Twelve credits in approved courses that represents a disciplinary or interdisciplinary focus area. Courses must be approved by the graduate program director and cannot include more than 3 undergraduate credits. At least three credits must be economics electives.
12
Capstone Course
ECON 692 Capstone Course
3
Total
31
Master of Science in Economics (MSE)
This program emphasizes research and culminates with the completion of a thesis which puts your newly acquired research skills into practice. The intended audience are individuals seeking to further their skills in research. This program can also act as a bridge to a PhD program in economics and related fields.
You will learn:
Applied microeconomics
Analytical thinking
Quantitative analysis skills
Application of statistical methods to economic data
Independent analysis
Tyler Qualls
“The diverse knowledge I gained through the 4+1 Accelerated Master of Science in Economics Program at Boise state made me confident in approaching and tackling any problem I’m given. However, I think the best thing I gained from the master’s program was the desire to continually learn and grow as the professors encourage growth and enthusiasm at every step.”Tyler Qualls, class of ’22
Bonag Seoela
“During my time as an economics graduate student at Boise State, I was impressed with the level of attention and care the faculty give to their students. Given the rigorous nature of the program, the faculty was always understanding and created a conducive learning environment. Studying at Boise State is one of the best experiences in my life.”Bonang Seoela, class of ’20
“After two years in market research and five years in higher education data analytics, I began pursuing a Master of Science in Economics at Boise State to further develop my economic reasoning and advance my analytical capabilities. The mathematical and computational rigor of the program has been exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate the expertise and enthusiasm of the economics faculty here at Boise State. I have already been able to leverage lessons learned in my current employment and am excited for the future opportunities this degree will enhance.”Thomas Sharpe, Master of Science in Economics Signature Student
Degree Requirements
The MS in Economics program provides students with advanced training in current microeconomic theory, quantitative economics, econometrics, and other fields of economics as well as rigorous research methods. The MS in Economics requires completion of a minimum of 31 credits, including one course in math for economists, two core courses in microeconomic theory, two core courses in statistical methods and econometrics, three courses in electives as well as six hours of thesis work as the culminating activity. The program with a special session in August of a 2-credit course in mathematics for economists.
After a student completes a minimum of 9 credits of coursework, he/she will work with the graduate coordinator or graduate supervisor to develop a topic for the proposed thesis. All students are expected to have an initial meeting with the graduate coordinator to discuss their options, however, they can choose to work with any graduate faculty as their thesis supervisor. Meetings with the graduate coordinator and thesis supervisor will typically take place in a student’s second semester.
A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is required for continuation in and graduation from the program. All requirements for the degree must be completed within a period of seven years.
Course Number and Title
Credits
Core Requirements
ECON 501 Mathematics for Economists (2 cr)
ECON 511 Microeconomic Theory I (3 cr)
ECON 512 Microeconomic Theory II (3 cr)
ECON 521 Mathematical Statistics and Introduction to Advanced Econometrics (4 cr)
ECON 522 Advanced Econometrics (4 cr)
16
Elective Courses
Nine credits in approved courses that represents a disciplinary or interdisciplinary focus area. Courses must be approved by the graduate program director and cannot include more than 3 undergraduate credits. At least three credits must be economics electives.
The deadline for both programs (M.Ec. or MSE), if you want to be considered for Graduate Assistantships or Fellowships, is February 15, 2023. This deadline relates to both the Traditional and Accelerated 4+1 option. There is no official application deadline for those who are not seeking financial support.
Traditional and Accelerated (4+1) Degrees
The MSE and M.Ec. programs can also be completed in a traditional format, taking 2 years to complete or an accelerated 4+1 option. For the accelerated 4+1 option, Boise State students may apply for the master’s programs after they complete 75 undergraduate credits; during their final two academic semesters as an undergrad, they are expected to take two graduate-level economics courses (ECON 521 and ECON 522) that count for both your undergraduate and graduate degrees. Once the student graduates with a bachelor’s degree, then he/she continues with the remaining master’s courses and completes the degree in one year.
