Master of Arts in Business/ Managerial Economics

The Graduate Program in Business/ Managerial Economics leads to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree. The program has three concentrations: Applied Economics, Public Administration, and Project Management. The program equips its graduates with advanced knowledge, quantitative and quantitative skills, as well as analytical and decision-making tools required for diverse career opportunities in the business world, the consulting industry, city/council/county/ state, federal government, and domestic and international non-profit organizations.

The master's degree program offers afternoon and evening classes, making it easy for working students to complete without changing their employment status.
The degree can be earned is as little as one year of full-time study, or two years part-time.
Admission Requirements: In addition to the requirements for admission to the Graduate School, applicants must have an undergraduate degree in economics or an undergraduate degree in a related field with at least 18 semester hours of college economics, or a certificate in project management.

Graduation Requirements: In order to qualify for a Master of Art Degree in Economics a minimum of 30 semester hours (4 core economics and 6 elective courses) are required. The graduate college policy regarding transfer of credits will be applied.
Core Courses: Students in any of the three concentrations must complete the following four core courses:

Econ 510-Advanced Microeconomics – Foundations of price theory. A rigorous study of the allocating function of prices in our economy. Models and case studies of consumer behavior, product demand, production, costs, the firm in various market structures, factor employment, and factor income distribution. Welfare implications of the theory are examined.
Econ 520-Advanced Macroeconomics - Foundations of aggregate income determination. Labor and product-market structures and monetary and fiscal policies are examined as to their impact on aggregate output, the price level, and interest rates.
Econ 530-Quantitative Methods - Application of statistical and mathematical methods to the estimation of economic relations. Regression analysis is developed as a framework for hypothesis testing, economic forecasts, and econometric simulations. Use of statistical computer software is presented in the course.
Econ 590- Research Methodology - Hypothesis formulation and verification examined in areas of research interest. A proposal is presented.

The above core courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, quantitative methods and research methodology provide students with the foundation necessary for making rational decisions in various circumstances and environments. These knowledge and skills are further developed and consolidated in variety of elective courses appropriate for theoretical and applied areas.

Thesis and non-thesis options: The three concentration areas under the program have both thesis and non-thesis options.

Thesis Option: In addition to the four core courses, students must complete five electives in the selected concentration, and complete one semester ECON 599 (thesis writing).
Non-Thesis Option: In addition to the four core courses, students must complete six electives and pass Econ 598- Comprehensive examination.
Applied Economics: For students who wish to concentrate in applied economics, in addition to the four core courses, they must choose six electives for non-thesis option, and five electives for thesis option from the elective courses listed below.
Public Administration: For students who wish to concentrate in public administration, in addition to the four core courses, they must take six electives for non-thesis option, and five electives for thesis option from the elective courses listed below, especially those related to public administration.
Project Management: For students who completed the project management certificate and would like to complete the M.A. in Economics, they need to take four core economics courses as well as two ECON electives for non-thesis option, and one ECON elective for thesis option from the elective courses listed below. The four Project Management courses taken in PMGT certificate program will substitute the four economic elective courses required.

Elective courses: The program offers a broad range of elective courses. Each elective course provides in-depth knowledge in a specific area of economics, public administration and project management. The elective curriculum makes effective use of the students’ analytic and quantitative skills acquired through the core courses, and reinforces this training by providing further opportunities for the application of various knowledge in the different concentration areas. The Following are the list of elective courses

ECON 500 GRADUATE PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS
ECON 511 INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION
ECON 512 ECONOMICS OF REGULATION
ECON 513 MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS
ECON 521 MONETARY ECONOMICS
ECON 523 PUBLIC FINANCE
ECON 525 PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION
ECON 526 PUBLIC POLICY PROCESS AND EVALUATION
ECON 531: ADVANCED ECONOMETRICS
ECON 535 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
ECON 536 PUBLIC SECTOR BUDGETING
ECON 538 FINANCIAL ECONOMICS
ECON 540 LABOR ECONOMICS
ECON 542 POPULATION ECONOMICS
ECON 550 DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
ECON 551 INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
ECON 570 HISTORY OF ECONOMIC THOUGHT
ECON 580 READINGS IN ECONOMICS
ECON 581 SPECIAL TOPICS IN ECONOMICS
ECON 582 SEMINAR IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
ECON 585 INTERNSHIP IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

VSU MA Program Rules apply to all master’s degrees.