MS in Applied Economics Curriculum

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Lehigh University’s College of Business offers a STEM-designated master's degree in applied economics.

With an emphasis on quantitative data analysis, the MS in Applied Economics prepares students for both industry and academia. Supported by a faculty known for strong research—as well as award-winning teaching—students benefit from an intimate and highly selective program.

The full-time curriculum is built on five core courses, listed below. Students then choose one of two tracks: Competition and Market Analysis, or Policy Economics. Three courses are taken in the chosen track. Typically there are up to two additional elective courses in economics or related fields in business and data analytics. The program is 30 credit hours (10 courses) total.

 

MSAE Curriculum Overview (30 Credits)

Core required courses (Total 15 credits)

Choose one of the following program tracks (Total 9 credits):

 

Elective courses (Total 6 credits)

View more details in the Lehigh Business Graduate Course Catalog

 

Optional Thesis

Students in the program may elect to write a master's thesis. The thesis is worth up to six hours of credit toward the MS degree and is particularly encouraged for those who may be considering a Ph.D. program.

A student desiring to write a thesis should first select a College of Business faculty member as a thesis advisor. Once the thesis advisor has approved the general subject area in which the student proposes to write the thesis, the student will register for ECO 490 (Thesis). ECO 490 can be taken for up to two semesters, with three credits per semester.

 

Professional Development 

At the core of all Lehigh Business graduate programs, students are challenged to develop their soft skills and professional networks. Students will gain valuable leadership, teamwork and communication skills ensuring they are prepared for the job market.

 

Academic Standards

To receive a Master’s degree from the College of Business, a student must achieve a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in graduate courses taken at Lehigh. A student may not receive more than four grades of C or lower.

A student whose GPA is below 3.0 after 12 hours of study is placed on academic probation and must earn at least a 3.0 GPA in subsequent semesters until the required minimum cumulative GPA is reached or be dropped from the program. Master’s degree candidates have six years to complete all required courses.

 

Prerequisites

Applicants with strong quantitative backgrounds who lack prerequisites of Intermediate Microeconomics and/or Intermediate Macroeconomics are encouraged to apply to the program. Opportunities exist to complete these prerequisites during the first term of graduate study alongside regular graduate-level courses. The prerequisite courses may not be counted towards the 30 credit hours required for the degree.

The following courses may be taken in a student’s undergraduate career or at another institution prior to matriculation into the program. 

1. Principles of Economics
2. Intermediate Microeconomics
3. Intermediate Macroeconomics
4. Statistics I
5. Calculus I
6. One of the following: Calculus II,  Statistics II, Econometrics