An master's degree for early-career professionals looking to immerse themselves in full-time study to help grow their careers faster. The MS in Applied Economics offers high quality education with tailored professional development.
On this page:
- Class participation
- Degree completion pathways
- Prequisite requirements
- New student orientation
- Core courses & optional thesis
- Tracks & electives
- Professional development
- Meet your professors
Lehigh University’s College of Business offers a STEM-designated master's degree in applied economics. The MSAE program is a 30-credit, full-time program with coursework emphasizing quantitative data analysis. The program includes five core courses, followed by five courses within a chosen track in either Academic or Industry & Policy. Track courses also include electives in economics or related fields such as business or data analytics. Students have the option to complete a thesis.
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.
A Full-Time, In-Person Format
Students are required to attend classes on campus and enroll full-time in the program.
Request more information about our MSAE program.
How Long Does the MSAE Take?
Students typically complete the program in 12-18 months.
What to Expect in the MSAE Program
The MS in Applied Economics program is built to be completed within 12-18 months with two distinctive tracks that prepare you for academia or industry. Explore the sections below to learn more about orientation, curriculum and other professional development aspects of the program.
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
Before classes begin, incoming MSAE students attend a mandatory orientation to help ease the transition into graduate business school. You'll work through a collaborative case study that introduces the kind of complex, cross-functional issues you'll tackle throughout the program, while getting to know your new cohort. Orientation dates are included in your admission materials if you're offered a spot in the program.
Core Courses (15 credits)
- ECO 402 Managerial Economics (3 credits)
- ECO 403 Econometric Software (3 credits)
- ECO 412 Mathematical Economics (3 credits)
- ECO 415 Econometrics I (3 credits)
- ECO 417 Advanced Macroeconomic Analysis (3 credits)
Choose one of the following tracks (15 credits)
- Academic
- Industry & Policy
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.
Two distinctive co-curricular tracks—Career Readiness and AI Readiness—complement the program by building professional skills and technological fluency from day one. This structure reflects direct employer feedback emphasizing the need for strong analytical capability, AI adaptability, and effective communication.
Tracks and Electives (15 credits)
Course availability is subject to the student meeting any prerequisites or getting override approvals from the course's department. Other elective courses not listed below are subject to Program Director approval.
Choose two of the following:
- MATH 205 Linear Methods (3 credits)
- MATH 241 Applied Linear Algebra (3 credits)
- MATH 301 Principles of Analysis I (3 credits)
- MATH 319 Introduction to Differential Equations (3 credits)
- MATH 401 Real Analysis I (3 credits)
Choose two of the following:
- ECO 404 Applied Microeconometrics (3 credits)
- ECO 431 Quantitative Market Analysis (3 credits)
- ECO 447 Economic Analysis of Market Competition (3 credits)
- ECO 463 Topics in Game Theory (3 credits)
Plus one free elective
- Free electives are any of the courses listed in either track or other graduate (400 level) or advanced undergraduate (300 level) ECO courses. Or, with the permission of the program advisor, students may take certain courses offered in other departments, such as DATA, Finance, Mathematics, Political Science and International Relations. Such courses must draw on methods from economics or have applicability to economic analysis, and in all cases prior approval must be given by the program advisor.
Choose one of the following:
Choose two of the following:
- ECO 325 Consumer Insights through Data Analysis (3 credits)
- ECO 410 Environmental and Resource Economics (3 credits)
- ECO 428 Electricity Economics (3 credits)
- ECO 440 Labor Economics I (3 credits)
- ECO 452 Behavioral Economics (3 credits)
- BUAN 448 Predictive Analytics in Business (3 credits)
Plus two free electives
- Free electives are any of the courses listed in either track or other graduate (400 level) or advanced undergraduate (300 level) ECO courses. Or, with the permission of the program advisor, students may take certain courses offered in other departments, such as DATA, Finance, Mathematics, Political Science and International Relations. Such courses must draw on methods from economics or have applicability to economic analysis, and in all cases prior approval must be given by the program advisor.
Built-In Professional Development and Career Support
Career development at Lehigh is included in your degree as a co-curriculum, meaning it runs alongside your coursework and does not require separate enrollment.
Through the NextYOU program, MSAE students receive structured coaching, job-search strategy support, and access to Lehigh's professional network throughout the degree program and beyond.
The MS in Applied Economics courses are taught by Lehigh Business faculty members with deep expertise in their disciplines and a commitment to applied, relevant instruction. With a rotating roster each semester, students engage with a variety of professors across the core curriculum and elective offerings.
Professors
- Shin-Yi Chou, Ph.D., Duke University
- James A. Dearden, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
- Alberto J. Lamadrid, Ph.D., Cornell University
- Chad D. Meyerhoefer, Ph.D., Cornell University (Economics Department Chair)
- Alex Nikolsko-Rzhevskyy, Ph.D., University of Houston
- Todd A. Watkins, Ph.D., Harvard University
- Muzhe Yang, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Associate Professors
- Felipe A. Araujo, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
- Miaomiao Dong, Ph.D., Toulouse School of Economics
- Ahmed S. Rahman, Ph.D., University of California, Davis
- Yulong Wang, Ph.D., Princeton University
Assistant Professors
- Jee-Hun Choi, Ph.D., Cornell University
- Tony Q. Fan, Ph.D. Stanford University
- Fabio Gómez-Rodríguez, Ph.D., Indiana University
- Mengxiao Liu, Ph.D., University of Toronto
Professor of Practice
- Yuval Erez, Ph.D., Cornell University
Teaching Full Professor
- Luis Brunstein, Ph.D., University of California, Riverside
Professional Development
- Anne-Mette Halvorson, M.B.A., Simmons University
Connect With Lehigh MSAE Students & Staff
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