The Department of Economics offers an intensive, STEM-designated, one-year (1-year) master’s degree, consisting of 12 courses taught across three (3) terms (September-June). Students gain applied skills in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, while specializing through elective courses. Award-winning faculty prepare students for consulting, applied research, and data science careers in private industry and government. The program also offers outstanding preparation for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. Our master’s program was ranked in the top 30 of the 2023 TFE Times Best Master’s of Economics Rankings.
Advantages of Our Program
Strong quantitative training: An intensive three-course (3-course) sequence in econometrics guides students through the modern tool kit of the applied economist, including cutting-edge approaches to causal inference, tools to manage and analyze big datasets, and approaches to forecasting. The program places a strong emphasis on application, using open-source software for statistical computing that is commonly used in the public and private sectors. Our master’s degree in Economics is STEM-Designated.
Opportunities for specialization: Students can choose from more than 20 different elective courses in economics each year.
World-class faculty: The University of Oregon’s Economics Department has an internationally-recognized faculty, with research specializations covering a broad range of disciplines within the field economics. Most faculty in the department teach in either the core or elective portions of the master’s program.
Program intensity options: Although the program can be completed as a full-time student in one (1) academic year, it is also possible to complete the program over a longer time-frame. See sample programs of study.
Proven track record: The University of Oregon has been awarding master’s degrees in economics since 1928, and our former students are employed around the world. View recent placements.
Departmental Requirements
Master's students must complete a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours, all of which must be in economics. The following courses are required to graduate with a master’s degree in economics:
- Core econometrics: Three (3) quarters of core econometrics training (EC 523, 524, and 525).
- Core theory: Three (3) quarters of economic theory (EC 511 - Microeconomic Theory, EC 512- Economic Policy Analysis, and EC 513 Macroeconomic Theory).
- Elective coursework: Six (6) elective graduate field courses in economics. These courses can be selected from offered 500-level field courses, excluding EC 503 and 508.
Minimum Grades and GPA
All courses taken to satisfy the master’s degree program requirements must be taken for a letter grade. Economics master’s degree students must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in graduate courses taken in the degree program, and may not graduate with less than a 3.0 GPA. Grades of D+ or lower for graduate courses are not accepted for graduate credit but are computed in the GPA. A GPA below 3.00 at any time or the accumulation of more than five (5) credits of F grades — regardless of GPA — is considered unsatisfactory and may lead to termination from the program. PhD students who decide to transfer to the master’s degree program and have completed EC 607 Core courses may count those credits toward the theory and elective coursework requirements of the master’s degree program.
Maintaining Enrollment Status
Unless on-leave status has been approved, a student enrolled in an advanced-degree or graduate-certificate program must attend the university continuously until all program requirements have been completed. The student must register for a minimum of three (3) graduate credits each term, excluding summer sessions, to be continuously enrolled. A minimum of 30 credits toward the master’s degree must be taken in residence over a period of at least two (2) terms.
Substitutions and Waivers
Substitutions of alternative courses or courses taken elsewhere require the joint approval of the Master’s Program Committee and the department head before they can be counted toward the credit minimum. Any other waivers or exceptions to departmental requirements require the approval of the Economics Department faculty.
Time Limit
The master’s degree is designed to be completed in one (1) academic year, although a longer time to completion is easily accommodated inside the program. All requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within a three-year (3-year) period.
Research Option
An alternative path to the master’s degree, in which students take less coursework and complete a master’s thesis or research paper, is available. This path generally requires a longer time to complete the degree. If you are interested in this research option, please contact the Graduate Coordinator.
Accelerated Master’s Program
Well-prepared undergraduate UO economics majors with junior or senior standing are eligible to apply to the Accelerated Master’s Program in the Economics Department (AMPED). The aim of the program is to provide qualified students with access to graduate-level coursework during their senior year to facilitate and speed up their pathway to obtaining a master’s degree in the future. Admission is competitive.
Upon acceptance to AMPED, students will remain as undergraduate students but be allowed to take up to 12 credits (three [3] classes) from among a select group of four-credit (4-credit), 500-level courses offered in the economics department. These courses will count toward upper-division elective requirements for the undergraduate economics degree.
If, after graduating with their bachelor’s degree in economics, a student in AMPED joins the master’s degree program in economics at the University of Oregon, the 500-level courses taken as an undergraduate may additionally count toward elective requirements in the master’s degree program. That means you will take fewer courses to earn your master’s degree!
Wondering if AMPED is right for you? Talk to your advisor.
Apply to Our Graduate Program
Ready to apply? Start your application on Slate, the centralized application portal for graduate admissions at the University of Oregon.