Department of Economics College of Social Sciences and Humanities Northeastern University

Graduate Programs in Applied Economics at Northeastern University

The Department of Economics at Northeastern University offers master's and doctoral programs in economics that are interdisciplinary in nature and research driven. The "most distinctive" feature of its programs is the emphasis on applied economics. Micro-economic theory, macro-economic theory, and econometrics are also important elements of the program.

Graduate students come from all parts of the world, thus bringing first-hand knowledge of diverse economies to the programs. Therefore, program curricula incorporate the study of a range of economies, such as rich and poor, large and small, mixed and market. This approach ensures that students gain valuable experience in analyzing the 21st century's "emerging global economy."

Master of Arts in Economics Structure

The Master of Arts (MA) in Economics program at Northeastern University is designed for individuals who are interested in careers as professional economists, government officials, and economic consultants. The program also prepares students for doctoral study in economics.

Approximately 10 to 20 students are accepted into the program each year. They may enroll in the program on a full-time or part-time basis.

Most classes meet 2 times per week for 1 to 1.5 hours each, although some meet 1 time per week for 3 hours. Classes are scheduled in the evenings on Monday through Friday to address the needs of working professionals.

A Comprehensive Curriculum

The curriculum for the MA in Economics program consists of 16 hours of core courses that focus on economic theory and quantitative methods. It also includes 16 hours of elective courses that focus on developing presentation skills and completing project-related writing assignments.

Students may choose to take 1 elective course outside of the economics department. They may also complete a master's thesis, but it is not a graduation requirement.

Over the course of their education, students acquire the expertise needed to use economic analysis to increase the understanding of how economies work. This knowledge can be used to help shape public policy.

MA in Economics Co-Op Option

Northeastern University offers students in the MA in Economics program a cooperative education option. The co-op program makes it possible for students to complement classroom study with practical experience in the field of economics.

The co-op assignment is a full-time, paid position that enables students to earn experiential learning credit, establish professional contacts, and acquire pertinent work experience.

Students' co-op positions generally begin at the end of the spring semester of the first year of study and run through the end of the fall semester of the second year of study. After students complete their co-op experiences, they return to their coursework.

PhD Program in Applied Economics at Northeastern University

The Doctor of Philosophy in Economics at Northeastern University is a "small and focused" program that includes specializations in industrial organization economics and labor economics. Students gain in-depth knowledge of economic theory, practice, and policy. This prepares them for positions in the business and government sectors that relate to product and labor market operations.

Individuals may enter the PhD program at the bachelor's or master's level.

PhD in Economics with Industrial Organization Specialization

PhD students who choose the industrial organization specialty learn how to analyze and evaluate the performance of various markets and develop appropriate policy responses to address problems with market performance. Students in this specialization may also study transportation economics.

PhD in Economics with Labor Economics Specialization

Students who pursue a specialty in labor economics master the skills needed to analyze the neoclassical labor market. Topics of study include human capital, demand for labor, market equilibrium, and distribution of wages and earnings.

Students also gain an understanding of the theoretical and empirical issues that are associated with current topics in labor economics such as discrimination, efficiency wage theory, labor legislation, life cycle analysis, intergenerational earnings mobility, and employment and training policies.

PhD in Economics Curriculum

The PhD curriculum consists of several components such as completing coursework. Students who have master's degrees complete 6 courses (24 semester hours of credit) while bachelor degree holders complete 12 courses or 48 semester hours of credit.

The program also involves passing the micro-economics and macro-economics qualifying exams as well as the field comprehensive exam. The field exam includes both questions pertaining to students' specializations and questions regarding econometrics methodology.

The PhD curriculum also includes attendance to field lunches, creating a dissertation committee, and presenting a dissertation proposal. The program culminates with completing and defending the dissertation.

Accomplished Faculty Members

Faculty members in the Department of Economics are skilled educators and researchers who conduct relevant, advanced research in the field of economics.

M. Shahid Alam is one of these dedicated professors. His research interests include corruption, growth, global economic history, and imperialism. He has published 2 books -- "Governments and Markets in Economic Development Strategies" and "Poverty from the Wealth of Nations" -- and numerous articles in journals such as the American Economic Review and Cambridge Journal of Economics.

His colleague Andrew M. Sum is a professor of economics and the director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern. Professor Sum has authored or co-authored numerous articles, monographs, and books that address topics such as regional, national, and state labor markets; labor market behavior and problems of young adults; and the role of education, literacy, and training in influencing adults' labor market experiences.

About Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university that is located in Boston, Massachusetts, in the northeastern region of the United States.

It provides nearly 20,000 students with more than 90 undergraduate and over 160 graduate programs that emphasize both theoretical and practical education.

Northeastern University's esteemed cooperative education program as well as its student research, service learning, and global learning programs help students acquire the skills and connections needed to effectively meet the needs of a dynamic and challenging global environment.

More Information

More information is available regarding graduate applications and graduate studies at Northeastern University.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Master of Arts (MA)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 19
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? Yes
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? Not reported

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Required
• Doctoral Degrees Required
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied219
• Accepted112
• Acceptance Rate51%
• Enrolled26
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $50
• Application Fee - International $50
• Electronic applications accepted? No
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline August 1st May 1st Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline December 1st December 1st Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE
• Doctoral's DegreesNot Reported
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *Not Reported
• Out-of-state tuition *Not Reported
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year feesNot Reported
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsFebruary 1
• Types of financial support availableTeaching Assistantships, Tuition Waivers, Federal Work-Study, Institutionally-sponsored Loans, Graduate Assistantships

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchU.S. labor markets, applied economics, microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, econometrics
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported