Earn the foundational skills needed to excel in top doctoral programs with our STEM-approved Applied Economics & Policy Analysis master's degree. Graduates have secured tenure-track positions at leading universities such as the University of Arizona, Ohio State, Purdue, and Tufts.

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About the M.S. in Applied Economics & Policy Analysis

The Applied Economics & Policy Analysis degree is a two-year program intended for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. after graduation. You'll work with your faculty advisor and enroll in applied economics coursework to help you complete a research-based thesis on agricultural and natural resource economics. From field work to research seminars, you'll be equipped with the foundational skills needed to enter the world of applied economics research and academia.   

Although graduates often pursue Ph.D. programs, you will be qualified for a career as an econometrician, data scientist, risk manager, credit analyst, economist, or policy analyst.

Coursework overview

You'll complete a minimum of 30 graduate units and a thesis while maintaining a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, including:

• 15 Core units are required as part of the 30 total units
• A 1-unit seminar course each semester to discuss research opportunities, methods, and experiments
• Coursework that emphasizes econometric model specification, estimation, inference, forecasting, and simulation, including applications with real data
• If awarded a graduate assistantship (GA), you must complete at least 10 graduate-level units and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA each semester.

Review our graduate course list to learn more about our offered courses. You may also have access to courses from other departments on campus depending on your study plan. 

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