Graduate Program
Graduate Studies
MS in Quantitative Economics and Econometrics
The master of science program in Economics at East Carolina University combines the analytical framework of modern economic theory and the quantitative methods of applied econometrics with special emphasis on the following areas: coastal resources and environmental economics; economic forecasting, financial economics; health care; and issues of poverty and regional development. All students take a common core of courses in neoclassical theory and analytical technique and then apply these tools in a variety of field courses. The experience culminates in the completion of a research project in which the student designs an analytical project, collects that the required data, and then tests and reports the results of the model.
The program is designed to be completed in two semesters and two summers. The program is sufficiently flexible to include part-time students and “spring starters.” For more details of the required course sequence see the graduate catalog.
The program provides an ideal background for work in industry, government, and non-profit positions requiring the combination of analytical skills and institutional background. The degree was designed as a terminal one, rather than an intermediate stage of a Ph.D. program. Although it is an excellent preparation for further graduate work in economics, it was conceived specifically to provide graduates with up-to-date and marketable skills. One of the strengths of the program is in the small class sizes and a close working relationship with the faculty. Faculty who are active contributors to the areas in which they teach conducts all graduate field courses.
The structure of the program reflects the research interests of the faculty. Some of the faculty conduct research and teach in areas of macroeconomics, but the preponderant emphasis within the department is on neoclassical microeconomics applied to areas such as coastal and marine resources, environmental economics, health care, labor economics, regional development, and income distribution.
Requirements for Admission
The program will admit students from a variety of undergraduate majors provided your undergraduate preparation has included at least one course each in statistics and differential calculus. Undergraduate courses in intermediate microeconomics and intermediate macroeconomics are also strongly recommended.
Applicants should submit the following:
- Navigate to the ECU Graduate School’s Apply Today! site to begin your application. In the dropdown menu of ‘Masters Degrees,’ select the ‘Quantitative Economics and Econometrics, MS’ link.
- Two copies of official transcripts of all prior academic work.
- Scores on the Graduate Record Examination, and if appropriate, TOEFL scores.
- Three recent academic letters of recommendation.
Promising applicants who do not currently meet all formal criteria may be granted provisional admission.
The Program
The program design includes a healthy measure of theory and econometric technique. The core courses develop those aspects of neoclassical price and welfare theory that are essential to deal with the policy issues encountered in resource and environmental economics and in related fields of applied microeconomics. The structure of the program reflects the conviction that people best learn economics by doing economics: our elective courses are taught as applications of the theory and technique courses and encourage students to define all research questions in a manner that will permit empirical testing. A successful working economist must not only master the statistical techniques of modern empirical research, but must also be able to convey the results of this research in a persuasive and articulate manner. Our program accordingly gives students ample opportunity to develop necessary analytical and presentation skills. The Department also conducts regular Economics Seminars at which our faculty and invited external speakers present their latest research.
Some useful links:
Financial Assistance
A limited number of graduate assistantships are available that involve up to a twenty hour per week time commitment. Graduate assistants typically become involved in faculty research projects that may help them identify topics for their own Research Seminar project. In addition to these Graduate School Assistantships, there frequently are paid research assistantships available from faculty external research grants. International Students are eligible for graduate assistantships. The Office of Student Financial Aid at East Carolina University is responsible for administering and processing all Federal Title IV aid for students enrolled at ECU. The website they maintain includes extended information on financial aids from both ECU and off-campus sources.
The University and the Community
East Carolina University is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina with a total enrollment of 24,000, including an enrollment of approximately 5,700 in graduate and MD programs. The University is located adjacent to downtown, with restaurants and shops within easy walking distance. The Medical Center campus is adjacent to Pitt Memorial Hospital in west Greenville. It is located eighty miles from Raleigh and is accessible by four-lane highways and nearby airports. It is also within easy driving distance of coastal beach resorts and the Outer banks, as well as Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The mountain areas of western North Carolina are a bit farther–but still within an easy one-day drive–and contain some of the most spectacular hiking and camping vistas in the land. The adjacent states of Virginia and West Virginia offer convenient winter skiing.
The climate in eastern North Carolina is pleasant, with an annual mean temperature of 60 degrees. The beautiful spring foliage of dogwood and azalea gives way to a warm and humid summer. Falls are usually cool and dry and frequently last well into November. Winters are brief and mild with snowfall being an unusual event.
For More Information
All applicants must complete a formal application available from the Graduate School. For more information about our MS program please use the form below.