The Economics Department is pleased to offer three program tracks that enable students to customize the educational experience according to their academic and career goals:
- An accelerated 10-month track
- An intermediate 18-month track
- A long 24-month program track
Degree requirements in each our three tracks are identical; all three tracks require completion of our core (Macro, Micro, and Econometrics) courses, as well as 30 graded credit hours. The primary differences between tracks are time to degree completion and cost. Though the longer tracks allow more time for independent research, a thesis option is not required in any of the three tracks.
Regardless of program track, all students begin classes together during the summer (with a mid-July start). Ten-month students entering the program in July will graduate the following May; 18-month students will graduate at the end of the second fall semester enrolled (December); and 24-month students will graduate at the end of the second spring semester enrolled (May).
The 10-month track is a good fit for cost-conscious students, particularly those whose ultimate goal is to enroll in a PhD program immediately upon graduating.
The longer (18 and 24-month) degree tracks are a good fit for students looking to:
- complete the degree at a slower pace
- work part-time or pursue an internship while completing the degree (particularly international students subject to CPT rules)
- build a stronger profile for PhD applications or private-sector jobs
- take additional Economics courses
The following chart provides a side-by-side comparison of the three program tracks. The program staff will work closely with individual students on their course choices and the progress to degree.
| Semester | 10-month | 18-month | 24-month |
| Summer | Math for Economists Probability & Statistics Optional: Real Analysis | Math for Economists Probability & Statistics Optional: Real Analysis | Math for Economists Probability & Statistics Optional: Real Analysis |
| Fall | Microeonomics Econometrics Macroeconomics 1 elective | Microeconomics Econometrics Macroeconomics or 1 elective | Microeconomics Econometrics Macroeconomics or 1 elective |
| Spring | 3-4 electives | 2-3 electives Optional: Internship | 1-3 electives Optional: Internship |
| Fall | Macroeconomics (if not yet taken) 2-3 electives Optional: Internship or Data Science Practicum | Macroeconomics (if not yet taken) 1-3 electives Optional: Internship or Data Science Practicum | |
| Spring | 1-3 electives Optional: Internship |
The 18-month and 24-month tracks do involve additional costs, specifically per-semester charges and (for courses beyond the 30 credit requirement) per-credit charges. For more information, visit our Tuition page.
When you apply, you will be asked to select the track you are most likely to pursue. This is used primarily for advising purposes. It is easy to shorten your track in order to graduate “early” or to lengthen your track if you decide to make changes after you enroll. The same admissions criteria is applied regardless of which track you select at the time of your application.