Master of Arts in Economics - Policy Track
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Yongsheng Xu, Faculty Advisor

The Department of Economics of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University offers two masters degree programs in economics: the Master of Arts in Economics and the Master of Arts in Economics–Policy Track. The program allows students to work closely with nationally and internationally known faculty. The Andrew Young School is among the highest ranked public policy schools in the nation, according to recent rankings by U.S. News & World Report, with top ten graduate programs in public finance and budgeting and in city management and urban policy. Currently, the Department has 31 full-time faculty, and plans to add an additional 11 positions over the next five years. The program emphasizes advanced training in the basic tools of economics, including economic theory and econometrics. Its concentrations in environmental economics, labor economics, urban and regional economics, and public economics are setting new academic standards in programs of study that combine solid research with practical policy education. The Department features innovative research resources, including an Experimental Economics Laboratory, and maintains a strong multi-disciplinary approach to policy analysis.

The Master of Arts in Economics program is designed to meet the needs of students planning careers in local, state, and federal government and in the private sector. This degree program follows a traditional track. Emphasis is placed upon analytical skills; micro and macroeconomic theory and mathematical statistics are required. At the same time, the program is sufficiently broad to satisfy the needs of social science and economics teachers at the secondary and college level.

The Master of Arts in Economics– Policy Track is intended to prepare professionals for careers in the formation and/or implementation of economic policy or for careers in the evaluation and interpretation of such policy to a wider audience. This degree exposes the student to fundamental issues in critical areas of economic policy, and equips the student to understand and utilize economic data and analysis in evaluating the potential for economic policy to influence outcomes.

Our MA graduates have taken positions in different government agencies, in the private sector, and in nonprofit organizations, and several have moved on to pursue Ph.D. degrees in economics at various universities.

Degree Requirements

A student following the traditional track can take either a thesis option or a non-thesis option to complete the degree. For the thesis option, 30 hours of graduate coursework and 3 hours of thesis research must be taken; for the non-thesis option, 33 hours of graduate coursework must be taken and a nonthesis research paper must be written. The Policy Track requires 36 hours and is a non-thesis track. Read more on MAE-Policy Track Degree Requirements.

The Special Role of Research Centers

As one of the six colleges at GSU, the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies is home to two departments, Economics and Public Administration and Urban Studies. Students also have the opportunity to work with several active research centers, whose programs foster excellence in the design, implementation, and evaluation of policy. These centers include the Environmental Policy Program (including the Experimental Economics Laboratory), the Fiscal Research Program, the International Studies Program, and the Georgia Health Policy Center. Faculty in these centers work closely with local, state, national, and international organizations to provide the solid information needed to address today’s complex policy issues. Governments and the private sector now turn regularly to these centers for advice and counsel.

Living in Atlanta

Among the benefits of graduate study at GSU is living in Atlanta. Consistently rated among the “most livable” cities by Rand McNally and known as a desirable location for business, Atlanta combines an attractive climate with a full variety of cultural and athletic activities. Atlanta’s national reputation was confirmed by its selection as the site of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.

The GSU campus is centrally located near the State Capitol, state and federal offices, the Underground Atlanta entertainment complex, CNN headquarters, and the convention hotel district. Also nearby are the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the King memorial site, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and the Carter Presidential Center. Atlanta is home to Emory University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Atlanta University complex, and more than 20 other degree-granting institutions. Those interested in the arts will find a wealth of delights in the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Ballet, the Atlanta Opera, the biennial National Black Arts Festival, and several major regional theater companies. In addition to collegiate athletics at Georgia State University, Atlanta is home to teams in all major professional sports leagues.

Transportation between Atlanta’s neighborhoods is provided by one of the nation’s most modern transit systems. The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) provides inexpensive transportation throughout the Atlanta area, and the system links the city with Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, now the world’s busiest airport. The GSU MARTA station provides commuter students easy access to campus.

Housing

The Georgia State University Village, constructed as housing for visiting athletes during the 1996 Olympics, now provides affordable, apartment-style housing for students. The University Lofts is another on-campus housing option. Many in-town neighborhoods are both affordable and convenient to GSU, making them popular choices for students.

Admission

The Department seeks highly motivated, well-qualified individuals with a strong desire to do research in economics. An undergraduate major in economics is desirable, but not required.

Evaluation of applicants is based on scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), past academic record, letters of recommendation, and a written statement of career goals and reasons for seeking a Masters Degree. International students who do not have a degree from a U.S. institution must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

The “typical” profile of a successful recent applicant includes verbal and quantitative test scores of at least the 65th percentile, an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.00, some undergraduate economics training, and a career goal related to economic research or economic policy.

Applications are accepted for spring and fall semesters with respective deadlines of October 1 and April 1; a file that is not complete at the deadline may be updated for consideration the following semester.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of graduate research assistantships (GRAs) are available to interested and qualified fulltime MA students. To apply, students complete a GRA application. These positions provide a full tuition waiver plus a stipend. Graduate assistants work with faculty members on research projects in their area of interests.

Application Procedures

The preferred way to apply is via our on-line application.

For additional information and application forms, contact the AYSPS Office of Academic Assistance at:

Office of Academic Assistance
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
University Plaza
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
Phone: (404) 651-3504
Fax: (404) 651-3536
Email: ayspsacademicassist@gsu.edu

Learn more about the Department of Economics and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.