Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the MA Program in Economics:
1. What are the admission requirements?
Answer: To be admitted as a regular graduate student, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 2.75 and have successfully completed the prerequisites. In addition, international students must provide GRE scores and satisfy the English proficiency requirement. You can find more detailed information regarding the prerequisites, GRE scores, and English proficiency requirements below.
2. What is the deadline for applying?
Answer: Priority admission will be given to students whose application is complete by March 15.
3. What are the prerequisites?
Answer: The prerequisites include: (i) Macroeconomic Theory (or Intermediate Macro or equivalent); (ii) Microeconomic Theory (or Intermediate Micro or equivalent); (iii) Statistics (or Applied Business Statistics or Statistical Concepts with Apps or equivalent); (iv) Calculus (or Mathematics for Economics or Mathematical Economics or Mathematics for Business (with calculus topics) or equivalent).
4. What is the English proficiency requirement?
Answer: Below is the requirement set by Cleveland State University.TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based): 78 and at least 17 in each section;TOEFL PBT (Paper-Based): 550;IELTS: 6.0 and at least 5.0 in each section.
Applicants from some countries are exempted from the English proficiency requirement. Learn which countries here.
5. Do I have to provide GRE scores?
Answer: For admission, international students must provide GRE scores. Due to the pandemic, the university is waiving GRE/GMAT scores for Master’s programs through Summer 2024.
6. What is the minimum GRE score for admission?
Answer: No minimum score is set for admission. However, the average score on the quantitative section was 152, with the rage from 143-163, in thepast few years. We do not keep track of the average scores for the other sections.
7. What is the average GPA for applicants who receive graduate assistantships?
Answer: The average was about 3.65, with the range from 3.2 to 4.0, in the past few years.
8. What is the average GRE score for graduate assistantship?
Answer: The average GRE score on the quantitative section was around 155, with the range from 152 to 163, in the past few years. We do not keeptrack of the average scores for the other sections.
9. Do I have to submit recommendation letters?
Answer: You must submit at least two letters of recommendation by May 1st, only if you are applying for funding (graduate assistantship).
10. Does the graduate assistantship cover both tuition and living expenses?
Answer: We provide full tuition and stipends in Fall and Spring semesters. Sometimes, we also offer partial tuition waivers. It depends on our funding each year.
11. What is the minimum requirement for GPA to apply for your MA program?
Answer: The minimum GPA required by the university is 2.75 (out of 4.00).
12. How do I apply for financial aid (graduate assistantship)?
Answer: In the application form, there is a question if you are interested in a graduate assistantship that covers full tuition and provides a stipend. If you are interested, check it and send two letters of recommendation. You do not have to send the letters if you are not interested in the graduateassistantship. You do not have to apply for a graduate assistantship separately.
13. What is the average class size?
Answer: The average class size is about 12-15 students.
14. If financial aid is available, what percentage of the class/number of students receive assistantship?
Answer: Each year 2-4 students receive graduate assistantships. It varies over years.
15. What is the monthly stipend for an assistantship?
Answer: It varies year over year. For more information, please visit the Graduate College website here.
16. What is the institution code to send my GRE and TOEFL scores?
Answer: The institution code is 1221. No program code is required.
17. Is the MA program in economics a STEM?
Answer: Yes.
18. What is the length of the program?
Answer: A full-time student will finish the program in one year. A part-time student can complete the program within two years.
19. Do I have to write a thesis/dissertation?
Answer: No, you don’t. Writing a thesis/dissertation is optional.
20. How do I apply?
Answer: All applications for our MA program are to be made through the official graduate admissions website here. The admission policy for international students can be viewed from the “International Graduate Admissions” website here.