Paul College’s Master of Science in Economics is pathbreaking. Its skills-based coursework has you learn advanced economic theory, data warehousing, data management and visualization, machine learning, econometrics and data modeling, and how to code in R, Python, and SQL all in one year. You will be uniquely prepared to help businesses make decisions in the landscape of AI and big data.
$118K
The average, non-bonus, salary of our 2023 graduates
100%
of 2023 MS graduates are employed in their field
Credit Hours: 32, academic track; 32-35, industry track | Program Length: 1 year
A master’s degree in economics will equip you with advanced analytical and quantitative skills necessary for evaluating complex economic problems and developing effective solutions. You will enhance your critical thinking, research proficiency, and data analysis abilities, enabling you to contribute to policymaking, consulting, research, and various roles in the public and private sector. An M.S. in economics provides a strong foundation for a wide range of careers, including economic analysis, financial management, consulting, and academia.
Nationally Ranked: Our M.S. in economics is ranked No. 33 in 2023 by TFE Times.
STEM Designated: Perfectly positioned for international students. With a STEM-designated focus, you will graduate from the M.S. in analytics economics program and be able to apply for a 24-month OPT STEM Extension to your 12-month Optional Practical Training Program (OPT) period, allowing you to work in the United States for up to 36 months after graduation with no additional visa requirement.
One Year: Finish this program in just one year, saving time and money.
Rigorous and Relevant: Master the quantitative and cutting-edge research skills to excel in your career. Learn advanced economic theory, econometric and data analysis, and code in SAS and R.
Industry Track: Gain advanced quantitative economics and econometric skills in preparation for careers in applied economic professions.
Academic Track: Prepare for Ph.D. programs in economics.
Faculty Mentoring: Our faculty has a global reputation for outstanding research and teaching.
Capstone Experience: For the industry track, students complete an applied project, summer internship or assist with faculty-driven research. For the academic track, students will complete the Ph.D. comprehensive exam in economic theory.
1 Year
YOU'LL EARN YOUR DEGREE IN 12 MONTHS, MEANING LESS TIME IN GRADUATE SCHOOL AND MORE TIME IN THE MARKETPLACE
33rd
M.S. PROGRAM RANKED NATIONALLY BY TFE TIMES
93%
JOB PLACEMENT FOR M.S. PROGRAM ALUMNI SIX MONTHS POST-GRADUATION
Paul College’s STEM designated Master of Science in Economics is a breed apart. The program offers an academic track and an industry track. Students also have the flexibility of pursuing a mixed track that combines courses from the academic and industry tracks.
The academic track provides a full year of doctoral-level economic theory, econometric analysis, and research seminar. It is designed for students whose goal is to become a research economist and possibly a Ph.D. economist.
The industry track’s curriculum is unlike any other Master’s program in the country. It is interdisciplinary, weaving together economic theory, data analytics, statistical methods, and data modeling. The program’s mix of doctoral-level and applied classes is also distinctive. Students learn economic theory and statistical methods at the doctoral level. They also use economic theory and data to understand a range of business decision problems. Innovative applied classes include Macroeconomic Consulting and Strategy Analysis: Games and Auctions.
Few other Master’s programs in the country provide a toolkit with comparable interdisciplinary range or rigor. Students learn economic theory and econometrics, code in R and STATA, and learn SQL, PowerBI, and Tableau all in one year. Graduates are uniquely trained to help businesses understand the market context, formulate decision problems, and manage the data analysis. People with this training are in high demand by organizations of all stripes.
Students enroll in an intensive Mathematical Economics course during the month of August. The program culminates with a capstone experience, which depends on a student’s chosen track.
The program can be completed in 12 months. It starts with an intensive Mathematical Economics course that is taught in a concentrated manner over the first two weeks of the Fall semester. It is followed by two semesters of coursework. Some of the industry-track courses are scheduled on the 8-week term calendar. These term classes entail 3-credit hours and meet 3.5 hours a week. A capstone experience completes the degree requirements. Industry track students’ capstone entails a corporate consulting project in the spring, while academic track students take a comprehensive exam in microeconomic or macroeconomic theory in early summer.
The program requires a minimum of 32 credit hours of coursework and a capstone experience. All students must complete four core classes.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| The Core | ||
| ECON 825 | Mathematical Economics 1 | 4 |
| ECON 926 | Econometrics I | 4 |
| ECON 927 | Econometrics II | 4 |
| ECON 976 | Microeconomics I | 4 |
| Industry Track | ||
| DS 801 | Business Intelligence 2 | 3 |
| DS 804 | Exploration and Communication of Data 2 | 3 |
| ECON 890 | Analytical Economics in Practice (Capstone) 2 | 3 |
| ECON 871 | Macroeconomic Consulting 2 | 3 |
| ECON 875 | Strategy Analysis: Games and Auctions 2 | 3 |
| Elective 3 | ||
| Academic Track | ||
| ECON 972 | Macroeconomics I | 4 |
| ECON 973 | Macroeconomics II | 4 |
| ECON 977 | Microeconomics II | 4 |
| ECON 988 | Graduate Economics Seminar (Fall and Spring) | 4 |
| Capstone - Comprehensive Exam | ||
| Mixed Track | ||
| ECON 871 | Macroeconomic Consulting 2 | 3 or 4 |
| or ECON 972 | Macroeconomics I | |
| At least 15 credits of classes (if ECON 972 is selected) or 14 credits of classes (if ECON 871 is selected) from either the industry or academic track. Students are recommended to take at least 5 credits of classes beyond the core during the fall semester and 8 credits of classes beyond the core during the spring semester. | ||
Course is offered in the first two weeks of the Fall semester and involves in-class and online learning. It provides the mathematical foundation needed for the fall theory and econometrics classes.
Course is scheduled on an 8-week term calendar and entails 32 hours of contact time.
Electives include ECON 928 Econometrics III, Time Series Econometrics, DS 809 Time Series Analysis, DS 807 Modeling Unstructured Data, MATH 838 Data Mining and Predictive Analytics, ACFI 810 Big Data in Finance, ADMN 863 Marketing Analytics, and other approved classes. The number of credit hours will vary depending on the choice of the elective.
Our Accelerated Master of Science in Economics (MSE) option provides an opportunity for UNH undergraduate students to begin graduate study while completing a bachelor's degree—making you stand out among other job applicants with advanced skills and increasing your earning potential. Qualified students can begin earning graduate credit during their undergraduate programs, allowing them to maximize their time on campus and return on their educational investment.
Eligibility:
Accelerated MSE Requirements:
Approved Dual Credit Electives
To earn graduate credits, students need to enroll in the 800-level sections of approved dual credit courses. The 800-level sections require additional work beyond the requirements for the undergraduate versions. The following is the list of approved dual credit courses for the accelerated path in the MSE program:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 871 | Macroeconomic Consulting | 3 |
| ECON 875 | Strategy Analysis: Games and Auctions | 3 |
| MATH 838 | Data Mining and Predictive Analytics | 3 |
| Other approved 800-level electives | ||
Core Competencies
Industry Track
Academic Track
Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:
Application fee: $65
Campus: Durham
New England Regional: RI VT
Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)
Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.
If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC.
If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.
If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:
Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.
Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.
GRE required. Request official test scores to be sent directly to the Graduate School by the testing service. Test scores more than five years old are not acceptable. Student copies and photo copies of scores are not considered official. Our CEEB code is 3918.
Applicants without GRE scores will not be considered for any graduate assistantship opportunities
For general information about test scores, including waiver requests and current COVID related impacts, please visit our Test Scores webpage.
Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:
A current resume is required with your submitted application.
All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.
This program requires an enrollment deposit of $500. If admitted the deposit will be due by the deadline specified in your admit letter. For more information please see our enrollment deposits help page.
Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.
Paul College M.S. analytical economics graduates have launched successful careers with organizations including:
Watch this video to learn more about the economics program faculty, including Michael Goldberg, Todd H. Crockett Professor of Economics and winner of the 2016 UNH Graduate Faculty Mentor Award.
