Graduate Programs Office | Jennifer Giordano, Director of Recruitment & Admissions | 610.758.4450 | business@lehigh.edu

MASTER of SCIENCE in ECONOMICS

MEET THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Robert J. Thornton, Ph.D.Charles William MacFarlane ProfessorshipDepartment of Economics: Professor

Robert Thornton is an associate director of the Martindale Center for the Study of Private Enterprise. His research interests lie in the areas of labor economics (particularly unionism in the public sector, occupational licensing, and labor market discrimination) and forensic economics. He served as a research assistant at the Brookings Institution. Dr. Thornton also serves as a private consultant in litigation involving personal injury, wrongful death, and discrimination. He began his academic career at Lehigh in 1970, and has been a Visiting Research Professor at the University of Sussex (UK) and University College Dublin (Ireland). He teaches courses in labor economics and statistics.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Online application • Personal essay

• Test score (GMAT or GRE) • Resume

• Official transcripts from all universities • Two letters of recommendation

• TOEFL scores for international students • USD $100 application fee

• Evidence of financial support for international students (if applying for an F1 student visa)

For tuition rates, please visit the website.

THEORY AND PRACTICE IN PERFECT BALANCE

Lehigh’s faculty are researchers and teachers who offer a wide-range of business experience, expertise in their fields, and commitment to teaching and learning. Students and faculty work side-by-side in our various centers:

• Baker Institute

• Financial Services Laboratory

• Martindale Center for the Study of Private Enterprise

• Murray H. Goodman Center for Real Estate Studies

• Small Business Development Center

• Value Chain Research Center

Convenient to the mid-Atlantic Metropolitan Region. Call to schedule a campus visit!

ApplICATION dEAdlINES:

International Applicants: May 1

Domestic Applicants: July 15

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Washington, D.C.

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1 hour and 15 minutes (75 miles) from Lehigh

1 hour (60 miles) from Lehigh

Why

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EconomicsM A S T E R O F S C I E N C E

It is difficult to point to a time when the world faced greater economic complexity. Government and business leaders alike face daunting challenges as they try to navigate the economic trade-offs and rippling consequences of policy and financial initiatives. With an emphasis on applied economics and the application of economic analysis, the Masters in Economics program prepares students for rewarding careers addressing these challenges in both industry and academia.

Lehigh University’s College of Business & Economics offers an M.S. in Economics. The program is a relatively rare economics program because it is one of the few business-school-offered programs that is completely focused on the Masters level. While there is preparation for optional Ph.D. matriculation, the focal point of this program is on the Masters level. Supported by a faculty known for strong research – as well as award-winning teaching – students benefit from an intimate and highly selective program.

The Lehigh M.S. in Economics program will develop you in a way

that prepares you to begin your career at some of the most well-known companies in the

world. The strong mix of quantitative skills and theoretical understanding places you in a

strong and unique position in the labor market.

– Geoff Wilson, 2014

Lehigh University’s College of Business and Economics academic programs are accredited by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and have been continually accredited since its formation in 1953. This represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide; fewer than 5% of the world’s 13,000 business programs have earned AACSB accreditation.

MASTER of SCIENCE in ECONOMICS

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THE YEAR AHEAD FOR THE MASTERS STUDENT

Fall Spring Summer

Managerial Economics Advanced Macroeconomics ElectiveMathematical Economics Economic Analysis of Market Competition Elective Econometrics Elective Elective Elective

Some students may require three semesters to complete the degree depending on their backgrounds.

OPTIONAL MASTER’S THESIS

Students in the MS Eco program may elect to write a Master’s thesis. The thesis is worth up to six credit hours, and is particularly encouraged for those who may be considering a Ph.D. program. Students desiring to write a thesis should first select a College of Business and Economics faculty member as a thesis advisor. Once the thesis advisor has approved the general subject area in which the student proposes to write the thesis, the student will register for ECO 490 (Thesis). ECO 490 is normally taken for two semesters, three credits per semester.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

The program seeks only the best and brightest applicants: motivated, dedicated to their studies, not afraid of challenges, possessing confidence, self-discipline, and the ability to articulate their ideas orally and in writing. The program continually pursues the excellence necessary to meet the standards of only the highest-quality educational institutions.

COLLEGE AWARDED FINANCIAL AID

Two graduate assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis that each carry a stipend and partial tuition remission. Visit the website for more information and application deadlines.

POST GRADUATION OPPORTUNITIES

Lehigh’s highly regarded graduate programs attract recruiters from over 100 companies each year. Recent graduates of Lehigh’s MS Eco program accepted job offers from such firms as Accenture, AT&T, ING, Morgan Stanley, Towers Perrin, and Veritable, as well as from the US Department of Agriculture. Others have continued into Lehigh’s Ph.D. in Business and Economics and Ph.D. programs at such schools as Binghamton University, Carnegie Mellon, Harvard University and University of North Carolina.

MASTER of SCIENCE in ECONOMICS

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The M.S. in Economics (MS Eco) program offers an exceptional graduate experience featuring small class sizes that maximize interaction with highly-recognized faculty. Small class sizes allow students to collaborate with colleagues in small teams, enriching classroom interaction.

The 30-credit hour program exposes students to the current and relevant research undertaken by our faculty in their respective fields of interest. During the program’s one-year span, students can supplement their core coursework with elective courses in finance, international relations, engineering, political science, mathematics, or marketing. This flexibility affords students the benefit of multiple areas of highly-regarded research and teaching resources across the university.

Students who complete the program will be prepared to pursue a wide variety of careers in a number of fields such as consulting, public policy, and economic development. Some students pursue legal professions through law school or continue into academia through Ph.D. programs.

CORE CURRICULUM

The following courses (15 credit hours) are required for students pursuing the MS Eco degree:

• Managerial Economics • Advanced Macroeconomics • Econometrics

• Mathematical Economics • Economic Analysis of Market Competition

ELECTIVES

With advisor approval, students can select the remaining 15 hours of elective credits from graduate level economics courses or from other disciplines within the College of Business and Economics (e.g. Finance).

BACKGROUND COURSEWORK

In order to undertake Master’s level work in economics, a student need not have majored in economics as an undergraduate. However, the student is expected to have the following undergraduate prerequisites:

• Two Semesters of Calculus

• Principles of Economics

• Intermediate Macroeconomics

• Intermediate Microeconomics

• Basic Statistics

In addition, a course in money and banking is recommended.

Visit www.lehigh.edu/gradbusiness for more information about the MS Eco

MissionTo provide an intellectual and professional learning environment that advances knowledge through research and

scholarship and that develops future leaders through experiential learning, rigorous analysis and the discipline of a

strong work ethic - the hallmarks of a Lehigh University business education.