Calendar 2005/2006

Location

Social Sciences Building, Room 427

Faculty number

(403) 220-6064

Fax

(403) 282-5262

E-mail address

dalip@ucalgary.ca

Web page URL

http://www.econ.ucalgary.ca/

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Master of Arts (MA), thesis-based and course-based

Master of Economics (MEc), course-based

The Department offers a formal specialization in Health Economics. Other specializations are arranged informally, determined by the research interests of the student.

There is no requirement for full-time study for the course-based Master of Arts and the Master of Economics programs and these degrees may be taken on a part-time basis.

In addition to Faculty requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts

A minimum of four full-year equivalent economics courses. These must include the equivalent of Economics 315 (econometrics), Economics 387/389 [ECON389] (mathematics for economists), Economics 557 (senior microeconomics), and Economics 559 (senior macroeconomics), with at least a "B" average in senior economics courses.

Master of Economics

Some employment experience

Doctor of Philosophy

(a)The requirements listed above for the Master of Arts program. Doctoral candidates may require greater proficiency in Mathematics

(b)A Master of Arts degree in Economics or its equivalent, with a high level of proficiency in Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, and Econometrics. If courses have been taken more than five years ago, students may be required to upgrade their knowledge in these fields.

Deadlines for submission of complete applications:

May 15 for September admission

September 15 for January admission

The applicant must make advanced credit requests as part of the admission process. Credit will not be given for course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma or for courses taken to bring the grade point average to a required level for admission.

In addition to Faculty requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts (thesis-based)

(a)For students holding an Honours Economics degree with credits in Economics 315, Economics 387, Economics 389, Economics 419, Economics 557 and Economics 559 or their equivalents, the completion of three full graduate courses in Economics. Such students may be able to complete the degree in one year. In special cases the Department may allow students to substitute one full or two half-courses from a related discipline for one of the elective graduate courses in Economics.

(b)For students without an Honours Economics degree or students whose Honours degree in Economics does not include the undergraduate courses specified in (a) or their equivalents, the completion of such courses as are required to raise their competence to the appropriate level. Graduate course requirements for such students are the same as in (a). Such students may be able to complete the degree in two years.

(c)The completion of Economics 615, Economics 657, and Economics 659 unless one or more of them is explicitly exempted by the requirements for a specialization.

Master of Arts (course-based)

The departmental academic requirements for the course-based Master of Arts degree are comparable to those for the thesis-based Master of Arts specified above. The differences in the course-based program are:

(a)The thesis requirement is replaced by two additional full graduate courses (making a total of five full courses).

(b)The courses from a related discipline are increased to one and one-half of the elective graduate courses in Economics.

(c)An examination, with a written and an oral component, testing overall competency in material covered in the student's program, taken after completion of the course work.

Master of Arts (thesis-based or course-based) with a Specialization in Health Economics

(a)The completion of Economics 679 and Economics 681 as two of the six half-courses required in the thesis-based program, or as two of the ten half-courses required in the course-based program.

(b)Students may be excused from the requirement that they take Economics 659. However, if they are contemplating continuing on to a doctoral program, they are cautioned that most doctoral programs will require a course that is equivalent to Economics 659.

Master of Economics

(a)Normally, the foundation courses (Economics 521 - Introduction to Mathematical Economics, Economics 523 - Introduction to Econometrics I, Economics 529 - Microeconomics with Applications, and Economics 531 - Macroeconomics with Applications) and eight half-courses at the graduate-level. In special cases the Department may allow students to take graduate courses from a related discipline for up to three of the eight graduate level half-courses.

(b)A Research Project completed under the direction of a supervisor and defended in an oral examination according to the rules and regulations of the Faculty.

(c)The completion of a minimum of two half-courses per registration year.

Master of Economics, Specialization in Health Economics

In addition to departmental requirements for the Master of Economics degree, students in the Health Economics Specialization must complete:

(a)Economics 679 and Economics 681, as two of the eight required half-courses

(b)One graduate course, approved by the Economics Department, in the Medical Sciences Faculty, as one of the eight required half-courses

Doctor of Philosophy

Students must complete one 600-level half-course and one 700-level half-course in each of Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, Econometrics, and a chosen field of specialisation. Parts of these requirements may be met by courses at the indicated level recently taken in a Master of Arts (Economics) program.

None

Normally credit is not given for undergraduate courses.

Expected completion time for students studying on a full-time basis is two years for the Master of Arts (thesis-based and course-based), three years for the Master of Economics, and four years for the Doctor of Philosophy. Maximum completion time is four years for the Master of Arts (thesis-based), and six years for the Master of Arts (course-based), the Master of Economics, and the Doctor of Philosophy.

The process by which students are matched with supervisors is an informal one, based on mutual research interest.

Master of Arts (Course-based)

The final comprehensive examination consists of a written and an oral component, both of which must be completed within a two-week period. The written component is an examination of three hours' duration and must be completed before the oral examination is taken. The written examination will normally have four sections, one covering each of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, and the two chosen fields.

Doctor of Philosophy

Doctoral students are required to pass a written departmental comprehensive examination in each of Microeconomic Theory and Macroeconomic Theory. Both examinations must be taken after completion of the required course work for the subject. The theory examinations will be written in May at the end of the first year. All comprehensive examinations must be completed prior to the candidacy examination. The candidacy examination will consist of both written and oral components and will focus on topics related to the chosen fields of specialization and the student's intended area of research.

Final thesis oral examinations are closed.

Doctoral students are required to have a thesis proposal approved by the department before the candidacy examination.

Not applicable

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. For information on awards, please see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this calendar. Students applying for scholarships must submit their applications to the Department by February 1.

None

The active research interests of the current faculty can be found at http://econ.ucalgary.ca/people/faculty.htm