UofC • This Is Now

Location

Social Sciences Building, Room 454

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 395/495/497(econometrics), Economics 387/389 (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 is February 1 for September 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 395, Economics 387, Economics 389, Economics 495, Economics 497, 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

The Department of Economics requires that doctoral students take twelve one-semester courses. Required courses include two courses each in econometrics, ECON 615 and ECON 715, microeconomic theory, ECON 657 and ECON 757, and macroeconomic theory, ECON 659 and ECON 759. In addition, students must take six one-semester courses in "field" areas. Students are also recommended to take a non-credit one-week course in the Fall semester block week (the week prior to the start of classes) of the first year in Mathematical Economics (ECON 600). The Department allows for the possibility that Master's-level courses and course work taken at other institutions may be substituted for some of the required doctoral courses. Decisions concerning course substitutions and the transferability of graduate courses from other institutions are made on a case-by-case basis. Students are advised that the comprehensive theory examinations, which are required of all doctoral students, include material from the core courses listed above.

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 comprehensive examination in each of Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, and Econometrics.Each examination will be three hours long. These examinations shall be scheduled in May. In August, students who fail one or more of the comprehensive theory examinations shall be given a second opportunity to pass those examinations they failed. Students who do not pass their comprehensive theory examinations by the second sitting shall be required to withdraw from the program.

Doctoral students are required to pass a written comprehensive field examination in two fields of study. The written comprehensive field examinations shall each be three hours long. These examinations shall normally be scheduled in June of the second year. Students who fail one or more of the written comprehensive field examinations shall be given a second opportunity in August to pass those examinations they failed. Students who do not pass their written comprehensive field examinations by the second sitting shall be required to withdraw from the program.

Students who do not pass their oral candidacy examination by the twenty-eighth month of their program shall be required to withdraw from the program.

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.

To be eligible for funding beyond the first year, a student must pass all comprehensive theory examinations by the beginning of classes of their second year. To be eligible for funding beyond the Fall semester of the third year, a student must pass their comprehensive field examination and their oral candidacy examination by the beginning of Winter semester courses in their third year.

None

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