FAQs for Prospective MS Students

Features of the Applied Economics Program

What are the basic features of your program?: Our MS program requires 30 credit hours (generally 10 courses) to complete. These credit hours include 18 credit hours of core economics courses and 12 credit hours of student-chosen electives.
Does the program have a STEM designation?: Yes. Reflecting the quantitative rigor of our program, the MS in applied economics is a STEM-designated program. The STEM designation allows our international graduates an additional two years of work in the United States beyond the one year that they already may complete as part of their Optional Practical Training (OPT).
How long does it take to earn the degree?: Most full-time students complete their MS degree in three semesters plus one additional semester or summer course. By taking four courses a semester plus two courses in the summer, students may complete their degree in just one year.

Preparing for Admission

Do I need a college degree to apply to the program?

Yes. All applicants to GW graduate programs must hold a 4-year U.S. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or its foreign equivalent.

I earned a 3-year Bachelor's degree from India or Pakistan. Am I eligible to apply?

Individuals with a 3 year degree from a college or university in India that has a current NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) accreditation status of A or better are eligible to apply to a CCAS master degree program. Otherwise, applicants from India must hold a 4-year (Honors) Bachelor's degree, or a 3-year degree plus a postgraduate diploma or at least one year of Master's study.

Do I need to have a degree in economics?

A majority of our students enter the Applied MS program with a degree in economics or in business. Many students, however, have studied other subjects and some have been working for a few years. Thus, a degree in economics is not essential to be considered for admission. However, students must meet the minimum math and economics coursework described below.

What are the minimum math requirements for entering students?

Students must have earned at least a B- in a college-level calculus course. AP and high school courses do not qualify as a pre-requisite. Applicants who don’t meet this prerequisite may meet it by taking a calculus course prior to starting the program. The course must be from an accredited academic institution that can provide an official transcript with a letter grade or numerical score for the course. Calculus is routinely used in our program’s core courses and in some elective courses.

What are the minimum economics requirements for entering students?

Students must have earned at least a B in both introductory microeconomics and in introductory macroeconomics. Students who did not meet these requirements in their introductory courses but did earn at least a B in intermediate microeconomics and macroeconomics will be considered to have met the prerequisites. Applicants who don’t meet this requirement may take courses prior to starting the program.

What courses may I take to meet the prerequisites I may be lacking?

Courses must be from an accredited academic institution that can provide an official transcript with a letter grade or numerical score for the course. Students may fulfill one or more missing prerequisites before entering the program by taking in-person courses or online courses offered by an accredited college (including community colleges) or university that can provide an official transcript with a letter grade or numerical score for the course(s).

Courses offered by online platforms such as Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, or LinkedIn Learning are not suitable and cannot be used to satisfy the prerequisites.

Do you have minimum GRE scores?

No. We do not accept GRE scores as part of the application.

Do you have a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)?

Yes. To be considered for admission, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. However, applicants who do not meet this standard will be evaluated according to their full application.

Do I need to submit letters of recommendation?

Yes, you must provide two letters of recommendation. These letters can be from a professor or an employer and they should address your ability to succeed in the applied economics master’s program.

Where do I submit the letters of recommendation?

Letters of recommendation must be submitted through the application. Your letter writers will receive a link through which they may upload their letter of recommendation. The letters form part of your entire application that is processed through the CCAS Graduate Admissions Office.

Do I need to submit a personal statement and a resume?

Yes, you should submit a 500-1,000 word personal statement (also referred to as an essay) explaining why you wish to earn a master’s degree in Applied Economics. You should also submit your resume. You submit both of these items as part of the application process.

Are there any exceptions to the application requirements?

Yes. Candidates who do not meet the application requirements are invited to contact the program Director. Admissions decisions are based on an applicant’s overall package. For example, grades from college are less important for a student with significant work experience than for recent graduates. Students who are starting graduate school immediately after college are not expected to have as strong a resume as students who have been working for a few years.

Will you assess my likelihood of being admitted or of receiving financial support if I send you detailed information about myself?

No. We do not provide preliminary reviews of applicants. Admissions decisions are made by a committee that reviews all applications.

Will you provide financial support?

As for financial support, we cannot make valid assessments outside of the formal application review process. Most admitted students do receive some financial support.

Do you admit part-time students?

Yes. Domestic students (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) can enroll part time. U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services rules do not allow international students to study on a part-time basis unless they already have special (non- F-1) visas (or are in the final semester of their studies).

Can I work while studying for my MS degree?

Many domestic students continue to work off campus while studying for the Applied Economics MS. We offer most courses in the evening to accommodate such students. All of our students are eligible to work on-campus while studying for their degree. International students must confirm their employment eligibility to work off campus with the International Services Office before starting any employment.

What are the admissions procedures for the PhD in Applied Economics?

GW does not offer a PhD in Applied Economics at this time. If you would like to study for a PhD in Economics please see the PhD Prospective student FAQs on our website.

Costs and Financial Support

What is the cost of attending your program?

Information on tuition and fees can be found on the Student Accounts website. The Economics Department is in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, and the standard graduate tuition credit charge applies. The Applied MS program requires completing 30 credit hours.

Information on the total cost of attendance, including living expenses, can be found on the page linked here. Be sure to click on the “Graduate” tab on the page that opens.

What sort of financial support (funding) is available for Applied MS students?

We automatically consider all applicants for financial support, so you do not need to submit a separate application.

Financial support offered at the time of admission takes the form of partial tuition awards. These awards cover some of the tuition costs associated with the program. The program (and the University) does not offer tuition waivers or research/teaching assistantships that cover all tuition costs and/or all living expenses.

Is there special funding for recent GW graduates?

Yes. GW graduates may take advantage of the Grad2Grad program and obtain a 10% tuition discount if they start within one year of earning their GW undergraduate degree.

How many of your Applied MS students receive financial support from the University?

A majority of our students receive at least some financial support from the University.

Does the economics department offer other funding for applied economics students?

Yes, we do. Our applied economics students can be hired by professors to help with their research or with grading in their courses. We also have some funding for students who work at unpaid internships. The compensation for these positions does not cover tuition costs or living expenses but helps defray these costs.

Application Procedures

How do I apply to the program?

You submit your application online through the Graduate Application Center. You can find information on materials that you must submit when applying to the Applied MS program in Economics in the Program Finder.

You should submit all application materials, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, directly to Columbian College Graduate Admissions and not to the Department of Economics.

Who may I ask questions about the application process?

For any questions about the application process,, please contact Columbian College Graduate Admissions by email at [email protected].

You may view the status of your application online through the application portal.

Can I waive any requirements?

You should address questions about waiving the TOEFL or the application fee to Columbian College Graduate Admissions by email at [email protected]. We generally waive the application fee for applicants who participate in an online or in-person information session.

Who may I ask questions about the applied economics program?

Please contact the Director of the Applied Economics program at [email protected] if you have any specific questions about the program.

What is the deadline for submitting an application?

For fall semester enrollment, you should submit your application by February 1 to be considered for financial awards and by April 1 for regular admission. We accept applications beyond these deadlines, subject to program enrollment.

Do you admit students in the fall and spring?

Yes. We admit students for both the fall and the spring semester. For spring semester enrollment, you should submit your application by October 1. As with fall applications, we accept applications beyond this date subject to program enrollment. Because we have designed the program to welcome students in both fall and spring, there is no difference in core course offerings between starting in the fall or in the spring semester.

How can I be considered for financial support (funding)?

We automatically consider all applicants for financial support so you do not need to provide a separate application. Funding decisions are merit based. We unfortunately cannot offer funding to all qualified applicants. However, most of our students receive some funding during their program of study.

For additional information, see the above section on “Costs and Financial Support."

I am an international student, what are your English language requirements and what credentials do I need to submit?

English language requirements depend on where applicants earned their degree. Students who earned their degree in a country where English is the official language are not required to submit English-language scores.

Other students must meet minimum language requirements as set forth on the University’s webpage on English Language Proficiency for international applicants.

Characteristics of Our Students, Program, and Professors

How many students are in your Applied MS program and where do they come from?

Around 25 to 30 students start in the fall semester and about 10 to 20 students in the spring semester. Students come from around the world and about half of each class completed their undergraduate studies in the United States.

Do most students start the program immediately after graduating from college?

Most students start the program immediately after college. However, many students have some work experience.

How would you describe a typical graduate student in Applied Economics?

We try to create a study body with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. While the characteristics of each class vary, the group tends to be split evenly between men and women, about 40 percent of students are U.S. citizens, and about 25 to 30 percent have work experience. International students come from all around the world.

How would you describe a typical class?

Professors tend to lecture, review homework, and create discussions in class. Many instructors assign students to study groups so students can benefit from each other’s experiences.

What are your program requirements?

Our program requires 30 credit hours. We require six core courses (18 credit hours) consisting of Math for Economics, Probability and Statistics, Applied Microeconomic Theory, Applied Macroeconomic Theory, Applied Econometrics, and Time Series. Students also must complete 12 credit hours of electives.

For detailed program requirements please see the Applied Economics MS bulletin page.

Do you offer quantitative courses?

Yes. As a STEM-designated program, we offer many quantitative courses. The courses include data science for economics, applied quantitative risk management, and machine learning for economics.

What fields of specialization does your program offer?

The program does not have fields of specialization. However, we e offer a range of courses, including behavioral economics, development economics, international trade and finance, labor economics, monetary theory and policy, public finance, and environmental and natural resource economics.

What is a graduate certificate?

Graduate certificates are fields of specialization that GW offers to its graduate students. Our Applied Economics graduate students may combine specific graduate certificates with their MS degree. These certificates include data science, environmental resource policy, budget and public finance, and geographical information systems. We also offer graduate certificates from our business school.

What is the benefit of studying for a graduate certificate?

Students who study for a graduate certificate while earning their master’s degree gain the benefit of a specialization in a related field. In addition, since students may apply two certificate courses toward their MS degree, they reduce the cost of the combined degree by 20 percent. This double counting of credits allows students to earn both degrees in the same amount of time as the single MS degree.

What are the computer programming requirements?

Our courses use Stata, R, and Python, among other languages. Prior programming knowledge is not required.

Do you offer refresher courses in programming?

Yes. Through the Academic Commons, GW offers free courses in Python, R, Tableau, and other relevant programming languages and software.

What is a typical plan of study?

Students who study full time will usually follow this plan of study:

Semester 1: ECON 6300: Mathematical Methods for Economics, ECON 6305: Applied Macroeconomics and ECON 6374: Probability and Statistics for Economics
Semester 2: ECON 6301: Applied Microeconomics, ECON 6375: Applied Econometrics, and one elective course
Semester 3: ECON 6376: Time Series Analysis and two elective courses
Semester 4 (or summer): One elective course

For sample timelines please see the MS Curriculum Details page.

How long do students take to complete the Applied Economics MS?

Students generally take 3 to 4 semesters to complete the program.

What is a full course load?

A full course load is three 3-credit courses per semester, for a total of 9 credit hours per semester. Students, including international students, may enroll for one class if they are in their final semester of studies.

How is the World Bank Data Lab connected with the Applied Economics program?

The World Bank Data Lab is an arrangement that our Applied Economics program has with the World Bank. Through our University Partnership, our students may take an independent study course led by the program director where they work directly with World Bank economists on a real-world project.

GW is the only university in the DC area and one of only two universities in the U.S. with this arrangement.

May students take courses at other universities in the Washington, DC area?

GW is part of a consortium of universities in the Washington, DC area, which makes it straightforward to take courses at nearby universities.

Where can I find information about your professors?

You can find a list of applied economics professors on the Applied Economics website. All faculty are listed in the Department Directory. Our applied economics professors bring a wealth of professional experience to the classroom and take a strong interest in the success of their students.

Career Outcomes

What positions do your graduates obtain?

We have a strong placement record. Our students obtain positions in academic institutions, international organizations, research institutes, government agencies, and the private sector. Our program director and professors work with our students to help them find post-graduate employment. For information about our placements, see the Section titled “Where Do Applied Economics Graduates Work?” on our main webpage.

The Career Services Office maintains an active, formal placement service.

Contacts and Additional Information

May I visit campus to find out more details about GW?

The University provides both in person and virtual tours as well as information sessions. For information on these tours and sessions please see the Graduate Admissions Visit and Events site.

The Director of the Applied Economics program hosts virtual information sessions throughout the year. Information for upcoming sessions can be found here once they are scheduled.

Where can I find more information about living in Washington, DC?

The Department’s graduate student association, SAGE, offers a host of useful information on its website about living in DC, and can be emailed at [email protected].

If, after reviewing this FAQ and the information on the Department’s website, you have questions about the MS program, please send an email to [email protected].