Letter From the Director

As the founding Director of the Master of Science in Applied Economics at GW, I’m pleased to see that you’re interested in earning your degree at GW. While you’re here, I’d like to take this opportunity to describe our program and highlight some of its distinctive features that I hope will lead you to choose GW.  

Our M.S. program is STEM-designated, reflecting not only the quantitative nature of our courses but also our understanding that students must master both quantitative and qualitative skills to succeed in today’s global economy. Because we teach you how to apply economic theory to draw real-world implications from the data around you, you’ll be prepared for a successful career as an applied economist. And, because we provide you with the extra tools and experience through our extra-curricular options, you’ll stand out from the crowd!

Our Program

Our program consists of core and elective courses. Our core courses in applied microeconomic- and macroeconomic theory,  math and statistics, econometrics and time series analysis teach you the fundamental tools of applied economic analysis.  Completing these six courses ensures that you have developed the essential analytical skills that an applied economist must acquire.

After mastering these fundamental tools of applied economics analysis, you’ll take electives in economic fields, such as international finance and trade, environmental economics, financial analysis, development economics, or behavioral economics. You may also take electives in specialized areas, such as data science, machine learning for economists, and quantitative risk management.

As part of GW’s community, our students are eligible to take electives in other GW schools, such as public policy and administration, business, engineering and applied science, and public health. If there’s a course that you’d like to take that isn’t on our list, just ask.  We regularly survey our students to gauge their interests and then modify our program to meet those interests. Our goal is to give you the education that you seek!

In addition to our courses, our program offers numerous unique features, including programming sessions, communications workshops, seminars, and, most importantly, paid research positions to work with our professors. Our partnership with the World Bank’s Data Lab University Data Fellows Program offers students a unique opportunity to work with World Bank economists on Bank projects. GW is the only program in the DC area with this partnership!

Because we believe in the value of internships, we have dedicated funds for students to pursue an unpaid internship. To the extent our budget allows, we do the best we can to alleviate the financial barriers that may hinder your ambitions.

Before completing your degree, you’ll have the opportunity to meet some of the best economists in the world through our department seminars, our Applied Economics in Action speaker series, our membership in entities such as the National Economists Club, and our alumni networking events.

As an added bonus, you may combine your MS degree with graduate certificate options in areas including data science, budget and public finance, business analytics, environmental resource policy,  and more. Because we allow you to count two certificate courses towards your M.S. degree, in effect, you obtain two degrees --- an MS in applied economics and a graduate certificate --- for the price of one and a half degrees. True economies of scale!

Our Professors

GW’s internationally-recognized economics professors, along with professionals from Washington, D.C-based economic organizations lead all of our applied economics courses. Our faculty brings to the classroom a combination of practical experience and deep knowledge of economic analysis.

Our Students

Our courses and professors are top notch, but we truly believe that our students are our greatest asset. Diverse teams perform better than teams with less diversity, so we seek students from a wide range of backgrounds. Our students come from every region in the United States and around the world. Some students are recent college graduates, while others have been working for years; Some students continue to work while pursuing their degree, while others study full time. Many studied economics, while others have studied business, engineering, political science, or journalism. Some students are outgoing, while others are reserved. Our gender split is relatively balanced between men and women. Representing varied backgrounds and disciplines, our students form a close-knit community within the department.

The wide variety of backgrounds and experiences among our students and professors benefits us all! 

Our Alumni

Our alumni work in an impressive array of careers, including economic consulting for private firms, policy analysis for research groups, and empirical research at governmental and nongovernmental organizations. This list includes the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Compass Lexecon, Econ One, IHS Markit, the Brookings Institution, CBRE, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, FTI consulting, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Communication Commission, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and others.

Many graduates pursue a Ph.D. in economics, public policy, business economics, government and more. Some students stay in Washington, some return to their home states or countries, while others head off in exciting new directions around the world.

Our alumni network has a strong presence on LinkedIn. Throughout the years, our alumni help you stay in touch with your professors and classmates and to continue to benefit from the connections you make while studying at GW.  Our alumni regularly organize happy hours, outings to sporting and theatrical events, and visits to local museums, parks, and restaurants!

Any Questions?

If you have questions after exploring the website, please don’t hesitate to contact me at the dedicated email address: [email protected].  In addition to answering your questions, I’m happy to put you in touch with a current student to talk about the program.

If you happen to be visiting D.C., let me know. I’d enjoy talking about all the reasons why I  believe that GW is the best place to learn applied economics.

Since founding the program in 2015, I have watched it rown and expend in so many exciting ways.  I’m eager to continue to provide the best applied economics education possible to you!

 

Sincerely,

Associate Professor Joann M. Weiner
Director of Graduate Studies, Master of Science in Applied Economics