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Economics, M.A.

The M.A. in Economics program was established in the mid-1960s but has recently made changes to ensure that the program is focused on training students to conduct applied economic research and decision analysis using current methodologies. There is an emphasis on hands-on data analysis, making it possible for graduates to acquire the skills and knowledge for careers as consultants in private business and analysts for the government. The dedicated graduate faculty at MTSU have prepared highly qualified master’s-level economists who have gone on to continue their doctoral studies not only at MTSU but at numerous universities, including Chicago, Virginia, North Carolina State, and Auburn. Others have found employment in local banking, the Federal government, and the State of Tennessee.

Live outside of Tennessee? You could be eligible for in-state tuition and save thousands of dollars.


What We're Doing

Dr. Shinya Fujino​

Visiting speaker on ethics in East-Asian economies

Dr. Shinya Fujino​ visited with MTSU Economics students. His interactive seminar, Ethics, Bribery, and Fraud in Japanese Corporate Society, focused on understanding the features of East-Asian economies including Japan, China, and Korea in areas such as fraud, money laundering, and more. Dr. Fujino is a lecturer in the Department of Economics, Reitaku University, and a special researcher at its Business Ethics and Compliance Research Center. He graduated from Kyoto University School of Economics, completed the Kyoto University Business Administration School (M.B.A.), and earned his Ph.D. at Reitaku University Graduate School. 

The professors’ passion for student learning still burns

The professors’ passion for student learning still burns

Gabriel Fancher received both his M.A. in Economics and his M.B.A. from Jones College of Business, and today he is program director for MTSU's Political Economy Research Institute. Fancher says he was “blessed to learn under so many great professors.” His studies included connecting the economic ideas of the past to the prevailing ideas of today. He was introduced to healthcare economics and since then has learned a great deal about current healthcare issues. Fancher adds that his M.A. degree increased his ability to view financial problems in their national/international context. “Economics is such a broad study and such a beautiful science, but many students do not ever see that beauty because of poor teaching.” Observing that MTSU students won’t experience that, he describes the faculty: “Their passion for student learning still burns, and I am thankful to have studied under these people.” 


Related Media

  • MTSU College of Graduate Studies

    MTSU College of Graduate Studies

  • MTSU | The University of Opportunities

    MTSU | The University of Opportunities

 
 
 

One of the department’s major goals is to promote graduates in the job market and to conduct mock interviews to help students have a professional and polished presence. Faculty are encouraging more and more graduate students to take advantage of this opportunity. Examples of career potentials include

  • Accountant
  • Banker
  • Budget analyst
  • Equity portfolio manager
  • Environmental economist
  • Financial advisor
  • Financial analyst
  • Financial examiner
  • Government worker
  • Higher education professional
  • Human resources specialist
  • Insurance representative
  • Labor-management relations practitioner
  • Market/program analyst
  • Politician or political staffer
  • Purchaser
  • Revenue agent
  • Statistician

Employers of MTSU Economics graduates include

  • American College of Management and Technology
  • Auburn University
  • Baldwin-Wallace College
  • Bethel College of Tennessee
  • FedEx
  • Liaoning Normal University
  • Marshall University
  • Missouri State University
  • Regional Economic Model, Inc.
  • Southern Community Bank
  • Tennessee Regulatory Authority
  • Tennessee Valley Authority
  • U.S. State Department
  • Vanderbilt University

Graduate

The department offers a Master’s of Arts (M.A.) degree in Economics.  The focus of MTSU's M.A. program in economics is on applied research and decision analysis. This degree offers the intellectual foundation and technical skills required of economists and analysts in private companies and public agencies. 

For complete curriculum details, click on the REQUIREMENTS button to the right.

Additionally, departmental graduate programs include a Master of Science in Finance and a Ph.D. in Economics.

There is also a graduate minor in Economics. 

Undergraduate

The Economics and Finance Department offers undergraduate majors in Economics and Finance. The Economics major leads to two degrees: a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.). The B.B.A. is a business major and is also available with a concentration in Labor Relations. The B.S. is offered through the College of Liberal Arts.

The Finance major includes concentrations in Business Finance, Financial Institution Management, Risk Management and Insurance, and Real Estate, all leading to the B.B.A.

Undergraduate students can pursue minors in Economics, Economics and Finance, Industrial Relations, Finance, Real Estate, Insurance, and Real Estate/Insurance.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

The Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting (B.B.A.) and Master of Arts (M.A.) in Economics in Jones College of Business at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).  Completion of the 120-semester hour BBA-Accounting qualifies students to sit for the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination in Tennessee.  Awarding of a Tennessee CPA license requires 150 semester hours of credit, or 30 credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree.  The M.A. in Economics in Jones College of Business can provide the additional 30 credit hours of business courses beyond the undergraduate BBA-Accounting degree. In addition, there are other business degree programs in Jones College of Business that could provide the additional 30 credit hours of business courses beyond the undergraduate BBA-Accounting degree. Among these are: MAcc-Accounting; MBA; MS—Finance; MS—Information Systems; and MS—Management.

Students should be aware that licensure requirements vary from state to state and are subject to change. MTSU has not made a determination whether these programs will meet all of the certification requirements of a US state or territory. Students who plan to practice outside the state of Tennessee should consult the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy listing of state certification requirements at https://nasba.org/stateboards/ and discuss their plans with their advisor.

Economics, M.A.

Adam Rennhoff, Program Director
(615) 898-2931
Adam.Rennhoff@mtsu.edu

The mission of the graduate program in economics is to provide students with advanced studies in economic theory and research methodology. To accomplish its mission, the Department of Economics and Finance offers three degree programs: the Master of Arts (M.A.) with a major in Economics, the Master of Science (M.S.) with a major in Finance, and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) with a major in Economics. The department's approach to these degree programs is global, interactive, and innovative.

M.A. students in economics are offered preparation for careers in private business and public service. The focus of the M.A. program is on decision analysis and applied research.

Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are expected to possess a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Applicant must

  1. submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php). Once this initial application has been accepted, the applicant will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
  2. submit official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
  3. submit official transcripts of previous college work.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts in Economics requires completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours (10 courses) if a thesis is written or 33 semester hours (11 courses) if a thesis is not written. At least 24 hours (8 courses) must be in courses numbered exclusively as 6000-level graduate courses (other courses can be taken at the 5000 level). A minimum of 18 of these semester hours must be in economics and include ECON 6010ECON 6020, ECON 6060, and ECON 6070.

Candidates must successfully complete a written comprehensive examination that may be taken no more than twice. For the major in Economics, the comprehensive examination covers the three core areas: macroeconomics, microeconomics, and econometrics.

Before taking the comprehensive examination, the student is expected to attend and actively participate in regularly scheduled departmental student/faculty workshops where research papers are presented and discussed by the participants.

Curriculum: Economics (general)

The following illustrates the coursework requirements.

Thesis Option (30 hours)

Core Courses (12 hours)

  • ECON 6010 - Macroeconomics I  3 credit hours  

    ECON 6010 - Macroeconomics I

    3credit hours

    Core course in macroeconomic theory for students pursuing an M.A. in Economics. First part focuses on long-run economic growth. Topics include exogenous and endogenous growth theory, overlapping generations models, and the neoclassical growth model. Second part focuses on short-run economic fluctuations. Topics include real business cycle theory, traditional Keynesian theories, and New Keynesian models featuring rational expectation. Mathematical models used to address competing theories; comfort with multivariate calculus and linear algebra essential.

  • ECON 6020 - Microeconomics I  3 credit hours  

    ECON 6020 - Microeconomics I

    3credit hours

    Core course in microeconomic theory for students pursuing an M.A. in Economics. First part develops the theory of consumer choice with extensions including the labor supply model, intertemporal choice, and choice under uncertainty. Second part models theory of the firm in both perfectly competitive and monopoly industry settings. Mathematical models used to derive theories; comfort with multivariate calculus and linear algebra essential.

  • ECON 6070 - Econometrics II  3 credit hours  

    ECON 6070 - Econometrics II

    3credit hours

    Second core course in econometrics for students pursuing an M.A. in Economics. Emphasizes methods of time series analysis, including Box-Jenkins methods, general-to-specific modeling, volatility models, vector autoregressions, unit roots and cointegration, unobserved component and state space models, and neural networks. Integrates practical applications in various computing environments including SAS, RATS, and MATLAB.

  • See advisor 3 credit hours

Electives (15 hours)

Students completing a thesis must take 15 hours of electives from ECON 6000-6999 (excluding designated core courses).

Thesis (3 hours)

 

  • ECON 6640 - Thesis Research  1 to 6 credit hours  
    (3 credit hours)(3 credit hours)  dotslash:(3 credit hours) title:(3 credit hours) 
    (3 credit hours) 

    ECON 6640 - Thesis Research

    1 to 6credit hours

    Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of thesis. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of master's research each semester until completion. S/U grading.

Non-thesis Option (33 hours)

Core Courses (12 hours)

  • ECON 6010 - Macroeconomics I  3 credit hours  

    ECON 6010 - Macroeconomics I

    3credit hours

    Core course in macroeconomic theory for students pursuing an M.A. in Economics. First part focuses on long-run economic growth. Topics include exogenous and endogenous growth theory, overlapping generations models, and the neoclassical growth model. Second part focuses on short-run economic fluctuations. Topics include real business cycle theory, traditional Keynesian theories, and New Keynesian models featuring rational expectation. Mathematical models used to address competing theories; comfort with multivariate calculus and linear algebra essential.

  • ECON 6020 - Microeconomics I  3 credit hours  

    ECON 6020 - Microeconomics I

    3credit hours

    Core course in microeconomic theory for students pursuing an M.A. in Economics. First part develops the theory of consumer choice with extensions including the labor supply model, intertemporal choice, and choice under uncertainty. Second part models theory of the firm in both perfectly competitive and monopoly industry settings. Mathematical models used to derive theories; comfort with multivariate calculus and linear algebra essential.

  • ECON 6070 - Econometrics II  3 credit hours  

    ECON 6070 - Econometrics II

    3credit hours

    Second core course in econometrics for students pursuing an M.A. in Economics. Emphasizes methods of time series analysis, including Box-Jenkins methods, general-to-specific modeling, volatility models, vector autoregressions, unit roots and cointegration, unobserved component and state space models, and neural networks. Integrates practical applications in various computing environments including SAS, RATS, and MATLAB.

  • See advisor 3 credit hours

Electives (21 hours)

Students choosing the non-thesis option must take 21 hours of electives from ECON 6000-6999 (excluding designated core courses).

Program Notes

Students may include a minor in their degree programs. A minor consists of a minimum of 12 semester hours of approved courses. Students not electing a minor may include a cognate area of up to 6 semester hours in their programs. Cognate areas can be formed from courses in accounting, agriculture, finance, geography, geology, history, insurance, management, political science, psychology, real estate, sociology, and data science.

Our adjunct faculty bring outstanding professional experience to our programs. Many are industry leaders with decorated careers and honors. Importantly, they are innovative educators who offer hands-on learning to our students to prepare them to enter and thrive in a dynamic, and oftentimes emerging, industry and professional world. They inspire, instruct, and challenge our students toward academic and professional success.

MTSU faculty promote new M.A. graduates in the job market by conducting mock interviews preceded by interview training sessions. A concerted effort is being made by faculty and staff to change the course structure to make graduates even more marketable. Faculty are cultivating greater communication with current students and alumni in order to garner support for additional graduate assistantships and to build a network of potential employers for our students. A new recruiting strategy is being implemented to target students, both internally and externally, for the graduate program. The department distributed information packets and application forms to every undergraduate economics department in the nation soliciting applicants. Every fall, the graduate director and several current graduate students hold a question-and-answer session sponsored by the undergraduate Economics Club to discuss graduate study in the field. This graduate team also represents the department at the annual graduate student fair on campus.


Online or Hybrid Programs at a Glance

This program is available .


For More Information or Explore Your Options​

Contact your department / program coordinator or advisor for more details about the program OR work one-on-one with your advisor to explore your options.


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The Online Advantage​

With over 25 years of experience in online teaching and learning, MTSU Online offers students access to innovative, high-quality programs. Designed with students in mind, our courses allow maximum flexibility for those unable to participate in person. ​

Resources and services for online students are available from MTSU Online or contact us at distance@mtsu.edu.

Contact Information

Adam D. Rennhoff
Adam.Rennhoff@mtsu.edu
615-898-2931

Who is My Advisor?

Adam D. Rennhoff
Adam.Rennhoff@mtsu.edu
615-898-2931

Mailing Address

Department of Economics and Finance
Middle Tennessee State University
Box 27
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132 

College of Graduate Studies
Middle Tennessee State University
MTSU Box 42
1301 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37132

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