Admission Policies
Applicants must hold or obtain the following minimum qualifications before the Faculty will give consideration to admission:
"A University of Calgary four-year baccalaureate degree or an equivalent degree from a recognized institution. Degrees and grades from foreign institutions are evaluated for their equivalency to those of the University of Calgary."
Acceptance to the graduate programs at the University of Calgary is competitive. Success in meeting our minimum entrance requirements with respect to, for example, grade point average or GRE scores does not guarantee admission to the program that you desire.
Once students have been admitted to a graduate program at the University of Calgary, they must maintain a B average to remain in the program. Students receiving less than a B-on any course, or more than one mark below a B- may be asked to leave the program.
MA Program Requirements
A minimum of four full-year equivalent economics courses. These must include the equivalent of the following with at least a B grade in each course:
- ECON 395/495/497- Econometrics
- ECON 387/389 - Mathematics for Economists
- ECON 557 - Topics in Economic Theory 1
- ECON 559 - Topics in Economic Theory II
Course outlines can be viewed at http://econ.ucalgary.ca/courses
Applicants who are deficient in the above mentioned courses and wish to make up the defiiciencies at the University of Calgary should contact the undergraduate program coordinator and obtain permission to register in the courses. Such applicants must register as an Open Studies Student. The application form can be obtained from http://www.ucalgary.ca/registrar/forms_students
The minimum GPA requirement for the MA program is 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 over the last two years of the undergraduate program
M.A. in Economics (Thesis-based)
Students who are admitted with a four-year Honours baccalaureate in Economics may register in a thesis-based program leading to an M.A. in economics. The degree requirements include the completion of six one-semester graduate courses (including econometrics, ECON 615, microeconomic theory, ECON 657, and macroeconomic theory, ECON 659) and a thesis. 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) in Mathematical Economics (ECON 600). The thesis requirement is the equivalent of four one semester courses in economics. A maximum of two one-semester graduate courses may be taken from a related discipline. The Graduate Coordinator must approve any courses taken outside the department.
After completion of the thesis students must complete an oral defense of thesis examination. The examination will be of one to three hours’ length, and shall test the student on the student’s general knowledge of economics and of the specific research undertaken in the thesis.
M.A. in Economics (Course-based)
Students who are admitted with a four-year Honours baccalaureate in Economics may register in the one-year course-based program leading to an M.A. in economics.
The course-based M.A. degree requirements include the completion of ten one-semester graduate courses (including econometrics, ECON 615, microeconomic theory, ECON 657, macroeconomic theory, ECON 659) and the Research Methods sequence courses ECON 691 ,ECON 693,ECON 611.55 and ECON 611.56. .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) in Mathematical Economics (ECON 600).. A maximum of three one-semester graduate courses may be taken from a related discipline. The Graduate Coordinator must approve any courses taken outside the department.
After completion of the course work students must pass an oral presentation of their Spring/Summer research paper in an "open conference" with an examinations committee present. To pass the oral presentation, students must demosstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts in economics as applied to their research.
PhD Program Requirements
- The requirements as listed for the MA program. Doctoral candidates may require greater proficiency in Mathematics.
- A Master of Arts degree in Econmics or its equivalent, with a high level of proficiency in Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory and Econometrics.
The minimum GPA requirement for the PhD program is 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 in the MA program
PhD Program
The Department of Economics requires that Ph.D. 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 the required courses ECON 615, ECON 657 and ECON 659 taken in an MA program at the University of Calgary or the equivalent courses taken at other institutions may be exempted from the required Ph.D. courses. Decisions concerning these course exemptions are made on a case-by-case basis, and approved by the Graduate Studies Admissions Committee.
Comprehensive Theory Examinations
Doctoral students are required to pass a written comprehensive examination in each of Microeconomic Theory and Macroeconomic Theory.. 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 that they failed. Students who do not pass their comprehensive theory examinations by the second sitting shall be required to withdraw from the program.
Comprehensive Field Examinations
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 that they failed. Students who do not pass their written comprehensive field examinations by the second sitting shall be required to withdraw from the program.
Oral Candidacy Examination
Doctoral students are also required to pass an oral candidacy examination. The oral candidacy examination is on the background knowledge of students in their discipline, as well as their preparedness to do research of high quality in their particular fields of study. The oral examination shall consist of questions on the student’s fields of specialization, background questions implied by the thesis proposal, and questions directly related to the thesis proposal. Examiners at the oral candidacy examination shall have a copy of the student’s thesis proposal. Students may re-take the oral candidacy examination at most once. 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.
Graduate Courses Offered by the Department
Required MA and PhD courses:
- ECON 657- Microeconomic Theory.
- ECON 659 - Macroeconomic Theory
- ECON 615 - Econometrics
- ECON 715 - Advanced Topics in Econometrics
- ECON 757 - Advanced Microeconomic Theory
- ECON 759 - Advanced Macroeconomic Theory
Field courses offered on a regular basis include:
- ECON 619 - Economics of International Commercial Policy
- ECON 621 - International Trade
- ECON 635 - Regulatory Econmics
- ECON 641 - Monetary and Financial Economics
- ECON 651 - Redistribution and Social Insurance
- ECON 653 - Public Revenue Analysis
- ECON 661 - Behavioural Economcs
- ECON 663 - Experimental Economics
- ECON 675 - Advanced Topics in Natural Resource Economcs
- ECON 667 - Seminar in Industrial Organization
- ECON 677 - Seminar in Economics of the Environment
- ECON 679 - Health Economics I
- ECON 681 - Health Economics II
Course outlines can be viewed at http://econ.ucalgary.ca/courses
Specializations: (MA thesis-based and PhD)
- Behavioural Economics and Experimental Econmics
- Environmental and Resource Economcs
- Health Economics
- International Trade Empirical Trade
- Industrial Organization and Regulatory Economcis
- Public Economics