International & Development Economics, MS

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The goal of the program is to help students understand how market forces can be harnessed to free the poor in developing countries from cycles of poverty, and examines the importance of institutions that regulate market forces.

The program integrates rigorous training in quantitative economics with overseas field study internship in a developing country.

Program Learning Outcomes

Understand the application of modern micro and macroeconomic theory to the key problems of economic development, trade and finance, including the analysis of market failures, poverty traps, the structure of incentives, the use of game theory to model institutional behavior, and open economy models of trade, migration, foreign direct investment, financial markets, and exchange rate determination
Design and carry out a fieldwork-based research project, including formation of an original research question, planning of an effective methodology, development of field protocols/survey instruments, and data collection in a developing or transition country
Conduct original quantitative empirical analysis of an international or development economics problem. Specifically, students should be able to express an economic theory in terms of an observable model; determine the appropriate estimation method for the empirical model; utilize statistical software to conduct such estimation; and meaningfully interpret the results
Effectively communicate research finding both in writing and orally, including compilation of a professional literature review, clear presentation of theoretical and empirical models, econometric analysis, and the relevance of the study’s principal findings and implications for international and/or economic development theory and policy

Major Requirements (36 units)

Core

ECON 601 - Microeconomics: Theory & Appl
ECON 615 - Mathematics for Economists
ECON 620 - Graduate Econometrics
ECON 623 - Field Research Methods
ECON 637 - Econometrics: Causal Methods
ECON 638 - Adv Applied Econometrics
ECON 670 - International Economics
ECON 672 - Economics of Development
ECON 690 - Development Economics Seminar
NOTE: Students take either ECON 663 or ECON 676 in their second semester. Students also take either ECON 673 or ECON 674 in their second semester.
ECON 663 - Experimental Economics
or
ECON 676 - Nat Resource Econ & Dev Policy
and
ECON 673 - Development Microeconomics
or
ECON 674 - Development Macroeconomics
ECON 699 - Thesis

Electives

One course from the following:

Substitution

Subject to approval, if the class is not offered at USF, students may be able to substitute a PhD-level class in international or development economics at an approved graduate program in another university for one of the above classes.

Overseas Field Study Internship

This requirement is typically met during the summer before the student’s final semester in the program, and involves a 1-3 month period of field study in a developing country, with arrangements to be worked out between the student and supervising faculty. Universities in countries such as the Philippines, El Salvador, and others have partnered with USF for the field study program. In most cases, research data and interviews obtained during field study will be applied toward the master’s research project.

Master’s Research Project and Presentation

Students enroll in the graduate seminar during the latter part of their coursework where they receive guidance and supervision in completing their own research projects. Upon completion their research is presented to faculty members, with the student receiving one of the following grades: pass with honors, pass, pass conditional upon revision, or fail.