MA Program
The MA program has two streams: the Regular Stream and the Doctoral Stream. Both streams are course-work only programs (with no thesis requirement). Each stream is approximately 8 months in duration, starting in mid-August. (Note that classes start before the start of regular classes at the University of Toronto). There is one admission date, in August of each year. (We do not admit students in January.) All program requirements for both full- and part-time students must be completed within five years from first enrolment at the graduate level.Please note: You will be asked on the Department's supplementary application form to select the stream for which you are applying; you will not be asked on the University's application form. (See the application information and instructions for details.)
Regular Stream (8 months in duration)
The Regular Stream MA is designed for individuals who wish to become professional economists or economics consultants or wish to work for government agencies. It can also be used to lay the groundwork for a PhD program. (It is not possible to begin our PhD program with only an undergraduate degree.)The Regular Stream may be taken on either a full-time or a part-time (one or two courses per semester) basis. Full-time students must take at least three courses per semester. Part-time students take ECO1010 and then ECO2060 and/or ECO2408 in their first semester (taking both is very strongly recommended), ECO2061 and at most one additional course in their second semester, and at most two courses in each subsequent semester. (Note that graduate courses are not offered in the evenings or on weekends, or in the summer term.)
The requirements for the degree are
- ECO1010, an intensive preparatory course in mathematics and statistics for MA Regular students, which meets daily for three weeks beginning in mid-August
- ECO2060, a one-semester course in Microeconomic Theory
- ECO2061, a one-semester course in Macroeconomic Theory
- ECO2408, a one-semester course in Econometrics
- Five one-semester elective courses. These courses may be selected from our current courses or may be graduate courses with strong economic content offered by another unit. At most two of the five courses may be offered by another unit, and these courses must be approved by the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies. Units that may offer courses that we approve include the math department, statistics department, and Rotman School of Management.
In exceptional circumstances, a regular stream MA student may be permitted to take a PhD level core course (ECO2020 PhD microeconomics, ECO2021 PhD macroeconomics, or ECO2400 PhD econometrics) instead of the corresponding MA level core course. To make this substitution, written permission from the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies is required prior to starting the Mathematics and Statistics course in August.
Regular Stream MA students are not eligible for University of Toronto fellowship support. However, they may apply for Teaching Assistantship positions. The availability of these positions varies from year to year, but in recent years many students in the Regular Stream have obtained such positions.
Doctoral Stream (8 months in duration)
The Doctoral Stream MA serves the needs of a limited number of students with exceptionallly strong backgrounds in economics and mathematics who are seriously considering pursuit of a PhD in economics.The Doctoral Stream may be taken only full-time; it cannot be taken on a part-time basis (nor can it be combined with any of our collaborative or combined programs). If an applicant to the Doctoral Stream is not offered admission but meets the minimum admission requirements, s/he will be automatically considered for the Regular Stream MA program.
The requirements for the degree are
- ECO1011, an intensive preparatory course in mathematics and statistics for MA Doctoral and PhD students, which meets daily for three weeks beginning in mid-August.
- One of the following two-semester PhD sequences: ECO2020 and ECO2030 (microeconomics), ECO2021 and ECO2031 (macroeconomics), or ECO2400 and ECO2401 (econometrics). Each of these sequences has an associated "tutorial" class (e.g. ECO2050 for ECO2020 and ECO2030) which must be taken at the same time. (Credit for the tutorial is received only if both of the courses in the associated sequence are passed.)
- The MA core courses for the remaining two core subjects (i.e. ECO2061 and ECO2408 for a student who takes the PhD micro sequence, ECO2060 and ECO2408 for a student who takes the PhD macro sequence, and ECO2060 and ECO2061 for a student who takes the PhD econometrics sequence).
- Three one-semester elective courses. These courses may be selected from our current courses or may be graduate courses with strong economic content offered by another unit. At most two of the three courses may be offered by another unit, and these courses must be approved by the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies. Units that may offer courses that we approve include the math department, statistics department, and Rotman School of Management.
Doctoral stream MA students are eligible for the funding package offered by the University of Toronto. See the financial aid information for details.
Students who complete the Doctoral Stream and who plan to enter the PhD are required to apply for admission along with all other applicants. (Direct entry into our PhD program with an undergraduate degree is not possible.) If an MA Doctoral Stream student is offered admission to our PhD program, PhD core courses successfully completed as part of the Doctoral Stream program are credited towards the PhD.
Collaborative and Combined Programs (length of program varies)
We offer one combined program, the Law (JD) and Economics program, and two collaborative programs, in Asia-Pacific Studies and Environmental Studies. (The collaborative program in International Relations has been discontinued.) Applicants must be offered admission to the Economics MA program to be considered for admission to any of these programs. Please see the page for each program for details.Students admitted to a combined or collaborative MA programs are not eligible for University of Toronto fellowship support. However, they may apply for Teaching Assistantship positions.