Economics

Return to: Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Kaprielian Hall 300
(213) 740-8335
FAX: (213) 740-8543
Email: econ@dornsife.usc.edu
Chair: Joshua Aizenman, PhD

Faculty

John E. Elliott Distinguished Chair in Economics: M. Hashem Pesaran, PhD

Presidential Professor of Health Economics: Daniel McFadden, PhD (Public Policy)

University Professor: Richard A. Easterlin, PhD*

Robert R. and Katheryn A. Dockson Chair in Economics and International Relations and Professor of International Relations and Economics: Joshua Aizenman, PhD (International Relations)

Leonard D. Schaeffer Director’s Chair of the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics and Professor of Public Policy, Pharmacy, and Economics: Dana Goldman, PhD

Professors: Dominic James Brewer, PhD (Education); Juan Carrillo, PhD; Robert Dekle, PhD; Gillian Hadfield, PhD, JD (Law); Cheng Hsiao, PhD; Ayse Imrohoroglu, PhD (Business); Selahattin Imrohoroglu, PhD (Business); Arie Kapteyn, PhD; Michael J. P. Magill, PhD; Edward J. McCaffery, JD (Law); Hyungsik Roger Moon, PhD; Jeffrey B. Nugent, PhD*; Vincenzo Quadrini, PhD (Business); Geert Ridder, PhD; John Strauss, PhD; Guofu Tan, PhD; Simon J. Wilkie, PhD; Donald E. Yett, PhD; Fernando Zapatero, PhD (Business)

Associate Professors: Caroline Betts, PhD; Isabelle Brocas, PhD; Giorgio Corcicelli, PhD; Harrison Hsueh-Cheng Cheng, PhD; Michael E. DePrano, PhD

Assistant Professors: Joel David, PhD; Yu-Wei Hsieh, PhD; Yilmaz Kocer, PhD; Anant Nyshadham, PhD

Professor of the Practice of International Relations and Economics: Lord John Eatwell, PhD

Senior Lecturer: Nake Kamrany, PhD*

Visiting Professor: Matthew Kahn, PhD

Visiting Associate Professor (Research): Daniel Benjamin, PhD

Associate Professor (Teaching): Mark Moore, PhD

Emeritus Professors: Richard H. Day, PhD; Peter Gordon, PhD (Public Policy)

*Recipient of university-wide or college teaching award.

Undergraduate Programs

The economics curriculum is oriented toward a general, liberal education. The study of economics requires adequate preparation in mathematics and statistics. The department offers a BA degree in economics, a BA degree in political economy, a BA degree in social sciences, a BS in economics/mathematics and a minor in economics. The BA degrees require a total of 32 upper-division units for the major.

Graduate Programs

The department offers a Master of Arts in Economics, a Master of Arts in Economic Developmental Programming, a Master of Science in Mathematical Finance, dual degrees with the USC Gould School of Law and the USC Price School of Public Policy, a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy with the USC School of Pharmacy.

Undergraduate Degrees

Advisement

Upon declaring a major or minor in economics, students should consult with the department’s undergraduate adviser. Students can check their academic progress on the USCweb under OASIS.

Progressive Degree Program in Economics

The Economics department offers students who have demonstrated exceptional academic success the opportunity to earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a progressive degree program. This program allows students to earn both the Bachelor of Arts and the Master of Arts degrees in five years. Students may also pursue the Bachelor of Science in Economics/Mathematics and the Master of Science in Mathematical Finance. Further details about progressive degree programs can be found here.

Admission

Admission is available after the completion of 64 units of course work toward the undergraduate degree. Students must apply for admission to the progressive degree program after completing 64 units of applicable course work to their undergraduate program, but prior to the completion of 96 units of course work. The application for admission to the progressive degree program must be accompanied by a course proposal plan and two letters of recommendation from USC Economics faculty.

Awarding of Degrees

The bachelor’s and master’s degrees may be awarded separately upon completion of all degree requirements, but the master’s degree will not be awarded before the bachelor’s degree. Students who elect not to complete the master’s must complete 128 units to earn the bachelor’s degree.

Undergraduate Honors Program

The department offers an honors program. First and second semester seniors can enroll in ECON 495 Honors Thesis . Honors will be awarded upon completion of the thesis, an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and a major GPA of 3.5.

Department Policy Regarding Transfer Credits

Students who have taken courses equivalent to ECON 303 , ECON 305 , ECON 317 or ECON 414 from an economics department at another four-year college or from a program deemed comparable by the director of undergraduate studies, can earn transfer credits provided they received a B (3.0) or better in the courses.

Graduate Degrees

The graduate program in economics is designed to prepare students for careers in teaching, research, industry and government. The department emphasizes economic theory and econometrics; applied economic analysis, including microeconomics, macroeconomics, international and development economics, urban and regional economics; and political economy.

Admission Requirements

Prerequisites

The typical applicant for admission will normally have completed an undergraduate major in economics. Minimal prerequisites for admission to a master’s degree program include courses in intermediate microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, a year of calculus, and a semester of statistics. Applicants for the PhD program are normally expected to have completed more than the minimum, particularly in the areas of mathematics and statistics.

Criteria

The Graduate Record Examinations General Test, three letters of recommendation and the student’s statement of purpose are required. The letters and statement should be sent directly to the Director of Graduate Admissions, Department of Economics, KAP 300, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0253. International applicants are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS examination. In addition, applicants for financial aid are advised to take the GRE Economics Subject Test and international students must have a TSE score of 200. Admission is based on the appropriateness and quality of completed course work, GRE scores and the letters of recommendation.

Procedure

Application deadlines for master’s degrees are normally April 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring. Completed doctoral fellowship and assistantship applications are due by December 1. Except for unusual cases, students are permitted to begin PhD programs only during the fall semester.

Placement Examinations

Prior to registration, all entering graduate students are required to take the Economics Department placement examinations in general economic theory and the basic principles of algebra, calculus and statistics. Depending on the outcome of these examinations, deficiency course work yielding no credit toward graduate degrees may be required. Students whose native language is other than English will be required to take an English placement examination. Course work in English may be required.

Degree Requirements

These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation section and The Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.

Foreign Language/Research Tool Requirements

There is no foreign language requirement. However, competence in the use of one computer programming language is required for all graduate degrees offered through the Department of Economics, except the PhD in Political Economy and Public Policy. Such competence can be demonstrated either by course work or examination. Students in master’s programs must meet this requirement before starting the thesis or taking the comprehensive examination; students in the PhD program must complete it before taking the qualifying examination.

Study Abroad Option

Students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Economics and the Master of Arts in Economics Development Programming have the opportunity to participate in an academic exchange program with the Paris School of Economics (PSE). This partnership will allow USC graduate students to engage economic issues on a global scale, providing both a dynamic and insightful experience. Students will take classes with European economists and students to broaden the understanding and depth of economics theory. PSE courses will not fulfill core requirements in the program, only elective units.

Students may participate after their first semester. All applicants must have a USC grade point average of at least 3.0 at the time of application. Students who wish to participate in their second semester must meet with the faculty director of graduate studies and be in academically good standing by the middle of their first semester.

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy

Application deadline: December 1

The Department of Economics and the Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy (USC School of Pharmacy) jointly offer a program of study leading to the PhD degree and to the MA degree in the process of work toward the PhD degree.

Required courses include both core requirements and area requirements. Core requirements include courses in economic theory, econometrics, and research methods. Area requirements include courses in health economics, pharmaceutical economics, welfare theory and applied econometrics.

For a detailed description of this program, see the USC School of Pharmacy section of this catalogue.

Programs

Bachelor’s Degree

Minor

Economics Minor

Master’s Degree

Dual Degree

Doctoral Degree

Economics (PhD)

Courses

Economics

Page: 1 | 2