MS Economics at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

The Economics Department Master of Science (M.S.) degree is intended to complement Ph.D. programs from our and other departments. Students can obtain an M.S. while working toward a Ph.D. in economics or they may pursue an M.S. if they decide to leave the Ph.D. program early or they do not meet the requirements. In addition, students from other graduate programs at UNC–Chapel Hill may pursue an M.S. in economics while completing the Ph.D. in the other program. Note that our economics graduate program does not include separate M.S.- and Ph.D.-level courses. Thus, any student pursuing an M.S. through our program must have the background and qualifications to successfully complete Ph.D.

Faculty: The Graduate School | Department: Economics | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

Core courses include ECON 710 Advanced Microeconomic Theory I; ECON 720 Advanced Macroeconomic Theory I; ECON 700 Basic Quantitative Techniques; ECON 770 Introduction to Econometric Theory; ECON 771 Econometrics; ECON 870 Advanced Econometrics.

Career pathways

The graduate program in the Department of Economics prepares students for teaching and research careers in the fields of econometrics, financial econometrics, health economics, industrial organization, international finance, international trade, labor economics, microeconomic theory, quantitative macroeconomics.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimum (applies to all graduate programmes): a four-year bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution completed before graduate study begins and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better; application via the Graduate School online application with transcripts, three recommendation letters, statement of purpose and CV, plus any programme-specific tests/materials; international applicants add a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score; admission decisions are made by each programme.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants apply for a start term; fall is the main start term. Very few programmes admit new students for spring or summer terms.

Graduate applications and payment must be received by the deadline of the academic programme applied to, which varies by programme; the application closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The Graduate School recommends complete applications by December 15, 2026 for full fellowship consideration. The GRE is not required for the Master of Applied Professional Studies.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/instructions/

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