San Jose State Unversity

[iloveeconomics]

I am wondering if anyone can get me some insights about San Jose State University. I am thinking about their master econ program and want to get a Phd in a good school eventually. what are your guys thoughts on the school's program or my plan? any thoughts or advices are very much appreciated! thanks

[moneyandcredit]

Go ahead and apply to a few of the Cal States if you're an in-state student, but apply to some of the better US/CAN/UK programs as well. Go CSU only if you get in nowhere else, or if you just can't afford anywhere else.

I'm in a CSU MA program myself. It's about on the level of a good quantitative undergraduate program. If you've already taken any economics classes that involve sophomore-level multivariable calculus, you're overqualified. Part of the problem is the cross-listing of courses (grads take students with undergrad seniors, so the material is simplified a bit).

I didn't apply anywhere else since I had a dismal experience my first round of college that made my transcripts look absolutely horrid. I really wish I had aimed higher. Not knocking the program, since stronger students from my MA get hooked up with jobs far better than what they could get with their BA. I also think I will get into a better PhD program than I otherwise would have. Still, if you want to end up at a famous PhD program, I suggest using the CSU as a last resort.

All that being said, my Econometrics professor went to SJSU and got into UC Irvine some 10 years ago, which landed him a decent-paying CSU professorship with a light courseload. He likes his job.

[walt526]

Like M&C, I'm currently a CSU MA Economics student (not SJSU). It's a decent program--I agree that the rigor is only slightly more difficult than a rigorous undergrad program. I've done a few upper-division math courses in addition to the MA program to better prepare myself for PhD study.

As I've said before, if I had to do it over again, I would have done a MS Statistics rather than MA Economics. It's a more marketable degree if it's your terminal degree and (particularly if done at a more prestigious institution than a CSU) it's a much stronger signal to PhD Econ adcoms as well as probably more helpful preparation for the required coursework.

The primary advantage of the CSU is that it's pretty cheap and it's possible to take up to 6 courses (18 units) a semester as a grad student (it used to be 21 units, now it's 15 for undergrad and 18 for grad). In addition, at least at my campus, the faculty are very accessible and really make an effort to help you get what you want out of the program. Many students (half to two-thirds, depending on which cohort) just want to earn their degree to advance on the pay scale in their public sector job--and in my opinion the program caters too much to that subset. There are really three "difficult" courses (i.e., possible to get less than a B): Math for Economists, Micro Theory, and Macro Theory. Pass those and one would have to try REALLY hard not to get passing grades on the electives and econometric courses. And the standards for the thesis defense seem to be pretty low, based on what I've observed.

One final consideration... if your ultimate goal is to attend a PhD at a UC, then a CSU MA may not be the optimal path. To the extent that an MA Economics will prove helpful to PhD Economics admissions, universities outside the UC system seem to hold the CSU in higher esteem.

[moneyandcredit]

If you go to a CSU and want to take 3 math courses per semester like walt, make sure they don't call Econometrics a 4-unit course. They do that here, which means I can take only two math courses per semester alongside my Economics courseload (three math courses would push me up to 19 units).

[walt526]

Interesting. All the grad econ classes at my CSU campus are just 3 unit courses. We have two 3 unit econometrics courses (one focused on theory, one focused on applications--note, the content of the courses does not match the university catalog descriptions of them) as well as a requirement to complete the undergrad econometrics. In other words, a third of the required coursework is in econometrics (9 of 27 course units, plus 3 units for the thesis). I'm really hoping that between the econometrics and the MA-level statistical theory courses, I'll be well prepared for PhD-level econometrics.

Anyway, going back to surprises with the courses, your point is well-taken. As far as I know, the only courses that I'm aware of at my CSU that are 4 units are the lower-division calculus courses (but not Linear Algebra or ODEs).

[moneyandcredit]

The fourth unit here is for the "lab section." It's a big inconvenience because the lab section is just where we do our Stata homework with all of our classmates. It helps us get the homework done faster, so it actually lightens the overall workload of 5 courses and makes a 6th course that much more feasible.

Not that it's that big a deal this semester, since there were only two math classes offered that I want. But next semester, I'm forced to choose between 2nd Semester Analysis and Advanced LA alongside my Mathematical Statistics course.

Note: I just looked at the SJSU schedule. It turns out that when Econometrics is offered, it's only three units. Trouble is they don't even offer Econometrics in the Fall, so it sounds like their Econometrics sequence is limited. That's something to keep in mind for people wanting to move on to a PhD.

SJSU does have the option of a Theoretical MA, which is good. But their limited mathematical and econometric offerings effectively cancel that out. It looks like all of the CSU's, if combined, offer everything an aspiring PhD could ask for. Unfortunately, it's haphazardly scattered all over the state: the inevitable consequence of a dozen separate programs primarily geared toward applications in local government agencies.

[Gravy924]

I am taking math classes at SJSU right now as a Postbac.

I would not really recommend their Econ program, but that is just from impression only.

I had thought (and am thinking) about doing a Masters in Math there if all does not go to well with Phd admissions. The professors I talked to there about it said that it wouldn't be an issue to do a thesis in Mathematical Economics. Also, the math professors I have had are really supportive and available, and again, I am just a post bac there for one semester.

Looking at the SJSU Econ Faculty list and there are not many from top schools, so it might be hard to get into top schools afterwords because they may not have the connections that are needed.

Anyways, just my two cents. And again, I haven't taken an Econ class at SJSU so take what I say with a grain of salt!

Also, Disclaimer, I did not read the replies above so sorry if I repeated exactly what others said =)

[NB888]

Their masters in econ program is not designed mainly to be preparation for a typical econ Ph.D. program. If that were my goal, I would not be interested in that program. Even compared to other masters in econ programs in North America, it is unusually ill-advised as a stepping stone toward one of the rigorous Ph.D. programs.

I don't know how true this is currently, but I've heard there has been a pro-free-market, libertarian or "Austrian" emphasis on their faculty. I was once told by an SJSU economics undergraduate that Murray Rothbard was one of the assigned readings in a money and banking course there, which I doubt is very common. Some students would react very favorably to this emphasis, and some would not.

[Gravy924]

I would agree with NB888, a substantial number of their faculty do seem to be of the Austrian school and from George Mason.

[applicant12]

I'm still and undergrad and I don't know much about SJSU but I just wanna put my 2c in

At my school, like SJSU, we don't have a PhD program in econ. Our faculty do not come from super prestigious institutions either (but I suppose and believe they're good professors). We do have an MA and I recently talked to a professor who teaches courses for both undergrad and grad levels. He said the the dept would tailor the program for different individuals with different goals. For those who do the MA with the intention of entering the workforce, they will be advised to take some metrics courses and forecasting and what not (even some courses in the bus school); while those who plan to continue to pursue a PhD will be advised to take more courses in math that will enhance their chances of getting into good programs. So I guess my point here is that it depends on the department itself and that whether they're supportive or not.