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econphd23 · 2007 November 19th, 02:58 AM

I am new here, and I learn that most people will not recommend a MA Econ in US? Why? Is it because of the high tuition or the the program quality?
Are there any awesome MA Econ in US worth applying for?
Or Ma in Math or Statistics?

too many questions,,,,,,,,,,

polkaparty · 2007 November 19th, 03:07 AM

I have no information beyond the hearsay from this board, but generally people say that U.S. MA programs are not designed as preparation for Ph.D.s. Hence the courses aren't very rigorous.

econphd23 · 2007 November 19th, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polkaparty

I have no information beyond the hearsay from this board, but generally people say that U.S. MA programs are not designed as preparation for Ph.D.s. Hence the courses aren't very rigorous.

But there are still someone recommends some MA in US, like Duke, Trufts, and yesterday I got a reply from the AEA summer program director, saying UNC-Greensboro is a good intermediate step for phd. Confusing,,,,,,

polkaparty · 2007 November 19th, 03:19 AM

Yeah, again, that's just the general hearsay. The only program specifically I remember hearing about is NYU's MA program, which people generally said to steer clear of. I have no idea about the other programs you mention. Surly someone else here does, however....

econphd23 · 2007 November 19th, 03:31 AM

So how to evaluate a program whether it has the good replacement to top phd? By looking their job market candidate or contact with the program coordinator?
What's your opinion

zappa24 · 2007 November 19th, 04:52 AM

From everything I've heard, MA's in economics are more for applied, industry work. The programs aren't heavy in theory because their placement is into entities where theory isn't particularly important (but a more thorough understanding beyond the basics of undergraduate economics is.) So the reason US MA's aren't the best preperation for PhD's is because they aren't built for that purpose. They really, at least in economics, are training students for completely different carrer tracks.

The main advantage of getting an US MA is to improve a borderline application with strong marks on material that is supposed to be harder than undergraduate material. Yet, this could just as easily be done with a math or statistics MA (and you'll probably cover just as much if not more on the material that you'll see in the PhD theory classes as if you had taken an econ MA.)

asianeconomist · 2007 November 19th, 05:12 AM

It's certainly true that the NYU Master of Economics degree is not a good stepping-stone for a PhD.

Regarding other US Masters programs, places like Duke and Boston will certainly add to your profile. However, when you hold them in comparison to their Canadian or European counterparts, IMO they providde far lower value for money.

Having said that, I heard that someone from UNC- GB got an admit at Oxford (3-4 years back).

econphd23 · 2007 November 19th, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asianeconomist

It's certainly true that the NYU Master of Economics degree is not a good stepping-stone for a PhD.

Regarding other US Masters programs, places like Duke and Boston will certainly add to your profile. However, when you hold them in comparison to their Canadian or European counterparts, IMO they providde far lower value for money.

Having said that, I heard that someone from UNC- GB got an admit at Oxford (3-4 years back).

So you mean the added value of the US MA is not that high, and the cost is too much, so US MA is not economical?

Terd Ferguson · 2007 November 19th, 07:17 AM

A masters from a US school in Econ I think will help you very little with your PhD work. I don't think you will fully get this until you start the PhD program. I used to think a masters program would go over the same things but just in less detail and maybe leave out some of the math. Although I have not personally been in a MA program, I have to think that it would be completely different. MA programs are for people to learn Economics to help them with other areas of interest. You don't even really learn any Economics your first year in the PhD program. You learn the tools so that you can learn Economics later in the program.

On the other hand, almost all foreign students here have a masters from a foreign school and it seems like it really helped them. I would recommend that the most. If you want to do something in the US, I would do a math masters and concentrate on 1) real analysis 2) numerical analysis 3) dynamic programming 4) non-linear optimization and 5) stats. (not in that order of importance).

notacolour · 2007 November 19th, 08:21 AM

I think there are some good US MA programs, but most just aren't as good as they could be.

As I've mentioned in another thread, I'm at UNCG. I gained a lot from the MA, and while my plan was to move on to another PhD program, I've stayed instead. One advantage is that even even if I were to decide I didn't want the PhD, I could quit and make quite a bit more than I could have made before the MA. I have actual skills, after all. The same couldn't exactly be said of many MA programs, which tend to involve simply taking a certain number of courses, perhaps writing a thesis, and getting a degree. The UNCG program is much more focused: there is a certain set of skills and a body of theory you should learn in the program, and they do a good job of imparting these.

2007 November 19th, 02:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
econphd23 Eager! Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 56	Why US Econ MA is not good? I am new here, and I learn that most people will not recommend a MA Econ in US? Why? Is it because of the high tuition or the the program quality? Are there any awesome MA Econ in US worth applying for? Or Ma in Math or Statistics? too many questions,,,,,,,,,,

2007 November 19th, 04:52 AM	#6 (permalink)
zappa24 Within my grasp! Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 106	From everything I've heard, MA's in economics are more for applied, industry work. The programs aren't heavy in theory because their placement is into entities where theory isn't particularly important (but a more thorough understanding beyond the basics of undergraduate economics is.) So the reason US MA's aren't the best preperation for PhD's is because they aren't built for that purpose. They really, at least in economics, are training students for completely different carrer tracks. The main advantage of getting an US MA is to improve a borderline application with strong marks on material that is supposed to be harder than undergraduate material. Yet, this could just as easily be done with a math or statistics MA (and you'll probably cover just as much if not more on the material that you'll see in the PhD theory classes as if you had taken an econ MA.) _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ The Ohio State University Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics and me (setting back economic theory since Fall 2007.)

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2007 November 19th, 03:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
polkaparty retired Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Academia Posts: 857	I have no information beyond the hearsay from this board, but generally people say that U.S. MA programs are not designed as preparation for Ph.D.s. Hence the courses aren't very rigorous.

2007 November 19th, 03:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
polkaparty retired Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Academia Posts: 857	Yeah, again, that's just the general hearsay. The only program specifically I remember hearing about is NYU's MA program, which people generally said to steer clear of. I have no idea about the other programs you mention. Surly someone else here does, however....

2007 November 19th, 03:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
econphd23 Eager! Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 56	So how to evaluate a program whether it has the good replacement to top phd? By looking their job market candidate or contact with the program coordinator? What's your opinion

2007 November 19th, 05:12 AM	#7 (permalink)
asianeconomist TestMagic Guru Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cambridge, UK Posts: 1,316	It's certainly true that the NYU Master of Economics degree is not a good stepping-stone for a PhD. Regarding other US Masters programs, places like Duke and Boston will certainly add to your profile. However, when you hold them in comparison to their Canadian or European counterparts, IMO they providde far lower value for money. Having said that, I heard that someone from UNC- GB got an admit at Oxford (3-4 years back).

2007 November 19th, 07:17 AM	#9 (permalink)
Terd Ferguson Within my grasp! Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 137	A masters from a US school in Econ I think will help you very little with your PhD work. I don't think you will fully get this until you start the PhD program. I used to think a masters program would go over the same things but just in less detail and maybe leave out some of the math. Although I have not personally been in a MA program, I have to think that it would be completely different. MA programs are for people to learn Economics to help them with other areas of interest. You don't even really learn any Economics your first year in the PhD program. You learn the tools so that you can learn Economics later in the program. On the other hand, almost all foreign students here have a masters from a foreign school and it seems like it really helped them. I would recommend that the most. If you want to do something in the US, I would do a math masters and concentrate on 1) real analysis 2) numerical analysis 3) dynamic programming 4) non-linear optimization and 5) stats. (not in that order of importance).

2007 November 19th, 08:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
notacolour TestMagic Guru-in-Training Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 805	I think there are some good US MA programs, but most just aren't as good as they could be. As I've mentioned in another thread, I'm at UNCG. I gained a lot from the MA, and while my plan was to move on to another PhD program, I've stayed instead. One advantage is that even even if I were to decide I didn't want the PhD, I could quit and make quite a bit more than I could have made before the MA. I have actual skills, after all. The same couldn't exactly be said of many MA programs, which tend to involve simply taking a certain number of courses, perhaps writing a thesis, and getting a degree. The UNCG program is much more focused: there is a certain set of skills and a body of theory you should learn in the program, and they do a good job of imparting these.

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