fylgja Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Hello again! I am currently finalizing my applications for this cycle and need suggestions as to other Masters in Applied Economics (especially with strength in resources and the environment) I could target, both in the US and outside it, especially in Canada, although European and Australian options are welcome too. At the moment, I plan to try for the PhD afterward, so I feel a two-year program with thesis will give me more time to make up for my weak undergraduate background. Hence, I have not included any one-year MAs in my shortlist, although I would be open to doing so with sufficient reason. PROFILE Type of Undergrad.: Bachelor in Economics (top-15 US university) Undergrad. GPA: Type of Grad.: Master in International Political Economy (qualitative) Grad. GPA: 3.76 / 4.0 GRE: Q 166, V 165, AWA 4.0 Math. Courses: Calculus (A+, described as a "second course in Calculus" so assumed = Calc. II), Multivariable Calculus (B), Differential Equations (C+); all Engineering sequence Econ. Courses (undergrad-level): Intermed. Macro. (B-), Intermed. Micro. (C-), Game Theory (B), Resource (A-), Behavioral (C-), Applied Econometrics (A-), Analysis of the University (B+), Analysis of Politics (B-), Environmental (B-) Letters of Recommendation: 1) Prof. in NR (PhD. Wisconsin), hoping he can mitigate my lack of demonstrable mathematics ability by attesting that I was able to handle the optimization material in his course with some success. 2) Prof. in Economics and Education (PhD. Columbia) for whom I am RAing and am doing a range of quantitative research. 3) A good letter from either of two graduate professors whose classes I performed well in. Research Experience: Current internship working on environmental economics-based policy report for local think-tank and RA for economist specializing in education. Research Interests: Natural Resource and Environmental Economics SOP: Research interests and experience, uneven grades. Provisionally Applying to: - US: Yale F&ES, Cornell AEM, Duke Nicholas School, UC Davis, Maryland, Arizona, Colorado State, Connecticut, Minnesota, Wisconsin (UCSB Bren School?) - Canada: Alberta, Dalhousie, Guelph Concerns: - Undergraduate GPA - Is it worth completing "optional" supplementary statements? - Need more schools; Canada and US preferred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin1297 Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 With your weak grades in several theory courses (Marco, Micro, Game Theory and Behavioral) as well as both not enough math and weak grades in the math courses that you took, I honestly don't think that a PhD would be right for you right now. If you really want a good shot, consider getting a Masters in Econ or Stat and then applying, or go for a Masters in Public Policy/Public Administration. It seems like given that you have a Masters in IPE, that you're more focused towards policy anyway. See how you feel about policy applications of economics versus econometrics and research, and hopefully that would influence your thinking about whether a PhD is right for you. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Econhead Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 With your weak grades in several theory courses (Marco, Micro, Game Theory and Behavioral) as well as both not enough math and weak grades in the math courses that you took, I honestly don't think that a PhD would be right for you right now. If you really want a good shot, consider getting a Masters in Econ or Stat and then applying, or go for a Masters in Public Policy/Public Administration. It seems like given that you have a Masters in IPE, that you're more focused towards policy anyway. See how you feel about policy applications of economics versus econometrics and research, and hopefully that would influence your thinking about whether a PhD is right for you. Hope this helps. Title of the thread is "Master's Shortlist" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicaffairsny Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Was the masters in international political economy really qualitative in that they taught you qualitative research methods, or was it just theoretical in nature and not quantitative? If you got into theoretical ideas about economics, coupled with your undergrad background, you may be better off doing a rigorous math sequence and retaking intermediate micro/ macro at your local public rather than funding another masters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fylgja Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 Was the masters in international political economy really qualitative in that they taught you qualitative research methods, or was it just theoretical in nature and not quantitative? If you got into theoretical ideas about economics, coupled with your undergrad background, you may be better off doing a rigorous math sequence and retaking intermediate micro/ macro at your local public rather than funding another masters. It was not a research-oriented program. I do not live in North America, and enrolling in normal courses as a non-degree-seeking student does not seem to be possible here. Hence my targeting applied economics programs as a more forgiving, but still-quantitative middle-ground between policy and pure economics, and where my work experience might actually be considered a plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fylgja Posted December 11, 2014 Author Share Posted December 11, 2014 Bump? :dispirited: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicaffairsny Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 It was not a research-oriented program. I do not live in North America, and enrolling in normal courses as a non-degree-seeking student does not seem to be possible here. Hence my targeting applied economics programs as a more forgiving, but still-quantitative middle-ground between policy and pure economics, and where my work experience might actually be considered a plus. Economics is a highly quantitative discipline, and economists therefore tend to view quantitative methods as the gold standard of research. However, I've got to point out that it is unfair to describe non-research oriented programs as qualitative. Qualitative research uses legitimate methods and contributes important understandings to the social sciences. It is research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonelForbin Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 I don't think that is what he is saying -- I think he is saying that they approached issues with a qualitative bent and did not focus on turning students into researchers. I'm sure they used research in their coursework, likely both quantitative and qualitative, but I don't think he was, as you state, describing non-research oriented programs as qualitative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicaffairsny Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 I don't think that is what he is saying -- I think he is saying that they approached issues with a qualitative bent and did not focus on turning students into researchers. I'm sure they used research in their coursework, likely both quantitative and qualitative, but I don't think he was, as you state, describing non-research oriented programs as qualitative. He described the program as qualitative in his initial post, then clarified he meant non-research oriented. Its academically sloppy to describe professional degree programs as qualitative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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