Program Learning Objectives - Graduate

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) articulate the learning that should be achieved by the graduates of a program. 

• 1. Microeconomic Theory

  • Students should be able to define, describe and illustrate a wide array of microeconomic concepts, using verbal, written, graphical and mathematical expression, and also be able to examine, assess and criticize policies, projects and other current events, using core microeconomic theory, through the advanced level.

    Assessment: Analyze results from comprehensive exam, section I (201 & 104).

• 2. Macroeconomic Theory

  • Students should be able to define, describe and illustrate a wide array of macroeconomic concepts, using verbal, written, graphical and mathematical expression, and also be able to examine, assess and criticize policies, projects and other current events, using core macroeconomic theory, through the Advanced level.

    Assessment: Analyze results from comprehensive exam, section II (202).

• 3. Research Methods

  • Students should be able to describe the contours of, and differences and similarities between, qualitative and quantitative economic research methodologies, including the case study, historical narrative, applied econometric, and policy analysis methods, and to produce an original economic study using an economics methodology.

    Assessment: Analysis of student term papers from ECON 203a and 205.

• 4. Specialist Areas

  • The Economics Department emphasizes four Specialist Areas:

    1. History / Development
    2. International / Finance
    3. Policy Economics
    4. Quantitative Methods

     

    Students should be able to define, describe and illustrate advanced theoretical concepts, using verbal, written, graphical and mathematical expression, important to one or more of these areas, to discuss one or more research methods common to a specialist area, and to produce an original economic study using an economics methodology from the specialist area.

    Assessment: Analysis of the following Section II and III Comprehensive exam questions: 200, 232 & 121 (Policy), 235 & 139 (Financial Economics), 212 (Development / History), 203 (Quantitative Methods), as well as term papers from these classes.

• 5. Communication

  • Students will be able to describe and explain conclusions, recommendations, and implications from theory and methods of micro and macro theory, and specialist areas of economics, using written, spoken and other forms of communication.

    Assessment: Analysis of student term papers from ECON 203a and 205.

Note: The general ECON M.A., and the ECON M.A. with a Concentration in Applied Economics share a common set of PLOs, but the Applied program emphasizes PLO 4d.