Economics (Non-Thesis): Development Studies (M.A.) (45 credits)
Offered by: Economics (Faculty of Arts)
Degree: Master of Arts
Program credit weight: 45
Program Description
The Master of Arts in Economics; Non-Thesis - Development Studies program provides graduate training in theoretical and applied economics, and in econometric methods. The focus of the research paper will be on international development issues.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Research Project (18 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 650 | Research 1. | 3 |
Research 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Preparation for work on M.A. thesis and M.A. research report. | ||
| ECON 651 | Research 2. | 3 |
Research 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Preparation for work on M.A. thesis and M.A. research report. | ||
| ECON 680 | M.A. Report 1. | 3 |
M.A. Report 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The M.A. Report must demonstrate the candidate's ability to do independent work at the graduate level in a particular field of economics. While length will vary with the subject matter, it is expected that on average reports will be about 50 pages long. The Report will be graded jointly by two members of the Department. The supervisor will normally be one of the examiners. | ||
| ECON 681 | M.A. Report 2. | 3 |
M.A. Report 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The M.A. Report must demonstrate the candidate's ability to do independent work at the graduate level in a particular field of economics. While length will vary with the subject matter, it is expected that on average reports will be about 50 pages long. The Report will be graded jointly by two members of the Department. The supervisor will normally be one of the examiners. | ||
| ECON 682 | M.A. Report 3. | 3 |
M.A. Report 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The M.A. Report must demonstrate the candidate's ability to do independent work at the graduate level in a particular field of economics. While length will vary with the subject matter, it is expected that on average reports will be about 50 pages long. The Report will be graded jointly by two members of the Department. The supervisor will normally be one of the examiners. | ||
| ECON 683 | M.A. Report 4. | 3 |
M.A. Report 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The M.A. Report must demonstrate the candidate's ability to do independent work at the graduate level in a particular field of economics. While length will vary with the subject matter, it is expected that on average reports will be about 50 pages long. The Report will be graded jointly by two members of the Department. The supervisor will normally be one of the examiners. | ||
Required Courses (24 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 610 | Microeconomic Theory 1. | 3 |
Microeconomic Theory 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This is the first in a two-course sequence in microeconomics. The core microeconomics sequence (ECON 610, ECON 611) provides a rigorous coverage of the economic foundation upon which economic fields are built. Most of the sequence is devoted to building up this foundation of consumer and firm optimisation (including choice under uncertainty), partial and general equilibrium, and welfare economics. The remainder of ECON 611 covers special topics that vary from year to year. These are likely to be drawn from the following: social choice; externalities and public goods; models of asymmetric information; the principal-agent framework; search; basic game theory. | ||
| ECON 620 | Macroeconomic Theory 1. | 3 |
Macroeconomic Theory 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course is the first in a two-course sequence in macroeconomics. The course offers a thorough treatment of the fundamentals of macroeconomic theory. Emphasis is placed on the construction of economic models with microeconomic foundations. Topics include market-clearing and non-market-clearing models, capital accumulation, business cycles, monetary policy and fiscal policy. | ||
| ECON 634 | Economic Development 3. | 3 |
Economic Development 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A systematic treatment of the characteristics and problems of economic development in underdeveloped countries. | ||
| ECON 661 | Applied Time-Series and Forecasting. | 3 |
Applied Time-Series and Forecasting. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Essential methods used in practical forecasting and modelling contexts: standard time series models for forecasting; non-stationary data; conditional variance forecasts; nowcasting macroeconomic quantities; density and probability forecasts; feasible forecast horizons; forecast evaluation and presentation. | ||
| ECON 664 | Applied Cross-Sectional Methods. | 3 |
Applied Cross-Sectional Methods. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. With limited public resources, determining which programs, reforms, policies are beneficial, and at what cost, is crucial, and allows public policy to be driven by evidence. However, evaluating programs is made difficult by the “counterfactual problem”: one cannot observe the outcomes or behavior of a participant, had (s)he not participated. This course will describe the standard OLS model, its limitations, and an improvement (panel data models). This course will then present the state-of-the-art empirical techniques used by economists to address the counterfactual issue (randomized experiments, instrumental variables, difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity design; and time permitting selection models and matching). For each of these approaches, we will give the basic intuition, discuss the necessary assumptions, present the strengths and weaknesses, and analyze applications drawn from the literature. Moreover, each technique will be implemented by the students in hands-on Stata sessions. | ||
| ECON 665 | Quantitative Methods. | 3 |
Quantitative Methods. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of quantitative methods frequently used in economic research. Special emphasis will be placed upon the formulation and evaluation of econometric models. Illustrations will be drawn from the existing empirical literature in economics. Required for all Ph.D. students who have not taken Econometrics as a field. | ||
| ECON 734 | Economic Development 4. | 3 |
Economic Development 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Problems of economic growth and planning in selected underdeveloped countries. Topics covered vary from year to year in response to student interests; growth, poverty and income distribution, LDC labour markets and institutions, trade and development, international debt problems, issues in trade policy. | ||
| INTD 657 | Development Studies Seminar. | 3 |
Development Studies Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Special topics in international development studies. | ||
Complementary Courses (3 credits)
3 credits at the 500, 600, or 700 level, related to development studies [excluding ECON 662 Econometrics 1., ECON 662D1 /ECON 662D2 , and ECON 663 Econometrics 2.].