Managerial Economics - Data Emphasis

The Department of Economics is now offering a Master's Degree in Managerial Economics with a Big Data Emphasis. This program is designed to be completed in 1-2 years, depending on full-time/part-time status, prerequisites, and scheduling. For more information please see the MA Handbook.

This track provides rigorous training in economics and data analytics and is designed for students seeking jobs in either the private or public sectors. Please note that there is a 2-semester sequence of core classes that start in Fall, but it may be possible to join the program in the Spring semester.

International students are encouraged to apply for fall admission by January 1.

All other students are encouraged to apply for fall admission by March 1st.

This track requires:

1. Successful completion of 32 credit hours of coursework as described below
2. A 3.0 GPA in graduate courses.

The 32 hours include 9 hours of core Economics courses, 11-12 hours of graduate Economics electives, and 11-12 hours of data analyitcs graduate electives.

Questions about application materials:
Kelli Broome
kellibroome@ou.edu

Graduate Program Director:
Dr. Firat Demir
fdemir@ou.edu

Applicants usually have a bachelor's degree in economics but this is not a prerequisite. Some course work in economics including both intermediate micro (ECON 3113) and macroeconomics (ECON 3133) is required prior to starting the program. All applicants need a good working knowledge of mathematics and basic statistics. At least two semesters of calculus and one semester of basic statistics (ECON 2843) or their equivalents are required. For Big Data courses, some knowledge of Excel, Access, SQL, or programming is helpful but not required.

The first year coursework consists of core courses in Economics, supplemented with Economics graduate electives and approved Data Analytics courses. Here is a sample schedule:

Fall Semester

ECON 5023 – Statistics for Decision Making
ECON 5033 – Managerial Economics I
ECON Elective – Any 4000/5000-level Economics course that carries graduate credit*
Big Data Elective - choose 1-2 graduate electives from courses in MIT / GIS / ISE**

Spring Semester

ECON 5043 – Managerial Economics II 
ECON 4223 – Econometric Analysis OR Any 4000/5000-level Economics course that carries graduate credit*
ECON Elective – Any 4000/5000-level Economics course that carries graduate credit*
Big Data Elective - choose 1-2 graduate electives from courses in MIT / GIS / ISE** 

*with approval of graduate director
**with approval of graduate director and departmental permission

Sample Big Data Electives

ISE 5103 Intelligent Data Analysis
GIS 5013 Fundamentals of GIS
GIS 5253 Applied GIS
LIS 5033 Info Technology Management
PSC 5923 Analysis of Political Data

GIS = Geographic Information Systems

ISE = Industrial/Systems Engineering
LIS = Library/Information Science
PSC = Political Science

Students will enroll in ECON 5940 - Research in Economic Problems (2 hours) in their final semester, for which they may write and present a research paper. A faculty supervisor and committee for the paper must be arranged before a student can enroll in ECON 5940. 

All M.A. students in the Managerial Economics + Big Data Emphasis will be advised by the Graduate Program Director (GPD). In no circumstances will a student will be allowed to alter their course curriculum without the permission of the GPD and all elective course selections are to be approved by the GPD. 

The Department of Economics evaluates each applicant individually in order to select for admission those applicants who have the aptitude, scholarship, and analytical skill necessary to successfully complete an advanced degree. In order to form an opinion about an applicant's aptitude, scholarship, and analytical ability we require the following information.

1. Transcript of all undergraduate and graduate coursework.
2. Scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) aptitude test, taken within the last two years.
3. Three (3) letters of recommendation.
4. Statement of purpose

The Graduate College of the University of Oklahoma has specific admission requirements of:

1. Minimum B average over the last 60 hrs of undergraduate study or the last 12 hours of graduate study 
2. (for non-native English speaking applicants) a TOEFL score of 550 or higher.

The Department of Economics does not have specific admission requirements (e.g. minimum GRE scores). Rather, an admissions committee recommends admission on the basis of GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and prior academic record. All these sources of information are helpful in the evaluation of an applicant's ability to pursue an advance degree. Consequently, applications will not be considered unless all information is available.

To apply upload all required materials online here.  

All graduate students are expected to be familiar with what constitutes academic misconduct. Misconduct or plagiarism in the writing the research paper or any other paper is a very serious offense and will be punished accordingly. For information about what constitutes misconduct as well as the University’s procedures for academic misconduct, click here.