Thank you for your interest in the Master of Arts in Economics at California State University, Long Beach.  The department and university requirements for admission are found below.  All students begin the program in the fall semester; we are not accepting applications for the spring semester.

Any questions about admissions may be directed to econ-grad@csulb.edu.

Click here for our MA application packet to learn more about our program and how to apply.

IMPORTANT DATES

Applications for the Fall 2024 admission open on October 1, 2023.

• For Domestic Applicants, Fall 2024 applications are accepted from October 1, 2023 -  April 2024.
• For International Applicants, Fall 2024 applications are accepted from October 1, 2023 - March 2024.
• Admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis from March to May 2024.
• Graduate Assistantship offers will be made from May to June 2024.
• The Fall semester starts on August 19, 2024.

To officially apply visit Cal State Apply.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• You must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year college or university. List of Foreign Universities.
• You must have either majored or minored in economics or taken 18 units of core economics courses.
• You must have completed (1) principles of macroeconomics, (2) principles of microeconomics, (3) intermediate microeconomics, (4) intermediate macroeconomics, (5) statistics, and (6) calculus.
• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.50.
• A minimum GPA 3.0 GPA in (1) principles of macroeconomics, (2) principles of microeconomics, (3) intermediate microeconomics, (4) intermediate macroeconomics, (5) statistics, and (6) calculus.

APPLICATION

• You must submit a University Application which includes
  • $70 application fee
  • A Personal Statement of 500-750 words
  • Two  recommenders
    • CSULB students & alumni: two CSULB faculty with at least one being from Economics
    • non-CSULB students: two faculty with at least one preferable from Economics
  • See Submitting Transcripts below.
  • GRE (or GMAT) scores are not required but encouraged. If completed, please send scores to Institution Code 4389, and Department Code 1801 for non-CSULB students.
  • A Resume/CV is not required but encouraged, indicating any work experience and activities relevant to the program.
  • If you wish to upload a writing sample of a research paper or any other relevant documentation, you can do so in the Supplemental Materials section.
  • Monitor the status of your application by visiting the Applicant Self-Service.

Download a 2024 Application Checklist.

Through Mail

• Mail Transcripts to this address:
  • Enrollment Services/Admissions
    California State University, Long Beach
    1250 Bellflower Blvd.
    Long Beach, CA 90840

Electronic Transcripts

• Official transcripts may be submitted electronically directly from a U.S. college or university.
• Follow instructions on the CSULB Graduate Admissions site

CSULB vs Non-CSULB Students

• CSULB Students and Alumni do not need to submit official transcripts.
• Current B.A. Non-CSULB Students: Unofficial transcript(s) documenting that you have completed the required courses in Economics for admission are okay.
• Non-CSULB Students with a Bachelors: Official transcripts documenting that you have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year college or university are required.

TUITION & FEES

Please refer to the university's webpage on Tuition and Fees. Tuition and fees will depend on each student's residency status and part-time/full-time unit load.  The typical MA in Economics student takes 10 units per Fall and Spring semester for a total of three semesters.

GRADUATE & TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

Assistantships are available to students on a competitive basis. No additional application materials are required. Students are automatically considered for an assistantship when their application is reviewed. In the 2022-2023, each semester we offered about 110 hours per week of graduate assistantships and 6 teaching assistantships. Graduate assistantships included grading and tutoring responsibilities. Teaching assistantships included running lab sections for Economics Statistics, Introduction to Econometrics, Econometrics I, Econometrics II, and Forecasting.

College of Liberal Arts Equity Scholars Assistantship

This Assistantship was created "to recruit promising students into the Humanities and Social Sciences" and for "recruitment of first-generation, historically underrepresented, and/or low-income graduate students". The stipend from the Assistantship ranges from about $3500 per semester up to about $7000 for one year.

To be considered for the award, you must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or above. For you application to the Assistantship to be reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee, you must also submit your Cal State Apply application for the M.A. in Economics at CSULB.

Please complete the Equity Scholars Application to be considered for this position. Application review will be ongoing until the Assistantship(s) have been awarded. The application deadline is April 15.

Visit the College of Liberal Arts Equity Scholars site for more information on this program.

SCHOLARSHIPS

For the 2022-23 academic year, MA in Economics students received a total of $2,000 from department scholarships. Applications for department scholarships are accepted between November and March, and are awarded the next academic year.

APPLICATION

Along with the General Application Requirements, all international applicants must meet the following additional requirements:

• Submit your application by March 15, 2024.
• Meet or exceed the English language requirement minimum test score and submit the official test scores to International Admissions. Information and instructions can be found HERE.
• Submit original or certified copies of ALL OFFICIAL academic records, transcripts/individual mark sheets, certificates, and diplomas. Submission instructions can be found HERE.
• Applicants who have studied in the U.S. are required to have the institution(s) directly send their official transcript(s) to International Admissions. Opened transcripts are not considered official.
• English translations of all academic records and certificates/diplomas are required if they are in a language other than English.
• Use WES (World Education Services) for 3rd party evaluation
• Any questions related to the English Language Requirement and submission of documents should be directed to the International Admissions at cie-admission@csulb.edu. Please include your application (CAS ID) number or CSULB Student ID number in all correspondences.

FINANCIAL AID:

International students are eligible for department-sponsored graduate and teaching assistantships and for the Equity Scholars assistantship. See above for more details and application instructions.

Goals & Objectives

The program features a 30-unit curriculum that can be completed in as little as 3 semesters for full-time students. Core courses are offered in the evenings to accommodate working professionals. Goals and Objectives of the Program

Graduation Requirements

• Program Requirements and Curriculum

Curriculum

Candidates in this program are responsible for observing the general requirements stated in the university catalog as well as requirements specified by the Department. Information may be obtained from the graduate advisor. A limited number of graduate assistantships are available to qualified students.

The program features a 30-unit curriculum that can be completed in as little as 3 semesters for full-time students. Core courses are offered in the evenings to accommodate working professionals. The degree culminates with seminar courses in a specific field and general economics, where students undertake independent research projects. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and successfully defend their research as part of a comprehensive exam to graduate. Please see our sample course schedule for more details.

Printable flyer with requirements and sample schedule: Program Requirements and Curriculum

SAMPLE SCHEDULE FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS

1st FALL

• ECON 510: Advanced Microeconomics (3 units; complete with a grade of B or better)
• ECON 511: Advanced Macroeconomics (3 units; complete with a grade of B or better)
• ECON 585: Econometrics I (4 units; complete with a grade of C or better)

SPRING

• ECON 586: Econometrics II (4 units; complete with a grade of C or better)
• ECON 587: Research Methods in Economics (3 units; complete with a grade of C or better)
• ECON 500-Level Elective (3 units; complete with a grade of C or better)
  • In recent years, we have offered ECON 565: Economic Development (3 units)

2nd FALL

• ECON 690: Seminar in Economics (3 units; complete with a grade of B or better)
• ECON 691: Economics Research Lab (1 unit; complete with a grade of B or better)
• ECON 600-Level Elective (3 units; complete with a grade of B or better)
  • In recent years, we have offered ECON 666: Seminar in Transportation Economics (3 units) and ECON 670: Seminar in Trade and Development (3 units)
• 400-Level Economics Elective (3 units; complete with a grade of C or better)

Last edited 11/2022 - Curriculum subject to change

• Graduate Program FAQ's
• Student Research 

For general questions please contact the department:

Location: SSPA-361A
Phone: 562-985-5061
Email: econ@csulb.edu

Hours:

• Mondays & Fridays 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM – Remote
• Tuesday – Thursday 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM – In person

Note: The department is closed for lunch from 12 PM to 1:00 PM every day.