Pursuing Graduate Studies in Economics at UW: Everything You Need to Know

So Ya Wanna Go to Grad School UW ECON Phil Curry, Associate Chair, Graduate Studies, Department of Economics Nov. 7th@ AL211

Outline Why Graduate School? Why UW Economics as your Graduate Program? UW Econ Graduate Program Introduction Applications Other Comments Q&A

Why Graduate School? For the Money: -- Significantly higher starting salary ($45,000-$80,000) relative to an undergraduate degree in economics For the Name: -- Master , such a cool name, eh?

Why Graduate School? For Yourself: Advanced Level of Economics Knowledge More competitive and more opportunities on the job market Transition to PhD researcher

Why Graduate School? Costs are relatively low Financial Cost Costs are partially/fully covered by funding (scholarship and teaching assistantship. For example, 2018-2019, the average funding package was $15,000 for MAs and $25,000 for PhDs) Time Cost Most of the MA programs consist of 2 terms (8 months) of coursework; 5 terms for the co-op option

Why UW ECON? Some Facts: MA Program Co-op Placement 120% 120% 100% 100% 80% 80% 60% 60% 40% 40% 20% 20% 0% 0% Domestic International Overall To increase job placement, the department offers soft-skills training to all MAs: workshops, mock interviews, career advice, and network opportunities with alumni.

Why UW ECON? Some Recent MA Co-op Placements Jasmine Jia - Ontario Teacher s Pension Plan, Analyst Qian Cao - Loyalty One, Marketing Analytics Zheren Hu - Employment & Social Dev. Canada, Analyst Joshua Salas - Natural Resources Canada, Analyst Victoria Janicki - Statistics Canada, Analyst Garnik Kakosyan - Ericsson Canada Inc., Big Data Analyst Zaixiong Meng - JUICE Mobile, Data Analyst David Ta - Bank of Montreal, Data Scientist Gamze Demiray - Treasury Board Secretariat Ivan Koparan - iGan Partners Adam Upenieks - Technische Universitaet Andrew Kowalczyszyn - Employment and Social Development Canada

Why UW ECON? Recent MA to PhD Program Aidi Yu (2017) PhD, Economics, UW Xingtong Ji (2017) PhD, Social and Ecological Sustainability, UW Zehua Pan (2017) PhD, Economics, UW Allison Nicole Devlin (2016) PhD, Economics, UoT RenFang Tian (2015) PhD, Economics, UW

Introduction of UW Econ Grad. Program Coursework Option (2 terms / 8months) Five core courses (*) plus three electives. YEAR 1 - fall term YEAR 1 winter term Academic integrity workshop Math-camp (*) ECON 602 macro theory (*) ECON 622 applied microeconometrics 1, or (*) ECON 623 macroeconometrics 1 (*) ECON 601 micro theory (*) ECON 606 research methodology (*) ECON 621 econometrics Two electives One elective Electives: Labour, Health, Monetary Resource, Innovation, Numerical Methods

Introduction of UW Econ Grad. Program Co-op Option (5 terms / 20 months) 5 core courses (*), 3 electives, eight month (2 term) co-op placement and capstone research project YEAR 1 - Fall Term YEAR 1 Winter Term YEAR 1 Spring Term YEAR 2 Winter Term Co-op placement Econ 674 Capstone Research Project Academic integrity workshop Math-camp (*) ECON 601 micro theory (*) ECON 606 research methodology (*) ECON 621 econometrics One elective (*) ECON 602 macro theory YEAR 2 Fall Term Co-op Work term report (*) ECON 622 applied microeconome trics 1, or ECON 623 macroeconom etrics 1 Co-op placement Two electives Electives: Labour, Health, Monetary Resource, Innovation, Numerical Methods, etc.

Introduction of UW Econ Grad. Program Tuition (2019 F) Canadian/PR: $2725 / term International: $7725/ term More Info. is available at: https://uwaterloo.ca/finance/student-financial-services/tuition-fee- schedules

Introduction of UW Econ Grad. Program Co-op Option: Frequent Q&A Enrolment in Co-op is not firm until: results from your first term are public (an average greater than 70%) To graduate with the Co-op option you need to find a coop internship If you do not find a co-op internship, you have to: Register for the Spring term Switch back into the regular MA program Graduate in Fall (October)of that year

Applications Admission Requirements Honour s bachelor s degree in economics with a minimum 75% overall average in the last two years or last 20 courses. advanced microeconomics (2) advanced macroeconomics (2) mathematical economics; a course in calculus and linear algebra are even better (2) Statistics and econometrics (2) (For example: Econ 290, 306, 311, 322, 323, 391, 421, 422, 423, 491, 496) Most of our successful applicants have a 80%+ average. Occasionally, students are admitted with limited economics but extensive mathematical background.

Applications 1. Honour s bachelor s degree in economics Strong preparation in economics and mathematics 2. Two academic letters of reference Give the professors who are writing your references the information they need: the list of programs you are applying for, and an unofficial copy of your transcript Give your professors enough lead time; they may be writing many letters Ranking is more important than score If possible, diversify your references across fields Senior-year course instructors are preferred. 3. Complete your on-line application https://uwaterloo.ca/discover-graduate-studies/application-process Application deadline: February 1 Admission is only for September of each year 4.

Applications Some Other Suggestions on Grad. School Application Do not put all eggs in one basket -- Our grad. program is very competitive. Every year, we received hundreds of applications and we only have 25 to 30 spots per cohort. How to Optimize your grad. school application strategy? -- Think about what you why you want to go to grad school; there may be multiple routes to get you where you want to go

Other Comments Some Other Econ Grad. Programs Our Students Go To: In Canada: UofT, Western, Queen s, UBC, McMaster, McGill, SFU, Alberta, Calgary, Concordia Elsewhere: Duke, NYU, USC, Northwestern, Durham

Q & A Questions? Department of Economics Contacts Phil Curry, Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, pacurry@uwaterloo.ca HH 126 Pat Shaw Graduate Program Coordinator pshaw@uwaterloo.ca HH 219