Department website: https://business.wvu.edu/academics/economics-department
Degrees Offered
- Master of Arts
- Master of Science
- Doctor of Philosophy
Nature of the Program
Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy
The master of arts and doctor of philosophy degrees in economics enable students to broaden and refine their knowledge of the concepts and methods of economic analysis. These programs are designed to prepare students for careers in higher education, government, and business. Student programs are planned with the assistance of a faculty advisor and approval of the director of graduate programs. Additional information about the graduate programs in economics and the regulations and requirements pertaining to them is available at https://business.wvu.edu/academics/economics-department/economics-ph-d. Students are bound by these regulations and requirements, as well as those of the College of Business and Economics.
Prerequisites
Applicants with a bachelor’s degree may apply directly to the Ph.D. program. To be admitted as a regular Ph.D. student, applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or better for all undergraduate work completed. Applicants must also complete the general aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and receive a minimum combined score of 300 for the verbal and quantitative sections and a minimum score of 3.0 for the analytical writing section. International students must submit their scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or, alternatively, the scores on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). In addition, applicants must have completed at least one semester of each of the following courses: intermediate microeconomic theory, intermediate macro-economic theory, calculus, and statistics. Applicants not meeting these entrance requirements may be admitted on a provisional and/or deficiency basis, subject to certain performance conditions during their first semester in residence.
Assistantships
Virtually all full-time students newly accepted into the Ph.D. program are offered a graduate assistantship, which includes a cash stipend and tuition waiver. Graduate assistants engage in research and teaching activities under the supervision of a faculty member. Assistantships are evaluated and renewed each year for four years, so long as the student remains full-time, in good standing, and performs duties satisfactorily. A fifth year is also typically available to full-time students who are making satisfactory progress on their dissertations. The faculty of the Department of Economics also nominates outstanding applicants for university fellowships. Special scholarships are available on a competitive basis to minority students. For further information, see https://business.wvu.edu/academics/economics-department/economics-ph-d.
Academic Standards
The following criteria must be met for a student to remain in good standing:
- Maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average in all graduate courses taken at WVU.*
- Earn no more than two incomplete grades per semester, barring exceptional circumstances in which a deferment is officially granted by the Ph.D. Program Coordinator.
- Resolve any incomplete grade in a timely manner.
- Successfully complete any qualifying/summer papers and/or qualifying exams within the prescribed timeframe.
- Successfully complete a comprehensive exam within four years of starting the program. Failure to pass the comprehensive exam after two attempts will result in dismissal from the program.
- Successfully defend a dissertation proposal within five years of matriculation.
- Successfully defend a dissertation within seven years of matriculation.
- Attend scholarly presentations and interact as part of the community of scholars.
- Perform Graduate Assistantship duties in a satisfactory manner (if applicable).
- Observation of and adherence to the WVU Campus Student Code (https://studentconduct.wvu.edu/files/d/f0ae69b9-1461-45cb-81ee-40e48e2d978b/main-campus-revised-final-student-conduct-code-8-21-15c.pdf).
- Observation of and adherence to WVU’s Academic and Professional Standards (http://catalog.wvu.edu/graduate/enrollmentandregistration/#text).
- Observance of and adherence to the professional standards of the student’s home discipline, as defined by the recognized scholarly organization that governs the progression (as identified by the Program Ph.D. Committee)
Master of Science
The M.S. in Economics program contains 30 credit hours of material and is designed to be completed in one or two years. Students will begin the program with a set of economic theory and data analysis courses, followed by an Area of Emphasis in either Empirical Economics or Political Economy.
Academic Standards
In addition to the University’s academic and professional standards, students enrolled in a John Chambers College of Business and Economics master’s degree program must also abide by the following standards:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to earn a degree from their graduate program, without exception.
- A student who cannot mathematically meet the 3.0 GPA requirement to successfully complete the degree, within a reasonable period of time (as defined by the Program Coordinator or designee), will be dismissed from their academic program. Visit the Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal section of the University’s Graduate Catalog for more information about this topic.
- Students must follow the professional standards established by the college, their degree program and/or department. A student who violates the established professional standards may be placed on probation, suspended, or dismissed from their program.
- A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.75 will automatically be placed on academic probation.
- A student will be dismissed from their program if their GPA is not raised to 2.75 by the end of their subsequent semester of enrollment.
- A student will be dismissed from their program if they earn a letter grade below C- in more than one required course.
- A student who earns a letter grade of D or F in any required course must repeat the course and earn a minimum letter grade of C-.
- Any grade earned in a repeated course at the graduate level is included in the calculation of a student’s overall and major GPA, along with the original grade earned in the course. Additionally, the original grade earned in the course will remain on the student’s academic transcript/permanent record. Visit the Grades section of the University Graduate Catalog for more information about this topic.
Any exceptions to the above standards must be approved in writing by the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and the Program Coordinator.
Faculty
Chair
- Feng Yao - Ph.D. (Oregon State University)
Theoretical Econometrics, Applied Econometrics
Professors
- Roger Congleton - Ph.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
Public Economics, Public Choice, Constitutional Political Economy - Joshua Hall - Milan Puskar Dean - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
Public Economics, Public Choice, Urban and Regional Economics - Brad Humphreys - Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University)
Urban and Regional Economics, Sports Economics - Jane Ruseski - Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University)
Ph.D. Coordinator - Health Economics, Sports Economics - Feng Yao - Ph,D. (Oregon State University)
Theoretical Econometrics, Applied Econometrics
Associate professors
- Arabinda Basistha - Ph.D. (University of Washington)
Empirical Macroeconomics, International Finance - John Deskins - Ph.D. (University of Tennessee)
Public Economics - Daniel Grossman - Ph.D. (Cornell University)
Health Economics - Shuichiro Nishioka - Ph.D. (University of Colorado at Boulder)
International Trade, Economic Development - Adam Nowak - Ph.D. (Arizona State University)
Applied Econometrics, Urban and Regional Economics - Scott Schuh - Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University)
Applied Macroeconomic Theory, Monetary Economics, Household Finance
Assistant professors
- Nathaniel Burke - Ph.D. (University of Arkansas)
Experimental Economics, Economics of Education, Group Identity - Cathleen Johnson - Ph.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
MS ECON Coordinator - Experimental Economics, Economic Education - Kole Reddig - Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University)
Health Economics, Industrial Organization, Applied Microeconomics - Palak Suri - Ph.D. (University of Maryland)
Urban Economics, Labor Economics
Adjunct professors
- Victor Chow - Ph.D. (University of Alabama)
- Randall Jackson - Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
- David Martinelli - Ph.D. (University of Maryland)
- Brad Price - Ph.D. (University of Minnesota)
- Peter Schaeffer - Ph.D. (University of Southern California)
- Paul Speaker - Ph.D. (Purdue University)
- Heather Stephens - Ph.D. (Ohio State University)
- Meg Tuszynski - Ph.D. (George Mason University)
Service Associate Professor
- Edward Timmons - Ph.D. (Lehigh University)
Labor Economics, Health Economics
Professors emeriti
- Brian Cushing
- Stratford Douglas
- Clifford Hawley
- Ming-Jeng Hwang
- Patrick Mann
- William Reece
- Tom Witt
Admissions for 2025-2026
Doctor of Philosophy
Students who have first been admitted into the Doctor of Philosophy in Economics program with the intention of earning a doctorate may apply for the Master's degree either as a “milepost” on their way to the Ph.D. or as a degree in lieu of the Ph.D. when leaving the program.
Applicants with a bachelor's degree may apply directly to the Ph.D. program. To be admitted as a regular Ph.D. student, applicants must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or better for all undergraduate work completed. Applicants must also complete the general aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and receive a minimum combined score of 300 in the new GRE scale for the verbal and quantitative sections and a minimum score of 3.0 for the analytical writing section. Applicants are also required to submit a CV, 2 Letters of Recommendation, and a Statement of Purpose. International students must submit their scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or, alternatively, the scores on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). For full consideration applicants should have all materials submitted by December 1st.
In addition, applicants are required to complete one semester of each of the following courses:
- Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
- Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
- Calculus
- Statistics
Grades in these courses play an important role in admission and assistantship decisions.
The entrance requirements are minimum requirements for regular admission. Since there is limited space in each year's class, meeting these entrance requirements does not guarantee admission. Applicants not meeting all entrance requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis, subject to certain performance conditions during their first semester in residence.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to take additional math and statistics courses beyond the required minimum. Only rarely are students admitted without at least the first two courses of the standard calculus sequence. Courses in multivariate calculus, linear algebra, and mathematical economics are also particularly useful. We encourage applicants to take advanced undergraduate or masters level courses in economics.
Master of Arts and Master of Science
The MS and MA in Economics Admissions Committee is made up of John Chambers College of Business and Economics faculty. The Committee reviews applications holistically and will admit students based on strength of their admissions application and potential to succeed in this program.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis once all required parts of the application are received, including transcripts, resume, personal statement, and letter of recommendation.
Admissions Requirements:
- Transcripts
- Resume
- One-page personal statement
- Letter of recommendation from individuals who are not friends or family and can provide information about the applicant's academic promise, ability to work with others, professionalism, and potential to succeed in this program
Applicants should send their transcripts to WVU’s Office of Admissions, One Waterfront Place, PO Box 6510, Morgantown, WV, 26506-6510 or electronically to graduateadmissions@mail.wvu.edu
Major Code: 2135