Online Master’s in Economics

20 Month Duration

GRE/GMAT Not Required

Up to 6 Transfer Credits Accepted

Financial Aid & Scholarships Available

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Complete the form to learn more about this program. An admissions advisor will reach out to you to discuss coursework, financial aid, and more.

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Make Your Career Count

Make a measurable difference in your career with specialized skills to solve global economic challenges. The online Master of Arts in Economics from American University brings you real-world analysis from today’s most relevant scholars, think tanks, and international organizations, and will prepare you to meet your career goals.

The knowledge you earn in this program will open the door to leadership roles industry-wide. You’ll gain hands-on policy analysis from a prestigious faculty of noted experts and earn your degree in as few as 20 months.

American University’s fully online programs are led by expert faculty who are passionate about teaching. With flexible scheduling in a digital environment, you will get the experience and knowledge you need in the field of your choice.

Online Merit Scholarship

up to $14,000 — No Separate Application Required

Prospective students who have a cumulative 3.0 GPA or above (on a 4.0 scale) in their undergraduate program can qualify for the Online Merit Scholarship of up to $14,000. As part of your application process, your academic history will be reviewed to see if the scholarship can be applied; there is no separate application to fill out.*

Online Curriculum | Economics

The curriculum in the online master’s in economics will give you the opportunity to learn real-world skills from expert faculty.

Courses you may take in this program include:

Finance, Stability, and Growth

Study the nexus between financial development and growth, issues of banking system efficiency, and competition. This course also surveys financial crises and their determinates and discusses policies to mitigate and manage banking and financial crises.

Survey of Economic Development

Explore topics in the field of development economics at both the micro and macro levels with an emphasis on policy issues and data analysis. Topics may include poverty, inequality, gender, growth, trade, finance, employment, debt, exchange rates, and macro policies in developing countries.

Applied Econometrics I & II

Explore the tools necessary to describe economic relationships and to measure the impact of policy while mastering the theory and application of economic statistics. Then, examine more advanced topics, including time-series techniques, limited dependent variable models, and panel data methods.

Economics MA Capstone Seminar

Learn research methods, the writing of economics, and the presentation of research. Includes close consultation between the faculty member and student.

Make an Impact in Economics

Businesses and organizations always need experts in the field of economics. In fact, overall employment of economists is projected to grow at a faster-than-average rate of 6% from 2022 to 2032.1 Job opportunities for professionals with expert knowledge include:

  • Business Process Analyst: $82,903 per year2
  • Economist: $113,940 per year1
  • Consultant: $107,796 per year3
  • Financial Advisor: $95,390 per year4
  • Cost Analyst: $82,260 per year5

Alumni Employers

As passionate change-makers, our alumni apply their policy skills to make an impact in their careers. You can find some of them leveraging their expertise in roles with these organizations:

  • The World Bank Group
  • International Monetary Fund
  • Wayfair LLC
  • Solovis
  • 20/20 Vision

I sought a Master’s in Economics to shift from administrative tasks to a development research and project-based work program. Earning my MA at AU allowed me to do this immediately upon completion of the program. My education at AU allowed me to shape my job description in a way that best suits my skillset.

– Sydney Gourley, Survey specialist | World Bank

Learn More Today

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  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Economists.” Retrieved December 4, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov.
  2. Salary.com. “Business Process Analyst Salary in the United States.” Retrieved December 4, 2023, from https://www.salary.com/.
  3. Salary.com. “How much does a consultant make in the United States?” Retrieved December 4, 2023, from https://www.salary.com/.
  4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Personal Financial Advisors.” Retrieved December 4, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/.
  5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Budget Analysts.” Retrieved December 4, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/.

*You’ll be notified of the scholarship status when you’re admitted to the program, or shortly thereafter.

*To receive the scholarship, which is applied equally to the first and fifth courses of the program, you must remain in good academic standing.