Master of Computational Economics (MCEcon) Degree
Program Learning Outcomes for the MCEcon Degree
Upon completing the MCEcon degree, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced quantitative skills, including proficiency in statistical analysis, econometrics, and mathematical modeling, enabling them to tackle complex economic problems.
- Acquire a high level of proficiency in programming languages and computational tools relevant to economic analysis, allowing them to manipulate and analyze large datasets effectively.
- Develop a high level of proficiency in programming languages and computational tools relevant to dynamic economic analysis.
- Collect, process, and interpret data, employing advanced analytical techniques to derive meaningful insights and inform evidence-based economic decision-making.
- Communicate effectively, both in written and oral forms, enabling them to communicate effectively complex economic analyses and findings to diverse audiences, including policymakers, stakeholders, and the public.
Requirements for the MCEcon Degree
The MCEcon degree is a non-thesis master's degree. For general university requirements, please see Non-Thesis Master's Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing the MCEcon degree must complete:
- A minimum of 12 courses (40 credit hours) to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 40 credit hours of graduate-level study (graduate semester credit hours, coursework at the 500-level or above).
- A minimum of 32 graduate semester credit hours must be taken at Rice University.
- A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken in standard or traditional courses (with a course type of lecture, seminar, laboratory, lecture/laboratory).
- A minimum residency enrollment of 4 semesters of full-time graduate study at Rice University.
- A maximum of 2 courses (6 graduate semester credit hours) from transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework.
- A minimum program GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework that satisfies requirements for the non-thesis master’s degree.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this degree program. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the program's academic advisor or, where applicable, the department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program's Official Certifier. Additionally, these course substitutions must be approved by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for the MCEcon Degree | 40 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements 1 | ||
| ECON 501 | MICROECONOMICS I | 3 |
| ECON 502 | MACROECONOMICS | 3 |
| ECON 510 | ECONOMETRICS I | 3 |
| ECON 511 | ECONOMETRICS II | 3 |
| ECON 631 | MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECON 632 | DATA TOOLS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECON 633 | DYNAMIC MODELS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECON 634 | MACHINE LEARNING AND ALGORITHMS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 4 courses from the following: | 12 | |
| COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | ||
| FINANCIAL ECONOMICS I | ||
| EMPIRICAL INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION | ||
| LABOR ECONOMICS | ||
| EMPIRICAL MICROECONOMICS | ||
| EMPIRICAL INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION II | ||
| ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT | ||
| MATCHING AND MARKET DESIGN | ||
| DYNAMIC OPTIMIZATION | ||
| ADVANCED TOPICS IN ENERGY ECONOMICS | ||
| HEALTH ECONOMICS | ||
| TOPICS IN MACROECONOMICS I | ||
| TOPICS IN MACROECONOMICS II | ||
| TOPICS IN ECONOMETRICS II | ||
| APPLICATIONS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION – CRIMINAL JUSTICE | ||
| QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION | ||
| APPLICATIONS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION – LABOR MARKETS | ||
| APPLICATIONS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION – HEALTH | ||
| APPLICATIONS OF PROGRAM EVALUATION – EARLY CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 40 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| 1 | During the summer before the student’s first fall semester, three online "camps" (a foundational Computational camp, one in Statistics, and one in Mathematics, hosted by the Economics department and Rice Online Learning) must be successfully completed as required prerequisites to the MCEcon degree program's Core Requirements. |
Proposed Plan-of-Study
The following plan-of-study represents the current four-semester sequence in which MCEcon students complete the required coursework. Substitution of courses may be made on a rare, exceptional basis with permission of the program director
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1st Semester (Fall) | Credit Hours | |
| ECON 501 | MICROECONOMICS I | 3 |
| ECON 502 | MACROECONOMICS | 3 |
| ECON 510 | ECONOMETRICS I | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| 2nd Semester (Spring) | ||
| ECON 511 | ECONOMETRICS II | 3 |
| ECON 631 | MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECON 632 | DATA TOOLS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 11 | |
| Second Year | ||
| 1st Semester (Fall) | ||
| ECON 633 | DYNAMIC MODELS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| ECON 634 | MACHINE LEARNING AND ALGORITHMS FOR COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS | 4 |
| Elective one | Elective one | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 11 | |
| 2nd Semester (Spring) | ||
| Elective two | Elective two | 3 |
| Elective three | Elective three | 3 |
| Elective four | Elective four | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 40 | |
Policies for the MCEcon Degree
Department of Economics Graduate Program Handbook
The General Announcements (GA) is the official Rice curriculum. As an additional resource for students, the Department of Economics publishes a graduate program handbook, which can be found here:
Enrollment Status Requirements
Students may enroll in the Master of Computational Economics degree for full-time enrollment only. University graduation requirements (including the minimum residency requirement for students in graduate degree programs) still apply.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content) and by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS). Students are encouraged to meet with their academic program’s advisor when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Program Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the MCEcon degree should be aware of the following program-specific transfer credit guideline:
- No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the degree.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Economics website: https://economics.rice.edu/.
Opportunities for the MCEcon Degree
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Economics website: https://economics.rice.edu/.