Apply Online Now for Fall 2013
The M.A. in International and Development Economics program starts every fall (late August) only. Applicants need to hold a Bachelor's degree, preferably in Economics or Business. Applicants are accepted from both economics and non-economics majors.
The priority application deadline for fall applications is March 1.
Please note: The Department of Economics offers two graduate programs - the M.A. in Economics and the M.A. in International and Development Economics. Applicants can apply to only one of these programs in the start term to which they have applied.
Apply online and upload all required application documents listed below. Once all application items have been received, applications will be reviewed for admission and for a limited number of scholarships. It is best to apply as early as possible, before the deadline.
Completed applications on file at USF at the time of the deadline will be given priority consideration for admission and financial assistance offered by the International and Development Economics program. Applications are accepted and reviewed after the deadline until the upcoming program is full. Applicants are encouraged to submit all of their application items earlier than the date listed above.
Admission decisions are mailed after the March 1 deadline. Included in the admission decision letter will be notification of any scholarship awarded by the graduate program. Once the class for the fall program is filled, later qualified applicants may be placed on a waiting list.
- Application Form – Application form and application fee of $55. Please submit the online form – or mail the printed form – as early as possible in the application process.
- Transcript – An official transcript from each university or college (university-level institution) attended.
- Two letters of recommendation
- Statement of Purpose – A two-to-three page Statement of Purpose that describes the strengths and any weaknesses of your academic background, research interests, reasons for pursuing this graduate program and your educational and career goals.
- International Students – International students are required to submit their TOEFL score and a completed Certification of Finance form with supplemental bank statements (see International Students).
The foundation requirements represent bodies of knowledge that all students must acquire before enrolling in the core courses. Requirements are waived if met by previous studies. Non-economics majors who have not taken Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, or Economic Method (applications of mathematics and statistics to economics) take these classes when they begin the IDEC program. The requirements are:
Intermediate Microeconomics
Intermediate Macroeconomics
Calculus (Business calculus is not sufficient)
Linear Algebra
Statistics
The GRE (Graduate Record Exam) is optional and not required for admission. An applicant may want to submit their GRE results if they believe it might strengthen their application.
An official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score is required of international applicants. A minimum TOEFL score of 79 (internet-based) or 550 (paper-based) is required for consideration. A minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or higher is required. After review of an application, coursework in USF's Intensive English Program may be recommended or required. The USF school code for the GRE and the TOEFL is 6996 or 4850. A department code is not necessary. The M.A. in International and Development Economics requires that students with scores between 79 and 100 on the TOEFL iBT (550 and 600 on PBT) complete a Graduate Writing/Speaking course at USF in the first semester of graduate studies at USF. This information is included in the admission letter.
There is no strict GPA requirement for admission to the graduate program. In general, however, a GPA of 3.0 or higher strengthens an application to any graduate program. For this Master's Program, the Department of Economics gives particular attention to academic performance in courses taken in economics, statistics, calculus and finance.
Start your application online and complete all required sections, including uploading required unofficial documents. All application items (for example, resume, official transcripts, English language test scores, and recommender information) must be uploaded before you submit your application. Once you submit, your application will be incomplete until your recommenders submit their online letter of recommendation and your application has been verified. Check your online application frequently to monitor the status of your application.
Admission decisions will be posted on the application status page. Please contact the IDEC Program office directly with questions about an admission decision after your application is complete.
When an application and all application items have been submitted and verified, then an application is complete and ready for admission review by the IDEC Program. Admission review begins after the March 1 deadline. Admission decisions are released beginning 4 to 8 weeks after the deadline.
Included in the admission decision letter is notification of any scholarship awarded by the graduate program. Applicants receive email notification when the admission decision is available online. Admitted applicants also receive an admission package in the mail.
Students who are admitted to the graduate program are required to submit a tuition deposit of $600 to reserve a space in the program after notification of admission is received. The tuition deposit due date is included in the student's letter of admission.
If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you can begin the free application process for a U.S. federal student loan at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The USF federal school code for the FAFSA is 001325. For any financial assistance offered by the Department of Economics, all applicants (US domestic and international) will be considered and notified of such an award in the admission letter. There is no separate application for this assistance.
Admitted students should contact the Department of Economics for details about the advising and registration schedule in late August for students starting each fall. The Economics department can be contacted at 415.422.2765 or idec@usfca.edu.
International students are highly recommended to arrive at USF at least 10 days before the first day of classes in the fall in order to finalize housing arrangements and attend the International Student Orientation. Contact the Office of International Student and Scholar Services for details and dates about the International Student Orientation at isss@usfca.edu.
International students should note that the earliest arrival in the United States that an F-1 visa allows is 30 days before the start date on the I-20 form issued to you.
