Application Information
Before Beginning our Online Application
Important note for international applicants
International applicants who require an F-1 student visa must apply to the College Park version of our program (program code: MPEM). The Washington, DC version of our program (MPEC) cannot sponsor international student visas, but the College Park version of our program can. Domestic applicants and international applicants who already reside in the U.S. on existing visas that permit study (G4 visas, for example) may apply to either program.
Application deadlines
The deadline for domestic applicants who would like to begin our program in March of 2018 is Friday, December 15th. Please note that spring enrollment is only possible in our Washington, DC location, and only for applicants who do not need the University of Maryland to sponsor an international student visa.
International applicants are welcome to apply for fall 2018 enrollment. The deadline for international applicants is Wednesday, February 28th. Please note that we can only sponsor international student visas for students on our main campus in College Park - just outside of Washington, DC.
The fall enrollment application deadline for domestic applicants - those who do not need the University of Maryland to sponsor a student visa - is Friday, June 15th.
Qualifications
1. Applicants must have earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited
U.S. institution, or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution.
2. Applicants must have earned a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in all prior undergraduate and graduate coursework.
3. Applicants must provide evidence (via transcript) of:
- Introductory macroeconomics course (grade of B or higher)
- Introductory microeconomics course (grade of B or higher)
- Calculus (grade of B- or higher)
5. A non-refundable application fee of $75 is required.
Note: Our application does NOT require GRE scores or letters of recommendation.
We can often be flexible about the GPA and prerequisite course requirements. A's and B's in intermediate economics courses trump lower grades in introductory courses, for example. Relevant work experience can also be helpful. Questions about admissions requirements can be directed to the program director, Dr. John Straub (Straub@econ.umd.edu).
The Application
Applicants can complete the online application via the link below.
The program code to enter in your application depends on whether you want to enroll in our 10-course master's degree program, or our 5-course graduate certificate program. It also depends on whether you want to enroll at our downtown Washington, DC location, or on our main campus in College Park (also within the Washington, DC metro area).
Four Program Options
MPEC: 10-course master's degree in our downtown Washington, DC location
(spring and fall admissions, cannot sponsor international student visas)
MPEM: 10-course master's degree on our main campus in College Park
(fall admission only, can sponsor international student visas)
z074: 5-course graduate certificate in our downtown Washington, DC location
(spring and fall admissions, cannot sponsor international student visas)
z098: 5-course graduate certificate on our main campus in College Park
(fall admission only, cannot sponsor international student visas)
Link to the online application