Current Student Faqs

Do I need to see an advisor before registering each semester?
Not necessarily. For most semesters you can follow the guidelines found in Navigating Your Way Through the MA Program or Navigating Your Way Through the PhD Program to determine what courses to take. If you have questions about what you should be taking, or what elective courses are most appropriate, please contact Professor Wassall.

How many courses must I take to be a full-time student?
The University defines full-time status as taking at least eight semester hours in a semester. In Economics, this implies taking at least two courses per semester. International students and students receiving financial aid must maintain full-time status throughout the program. Doctoral students who have completed all courses can maintain full-time status by taking the appropriate zero-credit courses during the rest of their career; for more information on this, also see the discussion below on what doctoral students enroll in after completing all coursework.

I'm a Teaching Assistant. How many classes should I take each semester?
Teaching Assistants receive tuition remission for up to 12 semester hours, or three courses, per semester (plus a cash stipend). Since free tuition is a scarce resource, we strongly advise our teaching assistants to take three courses in each semester that they receive this award.

I'm a Graduate Student Scholar. How many classes should I take each semester?
GSS awards permit recipients to take up to eight semester hours per semester for no charge. Awardees can take more than eight semester hours, but will have to pay for the tuition. Keep in mind that all financial aid recipients must maintain full-time status, meaning that they must take a minimum of eight semester hours per semester.

Can I change my status from full-time to part-time, or vice-versa?
Mostly, yes. International students and students supported by Teaching Assistantships or Graduate Student Scholarships must maintain full-time status. Let us know if you plan to change your status.

Is there a minimum grade point average required for graduation?
For both the M.A. and Ph.D. programs, there is a minimum required grade point average of 3.000. In addition, MA students are permitted to earn no more than one C in the core courses. Last, Ph.D. students must earn at least a B grade in theory and field courses in order to qualify for the qualifying and comprehensive examinations.

Can M.A. students transfer to the Ph.D. program?
Current M.A. students are asked to apply to our Ph.D. program if they are interested; transfer is not automatic. You need to fill out the on-line application, and get three letters of recommendation from our faculty. You do not need to retake the GRE exam, and we already have your college transcript(s).

How many credits do I need to complete the program?
The Master's program requires completion of a minimum of eight courses, or 32 semester hours, of graduate credit. These courses must include the four M.A. core courses. The Ph.D. coursework entails completion of the four M.A. core courses, the three Ph.D. core courses, two field courses, and a minimum of three elective courses, for a total of twelve courses or 48 semester hours. Students entering the doctoral program with an advanced degree or graduate economics credit may require fewer courses. Doctoral students of course have other requirements besides courses -- the qualifying examinations in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, the field/econometrics examination, and a dissertation.

How long does it take students to complete the degree programs?
It takes an average of 1-1/3 years (3 semesters) for the Master's, and at least 4 years for the Ph.D. (beyond the Bachelor's level).

What about the co-op work experience?
Master's students may be eligible to participate in co-op during their second year in the program. For more information, see the M.A. Co-op Option.

Can doctoral students sign up for a co-op work experience?
Not currently, but we are working on a co-op option for doctoral students.

Can I take courses outside the Economics Department?
In both degree programs, students can take one course outside the department and have it count toward the degree. The course should be graduate-level and related to your economics degree. You should check with Professor Wassall before enrolling.

What is a Readings in Economics course?
This course is designed for the student who wants to pursue a subject that is not currently offered in any of our listed courses. The student should choose the topic of the readings course. It is the student's responsibility to find a faculty member who will serve as advisor for the course. The advisor, in consultation with the student, will then determine the content of the course, its requirements, the number of credits to be awarded, and how a final grade is to be determined.

I didn't receive a financial aid award. Is there any way that I can work for the department and earn money?
You might make inquiries to faculty members, who occasionally are looking for research help with research studies that they are involved in.

Do you offer internships?
There is an internship course (ECON 8550). To qualify, a student has to locate an unpaid internship and a faculty supervisor, and arrange for the internship director to report his/her performance to the faculty member who will be responsible for giving the grade.

Can I transfer course credit from other programs after I have begun my program?
Yes you can. Students may transfer up to nine semester hours toward the degree. Courses submitted for transfer credit must be graduate-level, must not have been applied toward another degree, and must have earned a grade of at least a B. All transfer credit applications must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator and the Graduate School.

When do doctoral students take qualifying and comprehensive exams?
Doctoral students are required to take their theory qualifying exams at the next available offering after both theory courses have been completed. Students are required to take their field/econometrics comprehensive exams at the next available offering after both field courses have been completed.

What does "degree candidacy" mean?
Degree candidacy is attained when a doctoral student has completed all coursework, both theory qualifying examinations, and the field comprehensive examination.

What do doctoral students enroll in after completing all courses?
The University requires continuous enrollment for doctoral students until they graduate. After completing your courses, you will be taking your qualifying and comprehensive examinations. During the semester in which you take your final field exam, you should register for ECON 8960, Exam Prep. After passing your field exam, you should then register for ECON 9990, Dissertation, for two consecutive semesters. Then, for every semester until you graduate, you should enroll in ECON 9996, Dissertation Continuation. (During this time, you should be attending the department's Dissertation Seminar.)

What is a Senior Teaching Assistantship?
This a form of financial aid awarded to Teaching Assistants in the doctoral program after they have completed their course work. The Senior TA consists of a cash stipend plus tuition remission only for the zero-credit courses needed to maintain continuous enrollment status. Senior TAs teach three classes a year on their own. These classes almost always are Principles of Macro and Principles of Micro. There is an orientation process for TAs to assist them in making this transition; the orientation begins during the term before they begin to work as Senior TAs, and continues through their first semester of teaching.

What is the Dissertation Seminar?
In the Dissertation Seminar, students who have attained ABD status will select topics, develop their dissertation proposals, and form dissertation committees. Students will be given numerous opportunities to present their work and gain valuable feedback throughout the dissertation writing process. Despite there being no formal registration, all doctoral students who have attained ABD status are required to attend until graduation.

How do I find a dissertation topic?
Once you have selected your field of study, you should begin thinking about possible dissertation topics, and which faculty member would be best suited to serve as your principal dissertation advisor. Interactions with faculty teaching field courses should help you sharpen your thinking about topics. This process is continued in the Dissertation Seminar. The main purpose of the Dissertation Seminar is to support the dissertation writing process. Another important input into finding a workable topic is attendance at department seminars and workshops to learn what your peers inside and outside the department are working on.

How soon after completing my courses and exams should I have a dissertation topic?
The department expects that a doctoral candidate's dissertation committee should be formed and the dissertation proposal presented within six months of reaching degree candidacy. This is what we define as normal progress at this stage in the program.

What does a doctoral dissertation look like?
Each doctoral Student must complete a dissertation that embodies the results of extended research and makes an original contribution to the field. This work should give evidence of the candidate's ability to carry out independent investigation and interpret in a logical manner the results of the research. The dissertation must consist of original research. It may consist of an extended essay on a single topic, or it may consist of three separate (but usually related) essays. In a multiple-essay dissertation, no more than one of these essays may be co-authored. If an essay is coauthored, the co-authors will generally be members of the Northeastern University community. However, exceptions to both of the above restrictions will be considered by the Graduate Curriculum Committee.

Who can serve on a dissertation committee?
A dissertation committee must consist of at least three members. The chair must be a full-time member of the faculty at Northeastern, and hold a doctoral degree. The other members should be persons with expertise in your chosen field. Although most committee members will be Economics Department faculty, our rules permit one committee member to be from outside the Department.

What does a dissertation committee do?
The dissertation committee is responsible for approving the topic, offering guidance, and ultimately deciding when the student has completed an acceptable dissertation.

What is a dissertation proposal?
A dissertation proposal states the question or hypothesis, reviews the relevant literature, and explains how the proposed work will contribute to that literature and general understanding. The proposal sets forth data sources, models, and econometric issues in sufficient detail so that any faculty member not in the field will be able to assess its merits. Normally the proposal should not exceed twenty (20) double-spaced pages. The proposal is first approved by the dissertation committee and then presented at an open seminar.

What is a dissertation proposal defense?
In a proposal defense, the doctoral candidate presents her/his proposed dissertation topic and research agenda in an open seminar format.

When should I make my proposal defense?
The department expects that a doctoral candidate's dissertation committee should be formed and the dissertation proposal presented within six months of reaching degree candidacy. This is what we define as normal progress at this stage in the program.

What is a dissertation defense?
The dissertation defense occurs after a complete draft of the dissertation has been completed. In a dissertation defense, the degree candidate presents the findings of her/his dissertation research in an open seminar format. The candidate's dissertation committed must determine at this point whether the candidate has succeeded in writing an acceptable dissertation.

Who are the persons to contact if I have a question about any of this?
First direct your question to our Student Services Secretary, Norma Soto. Norma may be reached at 617.373.2871 or n.soto@neu.edu. If she does not have the information you are looking for, call or email Professor Wassall at 617.373.2196 or g.wassall@neu.edu.

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