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There are many reasons why student Skylar Yerdon chose to study economics. His mother was a major herself. Through her, he saw how inspiring the field could be. “I connected with economics because it seemed to me to be the intersection of business, math, psychology, sociology, and anthropology, all of which are subjects that I am passionate about and/or skilled in,” Yerdon says.
And through the success stories of graduates, he saw its great return on investment. By joining Binghamton University, one of 10 new Public Ivies identified by Forbes, Yerdon is set to make enough money to recover the cost of his education. “It was clear to me that it was our best state school and that it even outranked many other private colleges that I had considered,” he says.
Tuition at the best public university in the Northeast is affordable, even for out-of-state students. For Yerdon, a New York local, he only has to pay US$ 7,070 in undergraduate tuition fees. Non-residents pay US$ 26,950. Cost of living at Binghamton is low too.
“Binghamton’s affordability has always been one of my main reasons for choosing here, and the same is true for this year of graduate school,” he says. “This allows me to save thousands of dollars compared to the extra semester/year of schooling I would have had to take at another university where I was not being fast-tracked to my degree.”
Yerdon is part of the 4+1 programme which lets him earn a master’s degree with only one extra year, or two semesters, of schooling. With this accelerated, one-year master’s, he can get two degrees within four or five years, depending on how many college level credits he earned in high school. “It was a no-brainer for me,” he says.
The MA in Economics degree equips students with practical skills. Source: Binghamton University
STEM-designated, career-readying MA in Economics
The MA in Economics with a specialisation in financial economics transforms students into versatile graduates. They’re set to seize career opportunities in economic research, data analytics, or finance at government and private organisations. Those more academically inclined can progress to further study.
Much of this is due to the practical nature of this MA. This STEM-designated programme covers Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, Econometric Methods, Mathematical Analysis for Economists, and Economic Forecasting, plus nine electives to choose from that cover subjects like financial markets, corporate strategies, behavioural or agent-based modelling, and policy analysis.
At Binghamton, students master concepts and apply them in experiential settings. By taking a hands-on approach, students develop strong programming skills, a comprehensive toolkit of econometric and forecasting methodologies, and experience with data-driven research techniques. It’s a holistic skillset that impresses recruiters. As the programme is STEM-designated, international students can apply to work in the US for up to three years. Where better to put to use all they’ve learned from their MA?
“At the moment, my goal is to find an industry job, and my professors have all seemed confident that my degree will unlock tons of possibilities to achieve this goal,” says Yerdon. “The same seems to be true for those moving on to their PhD, especially as we seem to engage more in the literature as graduate students, compared to during undergrad.”
The 4+1 integrated master’s option allows students to get their MA degree with just two extra semesters. Source: Binghamton University
Small class sizes, big impact
Class sizes at Binghamton are kept small, allowing for more interactive student-faculty instructions and discussions. With only five to 20 students in a class, the learning experience becomes more intimate and lets you develop better relationships with your professors and peers.
“The small class sizes and interactive instruction at Binghamton were perfect for me, as I was able to ask questions in class and get personalised feedback,” graduate Jerray Chang says. “There was always ample time to answer every student’s question in class and during office hours. I was able to make full use of my instructor’s time in each course and establish good connections with the faculty.”
Chang, now pursuing his PhD, attests to Binghamton University’s economics master’s degree, saying that it prepared him to transition to the next step of his academic journey. “This degree will help you be a more competitive candidate for pre-doctoral research assistant positions and PhD admissions,” he says. “I can attest that professors saw I had a master’s degree and chose to hire me as a research assistant over other candidates who did not.”
Binghamton University also offers a PhD programme in Economics. Spanning four to five years, candidates must complete 44 credits of core courses and 16 to 20 credits worth of electives in two specialising fields, before writing their dissertation. The fields offered include Econometrics, Labour Economics, Macroeconomics, Environmental Economics, Development Economics, Behavioural and Experimental Economics, and Industrial Organisation.
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