Master of Science in Financial Economics

The Master of Science in Financial Economics degree prepares graduates for employment in the financial services sector in positions requiring advanced quantitative and analytical skills and in-depth familiarity with the structure and functioning of financial markets and institutions. The program provides a solid foundation in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, asset pricing, econometrics, and financial management to ensure that graduates have the conceptual and statistical tools to develop sound research designs, build forecasting models, and understand the role of financial markets and institutions within the economy. The program includes courses from the School of Economics and the Maine Business School and offers thesis and non-thesis options.

Graduates from the Financial Economics program acquire strong analytical, quantitative, and communication skills, which prepare them for Ph.D. programs in financial economics and related fields, and employment with government agencies, consulting firms, businesses, and non-profit organizations. The program includes thesis and non-thesis options and prepares students for positions requiring advanced analytical skills, knowledge of economic systems and methods, and practical experience conducting economic analyses of policy issues.

A bachelor's degree is required for ALL master's, C.A.S., Ed.S., and doctoral programs.
Official transcript of all previous college or university work
An undergraduate degree in economics or a related field is desirable but not essential for admission. The School of Economics is much more concerned with the applicant's capacity for graduate study, quantitative reasoning and the quality of previous work.
Applicants seeking admission generally achieve a B or better in these courses. Applicants seeking funding (see below for more information) generally achieve an A- or better in most of the required courses AND have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
GRE scores may help faculty evaluate applications where there is uncertainty about potential success in the program. They are recommended but not required. GRE scores of admitted students in the past have been around 160 for each of the Verbal and Quantitative sections and 4 for the Analytical section.
we expect: 1) a strong, well-written personal essay that clearly communicates why the applicant is a good fit for our program and why our program is a good fit for the applicant in the context of a set of clear academic and professional goals, the essay should also demonstrate the potential for the applicant to succeed when faced with challenges, 2) strong letters of recommendation from faculty that taught courses included in our admission requirements and/or other mentors of related work (e.g., thesis/research advisor, job supervisor, etc.), which demonstrate the applicant's ability to be successful in a rigorous graduate program, 3) a well-written and clear resume/CV that demonstrates a strong work ethic and interest in gaining applicable skills/knowledge outside of the classroom.
For admission, the School of Economics requires TOEFL scores to be above 92, 237 or 580 (on the internet, computer or paper-based exams, respectively), or IELTS scores to be 6.9 or higher