Economics (MA)

In 1984, the faculties of the Economics Department and of the School of the Environment recognized the value of integrating instruction in economic development and in natural resources and formalized a degree program that, in two and one-half years, leads to both the Master of Arts degree in Economics and one of four degrees from the School of the Environment. The program is designed for individuals who envision careers whose central missions relate natural resource or environmental issues to economic development or trade.

Degrees

Students in the 2.5-year joint program earn a Master of Arts degree (MA) in International and Development Economics (IDE) from Yale’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and one of four degrees from the School of the Environment (YSE), Master of Environmental Management (MEM), Master of Environmental Science (MESc), Master of Forest Science (MFS), or Master of Forestry (MF).
 
Pursuing a joint program reduces the total time of study by one year.

Course of Study

Each environment degree program requires a completion of 36 credits as well as a summer internship and a thesis or a capstone project.  In addition, all joint-degree students are required to attend three weeks of technical skills training before beginning their studies at YSE.  These are hands-on workshops, offered every August, that teach plant identification, ecosystems management, land measurement, and urban ecosystem analysis. Please see Degree Programs at YSE for more information.
 
For the Master of Arts degree, the IDE program of study revolves around a core curriculum of six required courses, and at least two elective courses of each student’s choosing. The core courses are designed to provide students with rigorous academic training, as well as with tools that can be used in policy analysis. These semester-long courses are required of all students. See IDE Core Curriculum for more information.

Admissions

Each school individually admits students in accordance with its own criteria. Prospective students may apply to the program prior to matriculation by submitting a separate application to each school during a single admissions cycle. For more information on admission, please visit YSE Masters Admissions and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Tuition

Students pay tuition for three semesters at YSE, and two semesters at GSAS. For more information on applying for financial aid at YSE, please see the YSE financial aid website. Any financial aid awarded for YSE will only apply to the terms that the student is enrolled at YSE. Financial aid is not available for the IDE program. See the GSAS Funding for Master's Students page for more information about sources of funding. 

Contact Info

School of the Environment
195 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: 800 825-0330
admissions.yse@yale.edu

International and Development Economics Program
27 Hillhouse Ave.
New Haven, CT 06520
Phone: 203 432-3610
ide2@yale.edu

Michael Boozer, Director of Graduate Studies (IDE)