Orientation

Welcome to the Department of Economics at Boston University. On this website you will find some information relevant to the graduate program. Please read through this information carefully. Some of you have not yet been cleared by the International Student’s Office and officially admitted to the University. You have access to this information in the hopes that you will be able to provide the necessary documentation and will be joining us here during Orientation on August 29th.

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All new students can be assigned peer advisors. These are advanced graduate students who have been asked to assist you in getting settled. Peer advisors generally communicate with an incoming student before he/she arrives on campus. If you would like to be assigned a peer advisor refer to the memo regarding Housing/Peer information. All students who need help with housing should contact the Housing Coordinator. You can visit this website for further information: http://people.bu.edu/msiemer/phc .

All students will register during Orientation after they meet with their academic advisor. Registration procedures will be explained at the orientation session.

All entering students are given a placement exam in math as part of the initial registration process. The intent is not to grade you in any way, and does not become a part of your academic record, but rather tests your quantitative aptitude. The voluntary PhD Math Camp starts on date TBA.

*Here is a sample exam for the reference of PhD students click here. It is ONLY a sample and there is no guarantee that the same kinds of questions will be in the placement exam you are going to take.

*Here is a sample exam for the reference of MA, MAEP, MAGDE and MA/MBA students click here. It is ONLY a sample and there is no guarantee that the same kinds of questions will be in the placement exam you are going to take.

The BU Summer Term plans to offer an intensive 3-week version of EC 505 (Summer 2011) from August 8 through August 28, 2012. This course will be particularly helpful for the mathematical preparation of students entering the Master’s Programs, and credits for this course can be transferred later into the Master’s Programs as an elective course.Current syllabi for the core courses will not be available until the first day of classes so we do not know which books will be used. The intent of offering the following information is to provide you with an indication of the math and theory preparation you will encounter. Do not be overly concerned that some of this material will be new. Please note that MA, MAEP, MAGDE and MA/MBA candidates should access syllabi for CAS EC 501 (Fall 2011), EC 502 (Spring 2012), EC 505 (Fall 2011), EC 505 (Summer 2011), EC 507 (Fall 2011) and EC 508 (Spring 2012)

PhD. candidates should access syllabi for GRS EC702, EC703a, EC703b, EC704, EC705, EC707, EC708, EC709.

We look forward to meeting you soon. If you have any questions about this information, PhD students should contact Andrew Campolieto at acamp@bu.edu and master’s students should contact Karen Rodi at econma@bu.edu.

If you have time and would like to enjoy the Boston city this summer, click here for a few ideas and most of them are free.