Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Quantitative Economics

The Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Quantitative Economics is designed for academically outstanding undergraduate students. It provides a strong base of economics knowledge and skills, while accelerating completion of the master’s degree. This program is limited to the Master of Science in Quantitative Economics and does not apply to other Master’s degrees awarded by the department.

Admission

Admission to the Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Quantitative Economics program requires individual application for each student, and evaluation of each application by the Master’s Admissions Committee. Applicants must already be majors in Economics, and making good progress on satisfying the requirements listed below. The Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Quantitative Economics program can be combined with undergraduate minors.

The earliest students may apply is the 4th semester of academic year enrollment at BU for admission into the program at the start of the 5th semester of enrollment. The latest students may apply is the 6th semester of academic year enrollment at BU for admission into the program at the start of the 7th semester of enrollment. It is desired that candidates have an overall GPA of 3.5. Students MUST complete ALL BA requirements before starting master’s degree program requirements.

Additional information on application requirements and deadlines is available on the CAS Bachelor’s to Master’s Programs page.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 152 credits are required. All required courses are 4 credit hours. (Subject to change for Fall 2025 admissions.)

Course Requirements for the BA Degree

(For full BA requirements, refer to the BA in Economics Bulletin)

  • CAS EC 101
  • CAS EC 102
  • CAS EC 201
  • CAS EC 202
  • CAS EC 203, MA 213, or QST QM 221
  • CAS EC 204
  • Electives: five other courses selected from CAS EC 320 through EC 599, including EC 501 and 502, EC 507 and 508
Course Requirements for the MSQE Degree

Candidates must complete a minimum of eight semester courses (32 credits). The following courses in micro- and macroeconomic theory and quantitative methods are required:

  • CAS EC 501
  • CAS EC 502
  • CAS EC 507
  • CAS EC 508

In addition, candidates must complete four master’s elective courses (16 units) selected from CAS EC 509 through EC 599, or their approved equivalents. These master’s electives cannot be used to simultaneously fulfill their BA elective requirement, but CAS EC 501, EC 502, EC 507, and EC 508 can be used to simultaneously fulfill the BA elective requirements. Students who have taken CAS EC 221 may request an exemption from taking CAS EC 501 and instead may take an additional EC 500–level elective (this option does not apply to students who have only taken CAS EC 201). Each request will be considered by their Master’s Academic Advisor, and exemption may be denied if the student’s performance in CAS EC 221 is deemed insufficient to satisfy the Master’s Core Competency Requirement. Similarly, students who have taken CAS EC 222, CAS EC 223, CAS EC 224 may request exemptions from taking the corresponding EC 500–level core course (CAS EC 502, CAS EC 507, CAS EC 508) and instead may take additional EC 500–level electives (this option does not apply to students who have only taken CAS EC 202, CAS EC 203, CAS EC 204).

A determination is made whether it is appropriate to opt out of EC 505 by taking the mathematics placement exam. EC 505 will count as one of the MSQE electives.

Core Competency Requirement

In addition to passing the necessary number of eligible course credits, students in all five master’s programs (MSQE, MSEPP, MAGDE, Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Quantitative Economics and MBA/MS in Quantitative Economics) must demonstrate core competence in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Statistics and Econometrics. Prior to academic year 2024-2025, they are required to do so by passing the MA Comprehensive Exam. For students who start the master’s programs in or after the spring semester of 2024, the core competency requirement will be satisfied by taking and earning passing grades in all four master’s core courses — EC501, EC502, EC507 and EC508.

Master’s Grade Requirements

To be eligible for the MSQE degree, all eight courses counted towards the MS degree must be passed with grades of B- or better. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the MS portion of the Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Quantitative Economics program.

Program Policy

Effective June 1, 2025

  • Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Programs are established with distinct undergraduate and graduate degree programs and must be approved through the University governance process.
  • Bachelor’s and master’s degrees must be conferred sequentially.
  • Students must submit a master’s application to the graduate admissions office of the school or college offering the master’s program before the conferral of the bachelor’s degree. Typically, students apply to the Bachelor’s-to-Master’s Program during their junior year.
  • Students must complete all bachelor’s degree requirements before enrolling as a master’s student, although they may take graduate courses while enrolled as an undergraduate student.
  • Students must register for and earn a minimum of 24 units while enrolled as a master’s student.
  • Master’s programs may apply up to 8 units from the undergraduate degree toward the master’s degree. Courses must be 500 level or above.
    • As a reminder, during the period of time the student is enrolled as an undergraduate, financial aid cannot be used toward graduate-level courses, unless they also count toward their undergraduate degree requirements. Financial aid can only be used for coursework meeting degree requirements, and once those requirements are met, regardless of the student’s status, financial aid cannot be granted. For example, if a student only has 4 units required for their undergraduate degree completion but they enroll in 12 units, financial aid can only be applied toward the 4 units.
  • Upon written approval from the relevant graduate admissions office, students may defer entry to the master’s portion of the program for up to three academic years. After this time, students must reapply as a master’s degree student. If admitted to the standalone master’s program, they may not count toward the master’s degree any courses that were counted toward the undergraduate degree.

BA in Economics & Mathematics to MS in Quantitative Economics

The BA in Economics & Mathematics to MS in Quantitative Economics dual degree allows academically outstanding undergraduate students to complete an MS in Quantitative Economics at the same time as the joint BA in Economics & Mathematics.

Program Requirements

This BA in Economics & Mathematics to MS in Quantitative Economics program is identical to the Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Quantitative Economics, except that the candidate must satisfy:

     and

For this program, EC 505 may not be counted as an elective.

Students interested in applying to this Bachelor of Arts to Master of Science in Quantitative Economics program are advised first to contact their Undergraduate Academic Advisor in the Economics Department.