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Master's in Economics (MA)

College of Arts and Sciences
Roosevelt is one of the few universities in the United States where students can study economics from heterodox points of view. A commitment to pluralism, intellectual tolerance, and diversity of thought and method are essential to the Roosevelt approach to economics. Courses at Roosevelt include eclectic, institutionalist, Post Keynesian, feminist, and Marxist approaches to economic analysis in addition to standard Neoclassical and Keynesian approaches. Our objective is not to replace one orthodoxy with another but rather to encourage students to view economics as an evolving discipline that can help them make sense of the world around them and succeed in a rewarding career.
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Roosevelt University's Wabash tower and Auditorium building in Chicago


Location: Chicago
Start Term: Fall, Spring
Program Type: Master's
Gary Langer
, Program Director
glanger@roosevelt.edu
312-341-3890

What Differentiates Us

Meet Luminaries in the Field

Meet Luminaries in the Field

Meet eminent scholars and policymakers by participating in the Economics Seminar Series. Past speakers include Nobel laureate Ronald Coase, Arnold Zellner and Lester Telser.

Diverse Perspectives

Diverse Perspectives

Study at one of the top-ranked heterodox/pluralistic departments of economics in the nation (according to George Soros’ Institute for New Economic Thinking). Make justice central to economic theory, analysis and policy. Learn economics from multiple perspectives, including empirical, behavioral, rhetorical, feminist, libertarian and more.

Gain Real World Experience

Gain Real World Experience

Obtain economics research and/or industry experience by working with one or more of our expert faculty; doing an internship in Chicago, one of the world’s major financial centers; and studying with faculty in partner institutions such as Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey.

Expectations & Requirements

Standards

Roosevelt economics students learn how to conduct research, apply economic theory, analyze policy, ask the important questions and contribute professionally to a more humane and prosperous world. Our goal is to provide students with theoretical lenses and analytical skills with which they can critically examine economic, political, and social issues, weigh evidence, and prepare themselves for a successful and rewarding career.

Sample Courses

Course offerings regularly include topics addressed to the theory of the market order, the business cycle, social policy, economic justice, immigration, international trade and development, the economic lives of women, contemporary labor problems, the economics of the public sector, the economics of money and banking, and economic statistics.
View Academic Catalog

Outcomes

Our graduates work as business, financial, government and labor economists and for social service and philanthropic organizations. They teach in secondary schools and colleges, and some go on to pursue doctoral degrees. Alumni include the chief economist for the state of Illinois, research economists at the U.S. Department of Labor, and research analysts with Apple, Amazon and eBay.

More Opportunities

Clubs & Activities

Internships at local government offices, social service agencies, non-profit organizations, and for profit businesses are available, for credit, to assist students in career choice and development. Chicago is a dynamic city and major world center of finance, business, government, social activism and philanthropy. Our internship program provides students with opportunities to get a start in all these areas.

Testimonials

"The professors at Roosevelt embrace an enormous diversity of ideas and techniques. The discussions I took part in really broadened my perspective about economics and the world around me. The atmosphere at Roosevelt is fearlessly inclusive. My time at Roosevelt changed me. It helped me become the person that I hoped to be. As an older student who had spent many years working in the service industry, I really appreciated that."
​Samuel Barbour (BA '13, MA '15)
Adjunct Faculty, Roosevelt University
photo of Hans Zigmund
"The Roosevelt University economics department prepared me with the technical competencies and theoretical knowledge required of a professional economist. More importantly, I began to recognize the important intersection between normative and positive economics. My career has benefited greatly by my ability to remain true to the science of economics and engage questions societal well-being. I owe a debt of gratitude to the faculty of Roosevelt for their encouragement in engaging these important public policy questions."
Hans Zigmund
Chief Economist, State of Illinois Department of Revenue, Office of Fiscal and Economic Research
Admission
Chicago skyline
  • Online Application
  • $40 Application Fee
  • Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities within the United States. Coursework completed outside the U.S. requires a Foreign Credential Evaluation to be submitted.
  • English Language Proficiency: All international students and individuals who completed a degree program outside the United States are required to meet this requirement. 
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