The Department offers two types of M.S. programs in applied economics and statistics -- the thesis option and the non-thesis option. Students should select the appropriate M.S. program based on their expected career path. All M.S. students must complete at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit. Applied economics and statistics graduate programs at Clemson are solidly based on economic theory and quantitative methods.
The student's course work and research may be focused in one of the following major areas:
Thesis Option M.S.
The Thesis Option M.S. program is designed to provide broad training in applied economics, economic theory, and research methodology. Specific emphasis
on a particular field of applied economics is obtained through original research
leading to an acceptable thesis. This program is designed for individuals who
plan to pursue a Ph.D. degree or a career requiring a high level of research
competence. The thesis option M.S. requires 24 semester hours of course work
and 6 credit hours of thesis research.
Non-thesis Option M.S.
The Non-thesis Option M.S. program is designed to provide practical training
in economics and business and in one of several options: agribusiness, economic development, applied statistics, environmental and natural resources, or agricultural economics. Students are required to write a professional paper and have the opportunity to
participate in an internship or cooperative learning experience. The program
is designed for individuals who plan to pursue business careers.
Prospective students must meet the following requirements of the Graduate School and must be accepted by the Graduate Program Coordinator in the Department. Minimal requirements for full-status admission to either the Thesis Option or the Non-thesis Option M.S. generally include a bachelor's degree with a GPR of 3.0, acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), three letters of recommendation, official transcripts of all college work, and in the case of international students, a minimum cumulative score of 550 (paper based equivalent) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination.
Standardized tests should be completed at least 12 weeks prior to the registration day for the semester students wish to begin graduate work. Letters of recommendation should be from individuals who are qualified to evaluate the student's ability to perform at the graduate level. The application form, application fee, official test scores, letters of recommendation, and official transcripts should be sent directly to Graduate Admissions at 103 Sikes Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
Financial Assistance
Graduate students in applied economics and statistics finance their education
in a variety of ways. Some students finance their education without any external
assistance. Fellowships are available from government agencies, industries,
foundations, and other scholarship agencies. Information about various fellowships
is available from the Graduate School and from the Dean of the College of Agriculture,
Forestry and Life Sciences. Graduate students also may receive research/teaching assistanships
from the Department of Applied Economics & Statistics.
Students desiring assistantships must apply and qualify for them. Assistantships are awarded competitively and depend upon the recommendation of the Research Graduate Program Committee and the research/teaching budget of the department. Decisions about awarding graduate assistantships are made in March for the Fall Semester and in October for the Spring Semester.
The Department awards a limited number of Graduate Research/Teaching Assistantships. Stipends for 2007-08 for M.S. students are expected to be $10,000 for the academic year (August 15- May 15). M.S. assistantship appointments are for a period of one academic year (Aug 15-May 15) and are generally renewed if the student is making satisfactory progress in the degree program and performing assistantship responsibilities satisfactorily. Students may receive additional summer funding when working on specific projects (e.g., grants) or for other special responsibilities.
All students receiving assistantships are responsible for assisting the faculty of the department in the conduct of teaching, research, and extension programs. The work that graduate assistants do for their assistantships may or may not be directly related to their thesis/dissertation research.
Students receiving assistantships pay tuition of $750 (subject to change) per semester and $348 per summer session-- an annual tuition reduction of approximately $5,800 for residents of South Carolina and $14,500 for non-residents of South Carolina. Full time graduate students are required to pay a health fee and are also required to have health insurance coverage. Fees may be payable through payroll deduction. In addition, graduate students may use the facilities at Fike Recreation Center and purchase season tickets for sports events at the faculty-employee rate.
You will find more complete information about our programs in Graduate Study in Applied Economics and Statistics or A Handbook for Graduate Study. Both publications require Adobe Acrobat 7 or above to view or print. If you do not have Acrobat installed on your computer, you can download a free copy at 
For more information about graduate school at Clemson University, visit the Graduate School web site.
If you have questions about this program, contact ereneke@clemson.edu.
2007 by the Department of Applied Economics & Statistics, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.
