MINERAL ECONOMICS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS• • • [DIVISION OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS]

The Master's Degree

Two options are available for the M.S. degree: The thesis option requires 24 semester hours of graduate coursework and 12 semester hours of Master's-level thesis development. The non-thesis option requires 36 semester hours of graduate-level coursework.

M.S. Prerequisites

Prior to starting the program, students must complete Principles of Microeconomics (EBGN311) and one semester of college-level calculus (MATH111) with a grade of B or better. Probability and statistics (MATH323 or MATH530) must be completed no later than the first semester of the graduate program. Students will only be allowed to enter the program in the spring if they have completed all three prerequisites as well as an undergraduate course in mathematical economics (EBGN509).

M.S. Core Classes (18 credits)

All M.S. and Ph.D. students in Mineral Economics are required to take a set of core courses that provide basic tools for the more advanced and specialized courses in the program.

-EBGN 509 Mathematical Economics
-EBGN 510 Natural Resource Economics
-EBGN 511 Microeconomics
-EBGN 512 Macroeconomics
-EBGN 525 Operations Research Methods
-EBGN 590 Econometrics

Area of Specialization Courses (12 credits for M.S. non-thesis option or 6 credits for M.S. thesis option)

Economics and Public Policy (E&PP)

-EBGN 530 Energy Economics
-EBGN 535 Economics of Metal Industries & Markets
-EBGN 536 Mineral Policies & International Investments
-EBGN 541 International Trade
-EBGN 542 Economic Development
-EBGN 570 Environmental Economics
-EBGN 610 Advanced Natural Resources
-EBGN 611 Advanced Microeconomics
-EBGN 690 Advanced Econometrics

Click for course descriptions.

Quantitative Business Methods/Operations Research (QBM/OR)

-EBGN 504 Economic Evaluation & Investment Decision Methods
-EBGN 505 Financial/Managerial Accounting
-EBGN 525 Operations Research
-EBGN 528 Industrial Systems Simulation
-EBGN 545 Corporate Finance & Administration
-EBGN 546 Investments & Portfolio Management
-EBGN 547 Financial Risk Management
-EBGN 552 Nonlinear Programming
-EBGN 555 Linear Programming
-EBGN 556 Network Models
-EBGN 557 Integer Programming
-EBGN 559 Supply Chain Management
-EBGN 560 Decision Analysis
-EBGN561 Stochastic Models in Management Science
-EBGN 568 Advanced Project Evaluation
-EBGN 575 Advanced Mineral Asset Valuation
-EBGN 580 Exploration Economics
-EBGN 690 Advanced Econometrics

Click for course descriptions.

In addition, M.S. students must complete 6 hours of elective credit.

The Doctorate Degree

A Ph.D. in mineral economics requires 72 semester hours of coursework beyond the bachelor's degree, including at least 24 hours of thesis credit. All students must complete the following

Ph.D. Common Core courses (15 credits):

-EBGN 509 Mathematical Economics
-EBGN 510 Natural Resource Economics
-EBGN 511 Microeconomics
-EBGN 590 Econometrics
-EBGN 695 Research Philosophy

Ph.D. Extended Core-Economics (9 credits)

-EBGN 512 Macroeconomics
-EBGN 611 Advanced Microeconomics
-EBGN 690 Advanced Econometrics

Ph.D. Extended Core-Operations Research (9 credits)

-EBGN 561 Stochastic Models in Mangement Science
-EBGN 555 Linear Programming
-EBGN 560 Decision Analysis

Note: Students in the operations research track would need to take or have taken previously a macroeconomics coruse at any level (i.e., principles, intermediate, etc.). But these students will not be examined on macroeconomics.

Click for course descriptions.

Additional Ph.D. Requirements

1) Research Philosophy (EBGN 695). This course is designed to evaluate a student's potential for writing a dissertation. A student must receive a grade of A in order to continue in the program. The course is offered during the spring semester of the second year and may be taken only once.

2) 12 semester hours in one of the fields of specialization described above.

3) 12 hours in an approved minor. 

Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations

Students must pass a Qualifying Examination before becoming a candidate for the Ph.D. degree. Click here for more information.

Written and Oral Comprehensive Examinations 

Students are also required to complete a written and oral comprehensive examination. This exam is prepared and administered by the student's thesis committee and generally related to the student's thesis topic and minor field.

Students considering the Ph.D. program in Mineral Economics are directed to the CSM Graduate Bulletin for more university-level information regarding credits and academic requirements, formation and responsibilityies of the thesis committee, guidelines for the thesis proposal defense, and the final oral defense of the thesis.

Guidelines for Appropriate Progress towards the Ph.D. Degree
The guidelines give expectations about what constitutes appropriate progress towards the PhD degree. They are meant to be helpful and to identify specific milestones along the way. in order to officially monitor progress. Your progress towards a Ph.D. degree will be reviewed annually by the Division during the fall semester. Click to see the document which identifies the necessary steps to obtain a finding of "satisfactory" progress.