About the Program

Economic development remains a critical issue for more than three-quarters of the world’s population who reside in countries classified as “low income” or “middle income.” The causes and consequences of economic development remain contested issues. This MA Program considers the changing global, regional, and national contexts for economic development; the policy lessons that can be learned from comparative studies; and the tools required to enable development economists to contribute to the development process.  

The enormous transformations that are taking place today in the countries of the South provide the focus of the degree. Students are challenged to analyze topics such as the reasons for the emergence of new economic powerhouses in the South such as China and India as well as the enduring issues of poverty and inequality.

The program includes core courses in Globalization and Development, Macroeconomic Policy for Development, Applied Econometrics and Poverty, Inequality and Development. The Economics Department also has expertise in the areas of Environmental Economics and Health Economics and offers electives in these areas. 

Students can choose from three delivery options, coursework-only option, thesis option or project option, all of which allow students to apply the tools of economic analysis to a development issue.

Economic development cannot be studied in isolation from other dimensions of development. An understanding of poverty, for example, requires not only economic analysis, but also an understanding of the insights provided by other social and health sciences. The training of a development economist must therefore expose students to interdisciplinary approaches to development.

By covering theory, policy, and applied analysis, as well as integrating insights from other disciplines, the MA program well equips students to work as economists in government and international agencies as well as in the private sector.

Application Deadlines 

Applications open on October 1st each year. 

Applications close for Canadian/Domestic Applicants: July 1

Applications close for International Applicants: January 15