The Master of Arts in Economics (MAE) prepares for both a professional career as economist and for admission in a PhD program.

The program develops the analytical, methodological, and applied skills that helps our students in their careers. Specifically, our students’ training in micro-economics, macro-economics, and policy design, helps them to find a job not only in the private sector, but also in industries with close contact with the government, governmental agencies, and regulatory bodies. Moreover, their training in quantitative methods, optimization methods, and other subjects that are part of the Economics curriculum helps students succeed and advance in a variety of professional environments. Graduates of out MA in Economics have thus continued to develop successful careers at firms like EY, KPMG, KazMunayGaz, Kazzinc, the Astana International Exchange, the Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC), NAC Analytica, the Economic Research Institute etc.

For students interested in pursuing a PhD in Economics, the MAE program provides with the advanced research and academic skills that allow graduates to obtain an admission into some of the most exigent PhD programs in Economics, Business, and other social sciences. Specifically, MAE graduates have been admitted (often with full funding) to the PhD programs of Johns Hopkins University, Penn State University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, George Washington University, University of Washington at Seattle, Rice University, Purdue University, University of Vienna, KULeuven, University of Wuppertal, Goethe University, Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence etc.

English Requirements

1) an overall IELTS test score of 6.5 (with no sub-score below 6.0) or the equivalent TOEFL score as posted on the ETS website;

2) for conditional admission (ZYGP), an overall IELTS test score of 5.5 (with not more than one sub-score below 5.0) or the equivalent TOEFL scores as posted on the ETS website.

Applicants, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:

– one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction and daily life

– an undergraduate and/or graduate degree was earned in a program which was officially taught in English

Academic Requirements

1) an undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) and a graduate/postgraduate degree (if applicable) in a relevant discipline with a minimum CGPA of 2.75 out of a 4.00. During the application period final year students may submit official current transcript for consideration;

3) a high motivation and strong interest in the program as outlined in a personal essay (500 words);

4) a resume;

5) three letters of recommendation (written within the last 12 months).

2 years

– as a professional economist in banking, accountancy, business and financial consultancy, insurance, actuarial science, data analysis;

– as an economist in the public sector, international organizations (IMF, World Bank, etc.), and non-profit organizations;

– as a PhD student in American or European universities.

Year 1 Fall

• ECON501 Microeconomics I
  
  
• ECON502 Macroeconomics I
  
  
• ECON511 Statistics
  
  
• ECON512 Mathematical economics
  
  

Year 1 Spring

• ECON521 Microeconomics II
  
  
• ECON522 Macroeconomics II
  
  
• ECON524 Research methodology (quantitative methods)
  
  
• ECON531 Econometrics
  
  

Year 1 Summer

• ECON580 Research and thesis
  
  

Year 2 Fall

• ECON532 Applied Econometrics
  
  
• ECON589 Thesis I
  
  
• ECONxxx Elective I
  
  
• ECONxxx Elective II
  
  

Year 2 Spring

• ECON590 Thesis II
  
  
• ECONxxx Elective III
  
  

Year 2: Electives

• ECON 503 Contract Theory and Auctions
  
  
• ECON 513 Econometrics 2 – Time Series
  
  
• ECON 515 Industrial Organization
  
  
• ECON 528 Wages and the Labor Market
  
  
• ECON 533 Econometrics 2 – Panel Data
  
  
• ECON 543 Topics in Macroeconomics
  
  
• ECON 547 Advanced Game Theory: Mechanism Design
  
  
• ECON 548 Structural Methods in Market Design
  
  
• GSBF 512 Principles of Finance
  
  
• GSBF 515a Investments I
  
  

Funding is available for local and international students, with the majority receiving a full scholarship and stipend.