Rhea Sen | MA, Economics
When Rhea Sen began her undergraduate studies in Economics, she already knew her academic journey wouldn’t stop there.
“As I was finishing my undergrad, I knew I wanted to pursue further education to strengthen my technical skills and expand my network,” she shares. Drawn to Waterloo’s strong emphasis on mathematics, data science, and economics, she found a program that matched her goals perfectly.
Building connections and community
For Rhea, graduate school was about more than coursework—it was about the people she met along the way. “We spent a lot of time at the Grad House, whether to study or celebrate milestones,” she recalls. “UW offers great networking and social events for graduate students, which help strengthen relationships within and beyond your department.”
Rhea completed the course-based MA in Economics, wrapping up her degree with a Master’s Research Paper (MRP) on The Compounded Disadvantage of Immigrant Women in the Canadian Labour Market. Her research explored wage inequalities for immigrant women and how their income trajectories change after having children.
“As a second-generation Canadian from a family of highly educated women, I’ve seen the challenges they faced in the labour market,” she says. “I wanted to study this topic to better understand the structural and policy factors driving persistent wage disparities in Canada’s labour market."
To challenge herself further, she took PhD-level Microeconomics and Econometrics courses—an ambitious choice that paid off. “It allowed me to enhance my skills and understand what pursuing a PhD in Economics would require.”
Lessons for growth and what’s next
“Graduate school comes with a learning curve,” Rhea admits. “But it was in those challenging moments that I grew the most. Those experiences taught me resilience.”
Now pursuing her PhD in Economics at McMaster University, Rhea continues to explore labour studies, econometrics, and public health research. She points to Waterloo’s interdisciplinary opportunities—such as the Graduate Diploma in Computational Data Analytics for the Social Sciences and Humanities—for helping Economics students expand their skill sets.
Reflecting on her journey, Rhea expresses deep appreciation for the mentorship and encouragement she received. “The Department of Economics really pushes students to reach their potential. The professors created an environment where we were comfortable asking questions and exploring new ideas.”
Rhea encourages future students to, “take advantage of every opportunity Waterloo offers—academic, social, and professional. It’s a place where you can challenge yourself, build lasting connections, and discover what drives you next.”