MA degree requirements

MA regular | MA co-op | MA water

MA-regular degree requirements

This is a eight to twelve month program which requires the satisfactory completion of one of the following options:

Course work (8 months) Research Paper (12 months)
1 required milestone 1 required milestone
6 required courses 6 required courses
3 additional ECON graduate courses 2 additional ECON graduate courses
Major Research paper

Required milestone - fall term

  • Academic integrity workshop

Required courses - fall term

  • ECON 600 mathematics for economists (2 week math camp)
  • ECON 601 microeconomic theory 1
  • ECON 606 research methodology
  • ECON 621 econometrics 1
  • One ECON elective

Required courses - winter term

  • ECON 602 macroeconomic theory
  • ECON 622 applied microeconometrics 1 OR ECON 623 applied macroeconometrics 1
  • Two ECON electives

No more than one of the elective courses may be taken from another department, with the approval of the graduate advisor.

Normally, students must complete all of their required courses in the first two terms.

Fall term - Econ 600, 601, 606, 621

Winter term - Econ 602, 622 or 623.

See the graduate studies academic calendar for complete program descriptions.

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MA-co-op degree requirements

This is a twenty month program which requires the satisfactory completion of the following:

  • the requirements for the MA course work or research paper option
  • a cumulative average of 70% at the end of each term. 
  • an eight-month work term placement; co-op placements are for eight months and are facilitated by the department of co-operative education, who operate an employment exchange and matching service
  • ECON 674 co-op capstone research project (this fifth term requires a student to be registered full-time)
  • Co-op work term report

Sequencing through the MA & MA co-op programs

Year 1 - fall Year 1 - winter Year 1 - spring
Academic integrity  ECON 602  Co-op placement
ECON 600 

ECON 622 or ECON 623 
ECON 601  Two ECON electives
ECON 606 
ECON 621 
One ECON elective
Year 2 - fall Year 2 - winter
Co-op placement

ECON 674 capstone research project

Co-op Work term report 

Major Research paper

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MA-water degree requirements

The program requires the satisfactory completion of the following:

  • Economics research paper option
  • Water team-building retreat
  • 2 core Water program courses - WATER 601 and 602
  • Research Seminar 1
  • (WATER 601 or 602 can be counted as one of the additional ECON electives required for the Research Paper option)

Graduate studies calendar

All master’s students should know about the Waterloo graduate studies academic calendar that gives important program information, policies, procedures and guidelines. The graduate studies calendar is maintained by the central Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) office, located in Needles Hall.

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