Students completing the degree are qualified to seek employment in management as professional economists or research analysts. The program is also well suited for individuals who wish to return to school to obtain a graduate degree in a business-related discipline for the purpose of career advancement. While the curriculum is structured as a terminal degree in applied economics, some graduates have advanced to doctoral-level programs in economics and in related disciplines. Students selecting this option will be prepared for careers as an economist in a wide variety of industries, including management consulting firms, banks, securities and commodity brokers, computer and data processing companies, marketing research firms, and federal, state and local governments. The Electricity, Natural Gas, and Telecommunications Sequence is a structured program that combines training in basic economic theory and statistical methods with specialized training in the theory, history and institutions of economic regulation.
Students develop skills in analyzing regulatory policy and in communicating the results.
In addition, each student gains valuable practical experience as an intern with an employer in the telecommunications, electric power, or natural gas industries, or with an appropriate government agency. Up to six hours of credit is awarded for this internship experience. Graduates are awarded a Master' s Degree in Applied Economics with a Sequence in Electricity, Natural Gas and Telecommunications Economics. Associated with the sequence is the Institute for Regulatory Policy Studies . The Institute provides a key link between the university and the telecommunications, electric power, and natural gas industries.