Mathematics & Economics Master of Science in Informatics
Master of Science in Informatics
Program description
The Master of Science in Informatics program is designed to provide professionals with advanced education in data analytics, information acquisition and management, and research techniques. The concentration in quantitative economics provides practical skills in data science and economic research. The program is available to students to complete entirely online, and many courses are available in a “hybrid” setting where students can interact online or attend the on-campus class.
The M.S. in Informatics is a 36 credit hour program which consists of a 15 credit hour interdisciplinary core where students from various concentrations come together to learn database design, information retrieval, programming, and work on research projects in a capstone seminar course. The quantitative economics concentration provides the foundations in graduate level understanding of econometrics – the statistical methods used in economics – as well as an assortment of seminar courses that challenge students to understand, replicate, and design research in a variety of economic fields.
Admission Requirements
General Information
Applications are submitted to the graduate office. To start on your application, visit Graduate Admissions.
Applicants must also submit transcripts of all previous college work to the graduate office.
We do not require you to take the GRE.
You may enroll in a course as a non-degree-seeking student while your application is pending. If your application is accepted, that course will apply toward your degree (up to a maximum of 12 credit hours). However, once you decide to enter the program, it is to your advantage to complete the application because there is an additional application fee for enrolling as a non-degree-seeking student.
Recommended Background
A bachelor’s degree with a major, minor, or concentration in economics, mathematics, statistics, sciences, social science or related field
At least one course in economics (or equivalent)
At least one course in statistics (or equivalent)
At least one course in calculus (or equivalent)
Degree Requirements
Required Core Courses (15 hours) |
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| LI 800 | Introduction to Informatics | 3 hours |
| ID 745 | Programming and Data Analysis for Informatics | 3 hours |
| ID 810 | Informatics Capstone Seminar | 3 hours |
| LI 844 | Database Design | 3 hours |
| LI 819 | Information Retrieval | 3 hours |
Capstone (6 hours) |
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| ID 871 | Directed research | 3 hours |
| ID 872 | Practicum | 3 hours |
| ID 873 | Internship | 3 hours |
| ID 875 | Thesis | 3 hours |
Quantitative Economics Core (12 hours) |
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| Must take EC712 and at least one of EC710 or EC711 | ||
| EC 710 | Econometrics I | 3 hours |
| EC 711 | Econometrics II | 3 hours |
| EC 712 | Economic Theory | 3 hours |
| Take two of the following | ||
| EC 741 | Health Economics | 3 hours |
| EC 713 | Mathematical Economics | 3 hours |
| EC 727 | Industrial Organization | 3 hours |
| EC 731 | Economics of Crime | 3 hours |
| EC 737 | Game Theory | 3 hours |
| EC 751 | Labor Economics | 3 hours |
Quantitative Economics Elective (3 hours) |
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| EC 797 | Graduate Internship in Economics | 1-3 hours |
| EC 798 | Directed Research in Economics | 1-3 hours |
| EC 740 | Business Cycles and Forecasting | 3 hours |
| BC 807 | Managerial Economics | 3 hours |
| MA 532 | Mathematical Statistics | 3 hours |
| MA 581 | Mathematical Modeling | 3 hours |
| MA 731 | Statistics Using SAS | 3 hours |
| MA 732 | Categorical Data Analysis | 3 hours |
| MA 733 | Mathematical Statistics II | 3 hours |
| MA 763 | Simulation Techniques | 3 hours |
| MA 764 | Regression Analysis | 3 hours |
| Any 500+ Economics (EC or BC), Math (MA), Science (ES, GO, PH, CH) or Geography (GE) | 1-3 hours | |
Resources
Cost and Financial Aid
For information about tuition and fees, visit Distance Education.
Most courses require exams to be proctored. Students are responsible for finding a suitable proctor and paying any associated fees
More information
Questions about the master's degree program or the certificate program should be directed to Dr. Bekah Selby at rselby@emporia.edu.
Questions about the application process or about graduate study at ESU in general should be directed to the Graduate Office at gradinfo@emporia.edu or 1-800-950-GRAD.
To apply to the program, go to Graduate Admissions.
To register for courses and to get information about tuition and fees, go to Distance Education.
For information about financial aid, go to Financial Aid.
Emporia State University is a state university in Kansas and is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. You can find more information about ESU's accreditation at hlcommission.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it possible to complete the program completely online?
Yes. We offer a number of online courses each semester, giving students multiple classes to choose from and take.
- How do the online courses work?
It varies a bit from course to course, and it is constantly evolving as new technologies become available. Broadly speaking, our classes come in two varieties. Some classes are offered purely online. There are no physical meetings, although most classes include online chats that function similarly to office hours. Instruction in these classes takes a variety of forms, including textbook readings, instructor-made videos, and/or tutorial worksheets. Assignments are collected, graded, and returned on a regular basis. Exams require that the student arrange a proctor. Other classes are offered in a hybrid format. These courses are taught on the ESU campus with regular lectures, which are broadcast online using web conference software. Online students can log in during the class time and participate along with the on-campus students. These lectures are also recorded so that students who cannot log in during class time can catch up later. Otherwise, these classes are the same as the online courses (assignments, exams, etc.).
- Can I transfer graduate classes I've taken at another university?
Yes, with restrictions. ESU policy allows students to transfer up to 9 credit hours of graduate courses from other universities. The courses must have been taken for graduate credit, and you must have received a B- or better.
- Is there opportunity for student interaction?
Definitely. As previously mentioned, most classes include at least one weekly online chat (via web conference software) that allows students to discuss class material, ask questions, and generally interact with the instructor and with each other. Courses also include discussion boards that allow students to ask and answer questions throughout the week.
- How many courses can I take each semester?
You can take as many as you can handle. Until recently, we often only offered one online course per semester. This is not as limiting as it sounds. Most of our students have full time jobs, and one course a semester is essentially a full load for them. A graduate level mathematics course is a significant time commitment! However, with the expansion of our program, we now offer multiple classes each semester, so it is possible to take two or even three courses in a single semester for those not working.
- How long will it take to complete the program?
That depends on how many courses you can handle in a semester. Most of our students choose the non-thesis option, which requires 34 credit hours. That is eleven three-credit-hour courses plus a one-hour project. So if you are able to take one course during the two regular semesters and two courses in the summer, you could complete the program in less than three years.