Community Development and Applied Economics AMP

All students must meet the Requirements for the Accelerated Master's Degree Programs

Overview

The Accelerated Master’s Entry Program in Community Development and Applied Economics (AMP-CDAE) offers University of Vermont students the opportunity to secure a sound undergraduate and graduate program of study in 5 rather than a minimum of 6 years. The program closely integrates both programs of study, and enhances competitiveness in a marketplace stressing broad undergraduate and focused graduate education. The AMP-CDAE welcomes students majoring in one of CDAE’s undergraduate majors, as well as related majors such as environmental studies, food systems, and other social science disciplines. Application to the program is typically made during a student's junior year.

Specific Requirements

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO GRADUATE STUDIES FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE

The Accelerated Master’s Entry Program requires that students fulfill the same entrance requirements as for all candidates for the Master of Science in Community Development and Applied Economics and be accepted in order to matriculate and advance to candidacy.  The following criteria must be met to gain admission to the AMP-CDAE program:

• A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 at the beginning of the second semester the candidate's junior year

• 3 letters of recommendation attesting to the candidate’s academic performance

• A strong motivation and academic potential for graduate work articulated in a statement of purpose

Required academic prerequisites include course work in microeconomics and calculus, equivalent to UVM courses ECON 1450 Principles of Microeconomics and MATH 1212 Fundamentals of Calculus I. Other courses, including non-UVM courses or a CLEP exam, may be considered. Students must complete at least one of the prerequisites prior to enrolling in the AMP-CDAE. The remaining prerequisite must be completed within the first year of enrollment.

Completed applications will be reviewed in the month of May and a formal decision on admission will be rendered by the CDAE faculty by no later than May 15 of each year to afford potential new AMP-CDAE students the opportunity to enroll in Summer Session.

Following formal Graduate College admission to the Accelerated Master's Program, up to 9 credits of approved graduate course work may be taken that may be counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.

MINIMUM DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The degree requires a total of 36 credits, of which 27 to thirty are from advanced courses in CDAE and other related fields, plus a minimum of 6 credits of thesis research. 6 graded course credits must be at the 6000-level or above. A written comprehensive examination and an oral defense of a thesis are also required. A student's thesis research is often an integral part of faculty-led, ongoing research projects in CDAE.

Students in the graduate program must have a 3.00 grade point average to remain a degree candidate. A student may be dismissed from the Graduate College if two or more grades below a "B" are received.

Five courses and graduate research seminars are required:

CDAE 6510Research & Evaluation Methods3
CDAE 6540Advanced Microeconomics3
CDAE 6920Graduate Seminars1
Approved statistics/research course3
CDAE 6260Community Economic Development3
CDAE 6590Applied Econometrics3
CDAE 6391Master's Thesis Research6+

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION

A written examination must be completed by the student's third semester of full-time enrollment.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE

Successful completion of any prerequisite courses, and at least 15 graded graduate credits earned in compilation of the graduate GPA, including all core courses. A GPA of 3.00 or greater is also required.