Master’s degree (MA) in Economics at San Diego State University

Position

We are seeking prospective master’s students interested in development economics, natural resources, food systems, land use change and international trade. Selected students will support a multi-year research project on the drivers and impacts of large-scale foreign land acquisitions for agriculture while completing SDSU’s 2-year MA program starting Fall of 2023. Students will conduct a mix of guided and independent research on the topic and receive free in-state tuition and 20 hours per week of paid employment as research assistants. Ideal candidates would be interested in eventually pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics, Agricultural Economics, or Geography and would have experience working with data in R or Stata. 

Minimum Requirements

1. A bachelor’s degree (BA or BS  in Economics, Statistics, Geography, Environmental Science, or closely related fields).
2. An undergraduate GPA above a 3.0
3. IETLS score 6.5 or higher (TOEFL 80 iBT/ 550 PBT or higher) for international applicants who attended university in a language other than English.

Application Process

Prospective students are to contact Drs. Ryan Abman and Clark Lundberg by email (rabman@sdsu.edu, clundberg@sdsu.edu) for an initial evaluation. The contact email must include a curriculum vitae (resume), an official or unofficial undergraduate transcript, and a brief statement of interest (not to exceed two pages). Please use ‘Land Acquisitions MA’ as the email subject. We will contact students who show strong promise for subsequent interviews.

Upon indication that a prospective student may be admitted, the student will complete the admission process through the Office of Graduate Admissions at San Diego State University and will be required to submit all official forms as any other applicant – including a formal statement of purpose, two letters of recommendation, and a GRE score.

Please contact us if you have any questions.