Graduate Program in Economics
A joint program of the College of Management and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Frequently Asked Questions
If I am receiving an assistantship, can I work off campus as well?
In most cases, off campus work is prohibited if you are receiving an assistantship. Students are discouraged from working more than 30 hr/wk. If you are on a half time assistantship, additional work should total no more than 10 hr/wk.
How does departmental funding work?
Each spring, new doctoral applicants and incumbent doctoral students who are not supported, are considered competitively for a limited number of teaching and research assistantships.The COM and CALS supply the graduate program with a fixed budget to allocate among qualified applicants.In general, CALS supports RAs and TAs while COM supports TAs and instructors, though there is some flexibility.
What is the Graduate Student Support Plan?
The Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP) is the University’s support package.Under this plan, students supported on a qualifying teaching, research, or extension assistantship of at least $667/month who meet minimum registration requirements receive (at no cost to the student) health insurance and (for a limited number of semesters) fall and spring semester tuition.For more information, visit http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/grad_financialService/gssphdbk.pdf
My health insurance coverage has lapsed. Why? What should I do?
Health insurance is provided at no charge to the student for those students supported by the GSSP (see question above). Dates of health insurance coverage vary according to the type of support you are on (TA versus RA) and the effective dates of your appointment. Please review the GSSP Handbook for complete information. If you are interested in obtaining temporary health insurance during months in which you are not covered by the GSSP, you will need to contact Hill Chesson directly. Hill, Chesson & Woody is the company that works in conjunction with the University to provide insurance coverage to graduate students.
When do I need to take my written comprehensive exams?
Doctoral students are required to sit for their written comprehensive exams in micro and macro theory during the summer immediately following completion of the core curriculum. If one or both exams is not passed, the student may retake the exam during the following January. If the exam is failed a second time, the student is terminated from the doctoral program.
When do I need to complete my preliminary oral exam?
The preliminary oral exam should be completed by April 30 of third year of doctoral work. Failure to meet this deadline may result in termination of assistantship for those who are supported on departmental funds.
When do I need to complete my proposal defense?
In most cases, the proposal defense is completed concurrently with the preliminary oral exam. If your chair determines that you are not ready for the proposal defense, he may conduct the preliminary oral exam to meet the required deadline and schedule the proposal defense at a later date. In this case, you should work closely with your chair and the program director to determine the earliest possible date for the proposal defense.
Do I need to register in the semester that I plan to graduate?
You need to register in the semester in which you conduct your final oral examination. Please review the graduate school calendar each semester for the dates by which you must defend in order to graduate in a given semester. http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/faculty-and-staff/academic-calendar.html
What is Option B?
Option B is the name given by the Graduate School to coursework only masters degrees. If you are pursuing the ME, you should complete Option B checkout paperwork during the fall semester of your final year.
When should I submit my Option B checkout paperwork?
Each semester the graduate school determines the deadline for submission of this paperwork. These dates fall early in each semester. Please visit the Graduate School calendar for the appropriate dates.
What kind of paperwork should I complete for graduation?
You must complete the diploma order request card. In the case of graduating ME students, you must also complete an Option B checkout form. The deadline for submitting Option B paperwork is early in the semester.
How do I schedule my oral examinations?
To schedule the preliminary oral exam, you must complete the Plan of Work for your degree level (masters POW, doctoral POW), the Patent Agreement, and the Request to Schedule the oral exam. For preliminary doctoral oral exams, the Graduate School will appoint a Graduate School Representative who will attendyour oral exam in addition to your regular committee members.When you schedule your final oral exam, it is your responsibility to contact this Graduate School Representative and include him in the scheduling of your final oral as well. All paperwork should be filed with the Graduate School no later than two weeks prior to your chosen oral exam date. All paperwork should be reviewed by the Student Services Coordinator, Robin Carpenter, prior to filing.
How do I choose a committee?
As you progress through your field courses and attend workshops and seminars, you will form relationships with faculty. It is your responsibility to identify a faculty member whose research interests are similar to your own with whom you can work toward developing your dissertation research. In most cases, once chair is identified, he or she can guide you in selecting additional committee members. It is essential that you attend departmental workshops and seminars as these not only fost opportunities to interact with faculty on an informal basis, but also give you insight into how research is conducted and what the current trends are within your chosen field.
Must I commit to a particular masters track?
We try to be as flexible as possible. If you opt to complete 700 and 703, you will leave yourself maximum flexibility in deciding whether to complete the thesis based MS or MA versus the non-thesis Master of Economics (ME) degree. The core courses for the three options are the same, the difference lies in the writing of the thesis and the corresponding research hours for which you will register if you pursue the MA or MS.
If you opt to complete 505 and 506, you are only eligible to complete the non-thesis based Master of Economics (ME).
Are masters students allowed to take doctoral level courses?
Yes. It is advised that you speak with the professor offering the course in which you are interested to verify that your background and preparation is sufficient to be successful in the course.
Can doctoral students take courses after our 4th year of enrollment?
Yes, you can take as many courses for as long as you like provided that you complete the degree in the required timeframe and meet the course requirements of the degree.
International Student Questions
What is CPT?
Curricular Practical Training(CPT) is employment in the student’s field of study prior to completion of academic program. The employment must be an integral/required part of the student’s curriculum or academic program. This employment may be a cooperative education position, internship or required practicum. OIS provides regularly scheduled information sessions regarding students eligibility requirements and application procedures for CO-OP, Internships, and practicum. For a schedule of required information sessions please refer to the CPT/COOP Training Session Schedule .
What is OPT?
F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a benefit given t o F-1 student that allows for a maximum of 12 months of off-campus employment post completion of studies (i.e., graduating or submitting their thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School, whichever is earlier), prior to completion, or a combination of both. F-1 OPT is not employer-specific, but is limited only to a temporary position in your major field of study (as reflected on your current Form I-20). You must apply directly to USCIS with the recommendations of your academic advisor and the Designated School Official (OIS in the case of NC State University students). Once approved, USCIS will issue a Form I-688B Employment Authorization Document. If you are authorized for OPT and wish to further the employment beyond your 12 month maximum (check the end date on the EAD), you should contact OIS to discuss the possibility of a change of status, eligibility requirements, forms and procedures, as well as current processing times. OIS offers weekly OPT Training Sessions to provide students with the application procedures and materials.
Please check the Optional Practical Training Schedule for dates, times and location.
Can international students work off campus?
Students in either F-1 or J-1 student status must have explicit written work authorization from either OIS or USCIS before engaging in any off-campus employment (or employment exceeding more than 20 hours a week even if this work is associated with an assistantship.
Can international students completing their masters degrees in spring take courses during the following summer?
No. OIS requires international students to plan to return to their home country uponcompletion of their degree requirements.