Orientation Week Begins Monday for Incoming Master’s Students
13 August 2015 10:49AM
It’s beginning to look a lot like a new school year. Starting Monday, Duke Economics will be swarming with students as the department hosts a week of orientation events for the largest incoming class of master's students yet.
In the three programs combined — M.A. in economics, M.S. in economics and computation (MSEC), and M.S. in statistical and economic modeling (MSEM) — there are 99 matriculates, up from 82 in the previous academic year.
The applicant pools across all programs were extremely competitive, according to Admissions Directors Emma Rasiel (M.A., MSEM) and Charles Becker (MSEC).
“Our applicants had particularly strong math backgrounds and quantitative skills this year,” Rasiel said. “Sadly, we had to turn down a lot of very well-qualified candidates, but I’m confident that the matriculated students will find their respective programs both challenging and rewarding.”
The department’s M.A. program continues to be the Graduate School’s largest master’s program in terms of both number of applications, 660, and incoming class size, 84. MSEM received 215 applications, with nine matriculated students.
The MSEC program, now in its second year, also attracted remarkable candidates. Becker, who also serves as the program’s co-director of graduate studies, said he came away from the admissions process “really enthused and excited” about the incoming class. With just six matriculated students, the group is small by design but diverse in terms of nationalities and interests.
“The incoming students have good backgrounds in both economics and computer science, and also in applied math and programming. It’s nice to find such a well-rounded group,” he said. “And they have strong research interests — I predict that many professors will want to recruit them as TAs and RAs.
But first, they need to make it through a jam-packed orientation schedule. M.A. Program Assistant Addie Stagg has put together a schedule of events taking place in the department and across campus. Students can look forward to a two-day math review, group advising sessions, a tour of Durham, and more.
“I think we’ve planned an awesome week with useful information and fun activities,” Stagg said. “There will be plenty of opportunities for everyone to network and socialize before the school year officially kicks off.”
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