Program Overview

Koç University is one of the best places to obtain a MA or  Ph. D. degree in economics. The Economics faculty at Koç University has a solid reputation as contributors to the frontiers of knowledge in Türkiye and abroad.

Recently, the department has been ranked number 1 in Türkiye and continues to improve its ranking in Europe and the world. Students are supported by research and teaching assistantships. They will have the opportunity to participate in the research projects of faculty members and teach their own classes so that they can develop their teaching skills further.

Program Outcomes

1 – Recognize, critically analyze and develop solutions to managerial, economic and political issues in personal and professional environments

2 – Formulate and communicate arguments effectively in oral, written and graphical form

3 – Thrive in diverse, multi-disciplinary teams and take initiative as responsible team members

4 – Maintain a global, socially inclusive and ethical perspective with emphasis on sustainability

5 – Learn fundamental concepts and theories to formulate and implement creative and effective solutions to economic challenges

6 – Use the appropriate research methods and tools to analyze data to assess the validity of economic arguments

Occupational Profiles of Graduates

Graduates of the Master’s Degree Program in Economics have the opportunity to work in many domestic and international academic positions, both in the private sector and in the public sector if they provide the necessary competencies. They can work in many fields such as expertise, auditor, foreign trade, marketing, management, economic management. Marketing and finance departments are suitable places for graduates of economics.

It is not possible for a student enrolled in the MS without Thesis program to directly transfer to the relevant PhD program at the Graduate School. However, the student can be evaluated for admission to the relevant PhD program to assess if they meet the conditions specified for application to the PhD program. Some of the students who graduated from this program also apply to doctoral programs.

Courses

 

ECON 500 / MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS To facilitate a swift transition from undergraduate to graduate training, the mathematical foundation that all students should have will be reviewed. Topics include: mathematical statements and proofs; functions; sequences and limits; continuity; differentiation; metric spaces; integration.
ECON 501 / MATHEMATICS FOR ECONOMISTS

 

Covers selected topics in mathematics that are frequently used in economic theory and its applications. Topics include: introduction to optimization theory (existence of a solution, alternative characterizations of compactness, Weirestrass Theorem, convexity); convex sets, concave and quasi-concave functions; characterization of a solution, Lagrange and Kuhn-Tucker approaches; parametric continuity, correspondences and maximum theorem; parametric monotonicity, lattices, supermodularity; fixed point theorems.
ECON 503 / MICROECONOMICS I Consumer theory; production theory; general equilibrium and welfare.
ECON 504 / MICROECONOMICS II Choice under uncertainty; game theory; mechanism design; principal-agent models.
ECON 505 / ADVANCED MICROECONOMIC THEORY The course includes topics such as the game theory under perfect information, game theory under imperfect information, matching and mechanism design.
ECON 507 / MACROECONOMICS I Long-term economic growth; overlapping generations models; consumption, saving, and investment; real interest rates and asset prices; money and inflation.
ECON 508 / MACROECONOMICS II Classical and Keynesian theories of cyclical fluctuations; real business cycle theory; determination of employment and real wages; credit markets and financial stability; stabilization policy.
ECON 509 / ADVANCED MACROECONOMIC THEORY The course includes topics such as the business cycle theory, dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models, models of unemployment with search, market efficiency and macroeconomic performance, and theories of long-run growth.
ECON 511 / ECONOMETRICS I Review of probability and statistics: random variables, univariate and joint probability distributions, expectations; bivariate normal; sampling distributions; introduction to asymptotic theory; estimation; inference. Linear regression: conditional expectation function; multiple regression; classical regression model, inference and applications.
ECON 512 / ECONOMETRICS II Departures from the standard assumptions: specification tests; a first look at time series; generalised regression; nonlinear regression; simultaneous equations, identification, instrumental variables. Extensions and applications: ML, GMM, VAR, GARCH, panel data.
ECON 513 / ADVANCED ECONOMETRICS The focus of the course is the empirical applications and tests of macroeconomic and/or microeconomic theories. Students are provided with the ability to analyze the standard econometric applications.
ECON 514 / ADVANCED GAME THEORY This course covers theories and models that expand the horizons of game theory.
ECON 690 / SEMINAR Weekly departmental seminars and student presentations in their research areas.
ECON 695 / PhD THESIS
ENGL 501 / SCIENTIFIC PAPER WRITING AND PUBLISHING Writing a scientific paper for publication requires skills that are different than writing a thesis or dissertation. This course focuses on issues including formulation of the research question, articulation of the theoretical foundation, explanation of the research methodology, description and critical discussion of the findings. The course will also present the key points in selecting the right outlet for publication, submitting the paper, and addressing the reviewers? comment in the revision.

  

Course & Program Outcomes Matrix

 

Course Code L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6
ECON 500 / MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS x x x x
ECON 501 / MATHEMATICS FOR ECONOMISTS x x x x
ECON 503 / MICROECONOMICS I x x x x
ECON 504 / MICROECONOMICS II x x x x
ECON 505 / ADVANCED MICROECONOMIC THEORY x x x x
ECON 507 / MACROECONOMICS I x x x x x
ECON 508 / MACROECONOMICS II x x x x x
ECON 509 / ADVANCED MACROECONOMIC THEORY x x x x x
ECON 511 / ECONOMETRICS I x x x x
ECON 512 / ECONOMETRICS II x x x x
ECON 513 / ADVANCED ECONOMETRICS x x x x
ECON 514 / ADVANCED GAME THEORY x x x x
ECON 690 / SEMINAR x x x x x x
ECON 695 / PhD THESIS x x x x x x
ENGL 501 / SCIENTIFIC PAPER WRITING AND PUBLISHING x x