Masters Science In Resource and Applied Economics
& Doctoral Degree
In Resource Economics

Prospective graduate students with interests in econometrics, environmental valuation, public lands management, natural resource and Environmental and Resource Economics, water resource economics, regional economics, agricultural economics, and other related topics will find coursework and ongoing research programs at the Department to provide for an intellectually challenging and professionally fulfilling environment.

Graduate students may apply for graduate assistantships which provide students with opportunities to work closely with faculty on research projects. The departmental atmosphere is very collegial, and faculty are readily accessible for academic discussion and advising. The faculty's main research fields of interest are: natural resource and environmental economics and policy, valuation of environmental resources and services, rural community economic development and regional economic analysis, recreation demand modeling, public lands management, water allocation and management, forest management, economics of invasive species, integrated pest management, agribusiness marketing and management, trade and agriculture, applied econometrics, and experimental economics.

Students with a bachelors or masters degree in economics or a related field as well as students from other disciplines have succeeded in our graduate program. A solid preparation would include two semesters of calculus; at least two semesters of statistics including a regression or econometrics course; and a calculus-based upper-level undergraduate microeconomics course and/or a mathematical economics course. Students who do not have this academic background may be admitted to our graduate program—though some preparatory courses may be required before beginning the core sequence (RECO 710 & 720 and APST 714 & 715).

Although the Resource Economics Department offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, applicants are generally encouraged to apply to the doctoral program. This is because both programs share a common core and graduate students have the option of reverting to the M.S. degree if their performance in the core or subsequent preliminary examination (see below) is judged as not at the doctoral level.
  

   Two plans of study are available to students pursuing the Master of Science degree:

• Plan A - requirements include students to write and defend a thesis
  (a minimum of 24 credits of course work, 6 credits of thesis).

• Plan B - requirements include completion of additional coursework
  (a minimum of 32 credits) and a comprehensive examination.

Traditionally, students take two full academic years to complete the program.  This is a mandatory requirement for students with assistantships. To learn more about how students will be assessed in their academic performance CLICK HERE .

Entrance requirements:

• The entering student must meet the University of Nevada, Reno requirements for graduate study as stated in the current Graduate School Catalog.

Program requirements:

• Successful completion of all core courses (see below) by the end of the first year.

• No more than six credit hours of Independent Study or Special Projects will count towards the total credit hours of course requirements.

• Graduate students under Plan A (thesis) are required to write a thesis acceptable to the student's advisory committee and present and defend the thesis at a seminar open to all faculty and graduate students. The student's advisory committee shall be comprised of two members of the Department and an external person. Traditionally, the committee is formed by completion of the first 12 credits of coursework. Upon completion of the Master degree program, the student is required to provide the department with a bound copy of their thesis (Recent thesis topics).

• Plan B students have the option to write a Professional Paper accounting for 3 credits towards the required minimum of 32 credits.  Upon completion of the Masters of Science Degree program, the student is required to provide the department with a bound copy of the professional paper.

All courses other than core courses must be selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies or individual advisor, if assigned.  Additionally, as deemed beneficial by the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the Department's Graduate Committee remedial undergraduate courses may be required.
  

   The PhD Program in Resource Economics consists of three parts: A core training in microeconomic theory and quantitative methods (year 1), a field training in resource economics and related topics (year 2), and a choice of one of two additional specializations: Quantitative Methods or Regional Economic Development.  The program can be completed in 4-5 years. 

Students who do not pass the first year preliminary (qualifying) exams or decide to exit the PhD program after their first year for other reasons can still earn the Master's degree by completing all relevant courses and a thesis (Plan A) during their second year.

Overall credit requirements for the PhD degree: 72 credits (48 coursework + 24 dissertation)

Program requirements:

• Successful completion of all core courses by the end of the first year.

• Passing of the preliminary (qualifying) exams in microeconomic theory and quantitative methods in no more than two attempts.

• Successful completion of all resource economics courses by year 3. 

• Successful completion of all specialization courses by year 4.

• Passing of the Comprehensive Exam after the majority of course work has been completed.

• Successful completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation.

All courses other than those required for core, resource economics, or special field must be selected in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies or individual advisor, if assigned.  Additionally, as deemed beneficial by the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the Department's Graduate Committee remedial undergraduate courses may be required.

Program curriculum (requires Microsoft Excel)
  

The Resource Economics Department offers graduate research and teaching assistantships on a competitive basis. These assistantships require 20 hours of work a week and provide a monthly stipend (currently $1500 per month), a tuition waiver which covers most registration fees (currently all but $33.82 per credit hour), and health insurance coverage.

The applicant's academic training, experience, GRE scores (and TOEFL scores if applicable), statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation are considered in making assistantship awards. To apply, complete the Assistantship Application Form, provide copies of all transcripts and test scores, explain your interest in our program and your career objectives in a Statement of Purpose of no more than two pages, and provide at least two letters of recommendation. These materials should be sent to:

Director of Graduate Studies,
Resource Economics Department,
University of Nevada
Mail Stop 204,
Reno , NV 89557 .

Note that assistantships are awarded through the department; whereas admission to graduate study is made through the Graduate School . Eligibility for a graduate assistantship is contingent on admission to graduate study.

More information is available from the University of Nevada Graduate School
  

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The University of Nevada, Reno, is a center of innovation and energy for the thriving Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. Its 255-acre campus of rolling hills features a blend of ivy-covered buildings, sweeping lawns, and functional, progressive architecture. Reno-Sparks is in an unusually attractive natural setting. It is bounded on the west by the majestic Sierra Nevada range and on the east by a rolling basin and range province. Reno-Sparks benefits from a comfortable climate marked by generally cool and dry weather with more than 300 sunny (or cloudless) days per year. The area is a haven for those who love the four seasons and outdoor activities. Recreational activities are easy to find. Students are within less than an hour’s driving distance of the many world-class ski resorts of Lake Tahoe and the historic Western realm of Virginia City.
  

The University of Nevada, Reno, is a constitutionally established land-grant university founded in 1874. The University served the state of Nevada as its only state-supported institution of higher education for almost seventy-five years. In that historical role, it has emerged as a doctoral-granting university that focuses its resources on doing a select number of things well. A diverse student body strengthens the academic atmosphere for the cultural and intellectual development of the student. By fostering creative and scholarly activity, the University encourages and supports faculty research and the application of that research to state and national problems. UNR is growing rapidly and currently enrolls more than 16,000 students, including 3,000 enrolled in graduate programs. The University houses a School of Medicine with a class of 65 medical students. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) accredits the University.
  

There is a $60 non-refundable graduate program application fee. All GRE and if applicable other test score must be provided.

More information is available from the University of Nevada Graduate School
  

Kim Rollins, Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies
Phone: (775) 784-1677
Fax:    (775) 784–1342
220a Fleischmann Agriculture Building
E-mail: krollins@cabnr.unr.edu