Pitt to Roll Out Master of Science in Quantitative Economics Degree

The Department of Economics in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences is introducing its new STEM-designated Master of Science in Quantitative Economics for the fall 2020 semester to fulfill the growing demand for data analysis across industries. 

Graduate students can enroll beginning now until March 2020 for this program, which focuses on professional critical thinking, project management and communication skills for real-life economic decision making for companies. The program is eight months (two semesters) in length, compared to the 18 to 24 months for most other similar programs. It will have 10 full-time faculty teaching courses, with a 2:1 student-faculty ratio the first year for a more personalized learning experience.

The program will address the growing need for economic analysts, data analysts and financial experts. The job market for analysts is projected to see fast growth from 2018-2028 (6% for financial analysts, 14% for management analysts and 26% for operations research analysts), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The need for professionals in these fields comes from companies seeking more data-driven decision-making using advanced analytics in investment and directional choices.

Luca Rigotti“As more and more companies look toward data to inform their decisions, the demand for individuals able to interpret and translate complex data while also analyzing the consequences of different choices is steadily increasing,” said Luca Rigotti, the degree’s program director and an associate professor in the economics department. “We recognized this growth in recent years and realized there was an opportunity to help foster and mentor future professionals in this field. We’re excited to see how successful this program can be.”

The Department of Economics is teaming up with industry leaders to design the degree’s courses, all of which will be held in traditional classroom settings. Industry leaders are also being sought as guest lecturers and mentors who will work with students on capstone assignments.

For more information, visit the program’s page.

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