What is the difference between the 2-year MSBCE only program and the MSBCE 5-year
integrated program?
The MSBCE 2-year program is for students applying from different universities that have already completed a bachelor’s degree and are now interested in completing
a master’s degree.
The 5-year integrated program is forcurrent Chapman undergraduate studentslooking to integrate one year of their master's program with their undergraduate degree
to finish a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in 5 years.
Can I finish the degree in less time than specified?
While most students require the full amount of time to finish the program, it may
be possible to graduate early if all of the requirements are fulfilled.
What can I use this degree for?
This degree is unique and extremely marketable. The skills offered through this degree
can be of use to e-commerce designers, policy analysts, system designers, engineers,
strategic consultants and computer scientists. In addition, this program will prepare
students to be successful in the most demanding Doctoral programs in Economics, Finance,
Management Science, Accounting, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering and Computational
Sciences. The curriculum is interdisciplinary since the targeted careers in generally
demand a working knowledge of a variety of disciplines. Students will also develop
skills in scientific research methodology and computational proficiency.
What are the requirements for earning a full or partial scholarship?
There is no separate application for scholarships. All applicants are considered for
full and partial tuition scholarships as well as research assistantships; however
there are a limited number of scholarships available.
In order to be awarded a scholarship, prospective students must demonstrate a good
work ethic, a strong undergraduate background, an exceptional score on the Graduate
Record Exam (GRE), and outstanding letters of recommendation.
What undergraduate majors would be most valuable for entering this program?
No specific undergraduate degrees are required for this program. We encourage students
with majors in mathematics, computer science, engineering, any business related major,
and psychology. However, all students should have adequate mathematical training and
knowledge of a computer programming language.
What type of experience would I gain while earning a Masters in Behavioral and Computational
Economics?
Students will systematically investigate real world problems using human subject experiments,
computational methods, and statistical data analysis. A Master of Science in Behavioral
and Computational Economics will prepare students to undertake the scientific process
of understanding human incentives in order to design and test efficient systems for
exchange, scheduling, and resource distribution. The skills offered through this degree
can be of use to e-commerce designers, policy analysts, system designers, industrial
managers and engineers, and computer scientists. In addition, this program will prepare
students to be successful in the most demanding Doctoral programs in Economics, Computer
Science, Industrial Engineering and Computational Sciences.
What are the class sizes on average, and how available are professors for one-on-one
discussion?
Typical class sizes range from five to ten students. There is plenty of time for students
to discuss their projects. Professors are available and encourage one-on-one interactions
to help guide students through their research.
What are the thesis requirements?
Students must write a thesis of original work to be handed in which will be published
in the library and an oral defense will be required.
Where do students get ideas for their thesis?
Students get their ideas for their thesis from a wide variety of sources. Many students
have gotten ideas from faculty members, either by helping a faculty member on their
research projects or simply discussing economic problems during office hours. Students
have also gotten thesis ideas from class projects, business practices they are interested
in investigating or simply a news story they came across. Finally, students are exposed
to a wide-range of research topics through the IFREE/ESI Friday lectures. There never
seems to be a shortage of ideas for students to draw on.
Will I have an adviser in the program?
Yes, each student is assigned a thesis advisor but will work with all faculty to finish
their thesis.
Is the MS in Behavioral and Computation Economics considered a STEM program?
Yes, it is a STEM program.
What have Alumni of the program done after graduation?
Check out the Alumni Career Paths page for the most up to date information on MSBCE Graduate whereabouts.
Who can I speak with if I have questions about life as a graduate student at ESI?
If you have questions about life as a student at ESI you can contact ESI’s administrative
office at dumas@chapman.edu. The administrative office will put you in contact with a current graduate student
to answer any questions.
What types of experiments are being worked on right now?
There is a very broad list of research projects being addressed at ESI.
View the published page to see this section.
