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Master's Fellowship Program

The Mercatus Center Master's Fellowship Program is a competitive fellowship program for students in George Mason University's MA economics program (thesis option) who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in applied economics in preparation for a career in business or public policy. Our master's fellows take specialized courses which provide analytic training in applying economic ideas to solve problems in the world.

The Mercatus Center Master's Fellowship program is targeted toward students with an interest in gaining advanced training in economics, but who do not anticipate a career in academia. Students who anticipate working in public policy or in a decision making position in business are ideal candidates for this fellowship. 

Download the Master's Fellowship Program Brochure here.

Program Requirements

Mercatus Center Master's fellows...

Are required to:

• write a Master's thesis
• maintain a 3.5 G.P.A. each semester
• enroll in 9 credits each semester 
• attend the biweekly readings groups 
• spend approximately 20 hours each week working with Mercatus Center staff and faculty mentors throughout the year
• spend the summer following their second semester working with a faculty mentor and beginning their Master's thesis
• spend one week during the summer of 2008 participating in an advanced graduate workshop administered by the Institute for Humane Studies
• participate in quarterly workshops during the year immediately following your graduation from the MA economics program
• (beginning 2008) take "Qualitative Methods in Economic and Policy Studies" and "Entrepreneurship and Public Policy" or "Regulation and the Market Process"
• ensure that the director of graduate student programs always has a copy of their current bios and CVs

Are expected to:

• attend the weekly "Workshop in Philosophy, Politics and Economics"
• select your electives from the following courses:
     - Political Economy and Public Policy I & II (ECON 825 & 826)
     - Law and Economics I & II (ECON 840 & 841)
     - Public Choice I & II (ECON 852 & 854)
     - Austrian Theory of the Market Process I & II (ECON 880 & 881)
     - specialized courses offered by Mercatus Center Visiting Scholars
     - select courses offered by the School of Public Policy, the Law School and the School of Management

Are encouraged to:

• participate in Mercatus Center projects and programs
• build relationships with Mercatus Center scholars and members of our faculty network
• actively follow developments in public policy and business management and pursue research projects related to challenges in public policy and business
• attend the weekly "Graduate Student Paper Workshop"
• attend Mercatus Center brown bags and occasional lectures
• attend Center for the Study of Public Choice weekly seminars

Application Process

To apply for our Master's Fellowship, please complete the standard application for admission to George Mason University Department of Economics' Master's program.  Please indicate on that form that you would like to be considered for the Mercatus Master's Fellowship.

In addition to completing the general application, please submit an additional 500-1000 word essay on "Why do some societies prosper while others remain stagnant and poor?" and a 10 page writing sample.  Please send your additional essay and writing sample, along with a cover letter to graduatefellowships@mercatus.org.     

The deadline for applications for the Fall 2008 semester is April 18, 2008. 

Contact Information

For more information about the Mercatus Center Master's Fellowship program please contact:

Dr. Virgil Henry Storr
Director of Graduate Student Programs
Mercatus Center
vstorr@gmu.edu