Williams College offers a Master of Arts in Policy Economics. The MA program is housed in the Williams Center for Development Economics, often referred to as “the CDE.” The CDE program has existed since 1960 and has trained economists from 110 nations.

10 months, beginning each year in early August and ending in early June.

Yes, there are both international scholarships and scholarships arranged by Williams College. In most years, all participants in the MA in Policy Economics will receive at least a partial scholarship funding from Williams College or other international funders.

First, a candidate must apply and be selected for admission to the MA program. The admissions process is highly selective. Then, CDE staff work with admitted candidates to identify available scholarships.

• Professors – With a student to faculty ratio of 6:1, there is close contact with professors on a daily basis. Moreover, the faculty combine practical experience with academic strengths.
• Curriculum – Every course focuses on public sector challenges for developing nations.
• CDE Fellows – The thirty or so CDE Fellows each year come from responsible work backgrounds in many developing nations.
• Funding – We are very pro-active in working with admitted candidates on scholarship funding.

To apply, visit the following page on our website and follow the directions: https://cde.williams.edu/admissions/

Ordinarily, applications must be received by December 1 to receive full consideration for entry into the program the following August. Occasionally, we extend our deadline to December 15. Late applications may be considered if the space remains in the incoming class.

No, there is not an application fee.

The application form must be completed and submitted online, and supporting documents must be uploaded within the online application.

At least a bachelor’s degree in economics or a related field (and including core economics courses).

Work experience is highly valued in our admissions process. Students enrolled in the CDE have an average of about five years of professional work experience, primarily in the public sector or an NGO. We rarely admit candidates whose experience is exclusively in the private sector.

It is strongly recommended (but not required) that you take the GRE if it is offered as a computer based exam in your country. We will also accept scores from the GMAT. For info on testing, please see additional information about standardized testing.

To succeed in the MAPE program, one needs a high level of English proficiency. A test of English proficiency assesses skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to the English Language.

Submitting scores from a test of English Proficiency (Duolingo, TOEFL, or IELTS) is strongly recommended if you are not a native English speaker or have not completed a university degree taught entirely in English. If you have not taken a test of English proficiency at the time of your application, you may be required to do so before we finalize admission decisions.

Your CV and your application form must be submitted in English. Academic transcripts and copies of your university diploma may be submitted in English, French, or Spanish. Transcripts and diplomas in other languages should be submitted along with a translation (this does not need to be an “official” translation). Additional documents may be submitted as you have them – if there is a need for translation, we will contact you.

Decisions are normally made starting in late February or early March.