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Online Certificate in Political Economy

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Eligibility
Admission to the Certificate Program is open, and anyone with a high school education can enroll. The candidate does not have to be a UMass Amherst student. There are no formal prerequisites to apply for the certificate, although individual courses may have prerequisites. Course are billed per credit plus applicable fees.  Please refer to the University + website for up to date tuition and fee information.

Course Requirements
Students are required to complete nineteen (19) credits in six (6) courses (see below).  Course requirements may be satisfied via online courses at the University of Massachusetts Amherst through UMass University+ (Univ+), standard lecture courses, or a combination of both.  The online classes are designed to be the online equivalent of the corresponding regular undergraduate courses offered in the Economics Department.  Some of the required courses will be offered in all the semesters (Fall, Spring, Winter and Summer sessions).  The electives will generally be offered at least once every year. Not all classes offered every semester; largest course offering are during summer sessions. All online classes are taught asynchronous.

Description
This Online Certificate in Political Economy is offered by the Department of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  It is designed for students interested in learning about modern capitalist economies and feasible alternative futures.  Our department is quite unique in offering courses in a wide range of areas including critical political economy, development economics, the environment, international economics, and economic history.  This certificate is a good opportunity to delve into these wide-ranging areas, while also engaging with various approaches to economics from mainstream to heterodox perspectives. In this certificate, students start with a critical introduction to economics (Econ 103).  Then, we lay the foundation of the political economy approach, which examines interaction of the economic, political and cultural features of a society (Econ 105). Then we offer a critique of the capitalist system using alternative frameworks (Econ 205). Students are then allowed to take a range of electives on various economic, political and social issues, while also engaging with the theme of environment and climate change (Econ 308). 

How to Enroll
To enroll for the Political Economy Certificate view the requirements and the current classes being offered. Enrollment is done though the University + website

Graduation Requirements
To receive the Certificate in Political Economy, a minimum 2.0 GPA must be maintained across courses applied to certificate requirements.  You must also submit the Certificate of Eligibility Form and submit an official transcript.  If all requirements are met, a certificate of completion will be issued.

Tuition
Course are billed per credit plus applicable fees.  Please refer to the University + website for up to date tuition and fee information.

Political Economy Certificate Course Requirements

Not all classes offered every semester; largest course offering during summer sessions.

Students are required to take three (3) of these core courses

Econ 103 - Introduction to Microeconomics (4 credits)
Pre-Requisites: None

Offered Online Winter 2025: YES
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD
 
Econ 105 - Introduction to Political Economy (4 credits)
Pre-Requisites: None

Offered Online Winter 2025: YES
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD
 
Econ 205 - Intermediate Political Economy (3 credits)
Pre-Requisites: Econ 105

Offered Online Winter 2025: NO
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD
 

Econ 305 Marxian Economics (3 credits)
Pre-Requisites: None
Offered Online Winter 2025: YES
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD

 

AND the following upper-level course

Econ 308 Political Economy of the Environment  (3 credits)
Pre-Requisites: Econ 103 or Res Econ102

Offered Online Winter 2025: NO
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD

 

Students are required to take (2) Electives from the following courses

*Other Economics electives can be approved by an Economics Advisor. Please contact advising@econs.umass.edu for further information
Econ 337 - Economics in the Age of Big Data and the Internet: Liar’s Economics (3 credits)
Pre-Requisites: None

Offered Online Winter 2025: NO
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD
 
Econ 362 - American Economic History (3 credits) 
Pre-Requisites: None

Offered Online Winter 2025: NO
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD
 
Econ 366 - Economic Development (3 credits)
Pre-Requisites Econ 103 or Res Econ 102

Offered Online Winter 2025: NO
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD
 
Econ 371 - Comparative Economic Systems (3 credits)
Pre-Requisites:
 None

Offered Online Winter 2025: YES
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD
 

394AI Fundamentals of International Political Economy (3 credits)
Pre-Requisites: ECON 104 or ECON 121

Offered Online Winter 2025: YES
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD

Econ  397RW - Real World Economics (3 credits)
Pre-Requisites: None

Offered Online Winter 2025: NO
Offered Online Spring 2025: TBD
Offered Online Summer 2025: TBD
 
 

Classes offered are subject to change. Visit the University + class listings page for latest updates on classes being offered.