Chairperson
| Neaime, Simon |
| Professor Emeritus | Makdisi, Samir |
| Professor | Neaime, Simon |
| Professor of Practice | Diwan, Ishac |
| Associate Professor | Salti, Nisreen |
| Assistant Professors | Abboud, Ali; Samad, Zeeshan; Yamout, Nadine; Zalghout, Abdallah |
| Lecturer | Ramadan, Usamah Husni |
| Instructors | Abdallah, Leen Chaudhry, Rabia Elias Rubeiz, Sylvia; Hamdan, Dana; Hijazi, Ryan; Kanaan, Maya; Karam, Ramzi; Makki, Malak; Mansour, Hassan; Nader, Pamela; Nakhle, Najla; Nassar, Rawan; Sabra, Raja |
Mission Statement
The Department of Economics at the American University of Beirut (AUB) is a cornerstone of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and a long-standing influence on the region’s intellectual and policy landscape. The department advances rigorous and grounded economic education, high-quality research, and public-interest engagement to serve Lebanon, the MENA region, and the global academic community. Rooted in AUB’s tradition of independent inquiry, the department trains students to think critically and analytically across theory, econometrics, and applied policy, while fostering ethical leadership and evidence-based decision-making. Through internationally oriented faculty, interdisciplinary teaching, and active research linkages—including its long-standing partnership with the Institute of Financial Economics—the department prepares graduates to contribute meaningfully to financial economic analysis, policy design, and institution building in an increasingly interconnected world.
The department offers two master’s degree programs, which include a master of arts in economics and a master of arts in financial economics.
Candidates for both master’s degrees should hold a BA in economics. For holders of other bachelor’s degrees (or their equivalent), candidates should complete the following undergraduate courses or their equivalent: ECON 214, ECON 217, ECON 227, MATH 201 and MATH 202. Moreover, all applicants must submit an official GRE or GMAT score with the application.
MA in Economics
Students wishing to obtain a master of arts in economics (MAE) are required to complete at least 21 credits, all of which should be at the graduate level, including ECON 305, ECON 306, ECON 317 and ECON 327, plus a 9-credit thesis. Of the remaining 9 graduate credits, 6 credits should be chosen from the available graduate courses in the department, and up to 3 credits may be chosen from available graduate courses at the university with the adviser’s approval. In case of deficiencies in the students’ undergraduate records, the department may require additional credits. Students are also required to pass the comprehensive exam.
Faculty in the department have a wide range of research interests covering, among others, labor economics, theory-based and applied macroeconomics, financial economics, behavioral economics and economic methodology, public economics and the political economy of development.
Course Descriptions
MA in Financial Economics
Students wishing to obtain a master of arts in financial economics (MAFE) are required to complete at least 27 credits, all of which should be at the graduate level, plus a 3-credit project. The coursework includes eight required courses (listed below) and one elective. In case of deficiencies in the students’ undergraduate records, the department may require additional credits. Students are also required to pass the comprehensive exam.
The research interests of the faculty include macro-finance, industrial organization, international economics, applied econometrics, financial economics, financial econometrics, macroeconomics, monetary economics, energy economics, and time-series econometrics.
Course Descriptions
Electives (one course: 3 credits)
One elective course is chosen from the following list in consultation with the faculty adviser. Other electives may alternatively be chosen from available graduate courses at the university with the adviser’s approval.
Transfers Between the Two Programs
Students wishing to transfer from one program to another can do so after obtaining departmental approval and can be given credit for courses already passed that fall within the requirements of the other program.
Transfers between the two programs are permitted subject to the following:
Students enrolled in the MAE program who wish to transfer to the MAFE program are given credit for ECON 305, ECON 306, ECON 317, ECON 327 and ECON 328 if completed prior to the transfer. The five courses are required under the MAFE program.
Credit may be given for two other graduate courses completed under the MAE program.
With the above courses completed, this leaves 12 credits of additional required coursework (plus the project) to be completed to graduate with an MAFE. Any incomplete courses among the above-mentioned need to be completed. The remaining elective course(s) are chosen in consultation with the student adviser.
Students enrolled in the MAFE program who wish to transfer to the MAE program must complete ECON 306, ECON 317, ECON 327 and ECON 305. If completed prior to the transfer, these classes constitute part of the course requirements towards the MAE. With the completion of these four courses, the transferring students need to complete an additional 9 credits of coursework, plus the thesis.