Alumni of Cal State Fullerton’s economics undergraduate and graduate programs are already well-positioned to secure jobs in varying industries.

But for students continuing their higher education, a CSUF economics degree provides a powerful and versatile foundation for Ph.D. programs in economics at research universities.

“Our MA in economics program is the perfect pathway to springboard into a reputable Ph.D. program. Students learn rigorous research methods that prepare them to succeed. The cutting-edge tools we provide our students also prepare them for employment in the private and public sector,” says Radha Bhattacharya, Department of Economics chair.

Two recent M.A. in economics grads – Amod Sugiyama ’19 and Harrison Shieh ’17 – are currently earning doctorates at Oregon State University and UC Santa Cruz, respectively.

These high-achieving alumni tell us a bit about their research and how their experiences at CSUF College of Business and Economics motivated them to continue their higher educational journeys.

Amod Sugiyama: The Impact of Climate Change on the Productivity of Elite Athletes

My introduction to environmental economics was at CSUF. I was doing a study abroad program, and I took Associate Professor of Economics Mitchell Livy’s class, discovering how the basic principles of microeconomics can be applied to solve real-world problems. When I applied for a Ph.D., I specifically looked for schools that have a strong emphasis on environmental economics, and I was really glad when I found out that I got into the Oregon State program.

My current ongoing project is on what drives local-level fracking regulations and the role of nonprofit environmental groups. With fracking not being regulated at the federal level for several reasons, municipalities have been regulating fracking with a high degree of heterogeneity. I am investigating if the presence of environmental groups and their activities (measured by annual spending) increase the likelihood of communities adopting fracking regulations.

As my secondary project, I’m also looking at the short-term impacts of temperature on productivity using data from professional cricket players.

As a lifelong fan of the game of cricket, I always wanted to do some empirical research using data from professional cricket, so I decided to do this for my second-year project. Currently, I’m looking at short-term impacts of temperature on the performance of professional cricket players, such as whether extreme temperatures affect productivity holding everything else constant.

In the long run, I am hoping to estimate how athletes adapt to changes in climate. I’m also working on research that concerns local fracking bans and the roles of environmental nonprofit organizations.

Harrison Shieh: Chinese Monetary Policy 

My CSUF thesis provided motivation for my current work examining Chinese monetary policy. This would not have been possible without the constant support from my M.A. advisor, Gabriela Best, as well as a committee formed by Rokon Bhuiyan and Huiran Pan, all professors of economics. Their encouragement solidified my desire to specialize in macroeconomics for my Ph.D.

Currently, my research examines the effect of central bank communications on asset prices and the transmission of monetary policy through the real economy, with a particular focus on East Asia. Particularly, my work focuses on the identification of Chinese monetary policy shocks using policy announcements made by the Chinese central bank. Additional projects examine the role input/output linkages play in the transmission of Chinese monetary policy throughout the global value chain, investigating the linkage between Chinese monetary policy and shadow credit growth, and the analysis of Indian monetary policy announcements using NLP/textual analysis methods.

Practical implications range from the “optimal” implementation of monetary policy of a central bank that is not the U.S. Federal Reserve to the implications of non-U.S. monetary policy on regional and global trade networks.

For More on Economics

Cal State Fullerton’s M.A. in economics program offers a versatile introduction to economics research, theory and practice, positioning students for rewarding careers or the opportunity to study at highly regarded research institutions and earn their doctorates.

Taught by world-renowned teaching and research faculty, Titan economics students have access to the support and development they need to succeed.

For more on our programs, visit the Department of Economics undergrad and graduate web pages. Read more of our articles on economics.