Political ScienceThe Master of Arts in Analytical Political Economy (MAPE) degree is a joint master’s program of the Departments of Economics and Political Science, necessitated by a growing interest in political economy among young economists and in economics by young political scientists. These fields are converging, and economic policy making in fields such as immigration, environmental regulation, digital rights, and international trade increasingly includes a strong political component.
Political economy examines the reciprocal relationships between politics and markets, both within and among countries, using a variety of analytical tools, including those of economics. Its concerns include interactions among economic and political development; cooperation and conflict among nations, groups, and individuals; the distribution of material resources and political power; the effects of political actors and institutions on economic outcomes; the causes and consequences of technological and structural change, growth, and globalization; and local, national and international regulation.
The MAPE program offers a quantitatively rigorous curriculum rooted in economic and political theory, application, and analysis. It gives students experience with economic modeling, along with a deep understanding of how and why policies are developed and implemented.
MAPE students are eligible for research assistantships across the university. Interested students can find a professor, who may be in Economics, Political Science, or some other university unit, willing to include them in a research project. Although not every aspiring student achieves a match, at least not immediately, almost all MAPE students seeking an RA position succeed. Some students on the PhD track find it helpful to work for at least a semester as a teaching assistant.
Students pursuing an MA in Political Economy can participate in research involving applied development and program evaluation in conjunction with the Duke Center for International Development. DCID provides an applied learning environment that focuses on connecting international development scholars with practitioners to carry out development projects. It brings together faculty and graduate students from several Duke units, working in a broad range of areas, including education, health, governance, environment, labor, trade, finance, and growth.
Learn More about the MAPE Program Requirements and Course Options