MA Comprehensive Exam Blackboard Site

I have created a blackboard site to help students taking the MA in Economics Comprehensive Exam prepare. It includes information about how to register for the exam and sample exams. Perhaps more importantly, it includes tools to help students collaborate while studying, including:

1. Discussion Boards: Students can create a thread posting comments or questions for general discussion. You can subscribe to the discussion board forums to be e-mailed regarding updates to the discussion.

2. Virtual Meeting Place: Students are encouraged to use the Wimba classroom to meet when in person meetings are difficult. The wimba classroom allows students to chat or video chat in real time, upload files with questions or topics to discuss, and even share their desktop. You can also use the breakout room feature to break up into smaller groups.

3. Group pages. If you want to divide yourselves into smaller study groups, sign up for one of the groups created. These group pages allow for discussion boards, e-mailing, blogging, wiki-pages and other tools amongst smaller groups of students.

4. E-mail other students. You can contact all students taking the comprehensive exam (or just selected students) through this link.

If you have any questions, or know of other students that should have been included on this blackboard site, feel free to contact Kara Reynolds at reynolds@american.edu

Mellon fund Competition

The College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce the Fall 2011 competition for support of graduate student research. Award support is provided by the College Dean’s discretionary account for up to $1,000 for research expenses, and up to $300 for conference travel. Funds are also available from the Robyn Rafferty Mathias gift to support international travel for research associated with a thesis or dissertation. Total awards for any purpose should not exceed $1,000 per academic year. Exceptions to the $1,000 limit may be made for exceptional proposals involving international travel.

Applications to support the preparation of external grant proposals by graduate students are encouraged. Students planning to use funds to carry out research on human subjects or animals must submit the proposal to either the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) prior to the submission of a proposal to this competition. Notice of approval by either committee must be received before funds can be allocated. Please note that any equipment purchased with this funding is the property of American University. Awardees of international travel funds must present their results at the College of Arts and Sciences Robyn Rafferty Mathias Student Research Conference next spring. All funds must be used within one year of receiving the award.

Please complete the form below and attach a one-page statement describing your project and its anticipated outcomes. You must specify your budget where indicated on the form or else in a separate attachment. Please submit either in hard copy (to Aisha Malik in the department office) or via email to malik@american.edu by Wednesday, October 19 at the latest. (Please note that we expect there will be another competition in Spring 2012, if you are unable to meet this deadline).