Economics (Ph.D.)
Admission Requirements
Admission to this program is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School. Applicants to this program must hold a bachelor’s degree and have a grade point average of at least 3.0. Applicants must include verbal, quantitative and analytical Graduate Record Examination scores and three letters of recommendation from officials or teaching staff of the institution(s) most recently attended. Applicants from other countries must demonstrate English proficiency by obtaining a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). All candidates must submit a Statement of Purpose as part of their applications.
Applicants are expected to arrive with the following preparation:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECO 5000 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 4 |
| ECO 5050 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 4 |
| ECO 5100 | Introductory Statistics and Econometrics | 4 |
MAT 2010 and MAT 2020 or similar introductory courses in differential and integral calculus providing minimal mathematics requirements. Additional courses in calculus and linear algebra are highly desirable.
Program Requirements
Ph.D. students in economics must successfully complete ninety credits in graduate study, consisting of sixty credits in course work and thirty credits in dissertation research. Advancement to candidacy will require about three years of full-time study beyond the bachelor’s degree and is granted upon completion of the following requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Completion of a Plan of Work 1 | ||
| Completion of coursework in economic theory: 2 | ||
| ECO 7020 | Fundamentals of Economic Analysis I | 4 |
| ECO 7021 | Fundamentals of Economic Analysis II | 4 |
| ECO 7000 | Microeconomic Theory I | 4 |
| ECO 7010 | Microeconomic Theory II | 4 |
| ECO 7050 | Macroeconomic Theory I | 4 |
| ECO 7060 | Macroeconomic Theory II | 4 |
| Completion of coursework in two of the following five fields: advanced macroeconomics, health economics, industrial organization, international economics, and labor economics. | ||
| Completion of coursework in quantitative methods: | ||
| ECO 7100 | Econometrics I | 4 |
| ECO 7110 | Econometrics II | 4 |
| ECO 7120 | Econometrics III | 4 |
| An oral examination on research | ||
- 1
Must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in Economics and by the Dean of the Graduate School. The Plan of Work must be filed by the completion of the first year of doctoral study.
- 2
Proficiency must be demonstrated by passing qualifying examinations in microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, and two selected fields.
The thirty credit dissertation registration requirement is fulfilled by registering for the courses ECO 9991, ECO 9992, ECO 9993, and ECO 9994 (Doctoral Dissertation Research and Direction I, II, III, and IV, respectively), in consecutive academic year semesters.
Academic Scholarship: All course work must be completed in accordance with the regulations of the Graduate School and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Minor Requirements: Students must complete at least eight credits in a minor field, subject to the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies in Economics. These courses may include other economics courses not specified in the major requirements.
Doctoral Dissertation Outline and Record of Approval: This form must be approved by the student’s dissertation advisory committee, the Director of Graduate Studies in Economics, and the Dean of the Graduate School.
The Doctoral Dissertation: The doctoral candidate is required to submit a doctoral dissertation on a topic satisfactory to his/her Faculty Dissertation Committee.
Public Lecture: Upon acceptance of the dissertation, the student will deliver a final lecture in accordance with Graduate School procedures.