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Ph.D. in Economics Graduate Admissions Profile

Admission is based primarily on four factors:

• Mathematical ability and training as evidenced by courses taken in mathematics and related subjects, grades in those courses, and the quantitative GRE score.
• General academic ability as evidenced by the applicant's academic record, including both grades and the difficulty of courses taken.
• Training in economics as evidenced by the applicant's academic record in economics and related fields, letters of recommendation, and work experience related to economics.
• Evidence of motivation and aptitude for research judged primarily on the basis of the letters of recommendation, the statement of purpose, work experience in economics, and previous research projects.

In past years most applicants recommended for graduate admission were in the following profile areas:

• Major GPA of 3.8 or higher with consideration for the degree of difficulty of the course work.
• Upper level mathematical course work including real analysis or honors advanced calculus with grades of A- minus or better.
• Quantitative GRE score of 165 or higher.*
• Grades of A-minus or better in intermediate level theory courses (microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics) with a strong preference for honors or mathematical track versions of all three courses.
• Advanced undergraduate or graduate-level course work in economics.
• Proven independent research ability (e.g., honors thesis).
• Very strong letters of recommendations from at least two faculty members who know the candidate in both classroom and out-of-class settings (e.g. independent research).
• Statement of purpose that expresses coherent ideas about why the candidate is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in economics and describes likely areas of research interest.
• TOEFL (if applicable) at least 90 for the Internet-based test (iBT).
• IELTS (is accepted) most recent overall Band score must be at least 7 on a 9-point scale.

*GRE scores will not be required for the 2023-24 admissions season (for matriculation in Fall 2024).

UPDATE 12/18/2020 (a note on P/NP grades since the Covid-19/Coronavirus Pandemic):

UC Berkeley evaluates applicants for admission to its graduate and professional schools holistically, meaning that we consider an applicant’s combination of personal accomplishments, letters of recommendation, personal statements, academic record, and test scores in making our admissions decisions. Such a review will take into account the significant disruptions of COVID-19 when reviewing students’ transcripts and other admissions materials during the pandemic. Thus, we will not penalize students for the adoption of P/NP grades and reduced research experiences during this unprecedented period, whether the choices were made by institutions or by individual students. What is most important is that applicants demonstrate that they pursued a challenging curriculum that was relevant to their plan for graduate or professional school.

As we have continued to observe in admissions cycles, Berkeley graduates have a remarkable track record of success in graduate school admissions to the most competitive programs in the country. Our graduates are admired for their academic abilities and resilience, and are assessed, as always, on their overall performance. We are confident that graduate admissions committees will make generous allowances for the academic challenges produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

PhD Program

Year after year, our top-ranked PhD program sets the standard for graduate economics training across the country. Graduate students work closely with our world-class faculty to develop their own research and prepare to make impactful contributions to the field.

Our doctoral program enrolls 20-24 full-time students each year and students complete their degree in five to six years. Students undertake core coursework in microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, and econometrics, and are expected to complete two major and two minor fields in economics. Beyond the classroom, doctoral students work in close collaboration with faculty to develop their research capabilities, gaining hands-on experience in both theoretical and empirical projects.

How to apply

Students are admitted to the program once per year for entry in the fall. The online application opens on September 15 and closes on December 15.

Meet our students

Our PhD graduates go on to teach in leading economics departments, business schools, and schools of public policy, or pursue influential careers with organizations and businesses around the world. 

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The Ph.D. Program in the Department of Economics at Harvard is addressed to students of high promise who wish to prepare themselves in teaching and research in academia or for responsible positions in government, research organizations, or business enterprises. Students are expected to devote themselves full-time to their programs of study.

The program prepares students for productive and stimulating careers as economists. Courses and seminars offered by the department foster an intellectually active and stimulating environment. Each week, the department sponsors more than 15 different seminars on such topics as environmental economics, economic growth and development, monetary and fiscal policy, international economics, industrial organization, law and economics, behavioral economics, labor economics, and economic history. Top scholars from both domestic and international communities are often invited speakers at the seminars.  The Harvard community outside of the department functions as a strong and diverse resource. Students in the department are free to pursue research interests with scholars throughout the University. Faculty of the Harvard Law School, Kennedy School of Government, and Harvard Business School, for example, are available to students for consultation, instruction, and research guidance. As a member of the Harvard community, students in the department can register for courses in the various schools and have access to the enormous library resources available through the University. There are over 90 separate library units at Harvard, with the total collections of books and pamphlets numbering over 13 million.  Both the department and the wider University draw some of the brightest students from around the world, which makes for a student body that is culturally diverse and likely unequaled in the range of intellectual interests of its members. These factors combine to add an important dimension to the educational process. Students are able to learn from one another, collaborate on research projects and publications, and form bonds that are not broken by distance once the degree is completed and professional responsibilities lead them in different directions.

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PhD in Economics

PhD students take 16 courses, roughly half of which are spent acquiring the core analytic tools of the profession (microeconomics, macroeconomics, and quantitative methods), with the balance spent applying those tools in particular fields of specialization. All PhD students must complete a doctoral dissertation (thesis).

The PhD in Economics is a STEM designated degree program.

View the complete PhD Rules here

Program Requirements

Doctoral students must complete a minimum of 16 semester courses (64 credits). They are required to successfully complete the core courses by the end of the first year.

Theory and Quantitative Core Requirements

These core courses must be passed by the end of the first year with a grade of at least B- in each course.

• EC 701 Advanced Microeconomics I (4 credits)
• EC 702 Advanced Macroeconomics I (4 credits)
• EC 703 Advanced Microeconomics II (4 credits)
• EC 704 Advanced Macroeconomics II (4 credits)
• EC 707 Advanced Statistics for Economists (4 credits)
• EC 708 Advanced Econometrics I (4 credits)

Students must also take EC 705 Mathematical Economics in the first semester, unless a waiver is granted, and EC 709 Advanced Econometrics II (4 credits) in the third semester.

In addition, students must pass a qualifying examination in both microeconomics and macroeconomics. Students have at most three opportunities to take the qualifying examinations; failing may result in termination from the PhD program.

Field Requirements

All students must pass 2 2-course fields, each with a minimum grade average of B.

In addition, students must take at least 2 other courses. The following fields are generally offered each year:

• Development
• Econometrics
• Economic Theory
• Empirical Finance
• Financial Econometrics
• Industrial Organization
• International Economics
• Labor Economics
• Money/Macroeconomics
• Public Economics

GPA Requirements

All courses must be passed with a grade of B– or higher. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 must be attained in all courses taken after enrollment in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Time Requirement

The PhD program is designed so that a typical student can complete all requirements within 5 to 6 years. International students may be subject to additional restrictions imposed by the terms of their visas, as governed by the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO).

Students are expected to meet the following milestones each year:

By the end of the 1st year:

• Finish and pass all core first-year courses, as well as EC 705 (unless exempted through placement exam).
• Sit for the first attempt at the micro and macro qualifying exams in June. The second attempt, if necessary, is in August.

By the end of the 2nd year:

• Pass EC 709, a required course in Advanced Econometrics.
• Continue and, if possible, complete remaining coursework, including a two-course sequence in each of two fields. A B average (3.0) is required in each of the field course sequence.
• Achieve an overall GPA of at least 3.0.
• If both qualifiers are not passed, the third and final attempt is in June of the second year.
• Each student must prepare a research paper during the second year and the following summer. By April 1 of the second year, the student must ask a faculty member to serve as an advisor on this paper; have this faculty member agree to serve in this manner; and inform the DGS of the topic of the paper and the advisor’s name. The paper is due in the third year as described below.

By the end of the 3rd year:

• Submit the second-year paper by October 1. By October 15, the faculty advisor must provide (i) a grade for the paper; and (ii) a brief written evaluation the paper. These documents will be sent to the DGS and the student. A student must receive a passing grade on the research paper.
• Complete all coursework with GPA of at least 3.0.
• Continue work on research for the dissertation.
• Attend and present at least annually in one of the research workshops until completion of all degree requirements.

Years 4, 5, and (if necessary) 6:

• Student carries out thesis research, defending the thesis no later than the end of the sixth year.

Dissertation

Under the supervision of two faculty advisers, a student prepares a dissertation proposal for presentation at a proposal seminar. If the proposal is approved, the student proceeds to research and write the dissertation. When the dissertation is completed, the student must defend it at a final oral examination. The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences requires that the dissertation be completed within seven years of initial enrollment in the program.

For more details, view the complete PhD Rules here and check out our past PhD Placements here .

Department of Economics

Ph.D. Admissions

The ph.d. in economics.

The Ph.D. program in economics admits between 8 and 12 students per year and prepares them for a successful career in academia, government, international organizations, or the private sector. In the first year, students take classes in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, as well as mathematical economics and economic history. In the second and third year, students take 21 credit hours of specialized classes in at least two of the following concentrations:

• Microeconomic Theory
• Macroeconomic Theory
• Econometrics
• Economic Development
• Economic History
• Health Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International Economics
• Labor Economics
• Money and Financial Institutions
• Public Economics

Students can petition to combine at least two related classes to a nonstandard concentration.  

Applying to the Program

The application deadline for the Ph.D. program is January 15th for the coming fall semester. Successful applicants have strong quantitative backgrounds and a passion for research in  economics. The  application fee is $95.00 upon submission.

Please direct all Ph.D. admission inquiries to [email protected] .

Qualifications

Our incoming students usually have an undergraduate degree in economics and/or mathematics, with significant quantitative and math-intensive course experience. Many international applicants have a master’s degree. Research experience (such as an undergraduate or master’s thesis, or work as a research assistant) is a plus.  

• Required: One year of calculus, one semester of statistics, and intermediate-level courses in microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory.
• Strongly recommended: Courses in linear algebra, differential equations, real analysis, and econometrics. 

Information to Submit

• Self-reported/unofficial or official GRE scores
• International students: self-reported/unofficial or official TOEFL or IELTS scores. This requirement will be waived for an international student with a degree from an institution in which English is the official language of instruction. Furthermore, while a TOEFL score is optional for applicants attending an English-language university in a non-English-speaking country, it can often be helpful to demonstrate command of English.
• Unofficial transcripts
• 3-5 letters of recommendation

Statement of Purpose

In your statement of purpose, tell us how your studies so far have prepared you for a Ph.D. program, and share what fascinates you about research in economics.  

Visiting Campus

Campus visits are offered to everyone admitted to the program. Visits consist of a half-day of individual meetings with faculty members and students, plus lunch. 

Q: What test scores do admitted candidates usually have  on the GRE?

A: Applicants often overestimate the importance of GRE scores for Ph.D. applications. The GRE tests whether you can do high school math quickly and correctly, as well as your vocabulary. Scores below a certain level (say, below 155 verbal and below 161 quantitative) tend to indicate problems, while very high scores do not necessarily guarantee that you are fully prepared for a Ph.D. program in economics.

For candidates who satisfy these thresholds, we look primarily at their preparation for a Ph.D. program in terms of how they did in the challenging courses they took in both advanced economics and math, rather than going only by their specific GRE scores.

Q: Do you have a minimum TOEFL or IELTS score?

A: Admitted international candidates tend to have a minimum TOEFL speaking score of 24 or an IELTS speaking score of 7. 

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Requirements for the PhD. in Economics

The Requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, effective for the entering class of 2020, consist of successfully completing:

• Course Requirements
• Doctoral Written Examination
• Doctoral Dissertation

This document describes each of these requirements in detail.

1. Course Requirements

A doctoral candidate must complete 16 Ph.D.-level courses, at least two (2) semesters of the “Dissertation Workshop” related to their Field, at least one (1) semester of the “Dissertation Completion Seminar”. The two (2) semesters of the “Dissertation Workshop” count as one of the 16 Ph.D.-level courses to be completed. [1] At least 13 of the 16 courses must be from the Economics Department unless the student’s field of specialization specifically requires additional courses from other units or the student has permission from the faculty in the field. [2] All field courses must be approved both by faculty of the relevant field and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS). By graduate school rules, a student becomes academically ineligible to continue in the program if a student receives a grade of F, F*, XF, or nine or more hours of L in the above-mentioned courses. Academically ineligible means that the student is out of the Ph.D. program. “Out of the Ph.D. program” is the wording we will use to denote this state in the rest of the document. [3]

1.1 Courses in the Fundamentals of Economics

The courses that provide the fundamentals of economics are:

• ECON 700 and 701: Quantitative Methods
• ECON 710 and 711: Graduate Microeconomics
• ECON 720 and 721: Graduate Macroeconomics
• ECON 770 and 771: Graduate Econometrics

ECON 700 is a daily math camp offered in the first three weeks of August, and counts as a standard core course (3 credit hours).

1.2 Courses in the Fields of Specialization

Each student selects a field of specialization.

At least three (3) courses in the field of specialization are required. Current examples of field of specialization courses are available on the webpage  Field Specialization Requirements. Notice that these are only examples and new fields of specialization can be created by students under the supervision of a faculty member. The new field of specialization and the related three courses should be approved by the DGS. Examples of fields of specialization are:

• Econometrics
• Financial Econometrics
• Health Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International/Macroeconomics
• Labor Economics
• Microeconomic Theory

1.3 Courses in Supporting Fields

Supporting courses are chosen by the student in consultation with the DGS and other faculty. The supporting courses may be within the specialized field or in other areas.

1.4 Additional Course Requirements

Students are required to take at least two (2) semesters of the “Dissertation Workshop” related to their Field. Dissertation Workshops are typically taken starting in the third year of the Ph.D. program. In addition, students on the job market are required to take at least one (1) semester of the “Dissertation Completion Seminar”. The Seminar is taken in fall of the final graduation year, typically the fifth or sixth year of the Ph.D. program.

1.5 How to satisfy the 16-course requirement

In general, courses offered in the Ph.D. program in the department or approved by the DGS and taken in other departments or schools count toward satisfying the 16-course requirement. But there are the following exceptions:

• The “Dissertation Workshop” (ECON 920, 970, 985, 990) counts only ONCE even if you enroll for multiple semesters. Specifically, two (2) semesters of the “Dissertation Workshop” count as one of the 16 Ph.D.-level courses to be completed;
• The “Seminar in Teaching Methods” (ECON 805 and 806) does NOT count;
• The newly introduced workshop “Dissertation Completion Seminar” does NOT count.

2. Doctoral Written Examination

  Students must pass written qualifying examinations in econometrics, macroeconomics, and microeconomics. Students must also pass the field paper requirement. Passing the qualifying examinations and the field paper satisfies the Graduate School requirement for the doctoral written examination.

2.1 Qualifying Examination requirement

All students who have successfully completed the eight (8) courses in the Fundamentals of Economics described in Section 1.1 are required to take qualifying examinations in econometrics, macroeconomics, and microeconomics. These examinations are administered around the first week of June, are three hours each and are meant to test if the core knowledge necessary to successfully proceed in the program has been acquired by the student. Exact dates will be communicated in advance by the DGS. The qualifying examinations requirement is satisfied by accomplishing the following:

• Out of the three (3) possible grades {P, L, F} (where P>L>F), obtain at least two (2) P and one (1) L over the three exams.

The exams are prepared and graded by a qualifying examinations committee nominated by the Chair and chaired by the DGS. The grades for all three exams are communicated jointly at the end of the grading process. If a student does not satisfy the criteria on the first attempt, another attempt is offered around the end of August. Exact dates will be communicated in advance by the DGS. On the second attempt, the student is required to retake the exams graded with an F and may decide to retake the exams graded with an L. For example, if a student accomplishes {P, L, F} on the first attempt, he has to retake the F and may decide to retake the L or not. As another example, if a student accomplishes {P, L, L} on the first attempt, she has to retake at least one of the two L’s but she is free to decide which one. She may also decide to retake both to diversify risk.

If a student does not satisfy the criteria on the second attempt, a third attempt is offered the following year at the same time and with the same exams administered to the new first-year Ph.D. students. The same criteria described for the second attempt apply to the third attempt. If a student does not satisfy the criteria by the third attempt, no additional chance to pass the requirement is offered and the student is out of the Ph.D. program. [4]

2.2. Field Paper requirement

The field paper requirement is satisfied by accomplishing the following steps:

• Identify a possible advisor for the field paper. The deadline to identify a possible advisor is June 1 of the summer between the second and third year of the Ph.D. program.
• Complete a first draft of the paper. The first draft of the paper is not a complete paper but a draft that states clearly motivation, objective and methodology. It also needs to demonstrate the student’s understanding of the relevant tools and literature in the field. The deadline to complete the first draft is the first week of classes of the third year Fall semester. During preparation of the draft, the student is expected to be in regular contact with the advisor and the advisor is expected to be responsive to the student.
• Complete the final draft of the paper. The final draft of the paper is a self-contained draft that accomplishes a specific objective and implements a specific methodology. It does not need to be polished at the level of a paper ready for publication but it should constitute a substantial building block for a research paper and/or a dissertation chapter. The deadline to complete the final draft is the last day of examination week of the third year Fall semester. During preparation of the draft, the student is expected to be in regular contact with the advisor and the advisor is expected to be responsive to the student.

The Field Paper committee is composed of the advisor chosen in step 1 plus two (2) additional faculty members. The advisor will also be the faculty of reference to enroll in ECON 994 ‘Doctoral Research and Dissertation’, which is required for all Ph.D. students after two years in the program. The field paper committee decides if the field paper requirements are satisfied. If the field paper committee decides that the final draft of the paper is not satisfactory, the student fails the requirement and has the possibility to resubmit a final draft. The deadline for resubmission is the last day of examination week of the third year Spring semester. If the resubmission is not approved by the committee, the student is officially out of the Ph.D. program. The Field Paper committee decisions are shared with the DGS and the student in a timely manner.

3. Doctoral Dissertation

The Doctoral Dissertation requirement is satisfied by accomplishing the following steps:

• The  doctoral oral examination , or preliminary oral examination, consists of an evaluation of the thesis prospectus. The thesis prospectus (i.e. dissertation proposal) is discussed in front of the Dissertation committee. The student must successfully complete their prospectus by the end of the fourth year in the PhD program. If the student does not meet this deadline, to remain in good standing in the program they must submit a letter to the DGS that describes the current state of their research and a plan for timely completion of their prospectus. In this case, one faculty advisor must sign-off on the student’s research plan. If the student does not complete the prospectus by the end of the fifth year, they must exit the PhD program. If the student was unable to complete the prospectus by the end of the fifth year due to extraordinary personal or academic circumstances, they may petition to remain in the program by submitting an updated research overview and plan, signed by a faculty advisor. Students who defend their prospectus after the end of the fourth year must allow for one calendar year between the prospectus defense and graduation dates; research plans should directly acknowledge this requirement.
• The doctoral dissertation . Students work closely with members of the Dissertation committee in developing their dissertation. Consult the  Graduate School Guide to Theses and Dissertations for additional information and style requirements. Doctoral dissertations are usually completed at the end of the fifth or sixth year in the program. Overall, a student has eight (8) calendar years from the date of first registration in the doctoral program to complete the doctoral degree. [5]
• The final oral examination, or final oral defense of the dissertation, consists of a discussion of the final dissertation in front of the Dissertation committee. The deadline for the defense with respect to graduation dates is provided by the graduate school here . At the same webpage, the Graduate School also provides additional instructions for filing for graduation.

The Dissertation committee is composed by five (5) faculty members. One of the five members is the advisor. Occasionally two faculty members may act as co-advisors. One of the five faculty members may be a scholar from outside the department or the university. If students do not pass step 1 or step 3, they have the possibility of one (1) retake at a time jointly agreed upon with the dissertation committee. If the retake is also not approved by the committee, the student is officially out of the Ph.D. program.

4. Additional Remarks

The requirements described in this document are consistent with the Graduate School requirements for a Ph.D. that can be found in the Graduate School Handbook and the Graduate Catalog . We invite students to be familiar with these requirements. In addition, students should also be aware of the general University Campus Policies , the University Policies for Research , and the Graduate School Policies on Academic Integrity and Ethics .

The expression “out of the Ph.D.” program used in the text refers to a student who cannot continue in the Ph.D. program. However, these students can appeal to be reinstated in the graduate program in order to obtain a Master’s degree. Requirements to obtain a Master’s degree are here .

[1] Additional enrollments in the workshop are expected throughout the time that a student is writing the dissertation.

[2] Credits transfer one to one from other units from outside the department. For example, a half credits/half semester course in the Economics Department at Duke transfers as half credits/half semester course at UNC.

[3] When special circumstances warrant, a student made academically ineligible under the conditions stated above may be reinstated in The Graduate School upon petition initiated through the student’s academic program. In our program, this typically means that the student can be reinstated in order to complete a terminal Master degree.

[4] A student out of the PhD program can petition to be reinstated in order to obtain a Master’s of Science in Economics. Please see here for requirements about the Master’s program.

[5] Under extenuating circumstances, a student in good academic standing may be warranted a one-year extension of the degree time limit. Please see the specific Graduate School policy available here for additional details.

How to Apply to the PhD Program

The next admission cycle is for Fall 2025, with the application portal opening in September. The deadline for applying is Thursday, December 12, 2024 .

You still need to submit test scores from the GRE and TOEFL (if a non-native speaker of English). 

We do not admit any students for the spring term.

We do not have a master's program in economics.

Basic Requirements for Admission

Our basic standards and requirements for admission are:

• A grade-point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or an academic rank in the top 5% of your class.
• A score in the 80th percentile or higher on the quantitative portion of the GRE general exam. This requirement applies to both the old and new versions of the exam.
• For students who are not native speakers of English, a minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL iBT, or 7.0 on the IELTS. a minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL iBT, or 7.0 on the IELTS. Students who have at least four years of funding from a third party may be admitted with a TOEFL score of 79 on the ibT or an IELTS score of 6.5. Test scores are valid within 2 years of program start (September); so a TOEFL or IELTS exam date earlier than September 2021 will have to be retaken for a Fall 2023 admission.
• Coursework in multivariate calculus and linear algebra.
• For the full list of application requirements, please review the Application Checklist page .

Every year we receive far more applications from students who meet these standards than we can admit, so we use additional criteria to evaluate the applications. These criteria include courses taken and texts studied, letters of recommendation, research papers and other professional activities and academic honors. The admissions committee will also look for evidence that the applicant has been exposed to economic theory beyond the intermediate undergraduate level. This introduction may come through a course called advanced economic theory, mathematical economics, game theory, or mathematics for economists.

It is recommended that students take more than just the mathematical prerequisite classes, as more experience in analysis, differential equations, optimization, topology, probability, or measure theory will help your graduate study immensely.

TOEFL Waivers

The TOEFL may be waived for admission if the applicant has completed at least 16 credits of college-level work at a university in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand within 24 months of the desired date of admission. If you are admitted and are offered a teaching assistantship, you will need to take the Spoken English Test for Teaching Assistants  (SETTA).

If you have questions about applying to the Economics Doctoral Program, please contact the Economics Graduate Studies Office at  [email protected] .  Please do not write to individual professors with transcripts or resumes.  Your credentials cannot be evaluated without a formal application.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Economics

Program description.

The PhD in Economics degree program provides a cutting-edge education in economic theories and the development of a rigorous toolkit of mathematical and econometric techniques. Students also gain extensive exposure to various research areas in economics that allow them to think critically about how to approach the analysis of economic problems and contribute to the knowledge base of the discipline. The program is particularly strong in the areas of public economics, applied microeconomics, macroeconomics, data analysis, and the economics of conflict.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program seek positions such as: academic, data analyst, economist in financial institutions, management firms, and consulting firms both in private and domestic sector, academics and researcher and government positions (the Federal Reserve banks, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, Social Security Administration and Federal Trade Commission.)

Application Requirements

Degree requirements:  Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

GPA:  Minimum GPA of 3.25 in upper-division and graduate course work in economics and related courses.

Test score required:  Yes

The minimum quantitative score is 158 with students averaging 163 on the quantitative score and 150 of the verbal score. The program does not accept GMAT scores as a substitute for GRE scores.

Letters of recommendation:  3

Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who can judge the candidate’s probability of success in graduate school. Use the electronic request form in the graduate application to submit the letters. Contact the graduate academic program department if you have any questions.

Admissions essay required:  Yes

A one-page essay outlining the applicant’s background, reasons for choosing UT Dallas, prior educational experiences, and personal objectives.

Deadlines:  University  deadlines  apply.

Contact Information

Judy Du Graduate Program Administrator Email: [email protected] Phone: 972-883-4964 Office: GR 2.808

Degree Information Dr. Seth Giertz Director of Graduate Studies Email: [email protected] Phone: 972-883-6234 Office: GR 2.244

EPPS Advising The University of Texas at Dallas 800 W Campbell Rd, GR 31 Richardson, TX 75080-3021 [email protected]

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Department of Economics

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PhD Program Overview

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The PhD Program

A Letter from the Director of Graduate Studies test

Thank you for your interest in our PhD program.  (Please note: UVa does not offer a terminal M.A. degree in economics. The AEA provides a  list of U.S. programs in economics for those seeking a master's degree.)

The Economics Department is one of over 30 programs within the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences . The Ph.D. program in Economics provides training for careers in both teaching and research by emphasizing theory, quantitative methods, and early involvement in research.

The success of the program is reflected in our graduates'  job placements , which include highly ranked universities, such as Chicago, Columbia, UCLA, Cornell, Penn State, as well as excellent undergraduate institutions, such as Carleton and Brandeis. In a recent survey, UVA ranked fourteenth among graduate programs in academic placement. Many students also find summer or permanent employment in the nearby Washington area, e.g., at the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Congressional Budget Office.

About twenty students enter our program each year. At any given time there are approximately 80-90 students in residence. Classes are small and students are able to work closely with faculty. Graduate students are provided with two computer labs, both equipped with up-to-date PCs and a wide selection of software.

In addition to taking the core courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, doctoral students choose two fields of specialization from: Industrial Organization, International Economics, Macroeconomics, Public Economics, Econometrics, Theory, Development, and Labor. Virtually all graded courses can be completed by the end of the second year, so that students can begin dissertation research at an early stage (in the summer after the second year).

During the third and fourth years, students are active in one or more of the regularly scheduled workshops: Theory, Applied Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Public Economics, Econometrics, Development, and International Economics.

Applications and all credentials must be submitted through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences'  online application . The non-refundable application fee must be paid online via credit card. If you are eligible for an application fee waiver, please contact the Graduate School when you are ready to apply. The School's Dean of Admissions may waive the fee to members of certain  organizations . However, you should contact me directly if you think that your application may arrive later than the January 15th deadline.

All students who are admitted are offered the same aid package. Financial need will not affect your chances for admission.

Financial assistance to students admitted for Fall 2020 includes $30,000 per year ($24,000 during the academic year, and $6,000 during the summer), along with full tuition remission, and health insurance coverage. The offer is guaranteed for 5 years, conditional on maintaining good standing in the program. Full details are available in the  Financial Aid  section of our admission instructions.

In addition, the Graduate School administers a competitive fellowship program to support a sixth year of study for doctoral students who are poised to complete distinguished dissertations and enter the job market. In 2016-17, twenty-five such fellowships will be offered, and the Graduate School plans to increase this number significantly in the coming years.

Your application and all supporting documents should reach the Graduate Admissions Office by January 15. (We admit students only for the fall semester.) Please note that you will need to present scores from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), but the advanced test in economics is not required. Complete details on our admission requirements are provided in the  Admission  section of this web site. If your question is not answered in the following pages, please e-mail Kristina Johnson , the Graduate Program Coordinator.

James Harrigan , Director of Graduate Studies

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Graduate Program

Ph.d. studies at princeton economics.

The Ph.D. program at Princeton Economics is one of the premier economics programs in the world. The small number of students admitted each year receive training in an exceptional research environment, supported by faculty members who are working at the forefront of research in their fields.

Admission to the program is extremely selective. Each year, the department receives approximately 800 applications for a class of 20 to 25 students. Students come from diverse backgrounds and from dozens of countries around the globe.

Princeton provides all admitted Ph.D. students tuition and fellowship support for the academic year. Admitted students also receive fellowship support through the summer months so they can continue their study and research when classes are not in session.

The Economics Department at Princeton does not offer a Master’s Degree. Students looking for information about the Master in Finance can learn more on the Princeton Bendheim Center for Finance website .

Job Market Placements

Doctor of Philosophy in the Field of Economics (STEM)

Economics looks at choices under scarcity and how these choices affect production, market prices, national output, unemployment, inflation, economic growth and the use and distribution of resources within and across nations. GW’s graduate economics program involves topics ranging from microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics to subject areas chosen from labor economics, international economics, and the economics of industry. It is part of the social and behavioral sciences program in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.

The PhD program is divided into two units. The first unit includes completing examinations in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory and two field examinations selected by the student and approved by the doctoral program committee.The second unit includes participation in a dissertation seminar, completion of the written dissertation, and an oral defense. The program is offered primarily on a full-time basis and students are expected to complete their degrees in five to six years. Occasionally, the program admits highly qualified part-time students.

This is a STEM designated program.

Visit the program website for additional information.

Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Office of Graduate Studies The George Washington University 801 22nd Street NW, Phillips Hall 107 Washington DC 20052

For additional information about the admissions process visit the Columbian College  of Arts and Sciences  Frequently Asked Questions  page.

[email protected] 202-994-6210 (phone)

Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

The general requirements stated under  Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs .

The requirements for the  Doctor of Philosophy Program .

Pre-candidacy requirements

Pre-candidacy requirements include satisfactory completion of 48 credits, including 18 credits in required courses and 30 credits in elective courses. Students must also earn a grade of Pass or Pass with Distinction on each part of the general examination, as outlined below.

General Examination

The general examination has three parts: two preliminary examinations taken in the first year—one in microeconomic theory and one in macroeconomic theory—and a research paper due in the sixth semester. To pass the general examination, students must earn a grade of  Pass  or  Pass with Distinction  on both preliminary examinations and on the research paper.

Students who earn a GPA of 3.0 or above in the microeconomic theory course sequence ( ECON 8301 and ECON 8302 ) are considered to have earned a grade of Pass on the preliminary examination in microeconomic theory; students who earn a GPA of 3.0 or above in the macroeconomic theory course sequence ( ECON 8305 and ECON 8306 ) are considered to have earned a grade of Pass on the preliminary examination in macroeconomic theory. Other students must sit the preliminary examinations at the end of the first year.

Students who do not earn a grade of Pass or Pass with Distinction on both preliminary examinations may, with departmental approval, retake one or both examinations before the start of the following semester. Both preliminary examinations must be passed by the second attempt.

Students are also required to earn a grade of Pass or Pass with Distinction on the research paper, which constitutes the second half of the general examination. Students must submit the research paper and deliver a presentation of the content to at least two faculty members for evaluation by the end of their sixth semester in the program. (Part-time students may submit the research paper later, subject to departmental approval.) Students who do not pass the research paper by the end of the sixth semester will receive an academic warning and must pass it by the end of the following semester.

Post-candidacy requirements

Post-candidacy requirements include successful completion of 24 credits at the 8000 level, the formulation of a dissertation proposal, a formal presentation of the proposal by the student to a prospective dissertation committee for approval (where approval of the proposal formalizes the creation of the dissertation committee), and completion of a dissertation that demonstrates the candidate's ability to do original research as determined by the dissertation committee.

Students should successfully defend the dissertation proposal by the end of the eighth semester in the program. Students who do not successfully defend the dissertation proposal by the deadline will receive an academic warning and must successfully defend the proposal by the end of the following semester. Part-time students may defend later, subject to departmental approval.

The 24 credits must include a minimum of 6 credits in  ECON 8999 Dissertation Research .

Once a student successfully completes the 72 credits required for the program, they must register for 1 credit in  CCAS 0940 Continuing Research - Doctoral each subsequent fall and spring semester until they have successfully defended their dissertation to the dissertation oral examination committee, thereby completing the degree program.

Students may apply for the master of philosophy (MPhil) degree after successfully defending a dissertation proposal.

Time limits

The pre-candidacy stage must be concluded within six semesters of matriculation in the program; part-time students may conclude the pre-candidacy stage within ten semesters of matriculation, subject to departmental approval. Upon successful completion of pre-candidacy, students are considered for admission to candidacy, i.e., the dissertation stage. The dissertation stage must be completed within five years of entry into candidacy, or within eight years of matriculation in the program, whichever comes first.

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• PhD Degree Requirements

Full-time students are expected to complete all requirements for the PhD degree within five years of entering the program. (The maximum time allowed by the graduate school is six years.) The schedule of required courses below is centered on this expectation. Failure to make timely and satisfactory progress toward the degree may result in loss of financial assistance or dismissal from the program.

Course Requirements

Other methods by which the required competence may be demonstrated are:

• A letter from the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) confirming that the student has had sufficient mathematical preparation in prior studies.
• Passing the final examination in ECON 7800 at a level of B- without taking the course.
• Passing a course which is substantially equivalent to Econ 7800 at another accredited graduate institution.

Students who fail the examination in ECON 7800 must enter into extensive consultation with the DGS.

• Seven elective courses (21 credits) at the 8000 level . Basic fields of specialization are econometrics, economic development, economic history, industrial organization, international trade and finance, labor and human resources, natural resources and environmental economics, and public economics. Ordinarily, a student would take two elective courses in a basic field of specialization in preparation for a dissertation.
• 6 credit hours in a research colloquium.
• At least 30 hours of dissertation credit.
• A total of at least 75 credits.
• At least four of the core courses must be taken on the Boulder campus. It is most advantageous to take all core courses at UCB, particularly theory since these courses form the basis of your preliminary exams. Courses transferred for credit must be approved by the DGS. After entry into the PhD program, all remaining courses must be taken on the Boulder campus.
• All courses for PhD credit taken on the Boulder campus must be passed with a grade of B- or better. A student who receives a grade of C+ or lower in a core course must retake that course in the following academic year.
• No more than 12 hours of credit (exclusive of dissertation hours) from a single faculty member may be counted toward PhD requirements. Independent study is allowed only to satisfy elective requirements. No more than 6 credit hours of independent study may be applied to the PhD degree and no more than 3 credit hours of independent study may be taken from a single faculty member.
• In consultation with the DGS, students may choose to take up to two graduate offerings in other departments as elective courses.

Years One and Two

• 7010 Microeconomic Theory 1
• 7020 Macroeconomic Theory 1
• 7818 Intro to Probablility and Asymptotic Theory

Spring semester:

• 7030 Microeconomic Theory 2
• 7040 Macroeconomic Theory 2
• 7828 Econometrics

Fall semester:

• Elective Course

Coursework in the third year includes (a) ECON 8209 (Fall) and 8219 (Spring), which constitute the third-year research colloquium, (b) any remaining elective course(s), and (c) dissertation research, if practicable. Ideally, you will complete your comprehensive exam at the end of year three.

Years Four and Five

Coursework in the fourth and fifth years consists of relevant dissertation credit hours. Ideally, you will conduct your proposal defense at the end of year four.

Overall Course Requirements

Total required credits for the PhD include 21 credits core coursework, 18 elective credits, 6 credits in research methods and 30 dissertation research credits, making the overall total minimum credit requirement 75.

Additional PhD Degree Requirements

Grade point average (gpa) requirement.

University of Colorado Graduate School policy states that a student must have at least a 3.0 overall GPA to receive a graduate degree.  When a student’s cumulate GPA falls below 3.00, he/she will be placed on academic probation.  The student has two semesters in which to raise the cumulative GPA to 3.00 or above.  See Section 5 of the Graduate School Rules .

Preliminary Examinations

Written preliminary examinations in microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, statistics and econometrics must be taken in August following the successful completion of related courses in the first year. An examination attempted and failed must be taken again and passed in the next examination period. A second failure will result in dismissal from the program, subject to appeal under extraordinary circumstances to the GCRC. In no case are attempts beyond the third granted.

Students who have failed any of the core courses are ineligible to take the preliminary examination in the area of failure. These students must retake the failed course(s) in the following year and attempt the relevant preliminary examination in the first scheduled examination period thereafter.

Students must pass all preliminary examinations within two-and-one-half (2½) years of beginning the PhD program. Those who fail to do so must exit the program.

Students must pass all three preliminary exams if they plan to continue into the doctoral phase of the program. If they elect to withdraw from the program with only a masters’ degree, they must have completed all required coursework (as described in the “Masters Degree” section, below), passed at least two of three preliminary exams and have a GPA of at least 3.0.

Students are not eligible to become a graduate part-time instructor (GPTI) until they have passed all three preliminary exams and attained a masters’ degree or equivalent (as described in the “Graduate Part-Time Instructor” section, below) 

An MA degree will be awarded to students who have successfully completed all core courses in the PhD program, completed 30 hours of graduate credit, have a GPA of at least 3.0, and pass at least two of three of the PhD preliminary examinations.

Students must pass all three preliminary exams if they plan to continue into the doctoral phase of the program.

Third-Year Research Colloquium (Research Methods)

Each third-year student is required to register for 3 credit hours per semester in the research colloquium, which will meet weekly under the direction of a faculty member. The purpose of the colloquium is to provide students the opportunity and guidance to complete the required third-year paper and to facilitate progress toward the dissertation stage. Meetings in the Fall semester allow preliminary discussions of the research and lectures in research methodology, data sources, and the like. In the spring semester each student presents work in progress in the colloquium. In April or May of the third year each student must present a final version of the research paper in a departmental seminar series. Ideally, this presentation constitutes the oral comprehensive exam.

Under some circumstances, students may delay taking this colloquium until the fourth year with the approval of the DGS.

Comprehensive Examination

Students must take an oral comprehensive examination before admission to PhD candidacy. This examination may occur either at the time of the student’s research methods/colloquium presentation in ECON 8219 (most commonly) or at a later date and will encompass the materials in the presentation and all relevant course work completed by the candidate. At least two faculty members from the student’s basic dissertation committee, as well as three additional faculty members, must certify the acceptability of the performance on the oral examination. Students who fail this comprehensive examination will be given a second chance during the following semester. For those students for whom the presentation in ECON 8219 does not serve as the oral comprehensive examination, a separate oral examination must be scheduled before admission to candidacy.

Admission to Candidacy and Dissertation Coursework

Students are formally admitted to Candidacy for the PhD degree after passing all preliminary and comprehensive examinations and earning four semesters of residency. After admission to Candidacy, they must register each Fall and Spring semester for dissertation credit (ECON 8999) until attaining the degree; the accumulated credit for the thesis (dissertation research coursework) must total at least 30 semester hours. At least 20 dissertation research hours must be completed after admission to candidacy.

Dissertation Proposal (Proposal Defense)

By January 1 of the academic year following the research colloquium, each student should work with their main faculty advisor to plan an oral dissertation proposal (a.k.a. proposal defense). An acceptable proposal must include (a) a statement of purpose and a justification for the importance of the work; (b) a full literature review and a statement of how this research will contribute to the literature; and (c) a detailed description of the methodologies to be used and of the data bases, if appropriate. By the end of the Spring term in the fourth year, students should be ready to present the proposal before a faculty committee and/or in an open seminar.

A successful proposal defense will result in a letter from the basic committee to the candidate indicating that successful completion of the planned research will constitute an acceptable dissertation. The proposal defense must occur no later than mid November of the year in which the student enters the job market. Ideally, this is in year five.

Dissertation Committee

Ordinarily, within three months of the dissertation proposal presentation, students, in consultation with their dissertation supervisor, determine remaining members of the full dissertation committee. A full dissertation committee consists of at least four faculty members from the economics department and one member from outside the department. Ideally, the outside member is outside the field of economics.

PhD Final Exam (Final Defense)

A student must prepare a written dissertation and successfully pass an oral examination (final defense) before a dissertation committee and other interested persons on its content before receiving the degree.

Dissertation

Students are expected to defend and complete their final dissertation by the end of their fifth academic year. The PhD Program Manager provides details on submission of the dissertation and arrangements for the oral defense. After the defense, minor changes are agreed upon between candidate and supervisor. If major changes arise, the candidate and supervisor will consult with the DGS on a future course of action.

Residence and Overall Credit Requirements

The minimum residence requirement for the PhD degree is six semesters of scholarly work beyond the bachelor’s degree, with satisfactory completion of at least 75 total credit hours as outlined above.

Yearly Review

Each Spring the DGS and Department’s Graduate Curriculum Committee meets to review the progress of each student in the PhD program. The regulations herein serve as a standard of minimal acceptable progress.

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Department of Economics

The Ph.D. program in Economics at Brown trains students in economic theory and the tools of economic analysis. Through coursework, participation in seminars, and supervised research students are taught to conduct theoretical and empirical research at the highest level.

The Economics Department will be accepting applications to its PhD program for Fall 2024.  Applications are due by January 1, 2024. Application information is available at  https://www.brown.edu/graduateprograms/economics-phd  . 

FAQ: If you have questions about the program or the admissions process please consult our list of frequently asked questions  . If your questions are not answered there please contact  [email protected] . 

Requirements

The Ph.D. degree usually requires two years of course work, followed by supervised research and the completion of a doctoral dissertation.

The first year involves core courses in:

• Microeconomics (Economics 2050, 2060)
• Macroeconomics (Economics 2070, 2080)
• Econometrics (Economics 2030, 2040)
• One in mathematics (Economics 2010)
• One in applied economics analysis (Economics 2020) 

Students will take microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics in their first year and must receive a passing grade in these courses. Starting in the second year, each student chooses two fields of specialization, and takes an oral field exam. Each field comprises two advanced courses within an area. Beyond the fields, the student takes three additional advanced courses, for a total of seven.  Students must receive a B or better in these courses. The rest of pre-dissertation requirements include a poster presentation in late March, a research paper turned in during May of the third year, and successful seminar presentations each year from the fourth year and on.

Handbook of the Graduate Program

The detailed description of all requirements, along with guidelines for the student, can be found in The Handbook of the Graduate Program.

View Handbook

Dissertation

The culmination of the Ph.D. program is the dissertation, which embodies the results of the student's original research. Work on the dissertation usually takes two-three years after completion of course work. Students working on dissertations participate actively in research workshops. After a faculty committee has approved the dissertation, the student takes a final oral examination on the subject of the dissertation.

High Standards

The work in the Ph.D. program is demanding and the standards of performance are high. The Department's reputation for providing superb training has enabled its graduates to compile an excellent placement record. Some of the institutions at which recent graduates have obtained positions include major research universities (Chicago, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, Dartmouth, Minnesota, New York University, Penn State, University College London, University of British Columbia, University of Pittsburgh, University of Toronto, University of Virginia), prestigious liberal arts colleges (Wesleyan University and Williams College), government and international agencies (International Monetary Fund, Federal Trade Commission, World Bank, Congressional Budget Office, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, US Census Bureau), and private industrial, consulting, and research firms. Brown graduates have an outstanding record of research accomplishments and publications.

Exceptional Faculty

The Department currently has about 40 tenure track faculty . The faculty includes several Fellows of the Econometric Society, several Sloan Fellows, several Guggenheim Fellows, several recipients of prestigious prizes and awards, the editor of the Journal of Economic Growth, the editor of the Journal of Financial Intermediation, a past editor of the American Economic Review, and several associates and fellows of the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Center for Economic Policy Research. The Department's faculty publishes regularly their research in the top journals of economics and other disciplines, as well as in top field journals (see our "Selected Faculty Publications"). Members of the faculty in the Department have also delivered numerous named, keynote and plenary lectures in main international scientific conferences. The atmosphere in the Department is highly collegial. Interaction among faculty members and graduate students is easy and extensive. The department collaborates with the  Brown Population Studies and Training Center,  which provides support for students doing research in population economics and economic development. Active workshops provide opportunities for faculty, graduate students, and visiting scholars to discuss current research. Library and computer facilities are excellent. 

Requirements & Application Review

Among applicants who satisfy the minimum graduate requirements , we conduct a holistic review of all application materials , focused mostly on the following items:

• Relevant courses taken (specifically Economics and Mathematics courses), and grades therein
• Recommendation letters
• Statement of Purpose

Find more information on what we consider in our application review below.

The Department of Economics PhD Program accepts the GRE General Test , which is composed of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections.  We accept the internet, computer, and paper based GRE tests. 

When you take the GRE and TOEFL you need to have your scores sent directly to the Department of Economics at the University of Illinois. You should choose  1836  for the  institution code  and   the  department code  can be left blank.  The GRE cannot be waived.

Admission decisions are made based on the contents of the entire application, but many ask if their scores are competitive with other candidates.

The GRE score is used in the admission process as one criterion among many. The quantitative portion of the GRE tests your ability to perform elementary mathematical operations correctly under time pressure. A certain ability level to do this is highly desirable, but a high GRE score does not by itself show that you have sufficient math background for a Ph.D. in economics. In practice, most of our applicants have a quantitative score of 160 or higher.

We do not believe a difference in scores (for example 163 and 167) is particularly informative for the purpose of judging an applicant's full capability, so other factors are considered.

There is no fixed GPA threshold because grading conventions differ a lot between different institutions. Also, while all graded courses you take count for your GPA, what matters the most for admission are your grades in classes that are directly relevant for an Economics Ph.D. program.

For students who studied economics at a U.S. undergraduate institution, we generally like to see  strong performances  in:

• Intermediate Microeconomics
• Intermediate Macroeconomics
• Econometrics/Statistics
• Advanced Econometrics and Advanced Microeconomic Theory classes provide a better understanding of academic preparation for a Ph.D., than History of Economic Thought
• Advanced Math Classes (we strongly recommend taking proof-based courses such as Real Analysis)

Students should have a strong background in Economics, Statistics, and Mathematics. In particular, the following courses are very important:

• Statistics/Econometrics
• Technically-Challenging Field Courses such as Advanced Econometrics and Advanced Microeconomics.
• Advanced Math Classes (we strongly recommend taking a class in Real Analysis)

Many of our students do have a Master’s degree when they apply to our program, but it is not a requirement.

As long as you have a conferred bachelor’s degree or the equivalent by the start of the term for which you seek admission, you may apply to the program. We do admit students with only a bachelor’s. Students should have a strong academic background, and have taken Advanced Coursework in Economics, Statistics, and Mathematics.

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Graduate Program

The Department of Economics at Boston College is an exciting community of scholars from many countries who pursue applied and theoretical research on the pressing economic and social issues that face the world in the 21st century. 

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Ph.D Program At a Glance

We have a full-time graduate faculty of 32 who have wide-ranging expertise in the field of economics.

Faculty Expertise

Small Cohort Size

With an average cohort of 16 full-time students per year, we're able to offer a broad range of courses while providing individual attention. 

STEM Options

The program has been classified as STEM (CIP Code 45.0603: Econometrics and Quantitative Economics). Students in STEM degree programs can apply for a 24 month STEM extension of F1 Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Requirements

Ph.D. requirements include course work, comprehensive examinations, a doctoral dissertation, and a one-year residence requirement.

Detailed Requirements

IDEAS  rankings, 2020

among U.S. economics departments

Where do our graduates work?

The doctoral program is designed to train economists for careers in teaching and research by providing strong backgrounds in economic theory, quantitative research methods and applied fields.

University of Alberta, Edmonton

Marco Brianti, 2021

Joe Cooprider, 2020

Santa Clara University

Vito Cormun, 2020

European Central Bank

Laura Gáti, 2021

The Brattle Group, Boston

Bogdan Genchev, 2020

Xiamen University

Liyang Hong, 2021

Analysis Group, Brussels

Krisztina Horvath, 2020

Renmin University, Beijing

Yushan Hu, 2020

University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Business School

Zafer Kanik, 2020

Harris School of Public Policy at University of Chicago (teaching position)

Navin Kumar, 2021

Christina Letsou, 2020

Analysis Group, Boston

Sajala Pandey, 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

How competitive is the program.

We receive about 400 applications, accept up to 10% and end up with an incoming class of about 15 students.  Chances for acceptance depend on the quality of the applicant pool for any given year.

How much will it cost?

 Accepted students are offered funding for five years consisting of a stipend and tuition remission. Continued funding year to year is dependent upon students achieving certain academic benchmarks for each year in the program. There are no forms to fill out and there is no special aid program for international students.

When can I start?

Students can begin the program only in the fall semester. 

Application Process

The admissions process works in this way: as the application deadline nears, the Admissions Committee begins to review all applications. Applications are reviewed as in a pool; i.e., decisions are made by taking all the applications for that year and comparing them. Each candidate's application is reviewed in its entirety and only complete applications will be considered.

Application Form

There is a $75 non-refundable required application fee that is used to process your application. You have the option to pay this online before submitting the application form. If you choose to wait to pay the fee, you will have the option to pay the fee through the  Portal . Alternatively you may send a $75 non-refundable check or money order, made payable to Trustees of Boston College to the processing center or directly to the Admissions office.

Fee Waiver Form

Academic Background

A strong training in mathematics is essential to be successful in our program; the minimum recommended courses are: three calculus courses, courses in linear and matrix algebra, a course in real analysis, and a “real” statistics course . The committee has found that achieving a score of at least 166 in the quantitative exam in the GRE is beneficial for success in the program (the accepted applicants' average score this year is 166); this is considered of prime importance in the evaluation of applications.

Statement of Purpose

We require a brief (1-2 pages) personal statement in which applicants should discuss their preparation, motivation, and goals for their proposed courses of study. If you have any questions about the statement please contact the department.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required and may be submitted electronically with the application form. Recommendations may also be received in hard copy at the GSAS Admissions office as an alternative.

If you are presently employed, we recommend requesting letters from one or preferably two professors with whom you’ve studied in the past, particularly a math professor. Work experience is given no formal weight in evaluating an applicant’s chance for admission. Recommendation letters from employers tend to be flattering but uninformative. 

Letters on file with university placement offices are acceptable if sent directly by the university and signed by a placement official. Request that the recommendations be mailed with a signature across the envelope flap. If BC receives a recommendation with a broken seal the application may be disqualified. A recommender may prefer to mail his/her recommendation directly to us. If this is the case you should take whatever steps are necessary to verify that the recommendation has been sent to BC.

Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded to your online application form for purposes of application review. however, official transcript(s) must also be submitted upon acceptance/matriculation. both undergraduate and graduate transcripts are required..

Official transcripts should be sent to the following address:

Boston College, Lynch School of Education Data Processing Center P.O. Box 8027 Portsmouth, NH 03802

For FedEx or UPS shipments, please use this address:

Boston College, Lynch School of Education

Office of Graduate Admission, Financial Aid, and Student Services Campion Hall 135 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Standardized Tests

The GRE is required , general test only; the subject test is not required. Applications without GRE scores will be considered incomplete; decisions for acceptance will not be made without GRE scores. We accept only original score reports for the GRE & TOEFL and IELTS exams; no copies will be accepted. 

GRE scores are only official when submitted directly from ETS. We require scores of the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Applicants who have not taken the GREs within the last five years should contact their intended department to see if more recent scores are required. The Graduate School recommends that you register for the GREs early so that the scores will be available when applying. For information regarding test dates, etc., contact:

The Graduate Record Examination ETS Princeton, New Jersey www.ets.org

A strong training in mathematics is essential to be successful in our program; the minimum recommended courses are: three calculus courses, courses in linear and matrix algebra, a course in real analysis, and a “real” statistics course. The committee has found that achieving a score of at least 166 in the quantitative exam in the GRE is beneficial for success in the program (the accepted applicants' average score this year is 166); this is considered of prime importance in the evaluation of applications.

Note:  If you have personal score reports available from earlier examinations you may include them with your application, however, you must request ETS to send official score reports to the Graduate School directly: Boston College, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,  Code 3083 .

Application Status Check

If you submitted the application form online you should receive an E-mail from BC containing a user name and password to log into the Agora Portal. Through Agora you can check the status of your application by clicking on the Application Status tab. You must choose the correct school to which you applied. If you applied to a number of BC Graduate Schools, you will only receive one E-mail containing the above information.

If you did not receive an E-mail with credentials you can access the  Web Application Status Check  here. You will be asked to provide your assigned ID number or confirmation number you received from submitting the application form online.

Note: If you are submitting additional application items beyond a department-specified requirement (i.e. official transcripts from more than one institution or an extra letter of recommendation) please contact the GSAS  Admissions office  to ensure receipt of all items.

International Students

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences requires students who speak a native language other than English to provide evidence of English proficiency Evidence of English Proficiency through the TOEFL and IELTS. A score of 100 or higher on the TOEFL iBT test or 7.0 or higher on the IELTS test is required. TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid from exams taken a maximum of two years prior to application program deadlines. Remember to enter the Boston College School Code 3083 when taking the TOEFL exam to ensure GSAS receives your score report; If submitting the IELTS score report, please send results to the GSAS Admissions Office or designate GSAS as your score report recipient.

Proof of English proficiency is not required if:

• You are a citizen of Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an Anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean.
• You earned your prior college or university degree in the U.S. or one of the countries listed above or at an institution whose official language of instruction is English. The language proficiency requirement will be waived from your application upon receipt of an official transcript noting degree conferral from said institution.
• You are currently enrolled as a full-time student in a U.S. degree-granting program or at an American or English-speaking school in one of the countries listed above or at an institution whose official language of instruction is English and will have completed two academic years of college/university work before beginning your studies at BC. The language proficiency requirement will be waived from your application upon receipt of an official transcript noting two years/4 semesters completed at said institution.

There is a financial consideration involved for international students. Each year there is a specific amount of money which an international student must certify that he/she has to be able to live in this area of the United States; the amounts granted in the awards of assistantships and/or tuition remission do not equal this requirement. Students are required to make up the difference with funds from their own resources. If you are accepted into the program, the visa process cannot be initiated until the financial requirement has been satisfied. The Office of International Students and Scholars (Tel. 617-552-8005; e-mail: bcis@bc.edu ) make all decisions on the issuance of visas. Please communicate directly with them concerning visa matters.  

Learning Outcomes

• The department's Ph.D. students are expected to master advanced economic theory, research methods, and two economic subfields, and produce original contributions to the discipline so as to enjoy professionally rewarding careers in Economics. These include (i) tenure-track positions at high-quality Ph.D.-granting universities and/or the top primarily undergraduate colleges around the world, (ii) research positions in top non-academic research departments spanning domestic (e.g., U.S. Federal Reserve Banks), foreign (e.g., the European Central Bank), and international organizations (e.g., the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank), and (iii) employment in the private sector (e.g., leading consulting firms).
• Graduate students are expected to adhere to the principles of scientific integrity by responsibly using economic data and research methods and giving appropriate attribution to original work and source material.
• Graduate students selected to serve as teaching assistants or teaching fellows in the department's undergraduate program are expected to develop and apply best practice teaching methods.

Economics Department Maloney Hall, Third Floor

617-552-3670

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Entry Requirements

Each level of graduate study (diploma, master's, MPhil/PhD) has particular minimum entry requirements. These consist of:                     

• your previous degree(s)               
• your proficiency in the English language.

Please consult individual programme pages as well as reading the information below.            

Your application will be considered on its academic merit. Please note that competition for places at LSE is intense, and satisfaction of the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee that you will be offered admission. It is therefore in your interests to apply as early as possible.            

Any offer of a place may be conditional on attending additional courses and/or passing qualifying examinations at a suitable standard, in addition to your degree. 

If your first degree is from outside the UK:             

For degree programmes outside the UK you will need to obtain at least 70 per cent of the available marks in your final year examinations. If your institution uses the cumulative grade point average (GPA) system you should normally have a GPA of at least 3.5 out of 4 or above. For detailed information about the equivalence of non-UK qualifications, please see our country-specific information for international students .            

Most graduate programmes assume that you have prior knowledge to degree level in particular disciplines. Competition varies between programmes and the level of grades/marks required will vary. Popular programmes will often look for a first class honours degree or its non-UK equivalent.            

The minimum entry requirements for each type of programme are normally as follows:

A degree or equivalent qualification and experience.

Master's degree

A first or upper second class honours (2:1) degree from a UK university or a non-UK equivalent  in a subject appropriate to the programme to be followed.

Normally a UK taught master's degree with merit or a non-UK equivalent in a subject appropriate to the research to be undertaken. The most appropriate supervisor for your work will be allocated with particular reference to your research proposal.

Any offer of a place would depend on:

• The quality and feasibility of your research proposal
• Your academic qualifications, and relevant professional or other experience, if appropriate
• The ability of the department to provide adequate and appropriate supervision
• An interview with the department, unless there are exceptional circumstances which prevent this

Your entry qualification determines which track you will follow if your application is successful. For entry onto either track, candidates should have, as a minimum, a first or upper second class honours (2:1) degree from a UK university or a non-UK equivalent  in a closely related discipline.

Track 1 students fulfil the entry requirements for a master's degree (see above) and follow the 2+2 structure.

Track 2 may involve an exemption from some of the taught courses and will be recommended by the course conveners only if, in their judgement, the student already has appropriate prior training in quantitative methods and has already completed an MA or MSc in a relevant discipline.

Upgrade to the PhD depends on successful completion of the MRes in either track.

Research council-funded programmes

A number of LSE's master's programmes comply with the requirements for financial support from the research councils. These programmes consist of a linked MSc and MPhil/PhD degree (either 1+3 or 2+2). For more information, see our  Doctoral Training Partnership page [BP1]  .

If you wish to be considered for nomination for a research council studentship, you must include an outline research proposal with your application. This proposal should be a brief description of the research topic you are considering pursuing during your PhD and should explain why you are interested in this area of research. As your research interests will develop further over the year of your master's training, your proposal need only be indicative. You must meet the same entry requirement as for all MSc programmes (see above). Please be aware of the  deadline  to be considered for research council funding.

We will notify you in your offer letter if you have been nominated by your department to be considered by the funding panel. Once the panel's decision is made we will contact you with further information.

Visiting research students

Visiting research students  attend for one or more terms and study up to four graduate or undergraduate courses. Examinations are optional, but students wanting to sit the examination in a course must have attended the course for the full year.

English Language Requirements

GRE and GMAT Requirements

Virtual graduate open day - find out more from lse's departments and service providers, phd academy - discover life as a research student at lse.

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News and Events Current processing dates, holiday closures, events on campus and around the world

Contact Graduate Admissions Our Knowledge base and getting in touch with our team by Zoom, email, and Live chat

Graduate Admission Requirements

Ready to join the Department of Economics as a graduate student? Submit all application materials, including letters of recommendation, via this online system. Fall, spring and summer admissions are available for select programs.

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Graduation Requirements

To qualify for an associate’s or bachelor's degree, a student must be admitted to a degree program, complete the program requirements as identified in the Degree Audit curriculum, attain at least a 2.0 cumulative and program grade point average (GPA), and (if applicable) submit a petition to graduate. Completion is defined as earning the grade A, B, C, D, or S for any course. An earned D may not count toward graduation, depending on program and/or division policies.

To qualify for a certificate, a student must be admitted to a certificate program, complete the program requirements as identified in the Degree Audit curriculum, attain at least a 2.0 cumulative and program GPA, and (if applicable) submit a petition to graduate. Completion is defined as earning the grade A, B, C, D, or S for any course. An earned D may not count toward graduation, depending on program and/or division policies.

General Education Requirements

Students seeking the degree Associate of Applied Business (AAB), Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Associate of Individualized Study (AIS), Associate of Technical Study (ATS), Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS), or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) should consult the curriculum for their program, published elsewhere in this catalog, to determine how the general education requirements should be met. Individual degree programs may require students to complete program-specified general education courses, or may permit students to choose some general education elective courses.

Transfer credit for social sciences or humanities courses completed at another institution, in disciplines not listed below, may be applied toward Cincinnati State graduation requirements, with the program chair's and division dean’s permission.

As part of the graduation requirements for the Associate of Applied Business (AAB), Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Associate of Individualized Study (AIS), Associate of Technical Study (ATS), and Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS), and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, a student must complete at least 15 credit hours in general education areas, distributed as follows:

Communication Skills - 6 credits

Arts/humanities, natural sciences, social sciences - 6 credits selected from two of these areas:, arts/humanities, including:.

 Excluding COMM 110

 Excluding studio or performance-based courses. 

Natural Sciences, including:

Social/behavioral sciences, including:, mathematics - 3 credits.

Students seeking the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree must meet the general education requirements described for these degrees elsewhere in this Catalog.

Alternative Versions of Courses

Cincinnati State offers some courses in more than one version. Alternative versions are identified with a letter after the course number-- for example, ENG 101 and ENG 101A.

• The "A" version of a course has additional class time for activities to support student success.
• The "A" version of the course meets all requirements of the course without the added letter.
• In curriculum information within this Catalog, only the course number without the added letter is displayed.

First Year Experience (FYE) Requirement

All Cincinnati State students who enroll in a degree program are required to  complete a First Year Experience (FYE) course as part of the first semester of classes taken at Cincinnati State .

• FYE 100 College Success Strategies: Overview (Placement into ENG 101 is required)
• FYE 105 College Success Strategies: Overview and Application
• FYE 110 College Success Strategies: Practice and Application
• FYE 120 College Success Strategies: Campus Integration

FYE courses introduce students to the college experience and to Cincinnati State’s expectations and resources for new students, as well as college and life success skills. Students should work closely with an academic advisor to select and enroll in the appropriate FYE course.

Students in the Cincinnati State Honors Program fulfill the FYE course requirement by completing  HNR 100  Orientation to Honors.

Some certificate programs also require students to complete an FYE course. The curriculum published in this Catalog for each certificate program indicates if an FYE course is required.

Degree-seeking or certificate-seeking students who have already successfully completed 18 or more semester credits of college-level courses at another college or university, and have received Cincinnati State transfer credit for these courses, are not required to complete an FYE course. Students who have earned an Associate's or Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university will be exempt from the FYE requirement. 

Graduation Honors

Associate’s or Bachelor's degree candidates who earn at least 30 semester credit hours at Cincinnati State and achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.500 or higher will graduate with honors. Honors are classified as follows:

Honors designations in the printed program at the commencement ceremony are projected based on cumulative GPA calculations made at the end of the Fall semester. The student’s GPA at the conclusion of their degree requirements will determine the final honors designation.

Graduation Process

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for monitoring student progress in completing degree and certificate requirements.

Students will be graduated at the end of the semester in which they complete all requirements for a degree or certificate. A student cannot reverse their graduated status after it has been conferred by the Office of the Registrar.

A student who graduates will receive their diploma or certificate by mail after the conclusion of the semester when requirements were completed.

Note: Graduation conferred by the Office of the Registrar is not the same as participating in the College’s annual commencement ceremony. (See Participation in Commencement , below.)

Registrar’s notification to pending graduates: Students will receive email notification from the Registrar during the sixth week of the semester in which they are enrolled in the courses needed to complete their degree or certificate. The notification will confirm that pending successful completion of those courses, the student will graduate from applicable degree or certificate programs.

If a student does not wish to graduate, for any reason, the student may opt out for the current semester. The student will automatically be placed in the group of those eligible for graduation at the end of the next semester.

Graduation petition: Students who believe they are eligible for graduation at the end of the current semester who do not receive notification from the Office of the Registrar can complete a “Petition to Graduate” eform available through MyServices/Self-Service. The Registrar and the appropriate academic program chair will review the petition and the student will be notified of the petition outcome.

Student preparation for graduation: During the semester when they expect to complete their final courses required for graduation, students should:

• academic degree and/or certificate programs
• mailing address
• Monitor Cincinnati State email for communication from the Registrar regarding graduation.

Participation in Commencement

A student may participate in the annual commencement ceremony if they meet all of the following requirements:

• The student will satisfactorily complete all requirements for an associate’s or bachelor's degree during or before the semester immediately preceding commencement, or the student can complete all remaining degree requirements during the semester immediately following commencement. The ability to complete requirements in the semester immediately following commencement is defined as needing no more than 15 credits, which may include the final cooperative education, clinical, or internship placement.
• Students earning a certificate which requires 24 or more credits may participate in commencement if all certificate requirements will be completed during or before the semester immediately preceding commencement.
• The student has submitted an Intent to Participate in Commencement form online in MyServices/Self-Service by the published deadline.

Program Graduation Requirements (Degree Audit Curriculum)

Requirements for each degree and certificate program at Cincinnati State are published each year in this Catalog. A student is expected to fulfill the requirements in effect for the catalog year in which they are admitted to the program. This set of requirements may be referred to as the student’s Academic Evaluation or Degree Audit curriculum. Students can review a copy of their Degree Audit curriculum by logging in to MyServices/Self-Service.

A student readmitted to the College after an absence of a year or more is expected to fulfill the requirements in effect at the time of readmission. Any course substitutions or waivers granted prior to readmission will not carry forward and apply toward the new requirements. Students who requested course substitutions or waivers previously must request them again and ask that they be applied toward the new catalog year.

Students should consult with their program chair or academic advisor to discuss any changes made to program requirements that could affect progress toward completing the degree or certificate program.

In situations where coursework is five years old or older, or where requisite skills may have been lost, courses previously taken are subject to review by the program chair and dean. Those courses reviewed that do not meet current program requirements and standards will not count toward degree or certificate requirements.

Using the Same Course to Meet Multiple Degree or Certificate Requirements (“Double Dipping”)

In determining the credits earned for a degree or certificate, a single course cannot be used to satisfy two different requirements for one degree or certificate. Courses designated in the College catalog as “repeatable for credit” may be applied as appropriate to satisfy differing degree/certificate requirements.

A student who previously completed a degree or certificate at Cincinnati State, and is now earning a different degree or certificate, may be able to apply courses completed for the previous degree or certificate to the requirements for the current degree or certificate.

Students should consult with their program chair or academic advisor to ensure that courses are appropriately applied to meet degree or certificate requirements. 

Residency Requirement for Certificate Programs

To qualify for a certificate, students must be admitted to a certificate program, fulfill the certificate program requirements, complete a minimum of 50 percent of their certificate program requirements at Cincinnati State, attain at least a 2.0 cumulative and program grade point average (GPA), and (if applicable) submit a petition to graduate.

Residency Requirement for Degree Programs

Students seeking a degree at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, except those seeking the Associate of Technical Study degree or Associate of Individualized Study degree, must complete at least 30 credit hours of college-level coursework at Cincinnati State. 

For students seeking an Associate of Applied Business or Associate of Applied Science degree, at least 15 of the 30 credit hours described above must be college-level, technical coursework (as identified in the associate's degree program Academic Evaluation) required for their program at Cincinnati State. The resident credit hours required for the degree program are applicable to the College residency requirement.

Advanced standing credit is not applicable to the College residency requirement. Credit earned at Cincinnati State through the Greater Cincinnati Collegiate Connection (formerly the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities) is applicable to the College residency requirement.

In Associate of Technical Study and Associate of Individualized Study programs, the residency requirement is that no fewer than 20 credits must be completed at Cincinnati State.

Students who transfer to Cincinnati State from another accredited Ohio college or university with a completed Ohio Transfer 36 are subject to the guidelines in the State of Ohio Policy for Institutional Transfer statement found elsewhere in this Catalog.

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