uni bern phd economics

Department of Business Administration

Doctoral studies.

Ph.D. studies at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences lead, after a successful completion of a dissertation,  to the title Doctor rerum oeconomicarum, Dr. rer. Oec.

Admission requirements

Admission is governed by the regulation on doctoral studies at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.

Supervision by a lecturer responsible for the student at the relevant faculty is an essential condition for admission to the doctoral program in Business Administration. Admission may be denied if the topic is not expected to lead to a research output, if there are reasonable doubts about the successful completion of the dissertation project, or if the topic does not correspond with the research focus of the lecturer in question.

A necessary prerequisite for admission is a Master's degree (or equivalent degree) from a recognized university. Additionally, the Master’s degree must be no more than ten years old. Furthermore, a minimum overall grade in the Master's program must be achieved. For students at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences of the University of Bern, this minimum grade is 4.75 (under the Swiss grading system). Moreover, at least 60 ECTS credits must have been obtained in the field of Business Administration.

Graduates with a Master's degree in Business Administration from a university of applied sciences cannot start a doctoral program in Business Administration at the University of Bern directly. In addition to the admission requirements mentioned above, they must first obtain a Master's degree from a university. For further information, please contact the Academic Student Advice.

Students wishing to pursue a doctorate in Business Administration must obtain at least 24 ECTS credits during the doctoral program. As part of this, 4 ECTS credits must be acquired in the “Doctoral Seminar in Business Administration”. In addition, at least 12 ECTS credits must be obtained in courses that, at the discretion of the supervisor in question, fall within one or more of the areas of “Analytical Methods in Business Administration”, “Empirical Quantitative Methods in Business Administration”, and “Empirical Qualitative Methods in Business Administration”. The remaining ECTS credits are to be obtained from courses that are related to the dissertation on a theoretical or methodological level.

Proof of achievement in the Doctoral Seminar in Business Administration is given in form of a public lecture on the dissertation lasting a maximum of 30 minutes as well as a discussion lasting a maximum of 30 minutes. The members of the departmental committee present at the seminar will award individual grades. The grade in the Doctoral Seminar in Business Administration is calculated using the arithmetic mean of these individual grades. If the grade is not sufficient, the Doctoral Seminar in Business Administration can be retake once, at most. The organizational responsibility for conducting the Doctoral Seminar in Business Administration lies with the spokesperson of the Department of Business Administration.

Receiving the doctoral degree

When the admission requirements have been met, the student’s doctoral studies have been completed and the dissertation has been approved, the laureateship of Doctor rerum oeconomicarum is awarded.

Each semester, four dates are offered for the awarding of the doctoral degree. The application for the doctorate must be received by the Dean's Office at least 21 days prior to the date in question. The application form must be accompanied by two printed copies of the dissertation as well as the receipt for the doctoral fees paid (CHF 300.00), a copy of the student’s valid matriculation card and a complete transcript of records. In addition, the dissertation must be sent by email to the Dean's Office (in PDF format). Further information on how to register to receive the doctoral degree and the exact dates can be found on the faculty’s homepage.

Find out more

Doctoral studies.

• Promotionsreglement der Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Bern (PromR WISO 23) vom August 2023 (PDF, 308KB)
• Doctoral regulations_WISO_incl. changes from 24.2.2011 (in German) (PDF, 51KB)
• New regulations for doctorates from fall semester 2011 (in German) (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Master's in economics.

This Master program at the University of Bern expands the knowledge students have attained at the Bachelor level and addresses selected topics in various areas. The Master program is more specialized than the Bachelor program, while also offering a relatively broad-based education. The program challenges students intellectually and presents them with situations they might confront in practice: Students work together in groups, conduct their own independent studies, implement their ideas and are given the opportunity to work in an international environment. The program's combination of theory and practice prepares them perfectly for the working world.

It is intended for students who want to acquire general skills in economics that are applicable in a broad range of fields, but who still want to have the possibility to specialize in a particular field. Thus, students with a background in economics (i.e. BA in Economics or equivalent) or related fields are invited to continue or start their economics studies in Bern. In addition, the University of Bern offers a minor program on the Master’s level with 15 and 30 ECTS for students with majors other than economics. 

Students learn to apply advanced economic theories to economic problems. In addition, the Department of Economics puts great emphasis on learning both to process and analyze data in various fields. Thus, students are well prepared to solve applied economic problems. The curriculum is very flexible and can be adapted to personal abilities and interests. In addition, work experience (e.g. internships) and studies at other universities can be credited.

Legal basis

• Studienplan zum Studiengang Master Volkswirtschaftslehre vom 01.09.2006 mit Änderungen (PDF, 70KB)
• Reglement über das Bachelor-und Masterstudium und die Leistungskontrollen an der Wirtschafts- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Bern (Studienreglement WISO [RSL WISO] vom 24.08.2006 mit Änderungen (PDF, 162KB)

Details of program

Scheme of program, requirements, application and admission, mandatory courses/requirements.

• Microeconomics II (4.5 ECTS)
• Macroeconomics II (4.5 ECTS)
• Econometrics II (4.5 ECTS) 
• Two seminar electives

Internship (optional, 6 ECTS credits)

It is recommended that students also complete an internship related to economics. This internship must be approved beforehand by a professor (permission form available from the Dean's Office).

Master thesis (20 ECTS)

The Master program is concluded with a master thesis (20 ECTS credits).

Semester dates

• Current dates of the academic year and lecture periods of all degree courses incl. semester breaks and vacation

New students

• Apply for a degree program
• Request for change of study program/s

Current students

• Renewal of semester registration for the forthcoming semester
• Registration for BeNeFri
• Request for leave of absence
• Request for removal from Student Registry for one of the following reasons: completion of studies, interruption of studies or dropping out of university
• Request for transfer from master's degree course to doctorate
• Request for extension of period of study

Individual academic requirements

The following academic qualifications are required for admission to the master’s degree program in Economics (mono):

Please consult the admission requirements for the minors as presented in the plan of studies.

Swiss bachelor's degrees/programs

From the university of bern.

that allow admission to the desired master's degree program without any assessment:

• Bachelor of Science in Economics, 120 oder 150 ECTS
• Bachelor Minor in Economics, 60 ECTS

from other Universities

Recognition of the bachelor's degree will be individually decided upon if the degree is more than six years old. Additional attainments may be required.

• General admission requirements
• Application and admission with a Swiss degree
• Application and admission with an international degree

  For questions regarding application and admission, please contact the Admissions Office.

Admission requirements   Admission deadlines

Current UniBE students

Apply for a change to the M Sc in Economics, Universität Bern by self-service as part of the re-registration for the next semester. Renewal of semester registration → Self-service Recognition of academic achievements Procedure and timing of the renewal of semester registration

Application with a Swiss degree

Online application Assessment Steps from application to registration

Application with an international degree

Online application CHECKLIST - Documents for your application / Important information Steps from application to registration

For questions regarding application and admission, please contact the Admissions Office.

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University of Bern

The University of Bern offers top quality across the board: it enjoys special recognition in leading-edge disciplines, is reputed for the excellent quality of its teaching, offers a delightful setting, and a campus environment intimately linked to the social, economic and political life of the city. A full range of attractive bachelor and master degree courses The university’s comprehensive offering includes 8 faculties and some 160 institutes that date back to the XVIth century. With 14,300 students, it is of mid-range size among Swiss universities. Unlike the bigger institutions, it retains a human dimension and a warm and friendly atmosphere. Research – Complete networking Its academic and research organisation prides itself on its interdisciplinarity, exemplified by its four National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR): Climate, North-South, International Trade Regulation and TransCure. Additionally it shares the NCCR «MUST» (experimental physics) with the ETH Zurich. The University is actively involved in a wide range of European and worldwide research projects, notably in the field of Space Research.

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Institute of Political Science

Doctoral students at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences are awarded the title "Doctor rerum socialium" (Dr. rer. soc.), after successful completion of their doctoral thesis. 

Students that are interested in joining our doctoral program are advised to directly contact one of our professors or lecturers .

Information from the University and the Faculty

Information from the institute of political science, program "bausteine der guten lehre".

The Doctoral Program in political science (Programme doctoral en science politique, PDSPO) exists since 2006 and is open to all doctoral students from the CUSO universities (Bern, Fribourg, Genève, Lausanne, Neuchâtel, IHEID, IDHEAP, Institut Kurt Bösch). The program’s general objective is to encourage the production of high quality doctoral theses in the various fields of political science. More specifically, it aims to:

• complement the education of doctoral students through thematic and methodological modules on a variety of topics;
• ensure their integration into a "scientific community", by encouraging exchanges and the confrontation of ideas and by reinforcing the supervision of doctoral theses;
• to familiarize them with practical aspects of research by providing them with various information (summer schools, scholarships, stays abroad, fundraising, job opportunities) and by offering a space for discussion around topics such as career strategies (academic or non-academic) and strategies for publishing and research evaluation.

The CUSO courses can be credited to the doctorate.

More information: https://politique.cuso.ch/accueil/

Usually, doctoral students also teach. The Department of Social Sciences supports doctoral students in planning and executing their courses, for example, with the program “Bausteine der guten Lehre”. The program is open to all the lecturers at the department.

More information (in German):

Degree Programs & Courses Doctorate

Funding program: doctoral programs university of bern 2021-2024.

In view of the swissuniversities TP1 project "Doctoral Programs of the Universities 2017-2020" coming to an end, and swissuniversities not having a successor project after 2020, the Executive Board of the University of Bern has allocated funds from the university’s own resources to support doctoral programs for the period 2021-2024.

The purpose of the new funding program "Doctoral Programs University of Bern 2021-2024" is

• to further strengthen the quality and attractiveness of doctoral degree programs 
• to  improve the career prospects of doctoral students within and outside of academia.

The aim of the program is to support academic offerings that promote the doctoral students’ disciplinary, interdisciplinary and transferable skills.

The following doctoral programs are supported by the University of Bern:

Brain and Behavioral Sciences

Interdisciplinary Sport Science

Public Administration

• Link to the program

Classical Studies

Digital Humanities Bern & Basel

Theology Basel, Bern, Zürich

Network in Accounting Research (Be-DAR-CH)

Chemistry Bern-Zürich

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Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

The College of Arts & Sciences

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How to Apply to the M.S. Program

Master of science in economics.

The Department of Economics is currently accepting applications from those who wish to study toward a Master of Science in Economics . This is a full-time, in-residence program. Applicants will be given full consideration when they have applied by the deadlines below. Decisions are made each spring for the following fall semester. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions for more information. You can also contact the M.S. Program Director, Professor Michael Alexeev , with questions.

M.S. Application + Admission Process

Applicants who wish to be considered for Fall admission to the M.S. in Economics should submit their application by the following deadlines:

January 10 for all International Applicants

March 10 for all Domestic Applicants

Please note we are not currently accepting applications for the M.A. and M.A.T. programs.

Application Steps for the Master of Science program

To apply, you must complete the University Graduate School’s online application. You must provide the following information in the online application:

Statement of Purpose:

A written statement (1-2 standard printed pages) outlining your goals and interest in pursuing graduate study at Indiana University must be included with your online application.

Current Resume:

Please upload your most recent C.V. or resume in the online application.

Departmental Questions:

Applicants must include all coursework taken in Mathematics and Economics for their application to be considered complete. Please list this information in the section provided within the online application.

Three Letters of Recommendation:

The contact information (including names, street addresses, phone numbers and email addresses) of three people who will submit your letters of recommendation via the online application system. The online system will then email your contacts with instructions on how to upload their references online.

Please choose Economics M.S. as the “Academic Plan” and Fall as the term you wish to enroll in classes.

Recommended: Your online application to IU should be submitted at least 2 weeks before the actual deadline in order for your recommenders to have the opportunity to respond to their notifications by the appropriate deadline.

The cost for submitting the graduate application is $70. The application fee is non-refundable. FreeApp provides an application fee waiver for domestic high-achieving and URM candidates.

Please have official transcripts sent directly from all undergraduate institutions attended, as well as from any graduate programs (if applicable).

International applicants

All transcripts must be sent to the Office of International Services (OIS), even if you have attended an institution in the United States. If the original documents are not in English, a verified translation must be sent in addition to the official transcripts in your native language. The Office of International Services will not accept electronic transcripts.

Please have your sealed, official transcripts (with English translation, if applicable) mailed to:

Ferguson International Center Office of International Services 330 N. Eagleson Ave. Bloomington, IN 47406 USA Attn: Graduate Admissions

Domestic applicants

Please have your sealed, official transcripts mailed directly from the institution(s) to:

Department of Economics Wylie Hall 105 100 S. Woodlawn Ave. Bloomington, IN 47405-7104 USA Attn: Graduate Admissions

If you are in the process of completing a bachelor’s degree when you apply, a transcript showing your current enrollment in your course of study is acceptable. If admitted to Indiana University, you will be required to submit a final, official transcript directly to Indiana University prior to your matriculation, verifying the completion of your degree and the date your degree was awarded.

Please have ETS send official GRE score results electronically to Indiana University Bloomington -- Institution Code 1324.

Note . We do not accept GMAT scores.

For applicants whose native language is not English, either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) -- preferred, or the IELTS are required to be considered for the Master of Science program in Economics.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL®)

Please have ETS submit your TOEFL scores electronically to Indiana University -- Institution Code: 1324

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Applicants who choose to submit IELTS scores should have them sent to OIS for authenticity verification:

Office of International Services Poplars 221 400 E. Seventh St. Bloomington, IN 47405 USA Attn: Graduate Admissions

If TOEFL or IELTS scores are older than 2 years and/or have a total score that is less than 90 on the TOEFL iBT or less than 7.0 OBS on the IELTS, please be aware that you may be required to take the Indiana Academic English Test (IAET) if you are admitted to Indiana University. Students are required to enroll and pass any English courses prescribed from the results of this examination. Tuition fees for English proficiency courses are the same as for other courses; however, the credit hours earned in English proficiency courses will not be counted toward degree requirements.

After you apply: International applicants will receive an email from OIS providing you with your Atlas login information within five days of receiving your completed electronic application. Please view Supporting Documents for Graduate Students for detailed information about the required documents which are necessary to submit in addition to your online application. You will be able to provide these in Atlas.

International applicants must provide a Declaration of Financial Support Form upon notification of acceptance to Indiana University. Please fill out and submit this information to the Office of International Services as directed by them.

View estimated expenses for international graduate students

The evidence of financial support will not be part of your academic admission decision, as this information is held in confidence by the Office of International Services. Applications received without any evidence of financial support can be processed for an admission decision. However, admission will be delayed and Visa documents cannot be created if the Office of International Services does not have this information on file. OIS provides details regarding the next steps after admission and provides resources for living in the U.S.

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After Months of Recovery, Bot Rith Returns to His UNLV Family

Before sharing his full story, the economics professor focuses first on his gratitude to the officers who saved him and the UNLV family that supported his recovery.

At a campuswide event on Sept. 10, 2024, economics professor Daraboth "Bot" Rith speaks publicly for the first time about his experience after being critically injured in the Dec. 6, 2023 shooting. Rith has returned to teaching classes this semester. (Josh Hawkins/UNLV)

• Campus News
• September 10, 2024
• By Francis McCabe

On a late Wednesday morning in August, economics professor Daraboth “Bot” Rith recognized the face of the man who saved his life on Dec 6, 2023. 

The reunion took place in a conference room, tucked away inside University Police Services headquarters in the University Gateway building across Maryland Parkway and away from Beam Hall. Though he’d only seen him once since that day, it was easy for Rith to pick out officer Jake Noriega among the dozens of first responders in the room.  

“I keep saying to people I want to see you again and again,” the economics professor quipped to Noriega.

Rith was shot 10 times that day. Somehow, he stayed on his feet and escaped down four flights of stairs, exiting on the eastside of Beam Hall. Running as best he could, he happened upon Noriega and his partner Ty Vesperas, both Las Vegas Metro police officers. The two officers, who had just arrived at the main entrance to the building, acted quickly. With Noriega providing medical care after the officers moved Rith into their police cruiser, Vesperas drove to an awaiting ambulance. 

“These cops saved my life," Rith said. "Without them, I could be gone. I feel that I owe gratitude, immense gratitude, for the service they do to save people’s lives.”

He would later explain, “I always wanted to see the men [Noriega and Vesperas], the very first men that came out of nowhere and rescued my life. When I got out of the building with multiple injuries on my body, I felt like I was rescued by God.”

Known publicly as “the fourth victim,” Rith and his wife, Dimanche Pharath Rith, a business manager with UNLV Online Education, felt it was time to begin sharing their story with the UNLV family. Their focus first is on expressing their gratitude for the love and support they received. [The UNLV News Center will share more about their journey later this fall.]

On Sept. 10, Bot and Dimanche made an appearance at the All Hands Meeting, where faculty and staff gathered with President Keith E. Whitfield and leadership to discuss shared priorities for the academic year. The couple, who have known each other since high school in Cambodia, received an emotional standing ovation at the event held in the Student Union ballroom. 

They were welcomed to the stage by Whitfield and by Provost Chris Heavey , who looked after the family during Rith’s many months of recovery. 

"Nine months ago my life took an unexpected turn that brought about profound changes," he told the audience. "It was a period marked by uncertainty, fear, and challenges that, at times, I felt were overwhelming. Yet through it all, I discovered things within myself that I never knew existed. I was sustained not only by my own resilience but by the incredible support from all of you."

Back on Aug. 28, in the conference room, the couple gave gifts of chocolate with personal notes to Noriega and Vesperas (the latter could not attend) and also to the university police officers and dispatchers who responded to those calls on Dec. 6. 

In an emotional moment, the couple embraced the men and women of UPD and thanked them, including the two university police officers who stopped the assailant. 

“That day changed the lives of so many,” said Arnold Vasquez , interim director of University Police Services, Southern Command. “And although we will never forget those we lost that day, it is important that we forge forward, with memories of them that will always be in our hearts.”

Vasquez explained that the men and women who responded that day took an oath to protect the community and safeguard the lives of the innocent. “Bot and Dimanche are living proof that what we do and the oath that we swore...that the work we do matters. It really does. We are just as excited and happy to see them here with us. This is why we do what we do,” he said.

It’s been a long recovery for Rith. He spent nearly three months in a hospital, first surviving his wounds and then recovering both physically and mentally, with his wife and daughter by his side. 

He had only been in Las Vegas about a year when the tragedy happened. He had just finished his doctorate work at Suffolk University in Boston when he was offered a job, beginning in January 2023 as a visiting professor, by then economics chair Jeff Waddoups. 

Following Dec. 6, UNLV leadership worked to help all of the victims’ families in their recovery, that included helping Rith’s wife and daughter relocate to the U.S. At the time of the shooting, Dimanche and their daughter were living in Australia as Rith began his career here.

Early on in his recovery, Rith’s family, friends, colleagues, and students from the Lee Business School would send notes and cards wishing him a speedy recovery. 

At the All Hands meeting, he told the audience: "Your kindness and compassion have illuminated my darkest moments. This experience has taught me so much about the power of community, the importance of compassion, and the incredible things that emerge in times of adversity.

"And it has shown me that even in the most challenging times, there is hope, there's always a path forward."

Some colleagues, including economics chair Ian McDonough, would visit him. Some even snuck food into the hospital, Rith remembered. “They would offer: Is there something that I really wanted to eat? I could only eat a little, but they brought in some delicious food.”

Rith's goal has been to get back to who he was on Dec. 5, 2023. He remembers telling his physicians: “I want to stand up and be able to walk again. I want to be the person I used to be.”

Nine months later, after leading an online class over the summer, he walked back onto campus to teach four in-person classes. That number is significant to him, as it was the same number he taught in the fall 2023 semester.

"From day to day, I keep progressing to be a better person,” he said in an interview in August. "I think less about what happened and focus on what’s more important, especially my family and my teaching and my research. 

“Teaching economics is more than a job. It’s the way to change lives. That I can show off the beauty of economics —” he said, sometimes halting to gather his words. “For me, teaching is more than a dream come true. Without it, I cannot be the person I am.”

Today, he is where he belongs — at UNLV, Rith said. He explained that he has an eternal bond with the police officers who saved him, with Provost Heavey and his team who checked on him almost daily, and with his department chair, colleagues, and friends who reached out to him.  

“I am, myself, proud to be a member of the UNLV family. I value this and treasure it, not just for me, but for my family — my wife, and my daughter.”

Campus Units:

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Department of Economics

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