Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program

Entrance and Admission Requirements

All entering students must have completed at least one semester each of intermediate microeconomic theory and intermediate macroeconomic theory, two semesters of calculus, and one semester each of linear algebra and statistics. All applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination General Test; the GRE Subject Test is not required. Foreign applicants, in addition, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Test System (IELTS). The minimum scores for admission are 100 on the TOEFL iBT test or 7.0 on the IELTS. Applications are accepted for fall semester admission only.

Degree Requirements

Ph.D. candidates complete 24 credits in Economic History, Econometrics (6 credits), Macroeconomics, Mathematical Methods, Microeconomics (6 credits), and Political Economy.  An additional 12 credits are taken in two fields (6 credits each).  Students are required to pass two comprehensive examinations. One of the exams must be in one of the three core economic theory fields; the second may be in an applied economics field or in another economic theory field. The second comprehensive exam may, in some cases, take the form of a comprehensive exam paper instead of a traditional exam.

The three core theory fields are Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Political Economy. Other fields include Applied Econometrics, Comparative Economic Systems, Development Economics, Economic History, Environmental Economics, Feminist Economics, Finance, History of Thought, Industrial Organization, International Economics, Labor Economics, and Urban Economics.

Once core course, field course, and comprehensive exam requirements are met, students concentrate on the research and writing that will lead to the dissertation.  In their third or fourth year students give a public presentation of their pre-prospectus research in anticipation of writing and defending a dissertation prospectus.  The degree is earned with the successful submission and oral defense of the dissertation.