uni wien phd economics

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PhD - Admission

Confirmation of supervision.

• PhD/Doctoral Advisory Board

Admission procedure

Admission deadlines.

• FAQs Admission Doctoral/PhD Studies

Co-registration

Phd support.

The University of Vienna offers a wide range of research opportunities. Nevertheless, it is important to clarify in advance whether your intended dissertation project can actually be supervised at the University of Vienna. For admission, it is the doctoral candidate's responsibility to obtain a confirmation of supervision.

The list of our tenured faculty can be found here .

The Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics at the University of Vienna offers PhD/doctoral programmes in the following fields of doctoral research:

• Economics (PhD)
• Finance (PhD)
• Business Analytics, Logistics and Operations Research(PhD)
• Management (PhD)
• Statistics and Operations Research (PhD)
• Business and Law (Doctorate)

In addition to the range of degree programmes provided by the University of Vienna, interested candidates have the opportunity to study at the Vienna Graduate School of Economics (VGSE) or the Vienna Graduate School of Finance (VGSF). Please refer to the respective website for admission details:

• Vienna Graduate School of Economics (VGSE)
• Vienna Graduate School of Finance (VGSF)

Application via u:space

In order to apply for admission to a PhD programme at the University of Vienna, you have to create an account via http://uspace.univie.ac.at . The e-mail address you use for registering at u:space will be used by the Admission Office as your primary contact address for the duration of the application procedure.

Once you have created your u:space account, you can apply for admission to degree programmes, register for courses and examinations and pay your tuition fees or ÖH fees. If you would like to apply for admission, please click “Administration” and select “Admission to degree programmes”. Now select “PhD/doctorate” under the header “Apply for a new degree programme”. Search for the PhD or doctoral programme you would like to apply in the search field below. Please bear in mind that admission is only possible within the specific admission period.

The degree programme in Business Informatics is provided and supervised by the Faculty of Computer Science. For further information, please refer to the website of the Faculty of Computer Science.

Application documents

Once you have selected your desired degree programme, you will be asked to upload your application documents. Please note that all documents have to be uploaded in PDF format.

The following documents have to be uploaded to u:space:

• Degree certificates of all completed degree programmes (e.g. degree certificates of bachelor's and master’s programmes including all the necessary legislations)
• Diploma supplement and/or transcript of records
• Indication of Willingness to Supervise a Doctoral/PhD Candidate 
• If your documents were not issued in English or German, you need to have the documents listed above translated into German or English by an officially registered, certified translator.
• Scan of your passport/identification card
• Letter of motivation for your planned research project
• Explanation of your research project (including research interests and methodological approach)
• Possible references
• Proof of your English skills. Use one of the following options to provide proof of your English skills:
• Proof that English is your mother tongue
• Degree of a university or a university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) that uses English as an institutional language of instruction
• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): at least 250 points (computer-based), 100 points (internet-based), 600 points (paper-based), not older than three years
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): at least 7 points
• any other equivalent certificate, not older than three years

Personal interview (optional)

In a personal interview, it is to be determined whether the research interests of the applicant match the research areas of the faculty. The personal interview takes place at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics of the University of Vienna. You will be informed about the appointment with the doctoral advisory board via e-mail. If you are abroad, it is possible to conduct the personal interview online.

Semester start: October 1 (winter term) / March 1 (summer term)

PhD Economics February 1 to April 30 (admission only once a year, starting with the winter term)

PhD Finance February 1 to April 30 (admission only once a year, starting with the winter term)

Vienna Graduate School of Economics (VGSE) All information on the VGSE admission can be found here: https://www.vgse.at/application/requirements/

Vienna Graduate School of Finance (VGSF) All information on the VGSF admission can be found here: https://www.vgsf.ac.at/phd-program/apply-now/

PhD  Business Analytics, Logistics and Operations Research May 15 to June 30 (for winter term) October 15 to December 15 (for summer term)

PhD Management April 15 to June 30 (for winter term) September 15 to December 15 (for summer term)

PhD Statisti cs and Operations Research March 15 to May 15 (for winter term 2022) Starting with summer term 2023 there will be NO DEADLINES anymore . Application is possible all year round.

Students who want to pass courses and exams at the University of Vienna to get them recognised for their degree programme at a different Austrian university, should approach the Center for Doctoral Studies directly: doktorat.mitbelegung @ univie.ac.at

• StudiesServiceCenter, Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics ssc.wiwi @ univie.ac.at
• Center for Doctoral Studies doktorat.zulassung @ univie.ac.at

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Course Work

VGSE offers a three year PhD program. In the first year students focus on course work and developing a research project. The second and third year are devoted to research and finalizing the PhD thesis.  In practice, many students stay a fourth year to improve the quality of their Dissertation.

Throughout the program students attend research seminars in their fields (30 ECTS points). Apart from the research seminars, VGSE offers selected field courses (25 ECTS points) and skill courses (5 ECTS points). The exact distribution of course work over the years of study may vary according to specific needs and research profiles.

 Suggested Course Sequence

The first year at VGSE is dedicated to developing a research project and finding a supervisor. There are two major anchors for first year students:

• October: Faculty presentations - choosing a mentor

In early October all faculty members of the Department of Economics give short presentations of their current research. This event allows students to tie their own research interests into the Departments research. Students will then choose a mentor who will provide guidance through the first year and helps develop a dissertation project. 

• June: Public presentation of the dissertation project - choosing a supervisor

In mid June all first year students publicly present their dissertation project. At this point students should have found a supervisor. In many cases the mentor becomes the supervisor of the student. In some cases the students found a different supervisor under the guidance of their mentor.

• For more detail see the section on supervision .

Research seminars

One of the challenges PhD students face is the transition from doing course work to being an active contributor to the scientific community. Questions that students commonly encounter are:

• What are interesting research topics?
• How should I start my own research?
• How do I know whether this research will be novel enough?

At VGSE, students are intensively supervised while making their first steps towards becoming an independent researcher. VGSE organizes two brown bag seminars (one in microeconomics, and one in  macroeconomics) that run every week in every Semester. Students and faculty members present their preliminary research findings during the seminars. Before and after the seminars there is the possibility to informally interact.

Students observe the research process from beginning to end, contribute to the research process of others, and benefit from the reactions of faculty members and other students to their work. 

• All research seminars in Macroeconomics "Macro-Breakfast"
• All research seminars in Microeconomics "Micro Lunch"

The schedule of the current seminars can be found here .

Field Courses

Every year each of the two key areas organizes several field courses, exposing students to the frontiers of research. Field courses are taught by the permanent faculty and internationally well-recognized guest professors. 

The field courses will change from year to year, depending on to the availability of faculty members and guest professors and the research interests of the students. 

• Current and past guests of VGSE can be found here .

Transferable Skills courses

Students at VGSE also learn how to develop interesting research ideas into publishable papers, and interesting presentations. The  Doctoral Center of the University of Vienna  has developed a set of  courses specifically dedicated to graduate students . Depending on the student's needs, courses will be selected on an individual basis.

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PhD Program: Vienna Graduate School of Finance

Since the fall term 2005/06 our Faculty has been offering a PhD Program in Finance, the Vienna Graduate School of Finance (VGSF ) which is a joint initiative of the University of Vienna, the Vienna University of Economics and Business, and the Vienna Institute for Advanced Studies. This program offers an internationally competitive education for young early stage scientists. It involves regular lectures held by international visiting professors.

• Information at the website of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics

Current PhD courses

• Course Catalogue of the University of Vienna
• VGSF Webpage

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Research in Economics and Finance (Master)

 why study ... research in economics and finance.

This programme, offered jointly by the Departments of Economics and Finance, provides the methodological basis necessary to carry out theoretical and empirical research in economics and finance. This includes the development of new and more advanced methodologies and analytical approaches. Accordingly, the programme places great emphasis on the foundations of both theory and empirics in the two fields. After a joint first semester, students choose to specialise in economics or finance. The programme can be thought of as the first two years of an American-style PhD program, prior to the phase of thesis writing.

Master of Science

Degree Programme Code:  066 953

4 semesters / 120 ECTS credits

Language: English

Selection procedure

More information on the master's programme

Admission Procedure

Information about the selection procedure

English language requirements

Information on Previous Studies:

In any case eligible degree programmes at the University of Vienna:

• Economics (Bachelor)
• Business Administration (Bachelor) - only if minor in finance (with courses from mathematics, statistics, econometrics and game theory) and/or economic statistics (with game theory, courses from economics or finance) has been passed

The on-site information of the Admission Office

Getting started

Orientation course

Orientation in the first semester

Semester planning

Getting Informed

StudiesServiceCenter (SSC) Business, Economics and Statistics

Study Programme

All legal provisions and a detailed description of the structure can be found in the curriculum .

Semester 1 - (30 ECTS)

• Introductory Econometrics
• Macroeconomics for Economics and Finance
• Microeconomics for Economics and Finance

Semester 2 - (30 ECTS)

• Game Theory
• Econometrics II

Economics Specialisation:

• Advanced Macroeconomics
• Elective Courses

Finance Specialisation:

• Advanced Finance

Semester 3 - (30 ECTS)

• Seminar in Economics
• Seminar in Finance

Semester 4 - (30 ECTS)

• Master's Seminar
• Master's Thesis

Five Concepts

which you will deal with during your studies:

• Econometrics
• Business Cycles
• Macroeconomics
• Individual Decisions
• Game theory

... and many more.

 Overview of the programme structure & topics

Here you find the current offer of courses for this programme to gain better insight into the topics and structure. For more information please click on the respective level.

After Graduation

Graduates are able to work on economic and financial issues using the methods and instruments of theoretical and empirical economic research. The skills acquired go beyond those taught in a corresponding bachelor's degree. In particular, graduates can independently read and understand the relevant scientific literature as well as question them critically and apply them to specific economic questions. You are familiar with modern theories of economics and finance and can check their statements on the basis of data. Graduates have the knowledge that enables them to take up an economics doctoral program with independent scientific research.

© Universität Wien / Barbara Mair

Continuing after Graduation

• Center for Doctoral Studies - everything about doctorcal/PhD programmes at the University of Vienna
• Alumni of the University of Vienna
• Postgraduate Center - postgraduate programmes at the University of Vienna
• Uniport - career service of the University of Vienna

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• Statistics and Operations Research

Brief description

Programme outcomes, fields of activity, personal requirements.

• Contact and help

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Consultation on our doctoral programmes

Online, via e-mail or telephone

Workshops for Doctoral Candidates

Registration is possible via our Website

Online-Infosession

Learn more about the doctorate programmes at the University of Vienna

PhD Orientation Week

https://forschung.univie.ac.at/en/services/events-trainings/doctoral-candidates/phd-orientation-week/

Welcome to the Center for Doctoral Studies

The Center for Doctoral Studies is part of the Research and Career Development Unit and the central contact point for matters related to doctoral education at the University of Vienna. The team of the Center for Doctoral Studies offers consultations about the first steps and requirements of the doctoral programmes at the University of Vienna.

Click here for an overview about our support offer.

PhD Orientation Week 2024

Save the Date: PhD Orientation Week

from October 2nd to October 4th 2024

Prospective PhD Candidates

You are interested in a PhD at the University of Vienna? Here you can find more information about the doctorate and the possibilities the University of Vienna offers. 

Read more here

Doctoral Studies

Here you can find information on our offered Doctoral/ PhD programmes and all about the admission procedure.

Read more here.

PhD Process

Get answers to your questions about the structure of the doctorate, courses and the completion of a PhD Programme.

  News & Events

Workshop programme for the summer semester online.

Registration for the workshops in the summer semester is already open!

Online Schreibretreat und Schreibwerkstatt: Termine 2024 online

Neu im Programme ist ein Online Schreibretreat am 22. und 23. März 2024. Die Schreibwerkstatt startet im Mai.

Admission for summer semester 2024

Admission for summer semester 2024 will be possible from January 8 2024 onwards until end of September 2024.

more events

 PhD-Corner

Tiny tornados for storing data

Sabri Koraltan from the VDSP studies the properties of magnetic textures to develop a new type of magnetic field sensors or data storage devices.

Glowing snail mucus as the future of biomaterials

Sophie Greistorfer from the VDSEE is looking for the key to grasping the fundamental principles of a luminescent biopolymer.

Climate activism must be rewarded

Jana Köhler from the VDS CoBeNe wants to help promote climate- and environmentally-friendly behaviour among the population.

• More PhD-Videos

@public: Stefan Sonntagbauer im Podcast zum Thema Horror

Kulturwissenschaftler Stefan Sonntagbauer im Gespräch mit dem Bohema Magazin.

@Public: Florian Danzinger und Stefan Fuchs zum Grünen Band Europas

Florian Danzinger und Stefan Fuchs vom Department für Botanik der Uni Wien berichten in der Rubrik Wissen & Innovation der "Presse" von ihrer...

Forschungs-Team erhält Grant vom Leibniz Institut für Psychologie

Sandra Geiger, Jana Köhler, Mathew White, Sari Nijssen und Maja Grünzner aus der Abteilung für Kognition, Emotion und Methoden in der Psychologie...

• more news from the PhD-Corner

Doctoral Programmes at TU Wien

E784 - Doctoral Programme in Social and Economic Sciences E786 - Doctoral Programme in Technical Sciences E791 - Doctoral Programme in Natural Sciences

Curricula , opens an external URL in a new window

Admission and prerequisites

The prerequisite for admission to a doctoral programme at TU Wien is either

• successful completion of a relevant master's, teacher training or other appropriate degree programme,
• successful completion of an equivalent degree programme at an accredited tertiary educational institution in or out of Austria or
• successful completion of a relevant degree or master's programme from a technical college in accordance with § 6 Para. 4 Fachhochschulstudiengesetz [Technical Colleges Act],
• Supervision assurance of a full or associate Professor of TU Wien.

The doctoral programme usually lasts for six semesters.  In addition to the dissertation, the current standardised programme for doctoral students stipulates that a total of 180 ECTS of modules (162 ECTS of which are the dissertation) must be completed.  More detailed information regarding this selection can be found in the programme. Examinations taken as part of a master's or other degree programme cannot be recognised for this. The doctoral programme is assessed in the viva voce, a general examination by a committee involving defence of the dissertation by the candidate.  Graduates of a doctorate in the technical sciences are awarded the title of Doktor/in der Technischen Wissenschaften (Dr. techn.), graduates of a doctorate in the natural sciences are awarded the title of Doktor/in der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) and graduates of a doctorate in the social and economic sciences are awarded the title of Doktor/in der Sozial- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften (Dr.rer.soc.oec.).

Further Information

Admission office.

If you need information on how to apply at the TU Wien regardless of academic degree, this is your go to Admission .

Fachschaft Doktorat:

Fachschaft Doktorat is the representation of interests of doctoral candidates at the TU Wien. Their members provide information and give advice and support concerning all aspects of the doctoral programs.

http://fsdr.at , opens an external URL in a new window

Further information

Admission office

Karlsplatz 13, Stiege 2/Halbstock 1040 Wien

Phone: +43 1 58801 41188 Email:  [email protected]

Fachschaft Doktorat

Karlsplatz 13 1040 Wien Main building, ground floor, next to Fachschaft Raumplanung and Fachschaft Architektur Room number: AF EG 32

Email:  [email protected] Website: fsdr.at , opens an external URL in a new window

• Top menu level Studies
• Back: list subpages of parent page "Studies" Back to: Studies
• Doctoral Programmes
• Study Application , opens an external URL in a new window

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Thinking of Pursuing a PhD in Economics? Info on Graduate School and Beyond

Kasey Chatterji-Len and Anna Kovner

Becoming a PhD economist can provide a fulfilling and financially secure career path. However, getting started in the field can be daunting if you don’t know much about the preparation you’ll need and the available job opportunities. If you’re wondering what it means to be an economics researcher or how to become one, please read on. We’ll review how to prepare for a career in economics research, what an economics PhD program entails, and what types of opportunities it might bring. Economic education is a core component of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s mission to serve the community. To empower would-be economists, this post provides information for students who seek a career in economics research. We hope this information will be helpful to students interested in economics, regardless of their background and economic situation.  This information is most applicable to students applying to programs in the United States.  

The Breadth of Economics Research  

Academic disciplines conduct research in different ways, so it’s important to have a basic understanding of the types of questions economists ask and how they approach answering them. There are many definitions of economics, but a broadly useful one is the study of how people, organizations, and governments make decisions under different constraints, and how those decisions may affect their outcomes. 

When answering these questions, economists seek to ground their analyses in models and to be quantitatively precise about the effects they assign to any given cause. The range of topics economists can study is wide, but the accepted approaches to answering questions are stricter. Some examples of what economists might ask: 

• How do different public housing programs affect the children who live there? 
• Does a certain type of law encourage businesses to innovate? 
• How will a change in the interest rate affect inflation and unemployment rates? 
• How much does affordable health insurance improve people’s health? 
• How can poor countries eradicate poverty? 

There are many different subfields within economics, including, but not limited to behavioral, econometrics, energy/environmental, development, financial, international, monetary, public, and urban economics. You can familiarize yourself with the latest work in economics by subscribing to working paper series, such as NBER’s New This Week or the New York Fed’s Staff Reports . To get an idea of the breadth of questions economists can answer, you could listen to Stephen Dubner’s “ Freakonomics Radio ” podcast. You may also want to explore the Journal of Economic Perspectives , the New York Fed’s Liberty Street Economics blog, VoxDev , or VoxEU .  

What Is a PhD Program Like?    

Economics PhD programs typically last five to seven years. Unlike masters programs, they are often fully funded with a stipend, though most require students to complete teaching assistant and/or research assistant (RA) work as part of their funding package. In the first two years, students take classes, many of which are mathematically demanding. The rest of the program can include additional classes but is primarily devoted to original research with the aim of producing publishable papers that will constitute the dissertation.  

Faculty advisors are a central part of PhD programs, as students look to them for guidance during the research process. Economics PhD programs are offered within university economics departments, but there are similar programs in public policy and business schools. You can look at their websites to understand any differences in coursework and subsequent job placements. 

What Can You Do with an Economics PhD?  

Upon graduation, students can obtain jobs in a variety of industries. Many PhD students hope to become university professors. Governments and public policy-related institutions such as the Federal Reserve System, the U.S. federal government, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also hire economists to work on policy, lead programs, and conduct research. Finally, economics PhD graduates can also find employment at a variety of private sector companies, including banks, economic consulting firms, and big tech companies. The pay for these different positions can vary. According to the American Economics Association (AEA), the average starting salary for economics assistant professors in 2022-23 was approximately $140,000 at PhD granting institutions and $98,000 at BA granting institutions. 

Programs often publish the placements of their PhD graduates, so you can look online to see specific employment outcomes. See, for example, the University of Maryland’s placements . Ultimately, economists are highly regarded as authorities on a variety of topics. Governments, nonprofits, philanthropic foundations, financial institutions, and non-financial businesses all look to economists to answer important questions about how to best achieve their goals. Thus, earning an economics Ph.D. can potentially help you to influence issues that are important to you. 

Preparing for an Economics PhD Program  

There are several components to an economics PhD program application: college transcripts, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. Please download the Appendix linked below to learn more about transcripts and letters of recommendation. The Appendix details ways in which you can select coursework, obtain research experience, and develop relationships to position yourself for success as a PhD applicant.  

If you feel that you are too far along in your academic career to take enough of the classes described in the Appendix, this does not necessarily preclude you from pursuing an economics PhD. For example, it’s possible to take some of these classes through a master’s program, or through a pre-doctoral RA job. Some pre-doctoral RA jobs, such as the one here at the New York Fed , may enable you to take classes in preparation for graduate school. If you are concerned about your transcript, reach out to an economist at your university for advice; program standards for coursework and grades vary, and it’s a good idea to get more personalized advice. 

Research Experience   

If you’re interested in becoming an economics researcher and applying to PhD programs, it’s best to get research experience as soon as possible. Working as an RA is a great way to learn how to conduct research and get a better idea of whether it’s the right career path for you. Additionally, it can help you obtain a letter of recommendation for graduate school applications and improve your qualifications.  

All types of academic research can be enriching, but it’s beneficial to gain experience working directly with an economist. To find a position, you can reach out to professors whose work you find interesting or find an RA program at your school. Typical RA tasks may involve data collection and cleaning, as well as running analyses and creating charts to represent results. This is where coding skills become crucial; having taken math, statistics, and econometrics courses will also enable you to take on more responsibilities. 

You may also have the opportunity to conduct your own research, possibly under the supervision of a professor at your university. This research could be self-initiated or part of a course such as a thesis workshop. Self-directed research is a great opportunity to learn about all stages of the research process. It’s also an excellent opportunity to create a writing sample for graduate school applications. Ultimately, though, your motivation for conducting your own research project should be that you want to answer a question.  One thing economists have in common is a love of answering questions using data and theory. 

Research experience is also often obtained after completing an undergraduate or master’s degree. Taking on a full-time RA position before applying to PhD programs is very common and can make you a more competitive applicant. You may either get an RA job working for a professor or participate in a pre-doctoral RA program.  

Research assistant programs are more structured than positions with individual professors or projects, which could be helpful. Universities, parts of the government, think tanks, research organizations, and the Federal Reserve System are all good places to look for research assistant programs. To help you decide which opportunities are most desirable, you may want to ask potential employers : Where do people in this program tend to go afterward? Will I be working directly with an economist? How much of my time will be spent on academic research work? Will I be able to take classes as part of this program? Considering whether an economist will be able to evaluate your performance is an important factor for recommendation letters. The ability to take classes, either through tuition reimbursement or waivers, can also be an important benefit. 

The Research Analyst program here at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York is one example of these programs and you should check it out here . The Federal Reserve Board of Governors also has a large program, and many other regional Federal Reserve Banks have similar programs. In addition, the PREDOC website and the  NBER post listings of RA opportunities. J-PAL and IPA also tend to recruit RAs for economic development projects. Another source of RA opportunities is the @econ_ra account on X. 

Who Should Get a PhD in Economics?  

A PhD may not be for everyone, but it is for anyone—people of all genders, religions, ethnicities, races, and national origins have PhDs in economics. Many economists majored in economics, but others majored in math, physics, or chemistry. Because economics is such an integral part of policymaking, it is important that economists come from a wide range of backgrounds so policy can be stronger and more effective. The inclusion of differing perspectives helps ensure that the contribution of economists to work in public policy, academia, and beyond effectively serves the broadest range of society. 

• Coursework Appendix

Kasey Chatterji-Len is a research analyst in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Research and Statistics Group.

Anna Kovner  is the director of Financial Stability Policy Research in the Bank’s Research and Statistics Group.

How to cite this post: Kasey Chatterji-Len and Anna Kovner, “Thinking of Pursuing a PhD in Economics? Info on Graduate School and Beyond,” Federal Reserve Bank of New York Liberty Street Economics , May 31, 2024, https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2024/05/thinking-of-pursuing-a-phd-in-economics-info-on-graduate-school-and-beyond/.

You may also be interested in: AEA: Resources for Students

PREDOC: Guidance for Undergraduates

RA Positions-Not at the NBER

Disclaimer The views expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the author(s).

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Liberty Street Economics features insight and analysis from New York Fed economists working at the intersection of research and policy. Launched in 2011, the blog takes its name from the Bank’s headquarters at 33 Liberty Street in Manhattan’s Financial District.

The editors are Michael Fleming, Andrew Haughwout, Thomas Klitgaard, and Asani Sarkar, all economists in the Bank’s Research Group.

Liberty Street Economics does not publish new posts during the blackout periods surrounding Federal Open Market Committee meetings.

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Our department hosts about 30 full-time faculty. About half of those are tenured (full professors and associate professors) and about half are non-tenured (assistant professors). 

Our faculty hold PhDs from prestigious universities worldwide, such as Harvard, Northwestern, NYU, Yale, EUI, University College London, Università Pompeu Fabra, Mannheim, Tilburg, and University of Zurich.

ao. Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Ana Begona Ania Martinez

Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1090 Wien Room: 04.614

Dr. Omar Bamieh , BS MSE

Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1090 Wien Room: 05.344

Ass.-Prof. Dr. sc. ETH Alexandra Brausmann

Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1090 Wien Room: 05.305

Univ.-Prof. Alejandro Cunat , PhD

Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1090 Wien Room: 05.341

Dipl.-Vw. Dr. Florian Exler

Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1090 Wien Room: 05.309

Assoz. Prof. Daniel Garcia , PhD

Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1090 Wien Room: 05.608

Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Vw. Monika Gehrig-Merz , PhD

Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1090 Wien Room: 05.307

Dr. Brigitte Hochmuth , MSc

Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1090 Wien Room: 05.338

The focus of the PhD program is on the applied aspects of the discipline and typically takes 5 years to complete. A strong foundation in economic theory is developed, followed by exposure to several sub-disciplines of economics. Courses usually place an emphasis on the sub-disciplines of empirical and policy applications. The program provides a flexible framework adaptable to a wide variety of professional objectives. The PhD program prepares individuals for careers in teaching, government and research. The program offers the opportunity to specialize in the following areas: 

• Econometrics - applied and theoretical
• Labor economics
• Advanced macroeconomics
• Environmental economics
• Development economics
• Behavioral economics

Graduate students receiving assistantships are usually assigned responsibilities that prepare them for teaching and research.

Admission Requirements

Qualified students holding a bachelor’s or master’s degree are eligible for admission. 

Applicants are required to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination.

Program Requirements

Course requirements.

Students pursuing the PhD in Economics must complete 58 credits of graduate coursework, which includes:

• ECON 611 - Microeconomic Theory I
• ECON 612 - Microeconomic Theory II
• ECON 613 - Macroeconomic Theory I
• ECON 614 - Macroeconomic Theory II
• ECON 603 - AdvMath.Analysisfor Economists
• ECON 615 - Economic Statistics
• ECON 616 - Econometrics
• ECON 617 - Applied Econometrics
• Economics electives* at the 600-level totaling 27 credits
• ECON 693 - Phd Seminar I
• ECON 694 - Phd Seminar II
• ECON 699 - Dissertation

*The elective courses are normally taken in economics. Courses taken outside of economics require permission of the director of graduate studies.

Comprehensive Examination

The PhD theory comprehensive examinations in microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory must be taken at the end of the second semester of study following completion of the four required theory courses: ECON 611 and 612 for microeconomic theory, and ECON 613 and 614 for macroeconomic theory. These examinations are offered within two weeks of each other in June. Students who do not pass one or both examinations may retake the examination(s) not passed later in the summer. If a student fails either theory examination the second time, that student is terminated from the economics PhD program; a third attempt is not allowed.

Third-Year Paper

PhD students are required to complete a research paper by the end of their sixth semester. Students who fail to present an acceptable paper by this time will be designated as not making satisfactory progress and will be terminated from the program.

After completion of coursework, comprehensive exams, and the third year paper, students are eligible to be recommended for candidacy in the PhD program.

Dissertation

The student must submit a dissertation that embodies original work on some significant topic in theoretical or applied economics. Before undertaking the dissertation, the student arranges for an advisory thesis committee consisting of faculty whose research interests are appropriate to the proposed problem.

After completing all comprehensive examinations, course requirements and the third-year paper, the student must develop a written prospectus of the dissertation topic and obtain the approval of the prospectus by the thesis committee. The prospectus must include a brief statement of the problem and the student’s proposed approach to answering the problem. In the case of empirical studies, the student must also include a discussion of the data.

When the initial prospectus has been developed to the extent that it is ready for examination by the entire department, the student must present and defend the prospectus to a graduate seminar of faculty and students. The presentation must be made with the advice of the student’s dissertation committee. This seminar provides feedback on the dissertation topic. It must be presented at least six months prior to the final oral examination in defense of the dissertation.

The two-course sequence, ECON 693 and ECON 694, is normally taken during the third year and beyond, of graduate work. All resident PhD candidates who have completed their comprehensive examinations are required to register for either ECON 693, 694, 698 or 699.

Final Examination

After the student’s admission to candidacy, the degree of PhD in economics is recommended by the department for the student who has completed an approved program of study, submitted a dissertation acceptable to the advisory committee and passed a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation.

Additional Information About the Program

Courses presented for the degree must be completed with grades of C- or better and a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 (B average).

Consent to take any examination (including the comprehensive examination) may be denied to students whose cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken for credit in the Economics Department is below 3.0 (B).

Residency Requirement : Ordinarily, the University-wide residence requirement is met by registration in 24 credits, excluding ECON 597, 697 and 699.

For more information on the Economics PhD program, please refer to the Economics website for more information. To apply to the Economics PhD program, please visit the University Admissions website .

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Application

The application period for the  PhD Economics Programm for this academic year 24/25 has already ended. Employment starts each year at September 1st. 

Application for the following year (academic year 2025/ 26) will be possible again during January/February 2025 . Around this time, open positions (usually up to 5 PhD positions), application deadlines and details how to apply will then be announced here on this website and the WU job portal .

Prerequisites for Admission

Master degree in Economics or related field

Necessary prerequisites:

Advanced Microeconomics I & II (4+4 ECTS)

Advanced Macroeconomics I & II (4+4 ECTS)

Advanced Econometric Models and Methods (4 ECTS)

The WU-Master "Science Track" contains these necessary prerequisite courses mentioned above.

Each application to the PhD program is carefully screened. The PhD program director evaluates on a case-by-case basis the equivalence of master courses from the WU-master "Applied Track" and/or from other universities/master programs, to these prerequisite courses.

In case prerequisite courses are missing, they must be obtained by the candidate by completing the respective courses from the scientific track of WU's economics master program during his/her first year of the PhD program.

PhD-students in the Program "Economics" need to be employed at the WU ,  either in a Department position, or via third-party funding. Employment usually is in the position of  “Teaching and Research Associate” (pre-doc, employee subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for University Staff - Angestellte/r gemäß Kollektivvertrag für die Arbeitnehmer/innen der Universitäten) .

PhD Economics

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