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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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• Resources for Students
• Preparing for graduate school

Program rankings

The following organizations rank graduate economics programs using various approaches:

• US News and World Report 2023 Best Economics Schools
• US News and World Report Ranking of the Best Global Universities for Economics and Business
• RePEc Ranking of Institutions
• Tilburg University Top 100 Worldwide Economics Schools Research Rankings
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2011 Ranking

Academic research evaluating economics programs

• Amir, Rabah and Malgorzata Knauff. 2008. " Ranking Economics Departments Worldwide on the Basis of PhD Placement ." Review of Economics and Statistics , 90 (1), pp. 185-90.
• Grijalva, Therese C. and Clifford Nowell. 2008. " A Guide to Graduate Study in Economics: Ranking Economics Departments by Fields of Expertise ." Southern Economic Journal , 74 (4), pp. 971-96.
• Kalaitzidakis, Pantelis, Theofanis P. Mamuneas, and Thanasis Stengos. 2011. " An Updated Ranking of Academic Journals in Economics ." The Canadian Journal of Economics , 44(4):1525-1538.
• McPherson, Michael A. 2012. " Ranking US Economics Programs by Faculty and Graduate Publications: An Update Using 1994-2009 Data ." Southern Economic Journal , 79 (1): 71-89.  

Graduate degrees in economics

Understanding the job market.

Department of Economics

• Graduate Courses
• Program Requirements
• For Admitted Students
• Funding and Financial Aid
• For Current Students
• Recent Placements

The rigorous PhD economics program at Johns Hopkins is among the best in the nation. With its world-class faculty, individualized attention, and small classes, the doctoral program is the centerpiece of the Department of Economics. From financial analysis to applied research, students are well-prepared to be leaders in the field.

The department is dedicated to maintaining strong research and teaching cores in applied microeconomics, economic theory, macroeconomics, and econometrics. Faculty members are experts in their fields, and they are actively involved in thesis supervision and research seminars . The unique Hopkins difference is the direct interaction and one-on-one attention students receive from faculty. Such attention opens the door to myriad opportunities for students to conduct groundbreaking research, apply complex economic theories, and make educated financial analyses and predictions.

Student Life

Graduate students enjoy a diverse social life outside of the department’s rigorous curriculum and their individual research interests. Faculty and students – from both inside and outside the department – have ample opportunities to spend time together socializing and discussing their studies. 

In addition to frequent student-planned happy hours, social outings, and local events, the Department of Economics and the JHU Graduate Representative Organization host many functions throughout the year.

• At the beginning of the fall semester, the Department of Economics hosts a welcome dinner and party to encourage new students to meet their peers, older students, and faculty.
• The department throws an annual holiday party immediately following completion of the first term, as well as an end-of-year barbecue to celebrate the completion of the spring semester.
• JHU sponsored coffee “happy hours” offer graduate students opportunities to meet people from outside their department.
• Intramural sports are popular among graduate students at Hopkins, and the economics department often forms teams that compete against other departments.

Students and faculty members often know each other by name before taking classes together, and first-year students enjoy straightforward access to faculty members and their more experienced peers. This collegial atmosphere makes for an easy transition into graduate life and comfortable communication once research begins in earnest.

Economics across JHU Schools

Carey business school.

The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School is the graduate business school of Johns Hopkins University and offers full-time and part-time programs leading to the Master of Business Administration and Master of Science degrees.  The School has a number of distinguished economists who interact with the faculty and graduate students in the Department of Economics.

School of Advanced International Studies

The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies is a graduate school of Johns Hopkins University based in Washington, D.C., United States, with campuses in Bologna, Italy, and Nanjing, China. It is consistently ranked one of the top graduate schools for international relations in the world.  The economists at the school interact with the faculty and graduate students in the Department of Economics.

Advanced Academic Programs Applied Economics

The Johns Hopkins Division of Advanced Academic Programs is a  division of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences in Washington DC which offers high-level graduate-level education in Applied Economics, with a variety of Masters Degrees designed to build on the intellectual strength and educational requirements of professional adults.

20 Best Doctor of Economics Graduate Schools

Reviewed by David Krug David Krug is a seasoned expert with 20 years in educational technology (EdTech). His career spans the pivotal years of technology integration in education, where he has played a key role in advancing student-centric learning solutions. David's expertise lies in marrying technological innovation with pedagogical effectiveness, making him a valuable asset in transforming educational experiences. As an advisor for enrollment startups, David provides strategic guidance, helping these companies navigate the complexities of the education sector. His insights are crucial in developing impactful and sustainable enrollment strategies.

Updated: June 13, 2024 , Reading time: 37 minutes

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Data Points:

• A PhD in Economics takes five to six years * to earn. Students spend two years completing their coursework, and conduct research and dissertation in the remaining years.
• The federal government (27%) is the largest employer ** of economists. About 20% of them are hired by management, scientific, and technical consulting services. Scientific research and development services employ 11% of economists. Some 17% of them also work in state and local governments.
• In 2022, there were 33,345 economists *** in the US. Of these, 34.8% are women and 65.2% are men.

The Doctor of Economics (Doctor of Economics, Ph.D.) is an advanced, terminal degree representing the highest level of academic achievement in economics. It can open doors to research, teaching, and consulting opportunities in the field of economics and beyond.

A doctorate program in Economics usually takes about 5 to 6 years to complete. The first two or three years are spent fulfilling coursework requirements. The first year of study is usually dedicated to completing the trifecta of economics basics: macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics. 

The second doctorate year is dedicated to completing the coursework requirements of the chosen field major(s) and or the electives. The chosen majors are usually indicators of the student’s research direction or field of interest.

If the electives are separate from the majors in the curriculum – and these usually are – they serve the purpose of augmenting the student’s learning and background in preparation for further research and the dissertation requirement. 

Quick audio summary:

The third year of study usually finds students either completing the electives and major courses or writing and defending a third-year paper, which helps students prepare for the dissertation proposal.

The dissertation proposal presentation usually takes place in the fourth year, while the fifth and sixth years (and sometimes, the seventh year) are spent executing the approved research plan and writing the final paper to the dissertation committee.

When the dissertation has been accepted, the title of Doctorate in Economics is conferred. 

Exams are also important milestones within the program. Usually, one or two preliminary exams are administered between the second and third years.

These preliminary exams test a student’s comprehension of macroeconomics and the courses taken as part of the field majors and elective requirements. The oral exam, usually administered between the third and fourth years, represents the dissertation proposal defense. 

METHODOLOGY

• For each school, the research areas or fields with the greatest faculty involvement are mentioned as a guide for students to help them decide on their research direction and prospective thesis adviser. Certain schools are known to specialize in some areas, or some areas will have a high faculty research involvement and, thus, denotes a strong research area for that school’s economics department. 
• Published works in peer-reviewed journals, 
• The number of research areas available in a school’s economics department, also the number of inter-disciplinary research areas available, signifies that the department embraces the integration and application of economics with other relevant disciplines, thus providing a more holistic, interconnected, timely and modern understanding of economics as it relates with relevant disciplines like finance, politics, policy, sociology, sustainability, health, business, information systems, entertainment (games, auctions) and even neuroscience (as it relates to the physiology of decision-making),
• Side note: this is why Caltech tops this list, while it is not a prominent name  in traditional and semi-contemporary economics research, it does groundbreaking work in integrating economics with the abovementioned fields, especially with neuroscience, which should open the doors for more collaborative studies in these particular fields
• The number of research centers or institutes a school’s economics department has or with which it is affiliated, 
• The number of fellows or researchers or associates in professional societies and national agencies like the National Academy of Sciences, or the National Bureau of Economics Research, the American Economic Association and other societies; the number of Nobel laureates for Economics are also factored in the ranking,
• R&D expenditures , whether privately or federally financed, also denotes research activity and thus, research contribution,
• The school’s prominence in various academic ranking reports is also a factor (averaged) in the rankings. 
• Since many schools are tied based on the methodology itemized above, many schools are clustered together and share the same ranking (numbers 2, 3, and 5). For those that are clustered in one ranking, they are listed alphabetically. 

THE 20 BEST DOCTOR OF ECONOMICS GRADUATE SCHOOLS

California institute of technology (caltech) division of the humanities and social sciences.

Pasadena CA

Ph.D. in  Social Sciences (focus on Economics)

Caltech’s Division of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) is home to the field of experimental economics, thanks to its alumnus Vernon Smith of class 1949, who pioneered the use of human test subjects to investigate the interaction between markets and economic and financial institutions. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for this groundbreaking research method today. 

• Caltech offers a Ph.D. program in Social Sciences that takes a modern and collaborative approach to economics by enveloping it in an all-encompassing program covering economics, political economy, history, political science, psychology, law, policy and even anthropology. 
• The program also employs an innovative approach to economic research through laboratory experiments and neuro-imaging technology.
• Applicants and incoming Ph.D. students should demonstrate a solid background in calculus (four semesters), linear algebra, mathematical statistics and real analysis. 
• Applied Microeconomics
• Business, Economics and Management
• Economics and Computer Science
• Economic History
• Economic Theory
• Political Economy
• Social and Decision Neuroscience
• Statistical Methodology
• Faculty involvement in these research areas is highest with the first two fields mentioned.

Standout Features of the Program:

The faculty in charge of the Ph.D. SS program is comprised of nearly 40 professors and researchers hailing from various disciplines –  from economics, finance, social science, computational sciences (math and statistics), political science to neuroscience. The majority of the faculty are specialists in economics, with about a fifth of the faculty being specialists in neuroscience. 

The basic operator of economics is decision-making, and Caltech’s HSS Division recognizes that. In line with its tradition of innovation and breaking ground, HSS offers an alternative to the Social Science Ph.D. program, the Ph.D. program in Social and Decision Neuroscience. Students under this program will learn how to devise neurocomputational models and integrate mathematics, statistics, neuroscience, and information science to get to the bottom of human decision-making abilities – the triggers, the stimulants, and the nuances.

Harvard University Department of Economics

Cambridge, MA

Ph.D. in Economics

Since its establishment in 1897, Harvard’s Department of Economics has been consistently regarded as one of, if not the most selective Economics Ph.D. program in the U.S. today.

It offers courses and programs at every level, taught by nearly 60 faculty members who are renowned industry economists and or researchers. 

• Applicants must possess an above-undergraduate level of understanding of economics. They are also required to have research experience, whether at the helm or as a research assistant.
• Mathematics courses are also required, with the minimum being linear algebra and calculus, but the more mathematics courses are taken at the undergraduate and master’s levels, the better. A background in probability, statistics and computer programming may also be advantageous. 
• Additionally, a major requirement for admission is a 15-page writing sample.
• Second-year students are expected to elect two concentrations or emphases and enroll in courses related to these. 
• Third-year students are required to apply for teaching fellowships.

The department faculty does research in a wide array of fields in economics, such as labor economics, public economics, macroeconomics, and behavioral economics, among others.  These are also the four research areas with the highest activity based on faculty involvement.

The department is involved in four research initiatives that study how human behavior , big data , public policy , and microeconomics impact the discipline of economics as a whole and vice-versa. The department’s esteemed academe leads these initiatives, with one of the four centers, the German Administrative Data Project , representing an investigative collaboration between Harvard Economics and the German Federal Employment Agency. 

Princeton University  Economics Department

Princeton, NJ

Princeton Economics has always been at the forefront of economic research and innovation. Two of its faculty members are Nobel laureates, and the department consistently publishes research in various esteemed publications such as the Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control and the American Economic Review , to name a few. 

• The graduate program in Economics is one of the most highly selective, as it only accepts a maximum of 25 students per year. 
• Students are expected to receive financial support throughout their freshman year through fellowships. The fellowship funding may also be extended during the summer term to help fund their research activities. 
• The program is a straightforward doctorate program with no option for a master’s degree. 
• Students can choose from any of the 28 research areas , which, aside from the traditional research areas, also include contemporary subfields like health economics, environmental and energy economics, political economy of China, structural microeconomics and, urban and spatial economics.

Princeton Economics consists of 80 faculty members actively researching various economic fields, as mentioned above. Many of the department’s research concentrates on financial economics, political economy, economic theory, and labor economics. 

Princeton Economics is affiliated with 16 research centers that touch on the various facets of economics, such as macroeconomics, international economics , and public policy. Under public policy alone, there are three research centers: Princeton Program in Public Finance , Julis-Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy & Finance , and the Griswold Center for Economic Policy Studies . 

University of California Berkeley Department of Economics

Berkeley, CA

Berkeley Economics is a pioneering force in diversity and equality. Soon after its establishment in 1903, the department was home to Berkeley’s first female full-time professor, Dr. Jessica Peixotto. Female faculty members would then flock to Berkeley Economics in waves – first, before WWI, and second in the early ’70s.

• The Ph.D. program in Economics usually takes six years to complete, with the first three devoted to coursework and electing preferred research fields in preparation for doctoral candidacy, while the last three years are devoted to completing the dissertation.
• First-year students are required to take courses in the following areas: macroeconomics, microeconomics, mathematics for economics, econometrics, theory, history and research in economics.
• Second-year students are expected to undergo examinations for their chosen fields. They can choose two from the 23 areas offered by the department, which also include alternative fields like Urban and Regional Economics, Health Economics, City and Regional Planning, Education and Economics, and Resource Economics.
• Third-year students are expected to complete the required semester-long Departmental Seminars (any available seminar for the current term). Only then will they be allowed to undergo the doctoral qualifying exams, mostly composed of the dissertation proposal.

Standout Features of  the Program:

Students can engage in any of the 18 research fields available within the department, including traditional fields like theory and econometrics, alongside contemporary fields like monetary theory and behavioral economics.

Research fields with the highest faculty involvement, ergo, research activity, are the fields of finance, international economics, labor economics, macroeconomics, and public economics. 

Berkeley Economics is affiliated with 14 research centers , which include the Opportunity Lab for policy research, the Econometrics Laboratory (EML) , and the Center for Effective Global Action , to name a few, which provides researchers an avenue for the practical application of economic research. 

University of Michigan Department of Economics

Ann Arbor, MI

Michigan’s Department of Economics comprises nearly 70 professor-researchers involved in the various fields of economics. The department does research in 14 areas , including traditional areas like labor economics and industrial organization (which are the fields with the greatest faculty involvement) and contemporary areas like health economics and environmental and resource economics.

• The Ph.D. program in Economics, while taught and offered by the Department of Economics, is administered by UM’s Rackham Graduate School. All applications will be screened centrally, which, for AY 2020, will not include or require GRE results. 
• The program also offers the option of double doctorates through its joint program offerings . Econ Ph.D. students can also choose to pursue a second Ph.D. in Business, Public Policy, or a field of their choosing through the Individually Interdependent Degree Program (IIDP) , also known as the Student Initiated Degree Program (SIDP).
• While first-year students are required to complete the traditional introductory courses (macro, micro, econometrics and math), second and third-year students are expected to complete courses in the various fields of economics, from advanced methods to monetary economics, labor economics, industrial organization, international economics, to public finance, among others. 

The Michigan Institute for Teaching and Research Education (MITRE) is a research hub out of UM Economics that houses faculty and student investigative work in various economic fields. It is also a teaching initiative that provides aspiring Econ instructors with valuable training and project collaborations.  It also provides funding for research, such as the William Haber Fellowship . 

UM, Economics has an impressive track record in job placement year after year. For AY 2019-2020, many of its graduates are now tenure-track faculty members in renowned universities such as Harvard, Stockholm University, and Tsinghua University, while some secured roles in public financial institutions like the Treasury Department, the Congressional Budget Office, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund, to name a few. 

University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences

Philadelphia, PA

Penn Economics is hailed as among the country and the world’s top schools for economics. Its prominence is mostly attributed to the three major economic research centers it houses or is affiliated with: the Penn Institute for Economic Research (PIER) , the Philadelphia Federal Statistical Research Data Center (PFSRDC) , and the Penn Initiative for the Study of Markets (PISM) .

Additionally, it is also the home of one of the world’s esteemed publications in economics, the International Economic Review (IER). 

• The Doctorate in Economics program is a straightforward graduate program with no option for a master’s degree. Also, only full-time enrollments are accepted into the program.
• First-year students must complete courses and the corresponding preliminary exams in econometrics, macroeconomics and microeconomics. 
• Second-year students are required to complete the Empirical Economics requirement , a set of courses that circle the application of economic theories and instruments on various actual economic institutions. 
• Third-year students are expected to complete workshop courses, while fourth-year students must complete their dissertation proposals before the spring term concludes. 

While the Penn Economics faculty does research mainly in four areas of economics – econometrics, macroeconomics, empirical microeconomics, and microeconomic theory, what makes the department and, by extension, the program, stand out is the faculty’s extensive involvement in published work, whether through books , papers , and publications in peer-reviewed journals . 

The International Economic Review (IER) is a product of Penn Economics and Osaka University published every quarter since 1960. It is a highly regarded, world-leading peer-reviewed journal in economics. 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Economics

Ph.D. in  Economics

MIT Economics has been at the forefront of civil service and research since the late 1800s, with the involvement of then Brigadier General and MIT President Francis Amasa Walker in the U.S. Census.

Amasa also established the American Economic Association and became its first president. Right around WWII, the department would then offer master’s and doctorate degrees in economics. 

• The Ph.D. in Economics program exposes students to rigorous research work as early as the first year of study. 
• First and second-year students are required to complete the following core courses: Micro Theory, Macro Theory, Econometrics, and Statistical Method in Economics & Applied Econometrics, as well as a course on Advanced Research and Communication. 
• Second-year students submit a research paper to fulfill the requirements for the Econometrics course.
• Students are also required to elect four concentrations or special fields – two majors and two minors – from which they need to complete the prescribed coursework. 

Students can select from any of the ten concentrations for their major and minor declarations. The fields also denote the research areas under which the department faculty are involved, with the areas of theory, macroeconomics, and international economics with the highest research activity. 

MIT Economics is home to five research centers .  Among these include the MIT-Central Banks collaboration World Economy Laboratory and the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research , which is the brainchild of three MIT schools and centers – Economics, the Energy Initiative, and the Sloan School. 

Yale University Department of Economics

New Haven CT

Yale University’s Department of Economics is composed of more than 50 faculty members who are experts in 14 areas of economics.  Among the department’s strongest and most active areas in terms of research are Industrial Organization, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Public Economics.

• The Ph.D. in Economics program must be completed within six years of registration. Students must reside in New Haven for a minimum of three years during enrollment.
• Students must complete a minimum of six graduate courses in economics to be admitted into the second year of graduate studies. 
• All Yale graduate students are required to meet the “Two Honors” requirement. For Econ doctorate students, this means completing two economics graduate courses with a minimum grade of H-, which should be completed by the end of the second year. 
• The student’s third year should also complete the qualifying exam for doctoral candidacy. Students are given two attempts to take their first attempt as early as their second year.

Students can choose to do research in any of the department’s 13 research areas , including foundational fields in economics such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, econometrics,  economic history, and financial economics.

With a faculty comprised of 50 professors (both tenured and non-tenured) and an average Ph.D. enrollee count of 125, Yale Economics provides an optimum faculty/student ratio of one professor to two or three students. This optimum ratio is considered one of the best among all the economic schools in the U.S.

Brown University Department of Economics

Providence RI

Brown University’s Department of Economics is home to the Orlando Bravo Center for Economic Research , which is the university’s research hub for all things economics.

Brown Economics is also home to the editors of many of the discipline’s respected peer-reviewed journals like the American Economic Journal and the Journal of Economic Growth . 

• Brown University’s doctorate in Economics boasts strong research and training in economic analysis and theory.
• First-year students must complete the following courses: Econometrics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Mathematics, and Applied Economics Analysis.
• Students are also required to attend seminars or colloquia , and they can choose from topics like macroeconomics, applied microeconomics, econometrics and economic theory. 
• Students can choose to research any of the five research areas the faculty are involved in. Finance, macroeconomics, applied microeconomics, econometrics, and experimental and economic theory. 

The Department of Economics is helmed by 30 esteemed faculty members , societal fellows, research grant recipients, and editors of academic literature (book and journals). Students will have no shortage in the choice of a thesis adviser. As for funding, students can consider applying for in-house funding through the Bravo Center Research Grant .

Students looking to do integrative research in population, policy development, and economics can engage with the university’s Population Studies and Training Center . Aside from demographics and social mobility, the center also tackles community-level issues like reproductive health and other national and global issues like health economics, urban economics, environmental economics, and diversity and inequality. 

New York University Department of Economics

New York, NY

NYU Economics is a research powerhouse that not only boasts of Nobel laureates in Economics and National Academy of Science fellows.

It is also home to various research institutes such as the Development  Research Institute (DRI) and the Center for R e search in Applied and Theoretical Economics (CRATE) , which aim to deepen and expand the tenets of economics, and the Institute for the Study of Decision Making (ISDM, or the Center for Neuroeconomics), which is an interdisciplinary research institute combining economics, neuroscience, psychology, medicine, and information systems. 

• NYU Economics only accepts full-time enrollment for its Ph.D. program. Enrolled students must complete a minimum of 72 credits, with at least 64 credits earned while in campus residence.
• Minimum coursework requirements for first-year students include all two levels of Econometrics, Macroeconomics and Microeconomics, a course on Mathematics for Economists, and two advanced courses or seminars. 
• Second-year students must elect two concentrations for the field requirement and complete the appropriate coursework under these. There are two qualifying exams with topics on microeconomics and macroeconomics before the third year of study.
• Third-year students must submit research papers in preparation for the dissertation proposal oral exam or the doctoral candidacy exam. 

Students can choose to research 13 areas of economics , which includes strong research activities in macroeconomics and microeconomics. Other budding research areas include asset pricing, corporate finance, monetary economics, and experimental and behavioral economics. 

NYU Economics is home to the C.V. Starr Center for Applied Economics , the department’s research hub tackling the most concerning and highly impactive socioeconomic issues today, both on national and global levels. The Department is also involved in collaborative research through NYU’s Center for Experimental Social Science (CESS), which, aside from Economics, enjoins the bright minds from the departments of Psychology, Neuroscience, Political Science, and Social Science. 

Northwestern University Department of Economics

Evanston, IL

The Northwestern Economics Department comprises 60 faculty members close to other Northwestern schools like the Kellogg School of Management (KSM). These professors are involved in eight research areas, but the department is acclaimed for its strong macroeconomics research, which laid the ground for the Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) models for fiscal policy and labor analysis.

• Northwestern offers a straightforward Ph.D. degree in Economics. However, a terminal master’s degree is not offered as a program but can be conferred to Ph.D. students who have completed their first year of studies. 
• The program is highly selective, with only an average of 25 students admitted yearly. The result is an average of 120 Ph.D. students in residence every year. 
• First-year students must complete the following core courses: all three levels of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, and Mathematical Methods for Economic Theory. 
• Students who need additional training in advanced mathematics for economics may request permission from the department to take additional math courses such as Real Analysis. 

Students can choose to research any of the nine areas of economics available in the department. Many of these fields involve collaborative research with the Kellogg School of Management. These fields include Macroeconomics, Health Economics, Development Economics, Financial Economics, and Labor and Public Economics.

The Economics Department and KSM have also collaborated to offer the joint Ph.D. in Financial Economics program. Students under this program are expected to integrate their robust training in economics with finance courses like Asset Pricing and  Corporate Finance.

Students can take advantage of the eight economic research centers housed by the Economics Department. It has research institutes in traditional economic areas like econometrics , theory , history , and macroeconomics and contemporary economic areas like poverty research and data science for economics .

Stanford University Department of Economics

Stanford, CA

Stanford Economics has always been regarded as a research powerhouse since its establishment in the ’60s, particularly in Economic Theory.

But as years went by, the department’s research footprint has expanded to now include more than 20 areas, with the fields of Applied Microeconomics, Financial Economics, Labor Economics, and Macroeconomics as some of its strongest and most active research areas based on faculty involvement. 

• First-year Ph.D. students must complete the core courses comprising microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics.
• They must also elect two areas as their majors. Each area will have its own set of requirements . Students can choose from any of the 14 research areas available, including Behavioral and Experimental Economics, Environmental, Resource and Energy Economics, Market Design, and International Trade and Finance, among others. 
• Students must also take four courses from the two other areas not selected as major fields. One of the courses must stem from the field of Economic History.              
• A one-quarter-long teaching experience is required. Students are also required to render a 135-unit residency.  They are also required to attend workshops or field seminars in the field(s). 

Students can choose to research any of the 21 fields of interest available in the department. The list includes Applied Microeconomics, Decision Theory, Economics of Technology, and Game Theory. 

The Stanford Institute for Theoretical Economics (SITE) is a yearly conference held every summer that brings together all of Stanford Economics – faculty, students, researchers – and other experts and collaborators in the field. The conference features workshops and seminars that encourage discussions, project collaborations within economics, related disciplines, academic and professional networking, and further research. SITE enjoys generous funding from the NSF and other Stanford departments. 

Columbia University Department of Economics

Columbia Economics is home to many Nobel laureates, including Milton Friedman, best known for his monetary theory and stabilization policy studies, and William Vickrey. He pioneered the Game Theory in understanding how sealed-bid auctions work ( Vickrey auctions) .

• The Ph.D. program in  Economics requires the completion of courses in econometrics, microeconomics, macroeconomics, mathematical methods, and perspectives in economic theory during the first year of study.
• Research begins during the second year, with students presenting their research papers in a colloquium. They must also elect two concentrations and complete the appropriate coursework. 
• The dissertation proposal should be presented during the fourth year of study. To help them prepare, students must submit another research paper the year prior (year 3).
• Students can choose to do research in any of the traditional fields of economics, such as macroeconomics and microeconomics, or choose a more contemporary field such as urban economics, public finance, labor economics, or industrial organization. 

While Columbia Economics offers several areas of interest under which students can do research, three of the program’s strongest research areas are in the field of empirical economics, applied economics, and theoretical economics. 

The Department of Economics partakes in the university’s Bridge to Ph.D. program , which accepts applicants annually. This is a good stepping stone – both academically and financially –  for post-baccalaureates who are aspiring to apply to grad school. Successful applicants will land roles as full-time RAs with an annual salary of $51K (based on AY 2020-2021).

They are expected to enroll in a few economics electives like mathematics, real analysis, statistics, or introductory economics (macro, micro, econometrics) while rendering RA work in preparation for their application and subsequent admission to graduate school. 

University of California Los Angeles Department of Economics

Los Angeles, CA

UCLA Economics has produced acclaimed graduates trained by equally acclaimed faculty and researchers. It is also home to important macroeconomics , economic history , industrial organization , and population research.

• Before starting the doctoral program, students must participate in the two-week Math Camp, which equips them with mathematical foundations for economics (Econ 200) and navigating the statistical software MatLab. 
• Otherwise, incoming Ph.D. students confident in their advanced math skills may opt to tackle the online modules via the Essential Microeconomics website in preparation for doctoral work. To help students complete the modules, students can go through the Calculus of Economics  modules as needed.
• Second-year students must elect three of the ten field concentrations offered by the department. They can also take related non-Econ courses (not offered by the Department) such as finance, marketing, political science, public policy, mathematics, statistics and electrical engineering. 

Students looking at teaching assistantships as a source for funding can browse the UCLA Economics Teaching Resources page for tutorials on using LMS tools, a class archive for course syllabi, or resources on teaching techniques.

UCLA  Economics is home to esteemed alumni, researchers, and Nobel laureates in Economics, which includes Dr. William Sharpe, an alumnus of the department’s graduate school who pioneered the Capital Asset Pricing Model and several investment performance analytical tools, such as the Sharpe Ratio, the returns-based style analysis, the binomial method, and the gradient method for asset appropriation. 

University of California San Diego Department of Economics

La Jolla, CA

UCSD Economics prides itself with its strong training and research in the fields of microeconomic theory, econometrics, applied microeconomics, and macroeconomics, as well as its formidable and productive collaborations with UCSD’s Public Policy , Management , and Political Science schools. 

• The maintenance of full-time status, equating to 12 units, to be continually eligible for funding,
• Two-year in-campus residency,
• The maintenance of a 3.0 GPA.
• Students must complete the course on Computation (Econ 280) and the empirical project , which is required by the Econometrics course.
• They also need to take seven electives, which must be completed before the end of Year 3. There are close to 30 elective courses from which students may choose. 
• Students must choose two concentrations and complete the prescribed number of required courses. There are 12 field concentrations from which students can choose, including the traditional fields and contemporary ones like Behavioral/Experimental economics and Environmental & Natural Resource Economics.

Students can choose to research any of the 14 research areas being tackled by the department. Some of the highly active research fields are Development Economics, Econometrics, Finance, Labor Economics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomic Theory, Political Economics, and Public Economics.

The department houses the Center for Environmental Economics and the San Diego Education Research Alliance (SanDERA) . Both research centers integrate economics with other relevant disciplines to help influence policy reforms, opportunities, and initiatives.

The University of Chicago The Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago’s Department of Economics, which was renamed The Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics in 2017 after the generous donation of the eponymous foundation, is the birthplace of many tenets and facets of economics, such as behavioral economics, political economy, and financial economy. It is also the birthplace of The Journal of Political Economy. 

• Chicago Economics usually offers admission to about 55 applicants, with only about half enrolling into the program, thus, ensuring an optimal professor-to-student ratio.
• The department only offers a Ph.D. graduate program in Economics. A terminal MA degree is not offered. 
• Students can choose to do research in Applied Microeconomics, Econometrics, Macroeconomics and Economic Theory. Research in Applied Microeconomics has the highest faculty involvement. 
• Students can opt to pursue a joint Ph.D. degree in Financial Economics , as offered by the Booth School of Business, along with the Economics Department. Applicants can lodge their applications through the Economics Department or the Booth School.

Chicago Economics is affiliated with several research centers , including the Center for the Economics of Human Development (CEHD) , the Energy Policy Institute , and the Becker Friedman Institute for Research Economics . The Becker Friedman Institute is a joint effort of the Economics Department, Chicago Law School, Booth School of Business, and Harris School of Public Policy. 

The Economics Department is home to the Griffin Applied Economics Incubator , a research and policy hub where economic studies and statistics drive change through policy formulation and or reform. Every year, the incubator tackles a global or national socioeconomic issue that allows academics to collaborate across disciplines. 

University of Minnesota Department of Economics

Minneapolis, MN

UMN’s Department of Economics boasts having Nobel laureates among its Ph.D. alumni. From the class of ’64, Daniel McFadden, who authored the paper on the Development of the Theory and Methods for Analyzing Discrete Choice , was awarded the Nobel in 2000. From the class of ’78, Lars Peter Hansen, who pioneered the Generalized Method of Moments, was awarded the Nobel in 2013. 

• Incoming Ph.D. students must be equipped with a strong background in computational courses, such as linear algebra, multivariate calculus, and econometrics. 
• Students are also required to complete all four levels of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics courses.
• Eight credits of electives are required. Students can choose from this catalog , which includes courses in computer science, finance, mathematics, psychology and statistics. 
• The dissertation is worth 24 credit units. Students can choose to research the 13 areas of interest available within the department. These include traditional macroeconomic and microeconomic theory fields and contemporary applied fields like game theory, monetary economics, and mathematical economics.

UMN Economics is home to the Heller-Hurwicz Economics Institute , which specializes in economic theory research, the Minnesota Economics Big Data Institute (MEBDI) , which specializes in the use of data science in applied economic research; and the Economics Research Library (ERL) , which is a repository for all published sources on economics, both in-house and from external sources like federal agencies. 

Two of UMN Economics’ younger graduates have also brought pride to the department and the university. Connan Snider and Thomas Youle of classes 2010 and 2014, respectively, uncovered initial and damning evidence of collusion among bankers as early as 2008, resulting in the LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) Rigging Scandal , considered by many economists as the biggest global financial scandal in the world. 

Cornell University Department of Economics

Ithaca, New York

Cornell Economics is a collaboration between the department itself and other Cornell schools such as the Johnson School of Management , Cornell Law , the Department of Policy Analysis and Management , Cornell Hotel School , the Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management , and the Division of Nutritional Sciences .

The result is an Economics Department that boasts of strong research in the tenets of economics and the contemporary and integrative applications of economics in other fields, such as finance, law, policy, business, hospitality, and health economics. 

• Incoming Ph.D. students must demonstrate a solid background in calculus, linear algebra, real analysis and advanced mathematics. A minimum of four semesters is the bare minimum. To stand a greater chance for funding, students are strongly advised to cultivate a more extensive mathematics background with exposure to differential equations, probability, statistics, topology, stochastic equations, and complex analysis. 
• In the case of inadequate mathematics courses exposure, students can enroll in the three-week mathematics review course before the fall term.
• As for undergraduate economics background, the bare minimum is microeconomics and intermediate-level economic theory. A major in economics for post-baccalaureates is not required in the doctorate program.

Cornell Economics faculty comprises nearly 60 professors and researchers involved in 40 different areas of interest in economics. The extensive list of fields of study includes traditional areas of economics, as well as highly specific and contemporary fields such as Insurance, Contract Theory, Gender Economics, Family Economics, Inequality, Race and Discrimination Economics, Decision Theory, Big Data, Compensation, Law Economics, Economics of Crime, Networks, and Information Economics. 

Cornell Economics is home to the renowned S.C. Tsiang Macroeconomics Workshop , named after the department’s eponymous alumnus and eventual professor emeritus, known for his contributions to macroeconomic theory and monetary economics. 

University of California Davis Department of Economics

Nearly 20 of UC Davis Economics faculty (which is about half of the faculty) hold research associateship and research fellowship roles at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) , which is the national authority on economic research and policy advisement.

• First-year Ph.D. students must complete the courses on econometrics, macroeconomics and microeconomics.
• Advanced economic theory
• Public economics
• Advanced macroeconomics
• Economic development
• Economic history
• Econometrics
• International economics
• Industrial organization
• Labor economics
• The UC Davis Economics faculty comprises nearly 40 professors and researchers who specialize in 16 areas of economics, with the fields of International Economics and Macroeconomics as some of the faculty’s strongest research fields.
• The department is affiliated with various research centers that deal with economic history , international economics , socioeconomic issues , and energy economics . 

Students who choose to research in Regional and Urban Economics may engage with the Center for Poverty Research for insight, sources, and research funding.

The Department of Health & Human Services funds this federal institute that focuses on the issues of the marginalized sector and helps create policies and opportunities towards upward social mobility. Students may also reach out to Professor Giovanni Peri for consultation and advisement in this area. 

The department hosts seminars for nine areas of interest in economics regularly. These are seminars on macroeconomics, international economics, behavioral economics and many other fields. 

University of Wisconsin Madison Department of Economics

Madison, WI

The following major requirements define UW’s doctorate program in economics: completing the preliminary exams on Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Theory, a research paper on the chosen major field by Year 3, three signatures on the dissertation proposal signifying committee acceptance, and the acceptance of the dissertation defense. 

• First-year students must take the following courses during the fall term: microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic statistics and econometrics, and mathematical economics.
• The second level of all previous courses must be taken (except for mathematical economics). Students can take an elective course to complete the four-course term during this term. This could be a course on statistics, economics, or mathematics. 
• Second-year students are required to elect major and minor fields.  Aside from mathematics and statistics, students may also elect a minor field from another department for the minor fields. 
• Aside from the two-course requirement for the major fields, students must also attend the appropriate workshop for that field. These workshops are funded by the Juli Plant Grainger Institute (JPGI) for Economic Research.

The Juli Plant Grainger Institute (JPGI) for Economic Research is the department’s hub for economic researches, both student and faculty work. It also provides funding and hosts conferences and seminars or workshops specific to the seven areas of study in economics currently being tackled by the department. 

The department faculty comprises nearly 60 professors and researchers, most of whom are involved in macroeconomics, labor economics, and public economics and finance.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What advantages does a doctor of economics have over the others.

In 2023, the BLS reported that the median pay of an economist with a master’s degree is more than $115K a year, with a projected job growth of 6% over the next ten years, which is considered above average by agency standards. 

What more if the economist has a doctoral degree? Expect that median pay to increase, at the very least, by half or at best, maybe even by a hundred percent.

Professionals with a doctorate in economics can command that high salary because they demand across industries. From the academe to business enterprises, to research organizations (non-profit or government-funded), legislation and policy, to politics , data science , and information systems , financial markets and instruments, or consultative services, economists, and especially those with a Ph.D., can always carve a significant career in any industry and be probably set for life (holds for tenured professors). 

Who can apply to the program?

All baccalaureate graduates (those with a bachelor’s degree) in any degree can apply to doctorate in economics (or similarly named) programs. While all graduates can freely lodge their applications, not everyone passes, as most econ doctoral programs are highly selective, with only an average acceptance rate of 25 students per year. 

Those with a formidable background in undergraduate or graduate (master’s degree) in economics, mathematics, statistics, finance or any degree with a significant foundation in advanced mathematics stand a greater chance of being accepted.

If the applicant comes from a different degree background, say, the health sciences or political science, the applicant may still strongly qualify for admission provided that a strong mathematics background is demonstrated. Courses like linear algebra, real analysis, multivariate and differential calculus, and statistics are minimum pre-Ph.D. requirements.

Are GRE scores required? What are the other admission requirements?

Not for AY 2022, but best to check with the school’s admission office to be certain. The other admission requirements are the completed application form, a resume, letters of recommendation preferably from previous and current employers, a personal essay, all transcript of records, and proof of payment of the application fee.

Again, check with the school’s economics department or admissions office for other requirements that may be specific to the program. 

How will earning a Doctorate in the field of Economics advance my career?

A Doctorate in Economics can open up a wide range of career opportunities in the fields of academia, business, government, research, and consulting.

With a Ph.D. in Economics, you could apply for positions such as economic analyst, professor, policy specialist, economic consultant, market researcher , and finance manager . You may also be able to qualify for more senior-level positions that would require your advanced and specialized knowledge.

As a doctoral-level economist, your skills would be highly sought-after, making you a valuable asset to any organization. With a Doctorate in Economics, you would have the opportunity to make an even greater and more lasting impact in the world of economics.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Obtaining a Doctor of Economics degree can open up a wide range of career opportunities in the field of economics, from academia to government and private sector positions.

To ensure a successful and fulfilling academic journey, it is essential to choose the best graduate school for your doctoral studies. There are several key factors to consider when selecting a Doctor of Economics graduate school, including reputation, faculty, curriculum, and research opportunities.

• First, the reputation of the graduate school is crucial.
• Second, the faculty at the graduate school should be top-notch.
• The curriculum of the graduate school’s economics program is another critical factor.
• Research opportunities are also essential to consider, as they can greatly enhance your academic experience.
• Additionally, consider the opportunities for collaboration and mentorship with faculty and other students.
• It is crucial to consider the overall fit and environment of the graduate school.

In conclusion, obtaining a Doctor of Economics degree from a top graduate school requires careful consideration of factors such as reputation, faculty, curriculum, research opportunities, and overall fit. By thoroughly researching and comparing different institutions, you can find the best graduate school to support your academic and career aspirations in the field of economics.

Additional Resources:

• Economics vs Financial Analysis: Career ROI
• Best Online Doctor of Finance Degree Programs
• Best Grad Schools with Online Doctorate in Entrepreneurship

Related Posts

We’re certain of one thing—your search for more information on picking the best graduate degree or school landed you here. Let our experts help guide your through the decision making process with thoughtful content written by experts.

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World University Rankings 2023 by subject: business and economics

The business and economics subject table uses the same trusted and rigorous performance indicators as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023, but the methodology has been recalibrated to suit the individual fields.

The ranking assesses universities by their performance in the following disciplines: business and management, accounting and finance, and economics and econometrics.

This year’s table includes 870 universities, up from 794 last year.

View the World University Rankings 2023 by subject: business and economics methodology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retains its top spot from last year, while China’s Tsinghua University , rising three places to the eighth spot, is the only new entrant to the top 10.

There are only two new additions to the top 20 – Peking University, China, which has risen seven places to 15th, and ETH Zurich, Switzerland, which has climbed five places to 16th.

Beyond the top 20, the US remains prevalent, but other countries, such as South Korea, Switzerland and Australia, have also improved. For instance, Yonsei University (Seoul campus) rises 34 spots to 44th, the University of Zurich rises five spots to joint 42nd, and the University of Melbourne rises eight spots to 35th.

The University of California also repeatedly improves its performance from last year. For example, its Berkeley campus rises one place to seventh, and San Diego rises one place to joint 31st. The Los Angeles branch remains in 19th place.

Read our analysis of the subject rankings 2023 results

View the full results of the overall World University Rankings 2023

To raise your university’s global profile with Times Higher Education , contact [email protected]

To unlock the data behind THE ’s rankings and access a range of analytical and benchmarking tools, click here

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Fully funded phd positions at the imt school for advanced studies lucca, funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

Italy PhD Programme

An Italian PhD usually takes 3-4 years and consists of some taught units as well as research towards your thesis. This will be examined at a public defence, rather than a private viva voce. Some programmes are taught in English.

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Business Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

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PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

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This project has funding attached for UK and EU students, though the amount may depend on your nationality. Non-EU students may still be able to apply for the project provided they can find separate funding. You should check the project and department details for more information.

8 fully-funded Ph.D. positions in "Economics, Analytics and Decision Sciences (EADS)" at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca

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PhD Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Reaching a global tobacco ‘endgame’: challenges and opportunities

The health and wellbeing impacts of poor-quality urban environments., doctoral studies in the faculty of management, accounting and financial management phd opportunities, taltech’s school of business and governance offers an excellent phd programme called business, economics and governance, phds at henley business school, fully funded phd opportunities in business, economics and finance sciences, 4 year phd programme.

4 Year PhD Programmes are extended PhD opportunities that involve more training and preparation. You will usually complete taught courses in your first year (sometimes equivalent to a Masters in your subject) before choosing and proposing your research project. You will then research and submit your thesis in the normal way.

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Professor Claudia Goldin awarded the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2023

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The large number of professors and their diverse interests enable a student to study virtually any area of economics.  The extraordinary quality of Harvard undergraduates makes the classroom environment stimulating for teacher and student alike.

Supported by a diverse group of faculty who are top researchers in their fields and fueled by a vast array of resources, the PhD program is structured to train and nurture students to become leading economists in academia, government agencies, the technology industry, finance and banking, and global policy organizations.

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The Department of Economics is part of the larger academe of teaching and research at Harvard University.

Faculty Spotlight

The Harvard economics department is a big tent – big enough to include many kinds of people working in many different fields, from finance to economic history, from behavioral economics to political economy, and so much more.  Our students and faculty combine these fields in creative ways that are hard to achieve anywhere else.

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Morton l. and carole s. olshan professor of economics, news and events, professor david cutler awarded the 2024 william b. graham prize for health services research.

Professor David Cutler , Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics, was awarded this year's William B. Graham Prize for Health Services Research.  This award is granted to "an individual who has significantly increased the quality of or access to health service delivery worldwide through the development of insights and innovations that have (a) eliminated barriers to the education and prevention of noncommunicable diseases; (b) highlighted the...

Senior Economics Winners Announced

Senior prize winners (l to r): hemanth asirvatham, aden barton, sara moore, jay garg.

Kunal Sangani awarded Padma Desai Prize

Econ 3012 graduate student workshop in labor economics and public economics, location: .

Stephanie Kestelman (Harvard University)

Fiona Chen (Harvard University)... Read more about ECON 3012 Graduate Student Workshop in Labor Economics and Public Economics

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Martin Koenen (Harvard University)... Read more about ECON 3012 Graduate Student Workshop in Labor Economics and Public Economics

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Contact:  Ursula Ferraro /  [email protected] Directions to  Littauer Center

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The study of the application of using hypothetical quantitative economic models.

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The study of employers’ decisions to hire workers and employees’ decisions to work. This involves determinants of wages, the incentives workers face, and the role of minimum wage laws, unions, pensions, and training programs. 

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Top PhD Programs in Economics

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Are you interested in doing a PhD degree in economics ? Find PhD programs and postgraduate studies from top universities worldwide. Search thousands of PhD degrees to do your academic research abroad in English language.

Thousands of economics students around the world have trusted INOMICS to help them find their postgraduate studies in their subject area. If you are just about to choose your economics postgraduate research training, consider options that match your interests and personal style.

Browse through top economics PhD programs in your research field, be it economics theory, macroeconomics, econometrics, health economics, financial economics, behavioral economics, applied economics or development economics. We list best economics PhD programs in all economics disciplines based on 'JEL' classification system.

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Highlighted PhD courses in economics

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PhD in Methods and Models for Economic Decisions

• PhD Program, Supplementary Course, Program
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International Doctoral Courses and Seminars in Health Economics and Policy

PhD Program in Economics in English language at the University of Economics in Bratislava

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Best PhD Degrees in Applied Economics in the world

There are 5 study programs available at 5 schools and universities in the world , according to Erudera.

Erudera aims to have the largest and most updated database of study programs available in the world , and new study programs are being added weekly. You can use the filters to narrow down your search or sort your results based on popularity and top rankings to find more specific study programs. Once you filter your results, you can save your chosen programs to a personal list so you can do more research or contact the universities later.

Here are the best global universities for Applied Economics :

University of Waterloo

Autonomous University of Barcelona

Auburn University

University of Pennsylvania

HEC Montreal

Administration

Applied Economics

United States

Erudera's search functionality is still in beta and the results below are auto-generated. Although we do our best to make sure we provide accurate information, we do not take responsibility for the content published by institution representatives on this page. Please report any inaccuracies you happen to find to our support so we can improve the experience for all users.

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June 18, 2024

Purdue's graduate programs continued their elevation in latest U.S. News & World Report rankings

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-25 Best Graduate School Rankings, 13 programs earned top 10 placements as Purdue continues to elevate its graduate education and research across the board.

“Purdue graduate students and faculty in master’s, doctoral and professional degree programs are among the best in the country,” Purdue President Mung Chiang said. “The latest graduate and research rankings reflect the success of our students and colleagues across multiple colleges as we continue to support scholarly excellence at scale.” 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

• Purdue recognized among world's best in latest QS rankings and rises to No. 8 among U.S. public universities
• Purdue University Online continues to achieve high national rankings
• Purdue University undergraduate national ranking jumps 8 spots, with 13 undergraduate programs in top 10 in the U.S .

Purdue’s heralded agricultural and biological engineering graduate program earned a No. 1 ranking for the fourth consecutive year. In the College of Engineering , 10 out of 12 departments ranked among the top 10 nationally, the best result in college history, with seven improving year over year:

• Agricultural and biological engineering: No. 1
• Aeronautics and astronautics: No. 2 (up four spots)
• Civil engineering: 5 (up two spots)
• Industrial engineering: 6 (up two spots)
• Electrical engineering: No. 7 (up one spot)
• Computer engineering: No. 8. (up two spots)
• Mechanical engineering: No. 8
• Environmental engineering: No. 9 (up three spots)
• Nuclear engineering: No. 10 (up one spot)
• Biomedical engineering: No. 7 (among universities without a medical school)

Several areas related to the Purdue Computes initiative , including the Department of Computer Science — joint across the College of Science and College of Engineering — also saw gains year over year: 

• Computer systems: 13 (up one spot)
• Computer science: 19 (up one spot) 

The reimagined Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business continued its positive momentum, as the information systems and part-time MBA programs each appeared in the rankings for the first time. Also, these top 10 programs maintained or enhanced their ranking:

• Production-operations: No. 3
• Project management: No. 4 (up three spots)
• Supply chain management: No. 7 (up two spots)

“Our graduate students are at the heart of our mission as a leading public land-grant research university, and we’ve consistently prioritized investments in their success,” said Patrick J. Wolfe, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity. “The hard work of Purdue faculty to elevate our graduate programs and their scholarly impact has driven this continued rise in national rankings, particularly in key strategic areas of enormous consequence to the university as a whole.”

In the School of Nursing in the College of Health and Human Sciences, the Doctor of Nursing Practice program jumped seven spots to No. 24, the biggest gain of any Purdue program in this ranking cycle. The overall master’s program also moved up three spots, to No. 22. Last August the Purdue University Board of Trustees approved plans to construct a transformative Nursing and Pharmacy Education Building , which will continue to accelerate the program’s significant growth. 

The 2024-25 Best Graduate Schools rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinion about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students, and students’ postgraduate outcomes. Data for the rankings in business, education, engineering and nursing disciplines came from statistical surveys of 2,225 programs and from reputation surveys sent to approximately 5,766 academics and 10,941 professionals, conducted in fall 2023 and early 2024. To gather the peer assessment data, U.S. News asked deans, program directors and senior faculty to judge the academic quality of programs in their field on a scale of 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding).  

The visibility and stature of Purdue University continues to grow, as evidenced by these latest U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings and several other accolades recently accrued:

• Earlier this month, Purdue was ranked as a top 8 public university in the U.S., in the top 25 overall domestically and in the top 90 globally in the 2025 QS World University Rankings .
• In February three Purdue online engineering master’s programs placed No. 1 in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of best online programs . Several other online programs made significant leaps to underscore Purdue’s mission to deliver high-quality online programs at scale.
• In the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings , Purdue surged seven spots domestically and over 40 spots globally, ranking No. 9 among U.S. public land-grant universities.
• Purdue enjoyed its best-ever showing in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best College rankings of undergraduate programs , jumping to No. 17 among public universities on a list of 435 ranked national universities and earning a sixth consecutive top 10 Most Innovative (No. 7) ranking.

About Purdue University  

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at  https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives .

Writer/Media contact: Derek Schultz, [email protected]  

Sources:   Mung Chiang, Patrick J. Wolfe

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Education Rankings by Country 2024

There is a correlation between a country's educational system quality and its economic status, with developed nations offering higher quality education.

The U.S., despite ranking high in educational system surveys, falls behind in math and science scores compared to many other countries.

Educational system adequacy varies globally, with some countries struggling due to internal conflicts, economic challenges, or underfunded programs.

While education levels vary from country to country, there is a clear correlation between the quality of a country's educational system and its general economic status and overall well-being. In general, developing nations tend to offer their citizens a higher quality of education than the least developed nations do, and fully developed nations offer the best quality of education of all. Education is clearly a vital contributor to any country's overall health.

According to the Global Partnership for Education , education is considered to be a human right and plays a crucial role in human, social, and economic development . Education promotes gender equality, fosters peace, and increases a person's chances of having more and better life and career opportunities.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." — Nelson Mandela

The annual Best Countries Report , conducted by US News and World Report, BAV Group, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania , reserves an entire section for education. The report surveys thousands of people across 78 countries, then ranks those countries based upon the survey's responses. The education portion of the survey compiles scores from three equally-weighted attributes: a well-developed public education system, would consider attending university there, and provides top-quality education. As of 2023, the top ten countries based on education rankings are:

	1
	2
	3
	4
	5
	6
	7
	8
	9
	10

Countries with the Best Educational Systems - 2021 Best Countries Report*

Ironically, despite the United States having the best-surveyed education system on the globe, U.S students consistently score lower in math and science than students from many other countries. According to a Business Insider report in 2018, the U.S. ranked 38th in math scores and 24th in science. Discussions about why the United States' education rankings have fallen by international standards over the past three decades frequently point out that government spending on education has failed to keep up with inflation.

It's also worthwhile to note that while the Best Countries study is certainly respectable, other studies use different methodologies or emphasize different criteria, which often leads to different results. For example, the Global Citizens for Human Rights' annual study measures ten levels of education from early childhood enrollment rates to adult literacy. Its final 2020 rankings look a bit different:

Education Rates of Children Around the World

Most findings and ranking regarding education worldwide involve adult literacy rates and levels of education completed. However, some studies look at current students and their abilities in different subjects.

One of the most-reviewed studies regarding education around the world involved 470,000 fifteen-year-old students. Each student was administered tests in math, science, and reading similar to the SAT or ACT exams (standardized tests used for college admissions in the U.S.) These exam scores were later compiled to determine each country's average score for each of the three subjects. Based on this study, China received the highest scores , followed by Korea, Finland , Hong Kong , Singapore , Canada , New Zealand , Japan , Australia and the Netherlands .

On the down side, there are many nations whose educational systems are considered inadequate. This could be due to internal conflict, economic problems, or underfunded programs. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's Education for All Global Monitoring Report ranks the following countries as having the world's worst educational systems:

Countries with the Lowest Adult Literacy Rates

	27%
	31%
	34%
	35%
	37%
	37%
	38%
	41%
	45%
	47%

• Education rankings are sourced from both the annual UN News Best Countries report and the nonprofit organization World Top 20

Download Table Data

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	41%	2022	203
	35%	2018	202
	100%	2016	201
	81%	2022	200
	88%	2020	198
	86%	2015	197
	72%	2022	196
	54%	2022	195
	86%	2022	194
	62%	2016	193
	90%	2022	192	87
	62%	2018	191
	0%		190
	83%	2015	189
	0%		188			77
	91%	2015	187
	95%	2015	186
	89%	2015	185
	81%	2021	184
	0%		183
	99%	2021	182
	0%		181
	95%	2020	180
	52%	2017	179
	89%	2021	178
	92%	2021	177
	68%	2022	176
	98%	2022	175
	95%	2019	174	71	59	70	69
	97%	2015	173
	92%	2021	172
	90%	2022	171
	98%	2000	170
	99%	2005	169
	0%		168
	98%	2012	167
	100%	2021	166	48	43	40	38
	98%	2020	165
	98%	2022	164	28	28	27	28
	99%	2021	163	47
	45%	2021	162
	37%	2020	161
	27%	2022	160
	63%	2021	159
	59%	2022	158
	0%		157
	81%	2022	156
	31%	2020	155
	58%	2022	154
	98%	2011	153
	62%	2022	152
	76%	2022	151
	48%	2017	150
	82%	2022	149
	77%	2022	148
	38%	2022	147
	37%	2021	146
	94%	2021	145	32	35	36	30
	100%	2021	144
	34%	2022	143
	77%	2018	142
	78%	2020	141	85	78
	100%	2014	140
	67%	2021	139
	61%	2018	138
	0%		137
	58%	2019	136
	90%	2019	135
	98%	2021	134	51	57	49	43
	76%	2021	133
	89%	2019	132	76
	70%	2015	131
	47%	2022	130
	82%	2022	129
	95%	2021	128
	98%	2021	127	53	54	58	53
	84%	2022	126	86	85	78	73
	49%	2022	125
	0%		124
	64%	2015	123
	75%	2020	122	84	80
	67%	2019	121
	84%	2022	120	83	73	75
	94%	2022	119
	91%	2022	118
	77%	1999	117
	96%	2019	116	75	76	60	56
	89%	2015	115
	90%	2021	114	41	36	33	32
	77%	2022	113	56	58	57	57
	90%	2020	112	82		74
	98%	2022	111
	0%		110
	89%	2019	109	74	79	76	71
	100%	2021	108
	94%	2021	107	44	48	46	48
	80%	2020	106	77	69
	89%	2020	105
	84%	2022	104	72	75	67	63
	99%	2019	103	61	66	56
	88%	2022	102
	74%	2018	101	34	34	32	34
	0%		100
	99%	2021	99	43	45	47	40
	100%	2020	98
	0%		97
	95%	2021	96	69	72	69	60
	94%	2020	95
	0%		94
	96%	2020	93
	0%		92
	94%	2017	91	33	39	41	37
	83%	2022	90	70	71	68	68
	95%	2019	89	39	40	38	39
	72%	2022	88
	100%	2010	87
	100%	2019	86	66	61	65	61
	81%	2001	85
	75%	2022	84	37	37	39	42
	0%		83
	98%	2018	82	59	60
	89%	2021	81	81	74
	99%	2021	80
	0%		79
	92%	2021	78
	94%	2020	77	68	64	64	59
	99%	2021	76	46	44	43	33
	99%	2001	75
	96%	2020	74	54	56	51	49
	81%	2018	73	67	67
	0%		72
	96%	2019	71	52	50	55	52
	100%	2022	70
	70%	2020	69
	99%	2019	68	57	68	63	58
	96%	2020	67	58	52	54	55
	99%	2022	66
	97%	1980	65
	100%	2019	64
	100%	2022	63	80	84	72
	0%		62
	0%		61	79	81	66	67
	98%	2021	60
	0%		59
	97%	2022	58	63	70	62	62
	100%	2019	57	64	53	52	51
	71%	2021	56
	95%	2021	55
	94%	2022	54	73	65	73	65
	96%	2019	53	65	62	59	64
	99%	2020	52
	96%	2020	51
	99%	2021	50
	99%	2018	49
	100%	2018	48
	98%	2021	47
	99%	2014	46
	98%	2020	45	38	32	35	46
	98%	2021	44	62	63	61	54
	100%	2020	43	78	82	71	70
	0%		42	22	21
	0%		41	50	47	45	44
	97%	2022	40	49	51	48	35
	95%	2020	39	40	41	37	36
	99%	2018	38	35	33	34	29
	97%	2019	37	30	31	31	31
	99%	2018	36	14	13	14	16
	0%		35	16	17	16	13
	99%	2011	34	31	30
	98%	2018	33	29	29	28	26
	99%	2014	32
	0%		31	1	1	1	1
	99%	2021	30	36	38	30
	100%	2021	29	60	46	42	45
	0%		28	7	6	6	6
	0%		27	15	14	11	14
	100%	2021	26	42	42	44	47
	100%	2021	25	55	49	50	50
	97%	2021	24	24	24	25	20
	100%	2021	23	25	27	26	23
	100%	2021	22	27	25	23	21
	92%	1983	21	26	26	24	25
	99%	2020	20	17	18	17	18
	0%		19	4	4	4	3
	0%		18
	0%		17	8	9	8	7
	0%		16	5	5	5	5
	0%		15	9	8	9	8
	0%		14
	97%	2020	13	23	23	22	24
	0%		12	2	2	2	2
	97%	2020	11	20	22	21	19
	0%		10	21	20	20
	0%		9	13	12	13	12
	0%		8	12	15	15	15
	0%		7	3	3	3	4
	0%		6	6	7	7	11
	100%	2001	5	45	55	53	41
	0%		4	18	16	18
	0%		3	11	10	10	9
	0%		2	10	11	12	10
	0%		1	19	19	19	22
	97%	2006
	100%	2000
	99%	2021
	100%	2015
	97%	1980
	73.12%

Which country ranks first in education?

Which country ranks last in education, frequently asked questions.

• Best Countries for Education - 2023 - US News
• Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - World Bank
• World Best Education Systems - Global Citizens for Human Rights
• UNESCO - Global Education Monitoring Reports
• World’s 10 Worst Countries for Education - Global Citizen
• International Education Database - World Top 20

Best Ph.D. in Business Ad­min­is­tra­tion Top Consensus Ranked Ph.D. in Business Ad­min­is­tra­tion Programs

Find your degree.

Created on November 23, 2023 Updated: January 15, 2024

This Best Ph.D. in Business Administration ranking lists the most prestigious and highest academic degrees from around the country focused on business and management research. A Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D., in Business Administration is a postgraduate degree offered by business schools and business faculties at colleges and universities across the nation. Professionals who complete a Ph.D. can enjoy an array of significantly superior career prospects. Graduate students and professionals interested in leadership research, administration, academia, consulting, and entrepreneurship will find that a Ph.D. in Business Administration is the exciting finish line.

Ph.D. in Business Administration

Many universities around the nation offer Ph.D. programs. It is common for doctoral students to specialize in Business Administration, Social Sciences, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Medicine, Sustainability, Humanities, and the Arts. Like in all other areas of concentration, Ph.D. in Business Administration holders are considered to be experts in their field. If you are interested in this type of doctoral degree, this ranking contains some of the best you will find in the nation.

Methodology

This is a consensus ranking of the best Ph.D. programs in business administration. What makes this ranking a great tool for prospective students is that we use data from five prestigious ranking systems. This means that students get a broad view of the best programs available, separate from any one particular organization’s priorities. These are not the best according to one person. They are the best according to everyone.

This list shows the most prestigious programs across the board. Ranking scores were weighted equally, averaged, and converted to a score on a 100-point scale to reveal the degree’s Consensus Score.

Data for our ranking order was collected from:

• The Financial Times ,
• Fortune , 
• Bloomberg Businessweek , 
• U.S. News and World Report ,  and

There was a significant change in the ranking order from the 2020 ranking. We used our consensus methodology from our MBA program rankings, giving us a comprehensive view of business schools with the best brands. This methodology change only kept five business schools from our previous ranking. But you will see that this ranking lists the most prestigious Ph.D. programs from around the country.

Recommended Online Programs

Explore our featured online programs to find the right match for you today.

Stanford University Graduate School of Business

One of the nation’s best Ph.D. in business administration programs is offered at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. Enrolled students discover a focus and intensity more significant than they have thought possible. Stanford Graduate School of Business Ph.D. students are inspired and challenged to explore complex questions and novel ideas.

Stanford’s Ph.D. program develops outstanding scholars for careers in teaching and research at leading academic institutions worldwide. Doctoral students embark on a meaningful and challenging experience. Students focus their academic study in one of seven fields within the Ph.D. program. Solid Ph.D. candidates are full of curiosity and ideas, with an aptitude and passion for research. Candidates preparing to embark on a rigorous career in research and develop their full potential are invited to explore the possibilities of a Ph.D. in business administration. Accepted applicants receive full fellowships for their doctoral studies. There is a lot to love about this Ph.D. in business administration.

Admissions Email: [email protected] Admissions Phone: 650-723-2831

AACSB Accredited:  YES

Ph.D. Website

Harvard University Harvard Business School

Harvard University delivers an excellent Ph.D. in Business Administration through the Harvard Business School. The doctoral program in Accounting and Management falls under the Ph.D. in Business Administration. It focuses on the role of information systems in allocating resources among organizations and between individual departments. This degree also deals with monitoring and rewarding managers’ performance, formulating and executing strategy by managers, and understanding the profitability of business units, suppliers, products, customers, and distribution channels.

Prospective candidates apply to the Ph.D. in Business Administration and select Accounting as their field of study. Ph.D. students work closely with professors in the Accounting and Management Unit. Research there encompasses Management Accounting and Financial Reporting and Analysis. Harvard’s programs are full-time degrees which officially begin each August. Students are expected to complete their doctoral program in five years. The first two years are for coursework, at the end of which postgraduate students take a field exam. The final three years are spent on dissertation research and writing.

Admissions Email: [email protected] Admissions Phone:  617-495-6101

University of Chicago Booth School of Business

The Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago provides a Ph.D. in business administration. The Stevens Doctoral Program at Chicago Booth is the elite destination for intellectually curious and analytical individuals wanting to earn a doctorate in business from one of the world’s best business Ph.D. programs. Chicago Booth Ph.D. students explore and cultivate their research interests from day one—wherever they lead them. In partnership with a distinguished faculty, doctoral students develop their ability to conduct groundbreaking research.

Program finishers graduate with a business Ph.D. and the tools to succeed academically and professionally. The Stevens Program is competitive and highly rewarding. Approximately 20–25 Ph.D. students enroll each fall from an applicant pool of over 1,000. Graduates are highly sought after at the world’s top institutions of higher learning, at leading global businesses, and in government. This full-time program takes five years to complete. This Ph.D. in business administration is worth a second look.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone: 773-702-3760

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Northwestern university kellogg school of management.

A Ph.D. in business administration program is available at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Program designers understand undergraduate students are introduced to a field and become aware of its unexpected complexities and nuances. They believe students acquire an intellectual framework that allows them to embrace and accommodate complexities as they strive to make sense of the world at the doctoral level. As business leaders progress, their novel insights help others make sense of the world. This Ph.D. in business administration allows leaders to contribute to knowledge. Northwestern’s doctorate is rigorous, immersive, and rewarding.

Enrolled students in the Kellogg Ph.D. program master an academic discipline—data science, economics, psychology, sociology, or operations research. They apply that mastery to real-world issues facing policymakers and managers. This discipline-based approach prepares Ph.D. students to challenge conventional wisdom with fresh ideas, models, and empirical findings. These business leaders foster an enduring impact on organizations and communities.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  847-491-5279

Columbia University Columbia Business School

Columbia University’s Business School features a Ph.D. in business administration program. Management Doctoral students learn to apply basic social science knowledge and research methods to organizations, their members, and their environments. The program prepares doctoral students for careers in scholarly research. Graduates take jobs primarily in academic and research institutions worldwide. The Management Division at Columbia Business School trains scholars to become academics at the world’s most prestigious institutions. The business school’s placement success is due to the close working relationship students develop with the instructors in the division.

The school keeps the Ph.D. program small so students can find faculty collaborators and thrive. Columbia Business School’s doctoral community includes 125 students across six programs. The program attracts learners from across the globe looking to develop research skills under the tutelage of industry experts. Students come to Columbia for the exceptional training. They value the creativity, entrepreneurship, diversity, and social tolerance that NYC features. Ph.D. students enrolled in this excellent business administration degree love it.

Admissions Email:  212-854-6729 Admissions Phone:  [email protected]

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management

Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management features a Ph.D. in business administration. The hallmark of the MIT Sloan Ph.D. Program is rigorous, discipline-based research. The doctorate program is committed to educating scholars who will lead in their research fields. Doctoral students with outstanding intellectual skills who conduct productive research on organizational, financial, and technological issues thrive in this program.

Program designers understand today’s economic environment is characterized by an increasingly challenging and competitive business world. Ph.D. studies at MIT Sloan are intent on business leadership. This Ph.D. in business demands a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from all candidates. The rewards of such hard work are tremendous. MIT Sloan Ph.D. graduates teach and conduct research at the world’s best universities. This Ph.D. program’s curriculum is organized under three academic areas. Students gain exposure to Management Science, Behavior and Policy Sciences, and Economics, Finance & Accounting.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  617-253-3400

Yale University School of Management

Yale University’s Yale School of Management offers a Ph.D. in business administration. This Doctoral Program is a selective course of study for advanced students planning to pursue scholarly careers in management. It matches scholars with some of the most renowned instructors in their fields. Only a select handful of students are admitted each year. This small on-campus program encourages close interaction between Ph.D. candidates and staff. Students and faculty members collaborate on scholarly papers and research projects.

This Ph.D. in business administration program takes three to five years for a candidate to complete. Most students satisfy all program requirements in four to five years. The initial study focuses on the core underlying disciplines. This content is followed by a course developed in consultation with senior instructors and the Director of Graduate Studies. The curriculum includes coursework at Yale SOM with research and preparation for the qualifying exam in a student’s specialization. Yale School of Management is tightly integrated with Yale University. Ph.D. students study across the university, providing essential skills and different perspectives. This Ph.D. is one of the nation’s best.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  203-432-2771

University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business

The University of California, Berkeley delivers one of the country’s best Ph.D. in Business Administration programs at the Haas School of Business. This Ph.D. program offers six fields of academic study for a curriculum of unique richness and depth. Since the program enrolls less than 20 new Ph.D. students each year, doctoral students get the opportunity to work very closely with instructors and experts in their chosen specialties. The close partnership, coupled with the diverse cultural and academic backgrounds of Haas’ Ph.D. students, fosters an environment of intellectual curiosity and close collaboration.

Berkeley’s Haas Ph.D. is strongly oriented toward research and discipline. Emphasis is placed on preparing doctoral students to evaluate the state of knowledge in their particular fields and advance them by applying theory from statistics, the social sciences, and mathematics. After applying to the program, business school candidates must choose a field of study, which will determine coursework and focus on future employment opportunities. Students may choose from the areas of Accounting, Business and Public Policy, Finance, Marketing, Management of Organizations, and Real Estate.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone: 510-642-7405

Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business

Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business offers a top Ph.D. A Ph.D. in Management is where advanced education and business research intersect. Doctoral students enrolled in the program become industry thought leaders while preparing tomorrow’s business leaders. Cornell’s fully funded Ph.D. in Management is perfect for ambitious students and professionals wanting careers in university teaching and research.

This is a residential program. It is based at Ithaca, New York’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. This doctorate combines Ivy League rigor and real-world relevance to prepare students for successful academic careers. There is a solid focus on management science and applied research. The doctoral degree is perfect for anyone looking to teach at the university level and contribute to the body of industry knowledge. Pursuing a Ph.D. in Management is an ideal next step for senior managers and executives wanting to transition to academia or enhance research skills for successful consulting careers.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone: 607-255-5820

University of Virginia Darden School of Business

The Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia features a Ph.D. in business management. It offers an intellectually demanding advanced program for a select group of high-potential applicants. This degree is distinguished by its top-ranked instructors and world-class research centers. The doctoral program trains students as academic researchers capable of contributing to cutting-edge research in business and management. Program leaders give students the skills and knowledge they need to succeed as professors.

The Ph.D. program features a deliberately small size. Darden’s open-door research ecosystem fosters high emotional and intellectual engagement with the world’s leading business leaders and thinkers. There are many unmatched benefits to this program. Doctoral students focus on ethics, scientific freedom, and friendly and productive relationships with instructors. The business school offers an individual approach to Ph.D. students with unconditional support and a diverse student cohort. Darden faculty are always willing to collaborate on research projects with Ph.D. students.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  434-924-3900

University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan offers a Ph.D. in business administration. This advanced degree prepares students for scholarly positions at top global universities. Enrolled students generate impactful research as they seek new solutions to business’s most complex issues. You can immerse yourself in one of seven doctoral areas of study based on academic career goals and research interests. All Ross Ph.D. graduates were offered positions over the past few years. Most program graduates received tenure-track assistant professor positions.

Over the five-year Ph.D. in business administration, doctoral students acquire the advanced knowledge and research skills needed to achieve academic and professional success. As admitted postgraduate students, learners receive five years of merit-based financial aid. This support includes a full tuition waiver, health insurance for themselves and their dependents, and stipend packages. This advanced degree has a lot to offer.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  734-764-8129

Duke University Fuqua School of Business

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University offers a Ph.D. in Business Administration. This program prepares candidates for teaching and research careers at leading educational institutions and expert careers where advanced analytical and research capabilities are needed. At Fuqua, doctoral students develop close working relationships with leading scholars in their fields in a collaborative and stimulating learning environment. Business school leaders encourage strong collaborations between faculty and students, both within their academic area and across various disciplines, to better foster the groundbreaking interdisciplinary research Duke University is known for.

The Ph.D. program focuses on three critical development areas to prepare doctoral students for their careers: independent inquiry, competence in research methodology, and communication of research results. From the start, postgraduate students will be introduced to rigorous coursework and Fuqua faculty’s research activities. In this Ph.D. degree program, students work with our world-renowned instructors who are recognized for excellence in teaching and research.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  919-660-7862

New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business

The Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University offers a Ph.D. in business administration. Many business schools can boast of adequate Ph.D. programs. However, many lack the collaborative culture that the Stern School cultivates. The business school develops individual student-to-faculty and student-to-student relationships. NYU Stern nurtures students’ innate curiosities. Program directors teach doctorates to use the research tools required to solve issues they address. By the end of this program, post-graduate students have become faculty colleagues. Program graduates are transformed into trained scholars capable of doing research at the same level as professors.

NYU Stern doctoral students enter a highly motivated community of scholars. These students thrive in an atmosphere of creative collaboration and intellectual rigor. The Ph.D. student body consists of over one hundred full-time students across all departments and stages in the program. The business school employs over 200 full-time research faculty. The Stern Ph.D. program is one you will want to take advantage of.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  212-998-4500

University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management

The University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management offers a Ph.D. in business management. Enrolled students live in a city of innovation. They study within the university’s top-notch research facilities. Program designers have built a program where students cultivate deep and lasting relationships. The best researchers and educators of this generation present a solid curriculum. Post-graduate students gain the skills to solve complex management issues.

UCLA Anderson gives Ph.D.s the support they need to embark on a groundbreaking research career. This program changes how people see business in the future. Instructors help students advance their understanding of business through rigorous research. Where else can you have the chance to train with world-renowned scholars alongside the next generation of researchers? Ph.D. students have UCLA’s resources and attributes as a world-class research institution available to them. If you are ready to work alongside UCLA Anderson’s highly celebrated instructors, this is the Ph.D. for you.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  310-206-3411

University of Southern California Marshall School of Business

The University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business has a Ph.D. in business administration. This is one of the premier business programs in the world. It boasts a diverse and outstanding group of instructors and a student-centered culture. The business school has achieved stellar success in placing graduates in faculty jobs at the nation’s top business schools and abroad. Marshall instructors are top-tier professionals with a passion for research and academia.

Marshall Faculty ranks highly in the world of publication output in the best business journals. Many instructors are thought leaders in their profession. Their experience conducting innovative and influential research is a benefit to Ph.D. students. During recent years, Marshall has engaged in a successful and aggressive strategy to recruit top researchers in business. Enrolled students explore their research interests and take advantage of the programs, classes, and centers offered within and outside of Marshall. This Ph.D. in business administration is ripe with opportunity.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  213-740–1111

Emory University Goizueta Business School

The Goizueta Business School at Emory University features a Ph.D. in business administration. Leaders at Goizueta believe that hands-on discussion, research, and collaboration between faculty and students create the solid faculty of tomorrow’s top business schools. Students come from everywhere to attend the highly competitive program. Ph.D. candidates push business thinking and theory forward to make their impact on the business world. Goizueta seeks applicants with superior intelligence and a healthy work ethic.

Emory’s business school is among the best business programs in the country, with programs ranked in the top 20 nationally. Doctoral program graduates fill faculty positions at elite business schools. Goizueta leaders have access to the resources of Emory University, a major world-class research school. Business school leaders believe that hands-on research, collaboration, and discussion between students and faculty create tomorrow’s best business school leaders. Many international students attend this highly competitive program. Ph.D. students looking for one of the best programs in the world will find it at Emory University.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  404-727-6036

Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business

The Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University offers a Ph.D. in business administration. Doctoral graduates and instructors at the Tepper School share an impressive legacy of groundbreaking research and global recognition. The staff includes nine Nobel laureates. This Ph.D. is a small, serious-minded program. Post-graduate students benefit from close working academic and social relationships with students, faculty, and advisors.

There are eight focused fields of study within this doctoral program. The business school also offers joint Ph.D. degrees with world-class schools and colleges across the university campus. This well-designed Ph.D. trains tomorrow’s business thinkers and leaders. Enrolled students learn to anticipate and address future business needs. They learn to think boldly, challenge preconceived notions, and do the needed work. Tepper’s doctoral program hosts next-generation researchers. Program graduates transform society’s collective intelligence into The Intelligent Future of Business.

Admissions Email: [email protected] Admissions Phone:  412-268-1319

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School

The Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill features a Ph.D. in business administration. This rigorous, five-year program excels at training scholars to produce high-quality research as instructors at top universities. The Ph.D. program is intentionally small-sized. Program designers’ essential focus is close student-to-faculty collaboration and mentoring. Enrolled students reward their initiative and tenacity with a top-ranked doctoral program that prepares them for a rewarding and successful academic career.

If you are looking for options, you can develop into a research expert in one of six areas of study. Each specialization positions Ph.D. students with career options they may never have thought possible. Enrolled students benefit from the business school’s international reputation as one of the world’s best academic centers of innovative tax and accounting research. The idea of conducting high-impact research that advances our understanding of business may excite you.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  919-962-7772

University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business

The University of Washington has a Ph.D. in business management at the Michael G. Foster School of Business. This elite Ph.D. Program in Business Administration is a research-based degree. Program architects train scholars to be knowledgeable about developments on the frontiers of their discipline. The curriculum encourages students to contribute to advancing knowledge needed in business education and practice. Well-equipped business leaders can skillfully convey information to students and practitioners.

Washington created the program for students interested in academic careers. The training is also helpful for students seeking research positions in government, business, and consulting firms. The Ph.D. program in Business Administration at the University of Washington is perfect for those wishing to pursue academic careers. The program provides postgraduates with the tools to conduct top-quality research in their areas of expertise. The program’s first two years are coursework-based. Foster’s Ph.D. in Business Administration is an elite program.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  206-685-2630

University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business

The McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin offers a Ph.D. in business administration. Program leaders understand that the path ahead is long and challenging for many professionals, with twists and a detour or two. Postgraduate students who are ready to dedicate their time and energy to pursuing this academic degree will appreciate this program. A Ph.D.’s four to six years are exciting, exhausting, and demanding. When students see the next step of their academic career come into view – it is immensely gratifying.

Texas McCombs is one of the nation’s most distinguished business schools at a world-renowned public research university. The business school features five acclaimed Ph.D. programs and over two dozen specializations that support interests and goals. Program leaders are uncompromisingly committed to a PhD’s academic career. This business administration’s renowned faculty, impeccable resources, and exceptional mentoring combine to produce sought-after graduates. This Ph.D. will set you up for a career’s worth of success.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  512-475-7391

Rice University Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business

Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business delivers a Ph.D. in business administration. This Ph.D. program is for those who aspire to be elite business school professors. Rice’s doctoral program in business is perfect for those aspiring to become faculty members at prestigious business schools and research universities. Students engage in coursework and research as part of their training. As graduation approaches, Ph.D. students interview for professor positions, hoping to start careers as assistant instructors at business schools worldwide.

Assistant professor careers include conducting research that gets published in well-respected, peer-reviewed academic journals. Professors impart management wisdom informed by research in the classroom. This well-rounded Ph.D. would be an asset to anyone’s resume. The program’s strategic management content reinforces coursework in the base theories of strategic management. The field of management studies big-picture issues managers deal with, like deciding what industries to enter.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  713-348-4002

University of Pennsylvania The Wharton School

The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School features a Ph.D. in business administration. Enrolled students experience innovation, leadership, and collaboration in business education. There are many reasons to pursue this PhD. The curriculum gives students access to world-renowned instructors whose expertise spans business knowledge and disciplines. Wharton faculty encourages doctoral students to explore ideas and cross disciplinary boundaries. Ph.D. students share their research interests and their pursuit to create understanding.

Completing a doctorate at Wharton requires five years of full-time study. It consists of two years of classes followed by research. The first few years in the program are for taking courses and exams and starting research projects to prepare students for admission to candidacy. The program in each discipline has individual requirements. Students wrapping up their degrees conduct research full-time. They write and defend their doctoral dissertation. This Ph.D. is rigorous, but students emerge as leaders in their field.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  215-898-4877

Georgia Institute of Technology Scheller College of Business

You can join one of the nation’s top-ranked Ph.D. programs at the Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech. Enrolled students gain the confidence they need to create groundbreaking work. Ph.D.s conduct research, educate others, and direct the business world forward within this full-time, five-year program. Georgia Tech’s Scheller Ph.D. program gives postgraduates the tools to think and work independently. These students conduct groundbreaking research while finding innovative solutions to business issues.

From business administration to organizational behavior, doctoral students choose from seven concentrations to match their interests and goals. You can demonstrate your abilities to conduct high-quality work by hitting milestones throughout the completion of the degree. Successful completion of a Ph.D. program demonstrates high-quality, independent academic work. Ph.D. program milestones guide students in their training to determine the continuity of the program. Georgia Tech trains tomorrow’s business leaders.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  404-894-1610

Washington University in St. Louis Olin Business School

Washington University in St. Louis delivers an excellent Ph.D. in Business Administration at the Olin Business School. The University’s business school is one of the nation’s leading research universities, with a faculty whose research work consistently ranks among the highest in the business school realm. Olin faculty members are recognized worldwide for their essential contributions to the discovery of new knowledge. The business school also takes great pride in its commitment to excellence in teaching.

Olin’s Ph.D. in Business students are guided by highly prolific researchers who are among the U.S.’s top scholars. Instructors work closely with doctoral students to develop their research skills, often nurturing one-on-one mentoring relationships that may include co-authoring research papers and projects. The development of strong problem-solving abilities equips Washington University in St. Louis students to strategically address complex business problems. This results in new ideas and innovative thinking for research that adds value to the academic community and business world.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  314-935-7301

University of Rochester Simon Business School

One of the nation’s best Ph.D. in business administration programs is featured at the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. The Simon Business School has a solid track record of mentoring Ph.D. students to become leaders in their fields. These highly sought-after graduates are known for their robust analytical skills and research performance. Ph.D. students at the business school form a strong foundation in statistics and economics to deepen their understanding of state-of-the-art tools and concepts and tools.

Doctoral students in business administration collaborate with the world-renowned faculty to explore the process of modern business and economic research. This work fuels their successful independent research. Students take Operations Management, Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, and Marketing coursework. Students can customize their degrees depending on their skills and goals. Program leaders are known for excellence in innovation, research, and instruction. Instructors guide Ph.D. students to master mathematics, statistics, economics, and data science. If you are ready to dive into business administration, this program might be for you.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  585-275-2959

University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business

The Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame provides a top Ph.D. in business administration. Everyone knows a Notre Dame education includes unparalleled opportunities to refine your business skills and acumen and put them into practice, solving real-world business issues. This Notre Dame graduate business degree is grounded in analytics. Ph.D. students understand how to use the data to make better business decisions. Instructors guide learners in amplifying their strengths and emerging with the skills needed to accelerate business careers. Doctoral students learn to make ethical decisions and impact their world for the better.

Notre Dame believes that building careers in business means understanding how organizations and industries can serve the greater good. Ph.D. students are given the keys to act with the moral courage to make it happen. The business school’s approach to building business knowledge is unique among elite graduate business schools. The process begins with a curriculum based on ethical decision-making and the core values.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  574-631-7706

Indiana University Kelley School of Business

A Ph.D. in business administration program is at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Enrolled students become experts in their fields. PhDs can design, conduct, and defend their research. Areas of study within the business administration program include:

• Accounting,
• Business economics and public policy,
• Entrepreneurship,
• Information systems,
• Operations management, and
• Strategic management.

Program leaders know that planning and preparing for a meaningful academic career requires time and support from professionals who understand what it takes. Kelley School of Business faculty inspires Ph.D. students to turn thought-provoking scientific research into knowledge that drives business practice and develops the academic discipline. Doctoral students work with faculty and peers after entering the program. These professionals learn to communicate complex ideas as instructors. All PhDs work to become experts in their field as they design, conduct, and defend their research. This doctoral in business administration degree has it all.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  812-855-8853

University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management

The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management features a top Ph.D. program. The business school grants a Ph.D. in Management Science degree. Doctoral students use economics, statistics, behavioral science, and mathematics to conduct rigorous scientific research. The terminal program encompasses theory and empirical analysis. It is characterized by a high ratio of research instructors to students. The program’s environment fosters close working relationships that produce excellent results.

The Management Science Ph.D. degree program allows students to choose a study concentration. Doctoral students dive deep into Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, or Operations Management. The program’s core and elective courses give students an understanding of management principles. Coursework includes a study of business theory and practice. Ph.D. seminars expose students to traditional and emerging research issues. Early in their graduate work, learners are encouraged to join faculty research projects with experienced professors. This Ph.D. in business administration at UT Dallas is worth its weight in gold.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  972-883-2270

University of Maryland, College Park Robert H. Smith School of Business

The University of Maryland, College Park’s Robert H. Smith School of Business features a Ph.D. in business administration. Today’s international economy is driven by accelerating change. The business world needs cutting-edge scholarship that challenges the marketplace and gives thinkers, practitioners, and policymakers evidence-based tools and strategies. This Ph.D. in business administration transforms our models for leading, managing, innovating, and succeeding. The Smith School of Business Ph.D. is a collaborative, research-oriented community of academics. Enrolled students enjoy its breadth of business knowledge.

Program leaders help students launch their careers as academic leaders. The curriculum inspires contributions to discovering and distributing scientific knowledge through research and teaching careers at top universities worldwide. All Ph.D. students benefit from the diverse, world-class experience. They collaborate with faculty on groundbreaking, relevant research long after graduation. Students typically complete the full-time program in five years. Learners spend two years on coursework and three years on a dissertation. This Ph.D. in business administration will set you up for future success.

Admissions Email:  [email protected] Admissions Phone:  301-405-3644

Texas A&M University Mays Business School

The Mays Business School at Texas A&M University offers one of the nation’s best Ph.D. in Business Administration programs. Admission to this Ph.D. program is open to all qualified individuals who hold an undergraduate or a graduate degree. The review process includes assessing factors including an accredited academic degree and a GMAT or GRE score, and more. Business school candidates can elect to center their studies in a specific area. Organizational Behavior/Human Resource Management. This specialization focuses on the analysis of human behavior within complex social systems and organizations. Strategic Management deals with the roles and issues of top management groups and strategy formulation and implementation.

This Ph.D. at the Mays Business School has a five-year limit for completion, with 64 semester hours required after a master’s degree and 96 hours required beyond an undergraduate program. Doctoral students and their advisory committees may schedule coursework beyond these minimums. Texas A&M University’s Ph.D. in Business Administration’s management curriculum contains five different research focuses: Accounting, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Finance, and Management.

Are you interested in becoming a business professor or pursuing a Ph.D. in Business Administration? There are several reasons why this is an excellent idea, including job security, intellectual stimulation, a lucrative income , flexible work conditions, and more. Given the current shortage of individuals holding a doctoral degree in business administration and the increasing demand for their services, now is an excellent time to consider pursuing a Ph.D. in Business Administration.

What is the Current Demand for Professionals with a Ph.D. in Business Administration?

In today’s business, the number of new doctorates is less than the average of positions available. This tendency is due to three current realities:

• Many senior faculty members are retiring or will soon retire,
• There is an increase in the number of graduate students seeking business degrees (a trend likely to continue), and finally,
• There remains an insufficient number of doctoral students enrolling in and completing doctoral business programs.

According to a survey conducted by AACSB International , demand for Ph.D.s in business schools rose slightly in 2006 while the overall vacancy rate rose to 6.8 percent. At the same time, the estimated growth in business faculty positions for 2007 was 4.7 percent. Overall, the shortage of business faculty staff members is predicted to reach 2,400 in the coming years.

The staff shortage has resulted in more attractive salaries for faculty at business schools. Combined with additional payment for activities such as summer teaching and research, consulting, sponsored papers, executive program teaching, textbook writing, and presentations, business administrators enjoy healthy incomes.

What Kind of Lifestyle Can a Ph.D. in Business Administration Expect?

Professionals with this type of degree can become economists, C-level executives, financial managers, and educators. Professionals working in traditional areas of executive business leadership will often experience more high-pressure roles within their organizations. University professors, however, enjoy many lifestyle and work privileges that are not typically found in other professions.

Significant intellectual and professional autonomy allows for an atypical degree of freedom in defining workflow and developing academic activity areas. Nine-month contracts in higher education allow professors the freedom to travel and experience alternative teaching, consulting, and research assignments. Tenured faculty in higher education have employment that provides unprecedented job security.

The opportunity to teach high capacity students, undertake research, and develop professional relations with colleagues across the nation and world is unrivaled in most other professions. Being a professor also means searching for knowledge that will make a mark on society and business practice. Through research and teaching, a Ph.D. in Business Administration can significantly affect the industry by influencing organizations to become more efficient, innovative, and profitable. They can also contribute by creating jobs and economic prosperity at the national level.

What Careers Can I Qualify for After Completing a PhD in Business Administration?

Ph.D. programs prepare students to conduct specialized scholarly research. Most Ph.D. in business administration graduates enter careers as university professors, senior researchers, or consultants in business or government. 

Business School Professor

A business professor teaches college students various subjects that help them manage or start a business. Business professors give their students the specific knowledge required to earn degrees offered by business programs at institutions of higher learning. Good business professors are naturally analytical, curious, outgoing, patient, and resourceful.

Business Analysts

Business analysts are also called business systems analysts, enterprise analysts, business architects, and functional analysts. These professionals use data to suggest ways that organizations can operate efficiently. They gather and analyze information to develop and investigate potential solutions and system improvements. Business analysts use data modeling techniques to help businesses improve their processes.

What are the Different Types of Doctoral Programs in Business Administration?

The two main degree designations offered by business programs are the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) . In an earlier business education era, the DBA was regarded as providing broad exposure to business subjects geared towards practice. Simultaneously, the Ph.D. was thought to focus more on research in a given business realm. Over the years, the distinction between these two degrees has become blurred at many business schools.

Today, the Ph.D. is more widely available at business schools than the DBA, particularly in the United States. Most Ph.D. programs require full-time enrollment, while it is more common for DBA students to complete the degree on a part-time basis.

Will I need a Graduate Degree and Business Experience to Qualify for a Ph.D. in Business Administration?

While requirements vary among programs, many do not require that doctoral students have a graduate degree in business. There is no specific requirement to have business work experience either. However, students lacking a business background or degree will likely have to take foundational business courses.

What are the Application Requirements for a PhD in Business Administration?

Once you have completed your undergraduate degree or MBA, you point your academic career to a Ph.D. in business administration. But how do you get started? What are business schools looking for? And what can you be doing to prepare yourself for the application process?

Application Process

Step #1: Submit a Graduate Application found on your favorite B-school’s website. After perusing the program that excites you, it’s time to start the application process. Applications have never been easier to find and complete online. Business schools have different prerequisites, but all are looking for the same thing – a quality match between student and program. There might be an application fee, but  many doctoral programs waive the requirement .

Step #2: Request your  official transcripts  be mailed electronically to an email the B-school gives you. Admissions directors want to see who they are dealing with. Those transcripts will reveal your past academic performance, showing that you have made the grade while taking relevant courses to ensure your academic success. Transcripts also show if you need to brush up on any foundational courses that Ph.D. in business administration students have benefited by taking in the past. 

Step #3: Look for specific admission requirements and courses. Business schools provide general requirements and some specific needs based on the degree you are pursuing. Rest assured, your favorite program lets you view its admission requirements and courses from a current graduate catalog.

Application Requirements

To be admitted to a top Ph.D. program, applicants must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to the university and the other requirements listed. Ph.D. requirements typically include the following needs:

• You must earn a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. International students must have graduated from a recognized equivalent in a similar or related field.
• Undergrads must have a GPA of at least 3.0 in their last 60 semester credit hours.
• A minimum GMAT exam score is required unless placement scores are waived.
• Submit three recommendation letters from academic or professional sources.
• Complete a personal statement including goals, experiences, scholarly accomplishments, and reasons for pursuing the Ph.D. You may include possible research questions or topics of interest.
• A current resume or  curriculum vitae .

Admission decisions for Ph.D. programs are made by college-level admissions committees in consultation with the respective faculty in each area of concentration. Committee members make determinations concerning the probability of a student’s projected success. Ph.D. applicants need to provide materials that will help make those decisions.

Affordability of Top Ph.D. in Business Administration Programs

Most of the top programs in our ranking offer tuition waivers that cover all or most of the Ph.D. program. These Ph.D.s are full-time, residential programs with strict guidelines on no outside employment. Because of this, many schools additionally offer yearly stipends to offset their students’ living expenses while in the program.

School	Fully Funded Tuition	Stipend	Website
Stanford University	✔️	✔️
Harvard University	✔️	✔️
University of Chicago	✔️	✔️
Northwestern University	✔️	✔️
Columbia University	✔️	✔️

If you are not enrolled in a program with a tuition waiver and stipend, you might be wondering about how to pay for your program. Here are some factors to consider in making a Ph.D. in business administration and comparing costs:

• Tuition Cost -Tuition costs for Ph.D. degrees run the spectrum. Some students get funding from employers, scholarships, and other sources of support. Tuition varies depending on whether students choose on-campus programs or online Ph.D. programs, public or private institutions, and whether the student qualifies as a resident.
• Program Fees -Aside from tuition rates, Ph.D. students pay fees for books and other course-related items. Extra expenses associated with a graduate program can include computers, technical support, high-speed Internet, and other resources. Read all of the tuition information a business school gives. Some business schools offer programs to cover fees and some even hand out free devices to their students.
• Accommodation -Housing for Ph.D. students can be expensive. The cost of living ranges based on where you attend business school.  Factor in the costs of living ranging from $20,000 to more per year .
• Study materials and resources -Take note that there will be some extra costs for study materials. Since many Ph.D.s divide the experience between two years of initial coursework and three years of dissertation. Your expenses will fluctuate annually. 
• Parking -On-campus students must take paying for parking into consideration. An on-campus parking permit can cost Ph.D.  students between $50 and $2,500 annually .

How do I Know What Doctoral Program to Select?

Personal considerations, including geographical location and educational preferences in a specialized field of interest, are criteria that will help narrow the range of possibilities. One primary concern is whether a particular business school has staff who specialize in the prospective student’s study area.

Students may assume that all schools offer similar types of emphases and pay relatively no attention to the faculty’s specific research interests. This may cause unfortunate surprises once a student enrolls in a doctoral program.

Even among leading postgraduate programs at the nation’s top research universities, there are significant differences in what areas schools have national and international recognition for teaching and research. Potential students should research faculty interest areas at all schools being considered.

What Role do Accreditations and Rankings Play in Considering a Ph.D.?

Publications that offer rankings of business schools should be viewed with an understanding of their goals and priorities. All rankings are subjective to each entity’s priorities and goals. Some focus on cost, some on college support, some on peer review, and some on student reviews. Ranking exposure should never substitute a student’s own research and investigation, but only to aid as a tool.

A crucial selection factor to consider is accreditation. Accreditation is a viable measure indicating that knowledgeable peers from a neutral institution have determined that a school’s program meets accreditation standards for:

• Faculty composition,
• Intellectual contributions,
• Curriculum content, and
• Instructional resources.

Most non-profit colleges and universities in the nation hold institutional accreditation conferred by regional accrediting agencies. Within the field of business, separate specialized accrediting agencies grant business accreditation to business schools or individual business programs. Among the top is AACSB . Selecting a business school accredited by AACSB is an assurance that the institution provides a high-quality education.

What is the Experience of Pursuing a Ph.D. in Business Administration Like?

Unlike bachelor’s or master’s-level work, where highly structured learning and individual courses with many different instructors are the norms, doctoral education places a higher premium on self-directed learning and closer relationships with fewer faculty members in a particular area of specialization. On average, Ph.D. programs will take five to six years to complete and involve the intense study of academic journal articles and original research writings. Doctoral students often forge close friendships with faculty mentors. These mentors work closely with students to:

• Define a course of study,
• Prepare for qualifying exams,
• Provide guidance in the dissertation process, and
• Help with pursuing their first faculty position.

How Can I Be Successful in Business School While Pursuing My Degree?

Returning to school to study business administration is a fantastic investment in your career. All business-minded professionals know you can’t make an investment and check out. To be successful at a Ph.D. in business administration requires hard work, persistence, and grit to ensure it pays off. Here are some ways doctoral students can make the most of their degree and time as business students.

• Keep the Goal in Mind -Remember why you are there. Keep your professional goals at the forefront and let them guide your decisions. 
• Get Organized -Find ways to learn quality time management. Getting organized also means scheduling all of life’s demands to get the job done.
• Stay Flexible -Learn how to bend to keep you from breaking. Your expectations during business school will only sometimes get met. Roll with the punches and keep a cool head when things heat up.
• Make Connections – Business school is a time to build your network . The relationships you make with instructors and fellow students will last a lifetime. 
• Develop Study Skills -When you learn how you study best, you learn how to use time wisely. Work smarter, not harder, and get the most out of your Ph.D. experience.

Why Pursue a Ph.D. in Business Administration?

People pursue a Ph.D. in Business Administration for various reasons, as it offers unique benefits and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Many individuals pursue a Ph.D. in Business Administration to engage in rigorous research and contribute to the academic field. They aspire to become professors or researchers, conducting in-depth studies and publishing their work in academic journals.

Pursuing a Ph.D. in Business Administration is a journey of personal and intellectual growth. It offers an opportunity to delve deeply into a specific area of interest, expand knowledge, and develop critical thinking skills. A Ph.D. program allows individuals to specialize in a specific area of business administration. This specialization enables them to develop deep knowledge and expertise in their chosen field, such as finance, marketing, organizational behavior, or strategy. This level of specialization can make them highly sought-after experts in industries, consulting firms, or think tanks. Some individuals pursue a Ph.D. in Business Administration to enhance their leadership and consulting skills.

For many, obtaining a Ph.D. in Business Administration is a personal achievement and a symbol of dedication, perseverance, and intellectual rigor. It is a significant milestone that brings a sense of personal fulfillment and sets individuals apart as experts in their field.

A degree like a Ph.D. in Business Administration is an opportunity that has much to offer in terms of intellectual stimulation, future income, lifestyle, and many other attractive characteristics. It is a challenging and rewarding journey that opens doors to a wide range of opportunities in academia, research, consulting, and leadership roles.

Related Rankings:

Best Undergraduate Business Programs Best Online DBA Programs Best Online Doctorate in Leadership Programs

• America seems immune to the world economy’s problems

Elsewhere, political dysfunction and fiscal frailties are taking a toll

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A dd monetary policy to the list of ways in which America’s economy stands out. Central banks in Canada, Sweden and the euro zone all recently began cutting interest rates. Yet the Federal Reserve on June 12th again postponed its plans for monetary loosening. Even though rates in America have risen higher than in other big rich countries and inflation is falling, the median Fed rate-setter expects a cut of just one quarter of a percentage point this year.

Some monetary divergence is the natural consequence of America’s stronger growth. But what is striking about America is how immune its markets appear to be to the threat of political dysfunction and fiscal frailty. By contrast, in the rest of the world those factors are weighing increasingly heavily.

According to the European Central Bank’s latest projections, the euro zone’s economy will grow by 0.9% in 2024. A real-time estimate by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta suggests that America’s is currently growing at more than three times that pace. China is struggling with a property crisis and the threat of deflation; Japan has been defending its weak currency and Britain has become synonymous with dreadful productivity. As others catch up to the world’s biggest economy, America’s share of global GDP at market exchange rates should be falling. A mix of strong growth and a strong dollar means that it is growing instead.

Elsewhere, investors are taking fright at election results, especially where governments are fiscally frail. After President Emmanuel Macron announced surprise parliamentary elections on June 9th, French bonds sold off, widening the spread between their yields and those of safe German bunds. The imf reckons France needs fiscal tightening of about 3% of GDP to stabilise its debt by 2029. Yet the ascendant National Rally fought the last parliamentary election on new tax and spending worth perhaps €100bn ($108bn, or 3.6% of GDP ) a year.

In Mexico the peso has fallen by about 10% against the dollar since the crushing victory of Claudia Sheinbaum , the left-wing presidential candidate, in its elections. India’s markets tumbled after it seemed that Narendra Modi’s ability to enact reforms had weakened, though they have largely recovered since. Britain’s election is not moving investors much, but only because the result is all but known and its politicians have been cowed by the bond-market crisis that struck in 2022.

Only America looks able to shrug off political uncertainty and fiscal frailty. Its underlying deficit of 7.4% of GDP means that the fiscal tightening needed to stabilise its debts is bigger than France’s, even after accounting for faster growth. The likely return of Donald Trump to the White House creates a risk of wider deficits, institutional decay and perhaps even the politicisation of monetary policy. Yet America’s government debt has no risk premium, as if inflation were permanently defeated and Fed policy will turn out exactly as forecast (despite the fact that in the recent past it has not). In most countries big deficits are a threat. In America they are taken simply to support growth and interest rates, leading the dollar to strengthen. The stockmarket is booming again, fuelled by optimism about artificial intelligence.

Betting against America can seem a sure-fire way to lose money. Yet Uncle Sam’s unique status is double-edged. The more the world depends on American dynamism and faith in the dollar, the greater the damage political dysfunction and reckless fiscal policy in Washington could eventually inflict. If America succumbed to populism, a budget crisis and inflation, the world would find that no other economy was capable of providing safe assets backed by a vast economy, deep capital markets, an open capital account and the rule of law. America is the world economy’s only bulwark. Strangely, that makes it a particular vulnerability. ■

Read more of our coverage of the world economy.

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This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “American exceptionalism”

Leaders June 15th 2024

How worrying is the rapid rise of chinese science, a second trump term: from unthinkable to probable, emmanuel macron wants a snap election to get him out of a deep hole, if a bestseller list shuns authors it dislikes, it should say so.

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