best economics phd schools

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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.

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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2024 Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools

College Factual looked at 124 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,248 doctor's degrees in economics to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

• Best Doctor’s Degree Schools List

Choosing a Great Economics School for Your Doctor's Degree

Overall Quality Is a Must

The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Early-Career Salaries

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their doctor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their doctor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

• Major Focus - How much a school focuses on economics students vs. other majors.
• Major Demand - The number of economics students who choose to seek a doctor's degree at the school.
• Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
• Student Debt - How easy is it for economics to pay back their student loans after receiving their doctor's degree.
• Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized economics related body.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for economics students working on their doctor's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The economics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings , including this list of the Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools.

Best Schools for Doctorate Students to Study Economics in the United States

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for economics students seeking a a doctor's degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

18 Top Schools for a Doctorate in Economics

Any student pursuing a degree in a doctor's degree in economics has to check out University of Chicago. Located in the city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from University of Chicago

It's hard to beat Harvard University if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in economics. Harvard is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Cambridge. More information about a doctorate in economics from Harvard University

Northwestern University is a good option for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in economics. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston. More information about a doctorate in economics from Northwestern University

University of Pennsylvania is a wonderful choice for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in economics. Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from University of Pennsylvania

Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Stanford. More information about a doctorate in economics from Stanford University

Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from Columbia University in the City of New York

Located in the midsize city of New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from Yale University

Rice is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Houston. More information about a doctorate in economics from Rice University

UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley. More information about a doctorate in economics from University of California - Berkeley

Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from Duke University

Princeton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Princeton. More information about a doctorate in economics from Princeton University

Vanderbilt is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Nashville. More information about a doctorate in economics from Vanderbilt University

Cornell is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Ithaca. More information about a doctorate in economics from Cornell University

Located in the large city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from Georgetown University

Located in the city of Providence, Brown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from Brown University

Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from Carnegie Mellon University

Located in the large city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from Emory University

Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. More information about a doctorate in economics from Washington University in St Louis

Related Programs

Learn about other programs related to Economics that might interest you.

Science & Engineering Bachelors Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)

Science & Engineering Diploma Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Economics students that almost earned our Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools award.

Economics by Region

View the Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Other Rankings

Best associate degrees in economics, best master's degrees in economics, best value in economics, best for non-traditional students in economics, best online in economics, most popular online in economics, best bachelor's degrees in economics, best overall in economics, highest paid grads in economics, best for veterans in economics, most popular in economics, most focused in economics.

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Economics Related Rankings by Major

Economics is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.

Economics Concentrations

Majors similar to economics, notes and references.

• The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ).
• Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay . More about our data sources and methodologies .

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Economic Analysis & Policy

Our doctoral program in the field of economic analysis and policy prepares students for research careers in economics. The program offers rigorous training and has several distinct advantages:

Low Student-to-Faculty Ratio

First, enrollment in the program is small. This encourages close faculty-student contact and allows students to become involved in research very early. Students work first as assistants on faculty research projects and, as their interests and skills develop, on their own research. Students often begin their publishing careers before completing their degrees.

Flexible and Innovative Program

Second, the program is flexible and innovative; students can draw on both the school’s and the university’s distinguished faculty. In addition to the faculty in the economics group at Stanford GSB and in the university’s economics department, students have access to faculty in political and behavioral sciences; accounting and finance; mathematics, statistics, and computer science; and many other disciplines.

A Top-Ranked School

Third, the program is part of a top-ranked professional school. This setting allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the actual processes of business decision-making and public policy formulation.

Preparation and Qualifications

Students who enroll in this program have a substantial background in economics and mathematics. They are expected to have, minimally, mathematical skills at the level of one year of advanced calculus and one course each in linear algebra, analysis, probability, optimization, and statistics.

The faculty selects students based on predicted performance in the program. Evidence of substantial background or ability in the use of mathematical reasoning and statistical methods is important. Most successful applicants had quantitative undergraduate majors in economics, mathematics, or related sciences.

In addition to evidence of ability and letters of recommendation, the faculty considers carefully the applicant’s statement of purpose for pursuing the PhD degree. The successful applicant usually has clearly defined career goals that are compatible with those of the program.

Acceptance into the program is extremely competitive. Admitted applicants compare very favorably with students enrolled in the top economics departments of major universities.

Economic Analysis & Policy Faculty

Mohammad akbarpour, claudia allende santa cruz, susan athey, lanier benkard, jeremy i. bulow, modibo khane camara, sebastian di tella, rebecca diamond, yossi feinberg, guido w. imbens, charles i. jones, michael ostrovsky, garth saloner, yuliy sannikov, kathryn shaw, andrzej skrzypacz, paulo somaini, juan carlos suárez serrato, takuo sugaya, christopher tonetti, shoshana vasserman, ali yurukoglu, weijie zhong, emeriti faculty, alain c. enthoven, robert j. flanagan, david m. kreps, peter c. reiss, john roberts, a. michael spence, robert wilson, recent publications in economic analysis & policy, battling the coronavirus ‘infodemic’ among social media users in kenya and nigeria, using wasserstein generative adversarial networks for the design of monte carlo simulations, adaptive novelty detection with false discovery rate guarantee, recent insights by stanford business, at what point do we decide ai’s risks outweigh its promise, nine stories to get you through tax season, a.i. can help “personalize” policies to reach the right people, placement director.

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The doctoral program in Economics at Harvard University is one of the leading programs in the world. 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.

Harvard University and the Department of Economics are regularly ranked amongst the top programs in the world, and the consistency of success among our graduates is inspiring. We have educated several foreign heads of state, Nobel Prize Winners, Clark Medal Winners, MacArthur Fellowship Recipients - many of whom have returned to Harvard to offer their expertise and brilliance in shaping and nurturing our students.  Learn more about where we place our  graduates  and explore our  Program  to find out if a PhD in Economics is a good fit for you. 

Program Requirements

As a PhD student in the Economics program, students will spend the first two years in the program engaged in rigorous coursework designed to develop a foundational understanding of economics. In the following years, students transition to research under the guidance of strong faculty mentorship and participate in field workshops. In the final year, students conduct independent research and complete a dissertation.

The department of Economics at Harvard University is committed to seeking out and mentoring scholars who wish to pursue a rigorous and rewarding career in economic research. Our graduates are trailblazers in their fields and contribute to a diverse alumni community in both the academic and non-academic sectors. We invite you to learn more and apply to the PhD program in Economics. 

Financial Support

Students have access to a variety of funding and financial support opportunities.

• Research Funding
• Teaching Fellowships and assistants
• Additional external and internal resources

Learn more about financial support

Upcoming Events

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

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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: May 31, 2024 , Reading time: 36 minutes

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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

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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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Rankings of Doctoral Programs in Economics

There are numerous rankings of Economics Ph.D. programs available.

U.S. News and World Report

According to the 2017 rankings released by U.S. News and World Report , Iowa State University's graduate program in Economics was ranked 28th among public universities and tied for 53rd overall. This ranking was two slots higher than the previous ranking.

National Research Council

One recent assessment resulted from a comprehensive survey of doctoral programs undertaken by the National Research Council (“ A Data-Based Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States (2010) ”).  The NRC’s program assessment methodology and results are somewhat complex, but one synthesis of their findings  places our program within the top 30 Economics Ph.D. programs in the U.S .; and among the top 10 in public universities.

Research Papers in Economics (RePEc)

RePEc , sponsored by the Research Division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, is a comprehensive database of research papers in economics.  The information in the database is used to rank the research productivity of registered authors based on a variety of metrics.  Authors’ rankings, in turn, are used to rank the institutions with which they are affiliated for academic departments of both economics and agricultural economics .

American Economic Association

Links to other rankings of graduate programs in economics are provided on the American Economic Association website .

Econphd.net

By field of specialization, a ranking by econphd.net places our department 4th in the “subdiscipline” of Resource and Agricultural Economics.   This subdiscipline is further partitioned according to JEL descriptors into two parts:  Resource and Environmental Economics, in which we rank 8th; and Agricultural Economics, in which we rank 1st overall.

Journal Articles Ranking Economics Programs

• Based on faculty productivity, “ A Guide to Graduate Study in Economics: Ranking Economics Departments by Fields of Expertise, ” by T.C. Grijalva and C. Nowell, Southern Economic Journal, 2008: 74(4), pp. 971-96.  According to this study, our program ranks 31st overall (15th among public universities) and 1st overall in the field of Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics.
• A more recent ranking of economics programs, see " Ranking U.S. Economics Programs by Faculty and Graduate Publications: An Update Using 1994 - 2009 Data, " by M. A. McPherson, Southern Economic Journal, 2012:  79 (1), pp. 71-89.

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

Kasey Chatterji-Len and Anna Kovner

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

The Breadth of Economics Research  

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

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

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

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

What Is a PhD Program Like?    

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

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

What Can You Do with an Economics PhD?  

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

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

Preparing for an Economics PhD Program  

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

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

Research Experience   

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who Should Get a PhD in Economics?  

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

• Coursework Appendix

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

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

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

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

PREDOC: Guidance for Undergraduates

RA Positions-Not at the NBER

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

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

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Students must be approved to follow the ILLINOIS Ph.D. Track within the MSPE Program.

One of the central aims of the MSPE Program is to provide the research-oriented students with the necessary background in economics, statistics, and mathematics to gain admission to Ph.D. programs in economics and related fields at the University of Illinois or elsewhere. We have instituted two mechanisms for achieving this goal.

Illinois Ph.D. Track

This is a very innovative and unique feature of the MSPE Program designed for students with a strong background in economics, quantitative methods, and English, and with excellent GRE scores. This feature has two great advantages for students:

• It allows the more advanced students to  automatically  transfer to our ILLINOIS Economics Ph.D. program.
• By taking Ph.D. level courses in their second-year of study in the MSPE Program, the Ph.D. track students reduce the time necessary to complete the Ph.D. program by one year.

Placement of students in the ILLINOIS Ph.D. track is solely at the discretion of the director of the MSPE Program who determines each student's adeptness and eligibility for it. All selected students must satisfy specific  requirements to remain in the ILLINOIS Ph.D. track.

Regular Path

For those who are not approved to pursue the Ph.D. track, but still have a desire to apply to a Ph.D. program after completing the MSPE Program, the MSPE program offers the flexibility of the plan of study so that they can acquire the skills necessary to increase their chances of being admitted to a Ph.D. program.

Students are advised and sent to take courses in the areas required by Ph.D. admission committees. Subsequently, in the fall of their second year in the program, the students are personally advised by the program's director as to which departments they should apply to, and how, in order to maximize the likelihood of their admission. The director will also write letters of recommendation for them to help them gain admission. This hands-on approach has enabled many of the MSPE students to enter excellent Ph.D. programs all over the world.

Some students decide to apply to universities after completion of their master's degree and working for a few years. The program also helps them by providing them with advice and letters.

A partial list of the universities to whose Ph.D. programs the MSPE students have gained admission is  found here .

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Economics and Econometrics Graduate Programs in America

1-25 of 162 results

Stanford University Department of Humanities and Sciences

• Stanford, CA ·
• Stanford University ·
• Graduate School

Stanford University ,

Graduate School ,

STANFORD, CA ,

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

• Cambridge, MA ·
• Harvard University ·
• · Rating 4.56 out of 5   9 reviews

Harvard University ,

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Other says I am Harvard Extension School student pursuing a master degree, ALM, in sustainability. I have achieved a 3.89 in this program so far and have qualified, applied, and accepted as a 'Special Student'... .

Read 9 reviews.

Sanford School of Public Policy

• Durham, NC ·
• Duke University ·
• · Rating 4.75 out of 5   4 reviews

Duke University ,

DURHAM, NC ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Current Master's student says My academic experience at Duke has been the most rewarding in my life. What makes Duke so great is the opportunity through the Sanford Policy School to exchange and engage ideas with professors and... .

Read 4 reviews.

San Francisco State University

• Graduate School ·
• SAN FRANCISCO, CA
• · Rating 4.21 out of 5   53

Miami University - Farmer School of Business

• Miami University ·

College of Liberal and Creative Arts - San Francisco State University

• San Francisco State University ·

School of Arts & Sciences - University of Pennsylvania

• Philadelphia, PA ·
• University of Pennsylvania ·

University of Pennsylvania ,

PHILADELPHIA, PA ,

Rice School of Social Sciences

• Houston, TX ·
• Rice University ·

Blue checkmark.

Rice University ,

HOUSTON, TX ,

Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

• Evanston, IL ·
• Northwestern University ·

Northwestern University ,

EVANSTON, IL ,

• Find college scholarships

College of Arts and Science

• Nashville, TN ·
• Vanderbilt University ·

Vanderbilt University ,

NASHVILLE, TN ,

College of Arts and Letters - University of Notre Dame

• Notre Dame, IN ·
• University of Notre Dame ·
• · Rating 4.5 out of 5   2 reviews

University of Notre Dame ,

NOTRE DAME, IN ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Doctoral Student says The faculty at Notre Dame is excellent. The student to professor ratio makes for a wonderful one to one interaction between students and teachers. At Notre Dame, my interests, dreams, goals, research... On the down side, the weather is at first always a challenge for one who is not used to the harsh and gloomy midwestern winter. .

Read 2 reviews.

Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

• Los Angeles, CA ·
• University of Southern California ·

University of Southern California ,

LOS ANGELES, CA ,

Cornell University College of Arts & Sciences

• Ithaca, NY ·
• Cornell University ·

Cornell University ,

ITHACA, NY ,

Ross School of Business

• Ann Arbor, MI ·
• University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ·
• · Rating 5 out of 5   9 reviews

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ,

ANN ARBOR, MI ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I will be beginning my MBA in January of 2024. The admissions staff are excellent and very supportive. I received my decision very quickly. .

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - Georgetown University

• Nw Washington, DC ·
• Georgetown University ·
• · Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Georgetown University ,

NW WASHINGTON, DC ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The program is highly practical. The professors explain concepts in class and give us home works to submit on each topic discussed on a weekly basis. This enables us to grasp the concepts more. We... .

• Sponsored Find Student Loan Options
• Economic Development Graduate Programs
• Public Administration Graduate Programs

UCLA College of Letters and Science

• University of California - Los Angeles ·
• · Rating 3 out of 5   1 review

University of California - Los Angeles ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 3 stars.

Read 1 reviews.

Krieger School of Arts & Sciences

• Baltimore, MD ·
• Johns Hopkins University ·
• · Rating 4.53 out of 5   19 reviews

Johns Hopkins University ,

BALTIMORE, MD ,

19 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I have yet to enroll for Fall 2023 after receiving my acceptance letter due to a delay in my need-based financial aid from JHU. However the Homewood Campus in Baltimore is beautiful and my Student... .

Read 19 reviews.

Darden School of Business

• Charlottesville, VA ·
• University of Virginia ·
• · Rating 4.89 out of 5   9 reviews

University of Virginia ,

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.9 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Very engaging experience with Darden's case method and learning team discussion; very small class and with an average of 80 students in your section, you will be able to have lots of chances to... .

Laney Graduate School

• Atlanta, GA ·
• Emory University ·

Emory University ,

ATLANTA, GA ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says I chose the graduate programs at Emory because they are ranked among the best in the country. The school of nursing also provides the clinical experiences, something many of the online only nurse... .

UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science

• Berkeley, CA ·
• University of California - Berkeley ·

University of California - Berkeley ,

BERKELEY, CA ,

College of Arts & Sciences - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Chapel Hill, NC ·
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ·

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ,

CHAPEL HILL, NC ,

College of Social Sciences & Humanities - Northeastern University

• Boston, MA ·
• Northeastern University ·
• · Rating 1 out of 5   2 reviews

Northeastern University ,

BOSTON, MA ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 1 stars.

Leonard N. Stern School of Business

• New York, NY ·
• New York University ·
• · Rating 4.82 out of 5   28 reviews

New York University ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

28 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says As a part-time MBA candidate at NYU Stern, I'm deeply impressed by the program's blend of academic rigor and practical application. The faculty, industry leaders in their own right, provide... .

Read 28 reviews.

Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences

• Chestnut Hill, MA ·
• Boston College ·

Boston College ,

CHESTNUT HILL, MA ,

Wesleyan University

• Middletown, CT ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   3 reviews

MIDDLETOWN, CT ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says I attended as a graduate student and my son is there now. I have never met professors who were more passionate about their profession. I loved every one of my classes and was so inspired. My son is... .

Read 3 reviews.

Virginia Tech College of Science

• Blacksburg, VA ·
• Virginia Tech ·

Virginia Tech ,

BLACKSBURG, VA ,

Liberal Arts and Sciences - University of Florida

• Gainesville, FL ·
• University of Florida ·
• · Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

University of Florida ,

GAINESVILLE, FL ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Overall, the University of Florida seems to be a great school as far as rankings and attendance rates go. Despite the political turmoil going on in the state of Florida, there seems to be a... .

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - Boston University

• Boston University ·

Boston University ,

Mississippi State University College of Arts and Sciences

• Mississippi State University ·
• MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS

The New School

• NEW YORK, NY
• · Rating 4.46 out of 5   37

American University

• WASHINGTON, DC
• · Rating 4.48 out of 5   152

Showing results 1 through 25 of 162

100 Best universities for Economics in Russia

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Russia ranked based on their research performance in Economics. A graph of 451K citations received by 113K academic papers made by 163 universities in Russia was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. National Research University Higher School of Economics

For Economics

2. Moscow State University

3. St. Petersburg State University

4. Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation

5. Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

6. Moscow State Institute of International Relations

7. RUDN University

8. Ural Federal University

9. Kazan Federal University

10. Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University

11. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics

12. Tomsk State University

13. New Economic School

14. National Research Nuclear University MEPI

15. Novosibirsk State University

16. Southern Federal University

17. ITMO University

18. South Ural State University

19. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology

20. Moscow Aviation Institute

21. State University of Management

22. Saratov State University

23. Tomsk Polytechnic University

24. Moscow Medical Academy

25. Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod

26. N.R.U. Moscow Power Engineering Institute

27. Bauman Moscow State Technical University

28. Voronezh State University

29. Far Eastern Federal University

30. Siberian Federal University

31. St. Petersburg State University of Economics

32. Novgorod State University

33. european university at st. petersburg.

34. Novosibirsk State Technical University

35. Samara National Research University

36. Moscow State Pedagogical University

37. Volgograd State University

38. Baikal State University

39. Leningrad State University

40. University of Tyumen

41. Chelyabinsk State University

42. Kemerovo State University

43. Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University

44. Altai State University

45. Ulyanovsk State University

46. Kazan State Technological University

47. Saint Petersburg State Electrotechnical University

48. Samara State Technical University

49. Ufa State Aviation Technical University

50. Moscow State University of Railway Engineering

51. St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

52. Bashkir State University

53. Saint-Petersburg Mining University

54. North Caucasus Federal University

55. Russian State University for the Humanities

56. South-Russian State University of Economics and Service

57. Siberian State Aerospace University

58. Kuban State University

59. North-Eastern Federal University

60. Kuban State Agricultural University

61. National University of Science and Technology "MISIS"

62. Tambov State University

63. Belgorod State University

64. Samara State University

65. Penza State University

66. Moscow Polytech

67. Irkutsk State University

68. Yaroslavl State University

69. Stavropol State Agrarian University

70. Russian National Research Medical University

71. Ufa State Petroleum Technological University

72. Perm State Technical University

73. Perm State University

74. Kuzbass State Technical University

75. St. Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation

76. Russian State Social University

77. Chechen State University

78. Petrozavodsk State University

79. Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University

80. Ogarev Mordovia State University

81. Tomsk State Pedagogical University

82. Northern Arctic Federal University

83. Saratov State Technical University

84. Russian State Agricultural University

85. Belgorod State Technological University

86. Omsk State University

87. Russian State University of Oil and Gas

88. kazan national research technical university named after a.n. tupolev - kai.

89. Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics

90. magnitogorsk state technical university.

91. South-Western State University

92. Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University

93. Ulyanovsk State Technical University

94. Moscow State Technological University "Stankin"

95. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia

96. Sevastopol State University

97. Tambov State Technical University

98. Chuvash State University

99. orenburg state university.

100. Orel State University

The best cities to study Economics in Russia based on the number of universities and their ranks are Moscow , Saint Petersburg , Yekaterinburg , and Kazan .

Economics subfields in Russia

School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences

Economics and finance (double major) (bs), bachelor of science in economics and finance (double major).

Degree Requirements (128 semester credit hours) 1

EPPS Faculty

FACG> epps-economics-and-finance-bs

Professors: Daniel G. Arce @dga071000 , Kurt J. Beron @kberon , Dong Li @dxl145430 , Donggyu Sul @dxs093000

Associate Professors: Rodney Andrews @rja091000 , Seth Giertz @sxg154831 , Susan Williams McElroy @skm028000 , Darwin (Trey) Miller @dwm052000 , Irina Panovska @ixp190001 , Kevin Siqueira @kjs064000 , Victor Valcarcel @vjv150130

Assistant Professors: Anne Burton @axb210050 , Jonas Hedlund @jxh180030 , Maria (Camila) Morales @mcm200006

Professor Emeritus: Todd Sandler @tms063000

Associate Professor of Instruction: Luba Ketsler @lxk010300

Assistant Professor of Instruction: William Grover @wcg071000

JSOM Faculty

FACG> jsom-economics-and-finance-bs

Professors: Ashiq Ali @axa042200 , Gary Bolton @gxb122130 , William M. Cready @wmc041000 , Umit G. Gurun @ugg041000 , Kyle Hyndman @tdp062000 , Stanley Liebowitz @liebowit , Vikram Nanda @vkn150030 , Suresh Radhakrishnan @sradhakr , Michael J. Rebello @mjr071000 , Gil Sadka @gxs143630 , Harold Zhang @hxz054000

Associate Professors: Nina Baranchuk @nxb043000 , Zhonglan Dai @zxd051000 , Rebecca Files @rlf092000 , Michael Hasler @mxh190031 , Surya N. Janakiraman @suryaj , Robert L. Kieschnick Jr. @rkiesch , Jun Li @jxl128031 , Ningzhong Li @nxl124130 , Ramachandran (Ram) Natarajan @nataraj , Naim Bugra Ozel @nbo150030 , Kelsey D. Wei @kdw061000 , Han (Victor) Xia @hxx110930 , Yexiao Xu @yexiaoxu , Alejandro Zentner @axz051000 , Jieying Zhang @jxz146230 , Yuan Zhang @yxz122931 , Feng Zhao @fxz082000 , Yibin Zhou @yxz066000

Assistant Professors: Christopher Mace @cxm200014 , Jean-Marie Meier @jmm172030 , Alejandro Rivera Mesias @axr150331 , Simon Siegenthaler @sxs177933 , Xiaoxiao Tang @xxt180003 , Christian Von-Drathen @cxv141430 , Pingle Wang @pxw200007 , Steven Xiao @sxx150930

Associate Professor Emeritus: David J. Springate @spring8

Clinical Professors: John Barden @jpb063000 , John Gamino @jpg140630 , Randall S. Guttery @rxg112530 , Peter Lewin @plewin , Jeffrey Manzi @jxm158130

Clinical Associate Professor: Carolyn Reichert @carolyn

Clinical Assistant Professors: Moran Blueshtein @mxb135230 , Revansiddha Khanapure @rbk160130 , Liping Ma @lxm133730

Professors of Instruction: Mary Beth Goodrich @goodrich , Chris Linsteadt @ccl019000 , Matt Polze @mmp062000

Associate Professors of Instruction: Amal El-Ashmawi @ahe013000 , Ayfer Gurun @axg119030 , Jennifer G. Johnson @jxj091000 , Hirofumi Nishi @hxn210016 , Daniel Sibley @dcs170002

Assistant Professor of Instruction: Joseph Mauriello @jam151430

Professor of Practice: Tiffany A. Bortz @tabortz

Associate Professors of Practice: Julie Lynch @jxl180030 , Jennifer Murray @jrm160330 , Steven Solcher @sjs107020 , Kathy Zolton @kxz121730

Assistant Professors of Practice: Steven Haynes @sxh102420

I. Core Curriculum Requirements: 42 semester credit hours 2

Communication: 6 semester credit hours

Select any 6 semester credit hours from Communication Core courses (see advisor)

Mathematics: 3 semester credit hours

MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I 3 , 4 , 5 , 6

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Mathematics Core courses 5 (see advisor)

Life and Physical Sciences: 6 semester credit hours

Select any 6 semester credit hours from Life and Physical Sciences Core courses (see advisor and degree requirements)

Language, Philosophy and Culture: 3 semester credit hours

Select any 3 semester credit hours from Language, Philosophy and Culture Core courses (see advisor)

Creative Arts: 3 semester credit hours

Select any 3 semester credit hours from Creative Arts Core courses (see advisor)

American History: 6 semester credit hours

Select any 6 semester credit hours from American History Core courses (see advisor)

Government/Political Science: 6 semester credit hours

Select any 6 semester credit hours from Government/Political Science Core courses (see advisor)

Social and Behavioral Sciences: 3 semester credit hours 7

ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics 3 , 4 , 8

Or select any 3 semester credit hours from Social and Behavioral Sciences Core courses 8

Component Area Option: 6 semester credit hours 7

MATH 1326 Applied Calculus II 3 , 4 , 9

ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics 3 , 4 , 8

Or select any 6 semester credit hours from Component Area Option Core courses

II. Major Requirements: 63 semester credit hours

Students must always meet all course prerequisites.

Major Preparatory Courses: 15 semester credit hours beyond Core Curriculum

ACCT 2301 Introductory Financial Accounting 3

ACCT 2302 Introductory Management Accounting 3

BLAW 2301 Business and Public Law 3

ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics 3 , 4

ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics 3 , 4

OPRE 3333 Quantitative Business Analysis 3 , 10

or MATH 2333 Matrices, Vectors, and Data 3 , 10

OPRE 3340 Advanced Business Quantitative Methods 9

or MATH 1326 Applied Calculus II 3 , 4 , 9

OPRE 3360 Managerial Methods in Decision Making Under Uncertainty

or STAT 3360 Probability and Statistics for Management and Economics 3

Major Core Courses: 48 semester credit hours

BCOM 1300 Professional Communication 11

or BCOM 3300 Business Communication 11

BCOM 4300 Advanced Professional Communication

ECON 3310 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory 3

ECON 3311 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory 3

ECON 4351 Mathematical Economics

ECON 4355 Econometrics

FIN 3320 Business Finance

FIN 3390 Introduction to Financial Modeling

FIN 4310 Intermediate Financial Management

FIN 4300 Investment Management

IMS 3310 International Business

ITSS 3300 Information Technology for Business

MKT 3300 Principles of Marketing

OBHR 3310 Organizational Behavior

or OBHR 3330 Introduction to Human Resource Management

OPRE 3310 Supply Chain and Operations Management

FIN 4395 Capstone Senior Project - Finance

or BPS 4395 Capstone Senior Project - Business

or FIN 4328 Real Estate Valuation

or FIN 4333 Enterprise Risk Management

A community engagement experience is required:

BA 4095 Social Sector Engagement and Community Outreach Practicum

III. Elective Requirements: 23 semester credit hours

Guided Electives

Finance Electives: 11 semester credit hours

For Finance Electives, other upper-division courses with a course prefix of ACCT, MATH, or STAT may be used to fulfill up to 3 semester credit hours of electives with advanced written permission from the BS Finance Program Director. Any upper-division courses with a FIN prefix listed below can satisfy guided elective requirements in prior BS FIN/ECON catalogs if not used elsewhere on the student's degree plan.

A practicum experience of at least 160 working hours is required, with registration in one of the courses below. A student may earn up to 3 semester credit hours with FIN 4V80 , which can be used as one of the FIN upper-division courses.

FIN 4V80 Practicum in Finance 12

FIN 4080 Finance Internship

Choose from the following to fulfill the remaining Finance Elective semester credit hours.

FIN 3300 Personal Finance

FIN 3305 Real Estate Principles

FIN 3340 Regulation of Business and Financial Markets

FIN 3350 Financial Markets and Institutions

FIN 3365 Real Estate Finance and Principles

FIN 3380 International Financial Management

FIN 4315 Behavioral Economics and Finance

FIN 4320 Management of Financial Institutions and Technology

FIN 4321 Real Estate Law and Contracts

FIN 4328 Real Estate Valuation 13

FIN 4333 Enterprise Risk Management 13

FIN 4336 Risk Systems and Theories

FIN 4338 Foundations of Risk Analytics and Applications

FIN 4340 Options and Futures Markets

FIN 4345 Financial Information and Analysis

FIN 4380 Fund Management

FIN 4390 Seminar Series in Finance

Economics Electives: 12 semester credit hours

Choose four courses from the following:

ECON 3312 Money and Banking

ECON 3332 Economic Geography

ECON 4301 Game Theory

ECON 4310 Managerial Economics

ECON 4342 Public Policies Toward Business

ECON 4345 Industrial Organization

ECON 4360 International Trade

ECON 4382 International Finance

ECON 4385 Business and Economic Forecasting

ECON 4396 Selected Topics in Economics

The plan must include sufficient upper-division courses to total 45 upper-division semester credit hours.

1. Degree is 129 semester credit hours if students are required to take EPPS 1110.

2. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from institutions of higher education. The courses listed are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.

3. Indicates a prerequisite class to be completed before enrolling for upper-division classes in Economics and Finance.

4. A required Major course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Semester credit hours are counted in Core Curriculum.

5. MATH 1325 is required for all JSOM undergraduate students. Students may elect to substitute MATH 2413 or MATH 2417 for MATH 1325.

6. To make timely degree progress, students should complete MATH 1325 or its equivalent by the end of their first semester at UT Dallas. Students who will not meet this requirement should contact their academic advisor to discuss their degree timeline.

7. Certain courses listed are prerequisites for major core, major concentration, or major related courses. Choose accordingly.

8. ECON 2301 and ECON 2302 are required for the FIN/ECON prescribed double major.

9. Students substitute MATH 2414 or MATH 2419 for MATH 1326. Students who complete OPRE 3340 instead of MATH 1326, MATH 2414, or MATH 2419 will need an 090 Component Area Option Core course.

10. Students may substitute MATH 2418 or CS 2305 for OPRE 3333 or MATH 2333.

11. JSOM first-time-in-college freshmen are required to take BCOM 1300 in their first semester. Transfer students and students new to JSOM are required to take BCOM 3300 in their first semester.

12. Students who are employed in full-time jobs may fulfill their internship requirement with their current employer as a special project with preapproval from their program director.

13. Can be used to fulfill elective hours if not counted as a Major Core Course.