Economics, Ph.D.

(PECON)

The PhD program is designed to train economists capable of adding to the knowledge of economics, doing independent research, and teaching at the college or university level. Students must complete 36 hours of coursework in Economics, all of which must be at the 7000-level. Any coursework for an outside minor is in addition to the 36 hours of Economics coursework. Students must take at least 18 hours of pre-dissertation/dissertation research (9 hours per semester) after completion of the required courses and will continue to do so as long as they are working on the dissertation. Consequently, the minimum required hours for the degree is 54, although the normal time to completion of the degree is four to five years. Prior to entering the program, students should have completed at least a year of undergraduate calculus as well as undergraduate courses in linear algebra, probability and statistics, and intermediate macroeconomics and microeconomics. A detailed description of the Ph.D. program can be found on the Economics Department webpage.