نظرة عامة على البرنامج

Economics, PhD

The PhD in Economics at Washington University in St. Louis is a five-year program that requires at least 30 units of 5000-level courses with a 3.0 grade point average. Students may transfer up to 10 units of graduate credits completed elsewhere, but they are advised to make such a transfer only after consultation with the director of graduate studies.

General Course Requirements

Courses taken must include the following:

1. Microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory: 12 units (ECON 8010 Microeconomics I, ECON 8011 Microeconomics II, ECON 8020 Macroeconomics I, ECON 8021 Macroeconomics II); and
2. Quantitative methods and econometrics: 9 units (ECON 8710 Quantitative Methods I, ECON 8111 Quantitative Methods II, ECON 8110 Applied Econometrics).

A Typical Chronology of PhD Study

• Summer Before the First Year (August): Mathematics review and statistics review
• Year 1: Core courses
  • Fall Semester: ECON 8010 Microeconomics I, ECON 8020 Macroeconomics I, ECON 8710 Quantitative Methods I
  • Spring Semester: ECON 8011 Microeconomics II, ECON 8021 Macroeconomics II, ECON 8111 Quantitative Methods II, ECON 8110 Applied Econometrics
• Year 2: Preliminary exams in late August; retake preliminary exams (if necessary) in January, field courses, research paper proposal
• Year 3: Complete research paper, dissertation proposal
• Year 4: Write dissertation, prepare and present job market paper
• Year 5: Enter the job market, finish and defend the dissertation

Qualifying Examinations

Progress toward the PhD is contingent upon the student passing examinations that are variously called preliminary, qualifying, general, comprehensive, or major field exams. In economics, students must qualify to advance to the dissertation stage in each of three core fields: microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics.

Mentored Experience Requirements

Doctoral students at Washington University must complete a department-defined Mentored Experience. The Mentored Experience Requirement is a doctoral degree requirement that is notated on the student’s transcript when complete.

The Doctoral Dissertation

A Research Advisory Committee (RAC) must be created no later than the end of the student's third year; departments may set shorter timelines for this requirement. As evidence of the mastery of a specific field of knowledge and of the capacity for original scholarly work, each candidate must complete a dissertation that is approved by their RAC.

The Dissertation Defense

Approval of the written dissertation by the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) is strongly recommended before the student can orally defend the dissertation. The Doctoral Dissertation Committee that examines the student during the defense consists of at least five members.

Submission of the Dissertation

After the defense, the student must submit an electronic copy of the dissertation online to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Master's Degree Along the Way/In Lieu of a PhD

Students who do not pass preliminary qualifications are usually eligible for a master's degree based on coursework, in lieu of a PhD.

Mentored Experience Requirements (MERs)

• Philosophy of Teaching: The aspiration of many of our PhD students is to become tenure-track assistant professors immediately following graduate school. Along with research, teaching is an important component of their future jobs.
• Preparatory Engagement: Preparatory Engagement activities are those that represent an introduction to the foundational skills associated with teaching or communication.
• Mentored Teaching Experiences (MTEs):
  • Assistant in Instruction (AI): An Assistant in Instruction (AI) is a PhD student who is directly engaged in the organization, instruction, and/or support of a semester-long course primarily taught by a faculty member.
  • Mentored Independent Teaching (MIT): MIT is a semester-long experience for PhD students who engage as the primary instructor or co-instructor of a course under the mentorship of a faculty member as part of the MER.
• Required Pathways for Completion: Students work with their faculty mentor and their Director of Graduate Studies to plan how and when they will complete their MERs.
• Optional Activity: Teaching Intensive Pathway (TIP): The TIP is an optional pathway for those students whose career interests lie in academia or another field that would benefit from extended teaching experiences.
• Optional Activity: Professional Intensive Pathway (PIP): The PIP is an optional pathway for those students whose career interests lie outside of academia or who want to benefit from mentored professional experiences (MPEs).