Program Overview

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PhD Degree Requirements

The requirements for the PhD include:

• Academic integrity milestone
• Thirteen courses: eight core requirements (ECON 600, 601, 602, 607, 621, 701, one of {702/703/704}, 721), and five electives, two of which are in a chosen area of concentration
  • An area of concentration consists of two non-core courses. Students may take electives outside the department for credit with the approval of the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies, or a reading course designed by the supervisor/thesis committee.
  • Students must maintain an 80% average to receive their scholarships.
• Qualifying exam in microeconomics and econometrics
• Second Year PhD Paper
• Thesis Proposal Guidelines
• Two seminar milestones
  • First seminar milestone - In both years 2 and 3, attend 50% of the department's seminars offered in the fall and winter terms, and write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) explaining the presentation. Include the seminar date and the name of the presenter. This document will be attached to your Annual Performance Evaluations, in years 2 and 3.
  • Second seminar milestone - In both years 3 and 4, a presentation of student's own work at a department seminar.
• Thesis defense - ECON Doctoral Thesis Guidelines

Sequencing through the PhD Program

The following sequence represents the typical path through the PhD program.

Year One

• Academic Integrity Milestone
• ECON 600 - mathematics for economists
• ECON 601 - micro theory 1
• ECON 607 - data science for economists
• ECON 621 - econometrics 1
• ECON 602 - macro theory 1
• ECON 701 - micro theory 2
• ECON 721 - econometrics 2

Year One - Spring Term

• Written qualifying exams in microeconomics and econometrics.
• Exams will take place the first and third Tuesdays in June. If needed, a second attempt will take place the first and third Tuesdays in August. Only two attempts are allowed.
• Identify a supervisor/thesis committee and area of concentration

Year Two

• One of ECON {702/703/704} - macro theory
• 5 total elective graduate courses (two courses must be in student's area of concentration)
• Write Second Year Paper (choose a supervisor and begin work on paper)
• Begin First Seminar milestone - attend a minimum of 50% of the department's and PhD's seminars offered in the fall and winter terms and write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) explaining the presentation. Include the seminar date and the name of the presenter. This document will be attached to your Annual Performance Evaluations, in years 2 and 3.

Year Three

• Present Second Year Paper in a department seminar by October 15, and this will be used as the first part of the Second Seminar milestone
• Thesis proposal (no later than August 31)
• Complete the First Seminar milestone - attend a minimum of 50% of the department's seminars offered in the fall and winter terms and write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) explaining the presentation. Include the seminar date and the name of the presenter. This document will be attached to your Annual Performance Evaluations, in years 2 and 3.

Year Four

• Complete Second Seminar milestone - second presentation of student's own work at a department seminar
• Thesis defense

PhD-Water Degree Requirements

The program requires the satisfactory completion of the following:

• Same Economics PhD degree requirements - but only require 4 elective courses, not 5 elective courses
• 2 required core Water program courses - WATER 601 and 602
• Research Seminar 2
• Academic Contribution

PhD Program Details

The PhD program in Economics is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in economic theory, econometrics, and research methods. The program is structured to allow students to develop their research skills and expertise in a specific area of concentration. The program requirements include a combination of core courses, elective courses, and research milestones. Students are expected to maintain an 80% average to receive their scholarships. The program is typically completed in four years, with the first year focused on core courses, the second year on elective courses and research, and the third and fourth years on thesis proposal and defense.