To earn a PhD a student must:

• Complete a minimum of 54 semester hours of course work, including required courses in micro and macroeconomic theory, econometrics and research skills.
• Pass written comprehensive (core) exams in micro and macroeconomic theory in your first summer.
• Complete two fields of specialization. In your second summer, pass a written comprehensive exam in one of the fields.
• Complete Thesis Committee Form, which is typically done by the fall of your third year and must be done before your oral examination.
• Complete Final Program of Study Form. This is typically done by the fall of your third year and must be done before your oral examination.
• Pass the Oral Examination, which you should aim to complete by the spring or summer of your third year. Once you pass your oral examination and complete the Admission to Candidacy Form you will be formally admitted into candidacy.
• Present your research in the department’s seminar series.
• Write and defend an acceptable dissertation.

*All forms are available on the Terry PhD website.

Course Work

Students enrolled in the PhD program in Economics are required to complete a set of core and selected field courses of specialization. The core curriculum consists of courses in mathematical economics (ECON 8000), microeconomic theory (ECON 8010, 8020, and 8030), macroeconomic theory (ECON 8040 and 8050), statistical methods (ECON 8070) and introductory econometrics (ECON 8080).

In addition, to satisfy the university’s research skills requirement, students must attend the workshops and seminars sponsored by the department (ECON 8980), and complete Research Methods in Economics (ECON 8090) during the third year with a minimum grade of B. The research methods course requires students to write a research paper to be presented in the department’s summer workshop series.

Students are required to complete three fields of specialization, one of which must be econometrics. To earn credit for this sequence you must take at least two of three advanced econometrics courses (ECON 8110, 8120, and 8130). At least one of the two elective fields must be from courses offered by the Economics Department. Besides econometrics, the department offers fields in industrial organization, labor economics, advanced macroeconomics, health economics, and public economics. With permission of the department's graduate coordinator, students can satisfy one of the elective fields through course work in a related department, such as finance. A field is completed after passing two courses in an area of specialization with a minimum average grade of 3.0.

Written Preliminary Examinations

Core Exams

At the end of the first year, students are expected to have completed the Micro Theory (ECON 8010 and ECON 8020) and Macro Theory (ECON 8040 and ECON 8050) sequences and to take the Micro Theory and Macro Theory core exams. These theory core exams will typically be given in June after the first year. Students who do not pass may retake the exam(s) later in the summer. Students who do not pass both exams during the summer after their first year will be dismissed from the PhD program, but may complete an MA degree.

Field Exam

Students must pass a written field exam in one area of specialization offered by the economics department. To take a field exam, students must have completed the course work for the field and passed the micro and macro theory exams. These field exams will typically be given in June after the second year. Students who do not pass may retake the exam(s) later in the summer. If a student fails the same field twice, he or she will be given one chance to pass an exam in an alternative field. Students who fail three field exams will be dismissed from the PhD program, but may complete an MA degree. Not taking the field exam at the regularly scheduled time will be treated as a failing grade. Students who wish to take a field exam before passing the micro and macro theory exams or to delay taking a field exam must submit a request to the Economics Graduate Committee that justifies why an exception should be made. The Committee will vote on these requests and notify the student of the decision.

Research Methods Class

This class is typically taken in the fall semester of the third year. It is designed to help students make substantial progress on their thesis research and to make an effective transition from course work to dissertation work.

Dissertation

The dissertation must demonstrate original research, independent thinking, scholarly ability and technical mastery. Its conclusions must be logical, its literary form acceptable and its contribution to knowledge should merit publication. Students should establish a thesis committee by the spring of their third year.