Admission Requirements

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must have completed at least 24 units of course work in the M.A. Economics program with a weighted grade average of 1.5 or better. In addition to previous academic performance, admission will also depend on an evaluation of the student’s ability to undertake the second-year course work of the Ph.D. program, to pass the comprehensive examination, and to produce an acceptable dissertation.

If existing qualifications for doctoral-level study are deemed insufficient, the applicant will be advised to complete all requirements for the M.A. Economics degree before being considered for admission to the Ph.D. program. In exceptional cases, a highly qualified applicant who has obtained a master’s degree in economics from another institution may be admitted directly to the Ph.D. program and credited with up to 18 units towards the Ph.D. degree.

Degree Requirements

In order to qualify for the Ph.D. degree, a student must successfully complete 48 units of formal course work, pass a comprehensive examination with a grade that advances him or her to candidacy, and write a dissertation. Completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. degree would normally take three years of full-time study.

Course Requirements

The School requires all its doctoral students to be proficient in economic theory and have some training in quantitative methods as well as familiarity with economic history or history of economic thought.

• Economic Theory. Grades of 2.0 or better in Macroeconomic Theory I (Econ 201), Microeconomic Theory I (Econ 202), Macroeconomic Theory II (Econ 203), and Microeconomic Theory II (Econ 204) are required for Ph.D. students
• Mathematics. The mathematics requirement may be met by (a) completion of Mathematical Economics (Econ 206) with a grade of 2.0 or better; or (b) passing a special examination for the purpose
• Statistics and Econometrics. A grade of 2.0 or better in Economic Statistics (Econ 231) and Econometrics I (Econ 232) or passing a special examination for the purpose satisfies the statistics requirement
• Economic History or the History of Economic Thought. This requirement is met by a grade of 2.0 or better in Economic History (Econ 211) or History of Economic Thought (Econ 209). However, a special examination option is also possible

Grade Requirements

Under University rules, a student must maintain a cumulative weighted grade average of 1.75 at the end of each academic year to remain in good standing. Failure to satisfy this grade requirement will result in the student’s disqualification from the program. To successfully complete the program, a grade of 2.5 or better must be earned in each course towards an overall weighted average of 1.75 or better.

Program of Study

Admission to the Ph.D. program presupposes completion of at least 24 units (two semesters) of course work under the master’s program. The doctoral program requires the student to pass a comprehensive examination given after the second semester of second-year course work.

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