gradcafe economics phd admission

Ph.D. in Economics admissions

Admission to the Ph.D. program requires an undergraduate honor point average of at least 3.0 (B). Scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be submitted to the department as part of the application for admission. Applicants from countries in which English is not the principal language must attain either a score of 550 on the TOEFL examination or a score of 85 on the Michigan Test (MELAB).

We welcome applications from students who have majored in disciplines other than economics. Economics issues address a wide range of social behaviors, so the Ph.D. student will find it an advantage in a career as an economist to have a broad intellectual background. However, students beginning the program are expected to arrive with the following preparation:

• At least two courses in mathematical calculus. Additional courses in calculus (including multivariate calculus and integration), as well as linear algebra, will strengthen students' preparation for Ph.D. work
• A course in intermediate microeconomics
• A course in intermediate macroeconomics
• One or more courses in statistics

Application

The Ph.D. program has moved to "alternative year" admissions. The next group of Ph.D. students will begin the program in fall semester 2025. The deadline for full consideration for fall 2025 admission is Jan.1, 2025. Applications received after that date will be considered on a space-available basis. The application fee has been waived.

Apply for admission

A limited number of teaching and research assistantships providing tuition, stipends and health insurance are available each year to new Ph.D. students.

International students

We urge international students to submit their applications early and follow all procedures regarding application requests and transcripts to allow sufficient time for correspondence, the TOEFL examination, obtaining a visa and evaluation of transcripts and financial aid awards.

Processing international applications, including translation and verification of transcripts and recommendations, may take two or more months. Moreover, once accepted, international students may require several months to make appropriate financial and travel plans. International students should also consult the Wayne State Graduate School for international students .

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The primary mission of our graduate program is to educate students as research economists. As they pursue PhD degrees, our graduate students acquire a wide range of skills that make them excellent university teachers and professional economists. An advanced degree in economics offers an exciting range of career choice in academia, business and government.

About 80 graduate students are in the economics PhD program. Our entering class consists of approximately 15-20 students selected from a very competitive pool of approximately 300 applicants from all over the world. In recent years, we have ranked in the top echelon of all departments at The Ohio State University in the number of university fellowships awarded to new graduate students . Almost all of our PhD students are supported through research and teaching assistantships with competitive stipends and full tuition waiver. We also provide conference travel support, dissertation research support and support for the job market preparations of our dissertation students.

The faculty and department The dedication of our graduate faculty  to excellence in economics education is reflected in the depth and breadth of their research activities. Our faculty includes three Fellows of the Econometric Society and several editors and associate editors of top-ranked economics journals. We are in the Top 10 ranked economics programs among public universities and in the top 25 of all U.S. economics departments in terms of publication productivity.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

International graduates of this major are approved by the Department of Homeland Security for three (3) years of work permission in the United States after graduation. Visit the Office of International Affairs website for more information.

If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content, please contact [email protected] .

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Department of Economics

Ph.D. Admissions

The ph.d. in economics.

The Ph.D. program in economics admits between 8 and 12 students per year and prepares them for a successful career in academia, government, international organizations, or the private sector. In the first year, students take classes in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, as well as mathematical economics and economic history. In the second and third year, students take 21 credit hours of specialized classes in at least two of the following concentrations:

• Microeconomic Theory
• Macroeconomic Theory
• Econometrics
• Economic Development
• Economic History
• Health Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International Economics
• Labor Economics
• Money and Financial Institutions
• Public Economics

Students can petition to combine at least two related classes to a nonstandard concentration.  

Applying to the Program

The application deadline for the Ph.D. program is January 15th for the coming fall semester. Successful applicants have strong quantitative backgrounds and a passion for research in  economics. The  application fee is $95.00 upon submission.

Please direct all Ph.D. admission inquiries to [email protected] .

Qualifications

Our incoming students usually have an undergraduate degree in economics and/or mathematics, with significant quantitative and math-intensive course experience. Many international applicants have a master’s degree. Research experience (such as an undergraduate or master’s thesis, or work as a research assistant) is a plus.  

• Required: One year of calculus, one semester of statistics, and intermediate-level courses in microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory.
• Strongly recommended: Courses in linear algebra, differential equations, real analysis, and econometrics. 

Information to Submit

• Self-reported/unofficial or official GRE scores
• International students: self-reported/unofficial or official TOEFL or IELTS scores. This requirement will be waived for an international student with a degree from an institution in which English is the official language of instruction. Furthermore, while a TOEFL score is optional for applicants attending an English-language university in a non-English-speaking country, it can often be helpful to demonstrate command of English.
• Unofficial transcripts
• 3-5 letters of recommendation

Statement of Purpose

In your statement of purpose, tell us how your studies so far have prepared you for a Ph.D. program, and share what fascinates you about research in economics.  

Visiting Campus

Campus visits are offered to everyone admitted to the program. Visits consist of a half-day of individual meetings with faculty members and students, plus lunch. 

Q: What test scores do admitted candidates usually have  on the GRE?

A: Applicants often overestimate the importance of GRE scores for Ph.D. applications. The GRE tests whether you can do high school math quickly and correctly, as well as your vocabulary. Scores below a certain level (say, below 155 verbal and below 161 quantitative) tend to indicate problems, while very high scores do not necessarily guarantee that you are fully prepared for a Ph.D. program in economics.

For candidates who satisfy these thresholds, we look primarily at their preparation for a Ph.D. program in terms of how they did in the challenging courses they took in both advanced economics and math, rather than going only by their specific GRE scores.

Q: Do you have a minimum TOEFL or IELTS score?

A: Admitted international candidates tend to have a minimum TOEFL speaking score of 24 or an IELTS speaking score of 7. 

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• Applications

PHD Economics Advices

By dream2 May 13, 2021 in Applications

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As of today, most of the applicants for PhD studies have received an answer regarding their admissions. I hope the majority of you are satisfied and excited about next year. 

I know that "Advices for PhD Economics" is a subject that is all over TheGradCafe however, when browsing the different posts I realized there is not a concise and clear one (perhaps I missed it). 

Thus, I would like to ask you for your help. I'm a future PhD applicant (for Fall 2022) and will start a MSc in Barcelona in Economics this year (Fall 2021). I know how painful and hard the admission process for PhD is and I'd like to gather as many advices as possible. I know sometimes it might be hard to share things that took us a while to realize or even that we learnt at our cost. Maybe it seems unfair that someone just need to read this blog to find it out. However, now that you are settled in a PhD program it would be great to hear from you and to share your insights. 

In order to keep this subject as clear as possible, I suggest the following paragraphs presentation: 

1° Describe in very few words your profile: PhD program you are enrolled in / GRE Scores / Undergrad Studies / Additional work / age (optional) / anything you feel important 

Ex: PHD Economics UCLA / V:170,Q:170,AW:6 / BA Cornell University / TA for 2y and RA for 1y / 23 / always wear a hat during interviews 

2° Something you wish you had known before 

Ex: send your application files by September

3° Tips regarding application 

Ex: Add a personal statement / do not provide with more than 3 Rec Letters / ...

4° A strength and a weakness of your application 

Ex: My RA work / My GRE scores 

5° Tips for statement of purpose and any other remarks (why did you choose this PhD program, ..)

Ex: be concise / focus on why you are a good candidate not on why you like economics / ... 

A massive thank you for those that will share their insights. You know how valuable this is. 

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Admissions information to the ph.d. program in economics.

Students may enter the Ph.D. program  only in the fall . Applicants must present evidence of a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent, or show that they can expect such a degree by the time they begin graduate work. The University requires that applicants utilize the  CollegeNet  on-line application system. Applicants must upload a personal statement and their transcript (unofficial or official) from each university attended. If an applicant is accepted into our program then they must provide an official transcript mailed directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Three letters of recommendation are also required, usually from professors who can judge the student's potential for high-quality academic work. Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must also be submitted. This test should be taken as early as possible to ensure that the results are received in time to be considered by the admissions committee.  Our GRE institution-department code is 2926-1801 . International students must submit a TOEFL score unless they have or will receive an undergraduate degree from a college/university in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or Ireland or they have completed, at the time of application, four semesters of graduate study at an institution in the above mentioned countries.

The program's goal is to admit 16 students a year. Applicants should be aware that the admissions committee reviews a large number of applications (over 600 last year). Our decisions on admission and financial aid are facilitated when application materials are clearly presented, well written, and concise. The committee tries to form an image of the intellectual and personal qualities of applicants, and then admits those who seem most likely to do high quality work. All applicants are encouraged to provide a personal statement (see below) and any additional information that might help the admissions committee in their task. For example, students might wish to submit research papers that they have written or a description of some major job experience related to economic analysis. 

Mathematics prerequisites

Proficiency in mathematics is crucial for successful completion of the first year of study, in the Department of Economics, at the University of Pennsylvania.

A minimal level of preparation  consists of two years of mathematics courses in college, including courses in:

• multivariable calculus
• probability theory and statistics
• linear algebra

An excellent level of preparation  consists of additional courses in:

• real analysis
• point-set topology
• measure-theoretic probability theory

We strongly suggest you obtain an excellent level of preparation, for your application to be competitive.

Requirement for Personal Statement:

In the personal statement, all Ph.D. applications within the Graduate Division of Arts & Sciences should address the following: Please describe how your background and academic experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and led you to apply to Penn. Your essay should detail your specific research interests and intellectual goals within your chosen field. Please provide information about your educational trajectory, intellectual curiosity and academic ambitions. If you have overcome adversity and/or experienced limited access to resources or opportunities in your field of study, please feel free to share how that has affected the course of your education. We are interested in your lived experiences and how your particular perspective might contribute to the inclusive and dynamic learning community that Penn values and strives to create.

In the Economics Graduate Group, we also ask that applicants discuss their relevant research experience, if any, that make Penn Economics a good fit for what you would like to accomplish in your PhD. Your statement can include specific fields of interests and specific faculty members that you think could be potential advisors. 

Deadline for admission:

All applications must be completed and submitted by 11:59pm eastern US standard time on December 15th. The admissions committee then examines completed applications which have been received. Notification of its decision is sent by April 15th.

Follow this link to apply on-line:  CollegeNet