phd admission in economics 2023

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The department of Economics at Harvard University is committed to seeking out and mentoring scholars who wish to pursue a rigorous and rewarding career in economic research. Our graduates are trailblazers in their fields and contribute to a diverse alumni community in both the academic and non-academic sectors. We invite you to learn more about the PhD program in Economics . Have questions about applying? Please thoroughly check the GSAS admission website before emailing us at: [email protected] . 

Harvard does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job or course of study requirements, and we actively  seek applicants  from historically underrepresented communities. We hope you’ll consider applying. Immigration status does not factor into decisions about admissions and financial aid. For more information, see  Undocumented at Harvard . 

Apply to Economics @Harvard

Application Requirements

• Completed online application form (Must be completed by December 1st)
• Statement of Purpose
• Transcripts for all college/university degrees and courses Self-reported transcripts are accepted for both all programs at the application stage. Applicants must upload copies of his/her transcripts to the online application system. Hard copy transcripts will only be required if admitted to a program, prior to enrollment.
• Current GRE scores
• TOEFL or IELTS scores (non-native English speakers see details below)
• Three letters of recommendation (at least one from an academic source). Recommendation letters must be submitted online through the online application system. 
• Application fee 
• Writing sample (at least 15 pages in length)

All applicants are required to take the  General Test of the Graduate Record Examination  (GRE). Test scores are valid for five years (scores must be from no earlier than January 5, 2019 for Fall 2024 admission). Applicants are, however, advised to take the exam no later than mid-November. There is no minimum test score requirement. A department code is not required for score submission. Institution Codes for PhD Programs GRE: 3451

Financial Aid

All admitted students are awarded a financial package which includes tuition, single-person health insurance, living stipend for the first two years, teaching and research assistant stipends and a completion fellowship in the final year of the program.

International Applications

Adequate command of spoken and written English is required for admission. Applicants whose native language is other than English and who do not hold a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an institution at which English is the language of instruction must submit  TOEFL  or IELTS scores.

TOEFL/IELTS scores are valid for two years. (scores must be from no earlier than January 5, 2022 for Fall 2024 admission). The committee prefers scores of at least 100 on the internet-based test.  Institution Codes for Toefl score reports PhD programs: 3451

Reapplicants

Applicants who applied last year are considered reapplicants. Those reapplying must submit a completely new application. The new application must include all required documents to be provided by the applicant - we will not re-use material previously submitted. These materials include an updated statement of purpose, transcripts, test score reports, updated letters of recommendation, the application fee, and any other supporting materials

Please note, Harvard University will accept no more than three applications from any one individual over the course of his/her lifetime.

Applying to more than one Program

Harvard has several PhD programs that may also be of interest to students considering applying to the PhD program in economics. These include Business Economics, Political Economy and Government, Public Policy, and Health Policy.  Many students in these programs have considerable overlap in their coursework with courses offered to PhD students in economics.   Many also have dissertation committees that include faculty members of the economics department. Please refer to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for applicable program deadlines.  (Deadlines have already passed for some programs this year but not for others.) We encourage those with interest in any of those programs to also apply to those programs. The economics department will make admissions decisions independently, so application to or admission to other programs will not adversely affect admissions decisions within the Economics department. If you opt to apply, please note, the Graduate School will not accept more than three applications from any individual during the course of his or her academic career. 

Economics Mentoring Program

Many students interested in an economics PhD experience disparate degrees of support in the application process. The Economics Mentoring Program (EMP, formerly known as AAMP) aims to mitigate these gaps by helping students from underrepresented groups connect with graduate student mentors in the economics PhD programs at Duke, Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. These mentors can provide:

• Advice on graduate school and fellowship applications, including questions about the application process and feedback on application materials.
• Information about economics research, life as a PhD student or in an academic career, for students who are deciding whether a PhD in economics is the right choice for them.

The EMP aims to increase the pipeline of diverse talent in economics PhD programs and welcomes participation from all groups underrepresented in economics, including but not limited to: Black, Hispanic-Latin, Native American, low-income, and LGBTQ+ students, women, students with disabilities, and students who are the first in their families to go to college. The EMP welcomes participation among students at various stages of their economics studies, including undergraduates and college graduates. The EMP is open to students who are curious about the academic economics experience and interested in figuring out if it’s right for them.

Interested participants should fill out the application linked below. We will accept applications until July 22, 2024. Mentorship will begin over the summer and continue through Fall 2024. Mentees who prefer to meet for a single “coffee chat” may indicate their preference on the form. We will do our best to match all interested applicants with a mentor; however, demand may exceed the availability of mentors.

Please note that the EMP is a volunteer-based, student-run program. This program is not considered part of the admissions process for the economics PhD at Duke, Harvard, MIT, or Stanford nor will any student's participation in the EMP be considered by the graduate admissions committee at any school.

Please direct any questions to [email protected] . To join the program, please click the link below to fill out the form. For more information, please visit our website here

Website link: www.economicsmentoringprogram.com

EMP Application Form Link: https://forms.gle/tWvNRXRJQWEHhFn16

• PhD Program
• Program Requirements
• Job Placement
• Financial Support

• Information for Prospective/Incoming Grad Students

General Information

Our Ph.D. program faculty consists of 91 economists drawn from the Cornell University Economics Department, the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Johnson School, the Department of Policy Analysis and Management, the Division of Nutritional Sciences, the Hotel School, and the Law School. The Ph.D. degree in Economics is administered by the Cornell Graduate School as the only degree offered by the Graduate Field of Economics.  To view our program field faculty, click here .

The breadth of our faculty offers students many opportunities. Students can focus their doctoral research on a wide range of economics-related topics provided at least two Ph.D. program faculty members approve the topic and agree to supervise the student. The full committee consists of a chair from the Ph.D. program faculty and two or three additional members of the Cornell Graduate Faculty. This flexibility allows students to form dissertation committees that reflect very specific specializations from around Cornell.

Cornell is also what we call an open campus. Students may take courses in areas other than economics and participate in interdisciplinary work. Indeed, many doctoral-level courses in economics are offered by faculty members in colleges and schools across the campus. 

Important Information

• Historical Placement of Ph.D. Students
• Please  contact the Graduate Field Coordinator at [email protected]  if you would like a copy of our Math Proficiency Practice Exam.

Prerequisites

Economics courses.

Our first semester courses presume a thorough knowledge of microeconomics at the level of a rigorous treatment of undergraduate intermediate theory. More economics background is preferred, but an economics major is not required.

Mathematics

We admit students from a variety of academic backgrounds. Those whose prior education was primarily in economics typically excelled in advanced undergraduate or graduate (e.g., Master's) courses, including proof-based mathematics courses at least through linear algebra. With applicants whose previous degree was not in economics, we look for especially strong technical skills as well as some economics coursework.

Courses called Mathematics for Economists, Mathematics for Social Scientists, and Econometrics are not a substitute for formal mathematics.

A mathematics review course is offered before classes in the first three weeks of August. Although it is not required, in our experience most entering students benefit significantly from this course.

Admissions and Financial Aid

Graduate School Admissions https://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions

Graduate School Admission Policies (Read these policies carefully: you may not apply to two different Cornell graduate programs simultaneously.) https://gradschool.cornell.edu/admissions/important-application-policies

*Students in Economics may only start in the Fall semester. The field of Economics no longer accepts paper application materials.  Please click here to use the online application .

*There is no preadmission application in Economics. 

*The Ph.D. program in Economics does not require an applicant to have completed an undergraduate degree in economics or in mathematics for admission.

Applications, including letters of reference, GRE and TOEFL/IELTS scores, must be completed online by January 15th. Admissions are generally announced in mid-March.

Cornell University, like most prominent American graduate schools, is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States. Most Canadian graduate schools have also accepted the Council's application and admission guidelines. As a member of this group, Cornell may not consider an acceptance (of admission and/or aid) from a student to be binding until after April 15th. (The applicant may withdraw their acceptance of any school's offer by writing that school before April 15th.) Because early acceptance of an offer from a university is not binding on the student, we make most financial aid offers in mid to late March.

Course Requirements    

The first-semester courses presume a thorough knowledge of microeconomics at the level of a rigorous treatment of undergraduate intermediate theory. More economics background is preferred, but an economics major is not required.

Courses called "Mathematics for Economists," "Mathematics for Social Scientists," and "Econometrics" are not a substitute for formal mathematics.

As part of the admissions process, the indicated mathematics and economics courses should be completed prior to the application deadline in January. If courses in mathematics or microeconomics are completed after the application transcript has been sent, the student is strongly advised to send an updated transcript (a copy or unofficial version will do) showing the grades in these courses. Updated admissions material may be sent directly to the Graduate Field Assistant.  Email GFA at [email protected].

A three-week mathematics review course is offered before classes begin. In our experience most entering students can benefit significantly from that course, though it is not required.

Reference Letters

Three letters of recommendation are required. Applicants should ask their references to address not only their academic prospects in their letters, but to also address their prospects as a teacher and research assistant. Academic references should preferably be from professors in one’s major subject and possibly from a mathematics professor in an advanced mathematics class. If others would know more about the applicant’s prospects as a teacher or research assistant, supplementary letters can be provided from professors for whom one has taught, given oral presentations, or done research.

The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is required for the Fall 2023 admissions cycle. The Department will accept at-home GRE exams. GRE subject examinations are optional.

To be included in the application, the graduate school must receive all scores prior to the application deadline.

All official test scores should be reported directly to Cornell University.  Please be sure to use the exact spelling of your name on both your application and test score report.

The GRE institutional code is 2098. Department codes are not used for matching scores to applications.

GRE test scores are valid for five years from the test date.

International Applicants

The TOEFL or IELTS examination is required of all applicants from countries where English is not the official native language, unless the applicant meets one of the Graduate School's standing exemptions.

Please click here to consult the  English Language Proficiency Requirement  page . Please note that the field of Economics cannot admit candidates who do not meet the Graduate School's English language requirements. These are minimum required scores; most accepted students have TOEFL IBT scores over 25 in all four categories. If your English-language degree will not be awarded by the time of enrollment, you must take the TOEFL and/or IELTS. Do not request exceptions. None will be granted.

Non-native English speakers are strongly advised to get supplemental letters of reference from native English speakers if at all possible.

These letters should address your likely "presentational skills" in English (e.g., potential for success as a teaching assistant or presenter of a scholarly paper). The writer need not be one of your professors; in practice these letters often come from visiting American academics, sometimes visiting departments other than Economics at your school for a seminar or a semester whom you have asked to have a conversation with you for the purposes of such a letter. Further, many Universities have English language departments with American (or British) faculty members.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is not "need-based." All applicants are considered for financial aid awards based on academic merit and potential success as a teaching or research assistant.

Financial aid packages for incoming students are typically guaranteed, given satisfactory performance, through the Spring semester of the sixth year of study (if six years are actually needed to complete the degree). Most of the aid packages are in the form of fellowships/assistantship combinations (approximately 15 per year). The normal package includes one fellowship year, which must be used during the first year of study and one which can be used to allow focused research toward the dissertation, typically taken in the fifth year of study. The first-year fellowship enables the student to focus on the core program. Subsequent financial aid normally takes the form of graduate research assistantships and teaching assistantships. Graduate fellowships and research and teaching assistantships cover full academic year tuition as well as a stipend and medical insurance.

Research assistantships may be available from individual faculty members. These are awarded to qualified graduate students whose research interests are clearly similar to those of the faculty member with the research funding, and generally to students with strong academic performance and/or special skills (e.g., programming).

Admissions and fellowship decisions for many students are contingent upon the acceptances or rejections of those who have the initial offers. Applicants are advised to make certain we know how they can be reached quickly (by e-mail, or if necessary fax or telephone) between April 1 and April 15.

Teaching Assistantships (TA)

One of the primary concerns at Cornell is teaching excellence. This is desirable in its own right, and it is valuable for the student to be able to establish excellence in teaching for the job market. We have a variety of programs available to assist students in becoming good teachers. Some of these programs are required, others are voluntary supplements.

All students who will be serving as teaching assistants for at least the first time are required to arrive at Cornell for training about ten days before the semester starts. All teaching assistants are required to arrive five days in advance of classes and to remain on campus until all course grades are completed. Students from countries where English is not the official language are required to take an oral assessment prior to being employed as a TA. This assessment is administered by the Cornell University Center for Teaching Excellence.  Click here to visit the Cornell University Center for Teaching Excellence website . Depending upon the results of this assessment, international students may have additional training requirements designed for non-native English speakers.

For Further Information

For further information about the Economics Ph.D. Program, you may contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Prof. Levon Barseghyan, with questions about background, preparation or degree content.  To e-mail Prof. Levon Barseghyan, click here.

Contact the Graduate Field Assistant ( to e-mail GFA, click here ); postal address: Field of Economics, Uris Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853-7601, USA; telephone: +1-607-255-4893; fax: +1-607-255-2818) with questions about applications, admissions, or other procedural matters.

A crucial source of information about any program is the doctoral students who are in the program. Our students can be contacted at through the GSAFE site. Introduce yourself and ask any questions you would like about study at Cornell.  To view the GSAFE site, please click here .

For further information about the Graduate School and its programs,  please click here to contact the  Admissions Office at the Cornell University Graduate School  .

Helpful Admissions Links

• Online application  (paper forms are not accepted)
• Important admissions policies  (read these carefully)
• Graduate Admissions FAQs
• English language proficiency requirement  (These are minimum required scores; most accepted students have IBT TOEFL scores over 25 in all four categories. If your English-language degree has not been awarded by the time of application, you must take the TOEFL or IELTS. Do not request exceptions. None will be granted.)
• Information from the Graduate School about the Graduate Field of Economics

Non-Degree Visiting Students

Maximum enrollment.

Non-degree students are limited to a maximum enrollment of two semesters and may not enroll in a degree-granting program at Cornell without formally applying and being approved for admission.

Non-degree students enrolled during a regular semester are required to pay tuition.  There is no tuition charge for the summer.

Health Insurance

Like degree-seeking students, non-degree graduate students are automatically enrolled in Cornell’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). If a student has coverage through another health insurance plan that is comparable to the SHIP, s/he may file a written appeal with the Office of Student Health Insurance. International students are required to purchase SHIP.  For more information visit the student insurance website here .

Admissions Requirements

• Education Credentials--All students enrolled in the Graduate School must possess education credentials equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree . At a minimum, international non-degree students must be pursuing graduate-level studies in their home country. On the application form, applicants should describe their postsecondary education history and provide applicable transcripts and diplomas.
• English Proficiency--International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency even if they will not be taking classes or supervising students. Unlike degree-seeking applicants, non-degree applicants may submit old scores or copies of a paper score report.  Click here to review Cornell’s English proficiency requirements .

Financial Resources

International students must provide evidence of adequate financial resources. These resources should be sufficient to cover the costs of attendance, including living expenses, for the duration of their stay at Cornell.

Incoming Students Fall 2023

If you were admitted or placed on the wait list, you should have received detailed information by email from the admissions coordinator ( [email protected] ). If you have received an email from the Director of Graduate Studies, then your formal offer letter is in progress. If you have not received such information, you have not been admitted or placed on the waiting list yet. Notice of rejection also comes from the admissions coordinator.

The Economics Ph.D. Math Review Course will run Monday, July 31 through Friday, August 18 online.  It consists of 15 half-day lectures and three problem set sessions.  This course is strongly recommended for all entering students. There is no tuition charge for students in the Economics Ph.D. program. 

Mandatory teaching assistant training, for those students who will be TAs at Cornell for the first time in the 2023-2024 academic year, is Wednesday, August 16-Friday, August 18.  Graduate School orientation series occurring throughout August.  See calendar for details . Classes begin on Thursday, August 26. ( To view the Cornell Academic Calendar 2023-2024, click here. )

Progress to the Degree

Our Ph.D. program is designed so that the degree can be awarded after five years of diligent study.

This page is a summary of the requirements for making satisfactory progress toward the Ph.D. in Economics. Any variations or exceptions for an individual student must be approved in writing by the Executive Committee of the Field of Economics and by the student's special committee (or the Director of Graduate Studies, for first and second year students without full special committees).

Students are expected to qualify before the beginning of their second year in four areas:

• Econometrics 
• Macroeconomics 
• Mathematics for Economists 
• Microeconomic Theory

Qualifying in Econometrics, Macroeconomics and Microeconomic Theory requires passing qualifying examinations in these areas during May/June of the first year (or, if necessary, passing a re-take in July/August of the first year). To prepare for these examinations students should take the following courses in their first year:

• Econometrics I and II (Econ 6190 and 6200)
• Macroeconomics I and II (Econ 6130 and 6140)
• Microeconomic Theory I, II, and III (Econ 6090, 6100, 6110)

To qualify in Mathematics for Economists, students must achieve a grade of at least B- in Intermediate Mathematical Economics I (Econ 6170).

The first-year economics Ph.D. courses (Econ 6090, 6100, 6110, 6130, 6140, 6170, 6190, and 6200) are intended for doctoral students in economics and related disciplines. First-year economics Ph.D. students are automatically enrolled in these courses. The permission of the instructor is required for all other students.

Second Year

Workshops Participation in at least one workshop per semester in the second year is required. After the second year, students must be registered in at least one workshop program each semester. With the approval of the special committee, a student may substitute regular participation in a workshop other than the ones listed below.  View Workshop schedules  here. The list of workshops currently offered is:

• Applied Economics 
• Applied Microeconomics 
• Behavioral Workshop 
• Development Economics 
• Institute for Health Economics
• International Economics
• Labor Economics 
• Macro/Monetary Economics 
• Microeconomic Theory 
• Policy Analysis and Management 
• Public Economics

Research Project Students are required to write a complete, independent research paper in the second year, which is due in August of the summer of the second year. They are expected to present this work in the Fall semester of the third year in the Third-year Research Seminar (Econ 7850). Attendance at this workshop and presentation of the second-year paper is required for all third-year students.

Special Committee Students are assigned a special committee chair upon initial enrollment. Usually, this is the Director of Graduate Studies. This assignment is temporary. A permanent chair must be selected prior to registering for the third year (fifth semester) of study. Prior to registering for the sixth semester (January of the third year), students must form a permanent special committee to advise them on courses and research. The committee consists of a chair and at least two other members. The chair represents the student's major concentration of research and the other members represent minor concentrations.

Click here to view Major and Minor Concentrations Students must also qualify in one major and at least two minor concentrations. This is typically done in the second and third years. The requirements for qualifying in concentrations are determined by the committee member representing each concentration. A student's major concentration must come from the field of economics. Minor concentrations may be in the field of economics or may come from other Cornell graduate fields. 

The A Exam Students are expected to pass an admission to candidacy examination, called the A Exam, administered by the student's special committee during the third year of graduate study. This examination must be passed by the end of the third week of the fourth year. Failure to complete the A Exam in a timely fashion may result in the suspension of all financial aid or termination from the Ph.D. program.

The Fourth Year and Beyond

The Dissertation and the B Exam Students are expected to begin work on the doctoral dissertation in the third year of study and to finish the dissertation by the end of the fifth year of study. The program is designed so that the Ph.D. can be awarded in five years and students should plan to finish in five years. Completing the Ph.D. requires passing an oral examination, the B Exam, administered by the student's special committee, followed by filing with the Graduate School a completed doctoral dissertation approved by the committee.

Guide to Concentrations in the Field of Economics

The concentrations in Economics are listed below in alphabetical order. After each concentration, there is a list of courses that students often take for that concentration. There is one extremely important caveat: the exact courses required to meet a particular concentration are determined by a student’s special committee and not by the field or DGS. Any member of the special committee may require additional or different courses as a condition of representing a particular concentration on a committee. This is why you cannot pick concentration courses independently from the selection of a special committee. That said, taking courses in your intended concentrations is one time-tested way of selecting special committee members. New concentrations under consideration by the field are listed next. Finally there is an incomplete list of concentrations in other fields that have been historically part of some Economics committees as minor concentrations.

The Graduate School’s official list of faculty and concentrations in Economics  is here. This should correspond to the choices offered online in the Student Center. Faculty or students who find discrepancies should notify the DGS and GFA in Economics.

• To contact the DGS, click here
• To contact the GFA, click here

The chair of a special committee in Economics must be a member of the graduate faculty in the Field of Economics and must represent a concentration from the official graduate school list for Economics. Be careful when selecting a special committee chair in the online Student Center to choose the field of Economics and a concentration from the Economics list. Many faculty members belong to multiple fields. A member of the graduate faculty who belongs to fields in addition to Economics may represent another field and a concentration from that field on an Economics committee as long as that person is not the special committee chair. Always consult with the potential committee member in advance of selecting such an option.

The field-maintained list of members  is here. Research interests shown on this page do not correspond exactly to the official graduate school concentrations. They are intended to guide students to faculty members with appropriate research specializations.

Official Economics Concentrations

Applied economics.

This is a catch-all concentration generally used when there are two members of a committee representing the same concentration (not allowed by the Graduate School on three-person committees) so that both can be officially recorded on the committee. The other uses of this concentration include specializations that have formal course sequences but are not designated as official concentrations (e.g., behavioral economics and the economics of education) and concentrations outside of economics where the committee member still wants to be shown in the field of economics (e.g., a member of the field of economics who is also a member of the field of management may represent “Applied Economics” on the committee or a concentration in management, according to the wishes of the student and the committee). A committee member representing “Applied Economics” could require any of the courses listed under any concentration or other courses not listed here.

Research Workshop: Econ 7843 Applied Economics Workshop

Econometrics and Economic Statistics

In addition to econometrics classes, courses in computational and statistical methods have been collected into this section. See below for additional information about the Computer Science minor concentration.

Theoretical Econometrics

• Econ 7190 Advanced Topics in Econometrics I
• Econ 7200 Advanced Topics in Econometrics II
• Econ 7230 Semi/Non Parametric Econometrics
• Research Workshop: Econ 7841 Econometrics Workshop

Applied Econometrics

• PAM 6090/Econ 6590 Empirical Research Methods I
• PAM 6091 Empirical Research Methods II
• Econ 7480 Applied Econometrics I
• Econ 7492 Applied Econometrics II

Other econometrics sequences

• AEM 7100 Econometrics I
• AEM 7110 Econometrics II

Computational methods

• ORIE 5340/CS 5722 Heuristic Methods for Optimization
• ORIE 5630 Computational Methods in Finance
• CS 6220 Data-sparse Matrix Computations
• Econ 7760 Computational Economics

Related information science courses

• INFO 7470/Econ 7400 Social and Economic Data

Economic Development and Planning

Economic development and related courses are offered around the university by faculty in the fields of Economics, Applied Economics and Management, Developmental Sociology, Nutritional Science, and others. Selected courses are listed below. They may be taken in any order.

• AEM 6670/Econ 7700 Topics in Development Economics
• AEM 7350/Econ 7350 Topics in Public Economics
• AEM 7620 Microeconomics of International Development
• AEM 7650 Development Microeconomics Graduate Research Seminar
• Econ 7711/NS 6850 Empirical Methods for the Analysis of Household Survey Data: Applications to Nutrition, Health, and Poverty
• Econ 7720 Economics of Development (Note: this class may be taken before or after Econ 7730).
• Econ 7730 Economic Development (Note: this class may be taken before or after Econ 7720.)
• AEM 7670/Econ 7670 Topics in International Finance
• Research Workshop: Econ 7847 Development Workshop

Economics of Education

These courses may be taken in any order.

• Econ 7470 Economics of Education I
• ILRLE 7471/PAM 6471 Economics of Education II

Economic History

Make special arrangements with Profs. George Boyer, Sean Nicholson, or Eleanor Wilking; currently the only members of the field who will represent an economic history concentration.

Economic Theory

• NRE 5030/Econ 6110 Microeconomic Theory III/Game Theory and Applications
• Econ 6180 Intermediate Mathematical Economics II
• Econ 6760/CS 5846 Decision Theory I
• Econ 6770/CS 5847 Decision Theory II
• CS 6840 Algorithmic Game Theory
• CS 6850 The Structure of Information Networks
• Econ 7170 Mathematical Economics
• Econ 7570 Economics of Imperfect Information
• Research Workshop: Econ 7842 Microeconomic Theory Workshop

Health Economics

• PAM 6410/Econ 6410 Health Economics I
• PAM 6420/Econ 6420 Health Economics II
• Research Workshops: PAM Seminar Series; Institute for Health Economics Workshop

Click here for  further information on Health Economics .

Industrial Organization

Students planning to do industrial organization as a concentration are strongly advised to take the Applied Econometrics course sequence (Econ 7480 and 7492) during the second year.

• NRE 5440 Empirical Methods in Dynamic Industrial Organization
• Econ 7510 Industrial Organization and Regulation I
• Econ 7520 Industrial Organization and Regulation II
• Research Workshop: Econ 7853 Applied Microeconomics

International Economics​

Labor economics.

• Econ 7420 Seminar in Labor Economics I
• Econ 7430 Seminar in Labor Economics II
• Research Workshop: Econ 7845 Workshop in Labor Economics

Monetary and Macroeconomics​

• Research Workshop: Econ 7846 Macroeconomics Workshop

Public Finance

• PAM 6970/Econ 6970 Empirical Public Finance and Taxation
• Econ 7360 Public Finance: Resource Allocation and Fiscal Policy
• Econ 7380 Public Choice
• Research Workshop: Econ 7848 Public Economics Workshop

Specializations That Are Not Official Economics Concentrations

Behavioral economics.

• NRE 5340 Doctoral Seminar in Behavioral Finance
• Econ 7580 Behavioral Economics I
• Econ 7585 Behavioral Economics II (Note that Behavioral Economics I is not a prerequisite for this course. The courses in behavioral economics may be taken in any order.)
• Research Workshop: Econ 7849 Behavioral Workshop

Selected Concentrations outside the Field of Economics

The concentrations and fields listed here are selected from the hundreds of offerings by the graduate faculty at Cornell. The courses listed are the ones taught by members of the field of Economics who are also members of the field offering the concentration and selected others who have served regularly on Economics Ph.D. committees.

Field: AEM; Concentrations: Environmental Economics, Resource Economics

• AEM 7500 - Resource Economics
• AEM 7510 - Environmental Economics
• Research Workshop: Environmental and Urban Economics

Field: AEM; Concentration: Finance

• AEM 6940 Graduate Special Topics in Applied Economics and Management: Topics in Empirical Finance

Field: Demography; Concentration: Minor only

• PAM 6280 Family Demography
• PAM 6720/DSOC 6720 Demography Pro-Seminar

Field: PAM; Applied Economics (any concentration)

• PAM 6370 Microeconomics for Policy Analysis

Field: Management; Concentration: Finance

Each of the following courses is offered every other year. Students preparing for the management field’s finance concentration take all seven and a qualifying exam in their third year.

• NRE 5360 Doctoral Seminar – Introduction to Asset Pricing Theory
• NRE 5020 PhD Seminar – Market Microstructure
• NRE 5060 PhD Seminar in Corporate Finance Theory
• NRE 5280 PhD Seminar in Empirical Asset Pricing
• NRE 5110 PhD Seminar in Empirical Corporate Finance
• NRE 5270 Doctoral Seminar – International Finance

Field: Computer Science; Concentration: Minor

Any member of the graduated field of Computer Science may serve on an economics committee representing Computer Science as a minor concentration. Normally, that person will require at least four graduate CS courses for the minor. Any course labeled CS above would count. In addition, students may wish to consider the following courses.

• CS 6110 Advanced Programming Languages
• CS 6210 Matrix Computations
• CS 6700 Advanced Artificial Intelligence
• CS 6702/INFO 6702 Topics in Computational Sustainability
• CS 6766 Reasoning about Uncertainty
• CS 6820 Analysis of Algorithms
• CS 7810 Advanced Computational Complexity

   Graduate Field Assistant & Placement Coordinator    Uris Hall, Room 402C     [email protected]

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• Application Procedures

Prospective applicants can apply to the Ph.D. Program in Economics online using the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website. Paper copies of the application are no longer accepted, and hard copies of materials will not be mailed.

The application deadline for the Economics Department Ph.D. program is December 1 each year.

Note: Please do not request materials from the Department of Economics. Please refer to the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. website.

Official score reports must be submitted for all required examinations. Ask the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to report your scores to the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, code 3987.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  The General Test is required of all applicants. Applicants should take the GRE no later than November. Applicants are strongly encouraged to register early to schedule test dates and times. For registration forms, test dates, test centers and general information, visit GRE.org .

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL is required of all applicants whose native language is not English. This requirement is waived for applicants who have received a baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent prior to matriculation at Yale, from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction. A one-year or two-year MA degree does not qualify for the waiver. If you do not qualify for a waiver but have taken the TOEFL within the last two years, you will need to have your TOEFL scores released to us (code 3987). If your scores are older than two years and can no longer be released, you will need to retake the examination. The test should be taken as early as possible to ensure that your scores are received in time to be incorporated in your file.

International English Language Test System (IELTS). You may substitute IELTS for TOEFL.

If you are still not sure if you must submit TOEFL scores, please review this flowchart (start with the question “Is your native language English?”).

For additional information and the latest updates on the TOEFL and TSE, please visit TOEFL.org .

Test of Spoken English (TSE). All international applicants who accept offers of admission to the Ph.D. program and whose native language is not English are strongly encouraged to present scores on the Test of Spoken English by the time of enrollment in the fall. The TSE is administered in the United States and abroad. Students who do not demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English may be retested and/or asked to take courses in English for speakers of other languages. A high level of proficiency is required for students to serve as teaching fellows. For further information, please visit TOEFL.org .

More information about standardized testing requirements can be found on the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.

Doctoral and master’s degrees. Students may enter the Graduate Economics Program after earning a bachelors degree (or the equivalent) or a master’s degree. The Master of Philosophy is awarded to students who complete all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation. The Doctor of Philosophy is awarded upon acceptance of the doctoral dissertation. The Economics Department does not accept students into a terminal master’s program. The Economic Growth Center offers a one-year MA program in International and Development Economics .

Full-time and Part-time Study. Doctoral students are expected to devote their full energies to course work and preparation for the qualifying examinations in the first years, and dissertation research and writing in the final years of graduate study. There is no part-time study available to applicants to the Department of Economics.

Nondegree Study. Qualified individuals who wish to study at the graduate level but not pursue a degree may be admitted to the Division of Special Registration (DSR) as “special students.” Admission to this program is for one term or one year only, and carries with it no commitment for further study. These students are not eligible for financial aid or loans. Applicants interested should apply in the same fashion as for full-time study.

Interdisciplinary Study. Students may apply for admission to only one department or program within the Graduate School per year. However, students may take one or more courses in a related department, and are often advised by faculty members from more than one department during their dissertation research. Students in the Graduate School, may, with permission, take advantage of course or research opportunities in Yale College and in the professional schools.

Joint-degree Programs. The Department of Economics offers a joint J.D./Ph.D. degree with the Yale Law School. Students must apply to and be admitted to the Yale Law School independently of the Graduate School. Applicants may apply to both schools at the same time or they may enter one school and apply to the second during their first year of study. A separate application is required for each school, and each makes its own admission decision. Students who apply simultaneously to two schools should indicate that they are doing so on both applications. For more information, visit the Yale Law School website.

Transfer Students. The Yale Graduate School does not admit transfer students. The presumption is that students who receive a Yale doctoral degree do their studies at Yale. Students currently enrolled in a doctoral program elsewhere who wish to apply to a Yale doctoral program may do so through the normal admissions procedure. They must meet all the application requirements, including the deadline for submission. Some very successful students have entered the Yale program in this way. Such students may petition the Economics Department and Graduate School to waive a portion of the Ph.D. course requirement (normally a maximum of three courses) in recognition of previous graduate-level work done at Yale or elsewhere. All other requirements, including the comprehensive examination, the economic history requirement, the oral examination, and the econometrics paper, must be completed at Yale. Students who enter the program from another doctoral program receive the full six-year financial aid package.

Those interested in transferring to Yale might also consider the Exchange Scholars Program as an alternative. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has established formal exchanges with a number of institutions of higher education abroad. These partnerships allow Yale PhD students to study and conduct research at one of our international partners. Reciprocally, graduate students who are enrolled at our partner institutions are eligible to apply to come to Yale as Exchange Scholars with their school's nomination.

Length of Study.  Students are expected to complete the requirements for the degree in six years of registration. The first two years are generally spent taking courses full time; the third is spent preparing a dissertation prospectus within workshops and completing all requirements except the dissertation; the remaining years are spent pursuing and writing up a work of original research. The average length of time required to complete the program is five years. A small percentage finish in four years, although students are guaranteed registration for 6 years in which to finish their degree.

Residency Requirement.  Doctoral students in this program are required to be in residence in New Haven for at least three years.

Dissertation.  The doctoral dissertation is the climax of the graduate school experience. Every dissertation makes an original contribution to a student’s field of study by discovering significant new information, achieving a new synthesis of ideas, developing new methods or hypotheses, or applying established methods to new materials. A dissertation also demonstrates the student’s mastery of relevant resources and methods. Students work with two advisers throughout this process.

Financial information, including tuition and fees, can be found on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.

Ph.D. candidates are charged four years of full tuition. Thereafter, students are charged a modest continuing registration fee each term until the dissertation is submitted or the terminal date is passed.

The Graduate School provides full tuition, health insurance and stipend fellowship for the first six years of study. Typically, the Department of Economics provides additional stipend support. There is a combined award policy that applies to students who obtain outside fellowships. This policy gives students a financial incentive to obtain outside awards.

Teaching Fellowships. Because the faculty considers teaching to be essential to the professional teaching of all doctoral students, they serve as teaching assistants in the third and fourth years of study.

Research Fellowships.  Department faculty often hire students as research assistants either part-time or full-time.  During this academic year there are seven students supported as full-time research assistants where this funding replaces the need to serve as a teaching fellow.  In the summer of 2020, twenty-five students were supported as part-time research assistants for faculty. 

Outside Fellowships.  All applicants for admission are strongly urged to compete for outside fellowships which can be used at Yale. These fellowships are sponsored by both public and private agencies and are often more generous than those awarded by the University. In addition to their financial advantages, distinction is conferred on a student who wins an award. The  McDougal Graduate School Center  maintains a library of fellowship information; incoming students seeking external aid are advised to consult it on arrival in New Haven.

Federal and Non-Federal Student Loans.  Loans administered by the University are available to citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. The types of loans and amounts a student is eligible to borrow are based entirely on financial need as determined by federal formula.

For more information on the types of funding for Ph.D. students, visit the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.

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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 December 1st 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

Base Requirements

• Self-reported/unofficial or official GRE scores
• Unofficial transcripts
• 3-5 letters of recommendation

English Language Proficiency Requirements 

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), minimum score  89
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS), minimum score  7.0
• Applicants to the Graduate School, regardless of citizenship, must either meet our waiver criteria or submit proof of English language proficiency. The online application will not require you to submit a language score if you meet the criteria for an exemption: you (will) have an equivalent degree from an English-language university in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, or the United Kingdom. See the Gradute School admissions page for more information about the English Proficiency Waiver:  Application Requirements | Graduate School | Vanderbilt University

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: The Graduate School recommends a minimum TOEFL score of 89 and a minimum IELTS of 7.0

Q: I am a native English speaker, do I have to submit proof of English proficiency?  

A: All applicants to the Graduate School, regardless of citizenship, must either meet the waiver criteria or submit proof of English language proficiency. See the Graduate School requirements page for more information:  Application Requirements | Graduate School | Vanderbilt University

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PhD in Economics

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• Training and research

Application deadline: Jun 20, 2023 at 11:59 PM (Expired)

PhD Call for Applications, with scholarships funded by NRRP and other funds

• Call for applications
• PhD Programme Table

Enrolment: From Jul 31, 2023 to Aug 21, 2023

Doctoral programme start date: Nov 01, 2023

Application deadline: Apr 03, 2023 at 11:59 PM (Expired)

Call for Application

Enrolment: From Apr 21, 2023 to May 02, 2023

• European Doctorate in Law and Economics

Curriculum 1: Economics

• Applied Economics
• Behavioral and Experimental Economics
• Econometrics
• Economic Development and Growth
• Economic History
• Economic Theory
• Environmental and Resource Economics
• Financial Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International Economics
• Labor Economics
• Macroeconomic and Finance
• Monetary Economics
• Political Economics
• Public and Health Economics
• Social and Cultural Economics

Curriculum 2: European Doctorate in Law and Economics

• Law and Economics
• Economics of competition law
• Economics of intellectual property law
• Environmental Law and Economics

Admission Board for PhD Call for Applications Appointed with Rectoral Decree 709/2023 Prot n. 149534 on June 2nd, 2023

Admission board for phd call for applications with nrrp positions appointed with rectoral decree rep. n. 301/2023 prot n. 60146 on march 6th, 2023.

The PhD programme is divided into 2 phases: PhD candidates’ economic education through advanced courses and thesis preparation. The dissertation must demonstrate candidate's ability to carry out original and independent research at the highest level. PhD candidates are expected to acquire necessary tools for theoretical, empirical and experimental analysis, with the aim of attaining a research profile, applied and academic, of international excellence. Admission to successive years is conditional on passing all of the exams, active participation in the research activities of the Department and receiving a positive assessment of presentations at the PhD Forum and at seminars from the supervisor and the PhD Academic Board. Achievement of educational goals and development of the ability to carry out theoretical and applied research require intensive supervision and a continuous interaction between PhD candidates and Faculty.

The PhD programme in Economics offers a wide and structured set of courses. During the first two years, PhD candidates take courses for a total of 360 hours of frontal lectures. The first-year courses can be taken also from the Master’s programmes offered by the Department of Economics (in particular LMEC). The programme also offers courses that are specific to the PhD degree. The Advanced Topics and the methodological courses (involving both theory lectures and programming in the lab) for a total amount of about 300 hours. Finally, the programme offers courses on giving presentations in English and writing economic papers. PhD candidates are required to attend two seminars a week. Once a year each PhD candidate presents the advancement of his/her research activity in a PhD forum (a one-day workshop) and III and IV year PhD candidates in the internal seminar series. The last year is dedicated to the refinement and write-up of the thesis. PhD candidates must spend part of these years abroad. The programme has activated a network of contacts and exchange programmes with foreign universities. Some of the best PhD candidates are awarded joint doctoral degrees with the universities hosting their visiting periods. Students enrolled in EDLE need to spend a period of at least one year abroad to obtain the joint title. Further general information on the program, seminars, activities and students are available on the PhD in Economics webpage .

Research training activities compliant with the Doctoral programme's learning outcomes in addition to courses (as described above) and to the presentations in the monthly PhD meeting and in the yearly PhD Forum, the PhD programme also organizes reading groups by topic (micro and macroeconomics, etc.) all along the academic year. This activity is carried out thanks to the participation of the Department’s Faculty, including the research fellows of the Department.

The Placement Director of the PhD programme also organizes specific activities for the preparation to the job market, including a course on academic talks, dedicated seminars for job-market candidates as well as mock interviews carried out by the Department’s Faculty. The considerable diversification of research areas covered by the members of the Department and their international reputation provide an outstanding environment where PhD candidates of most fields in economics may find research ideas and tight guidance for their doctoral studies. The ultimate goal of the PhD programme is the dissertation, which must prove that the candidate is capable of conducting original and valuable research.

The selection procedures have been designed to facilitate the application by foreign candidates. The PhD in Economics website  is in English and contains specific information for the application by foreign candidates. It is our intention to anticipate the date of the call for applications to align it with the deadlines of the best PhD programmes in Economics in Europe. The call has been simplified and also translated into English. The selection is based on the documents sent by candidates and on an online interview. The presentation of GRE scores is compulsory. In the last few years over half of the applications have arrived from international students (EU and non-EU) and about 25% of the PhD candidates currently enrolled are non-Italian. All activities, i.e. courses, seminars with international speakers, internal seminars, reading groups (and the administration) are in English. In the last years, about 80 per cent of the students have spent a period abroad visiting prestigious universities or in internships in international organizations, research centers and central banks. Many of our students participate in the international job market (US and Europe) and got positions abroad both in Academia and in international organizations. The "European Doctorate in Law and Economics” track is offered together with the universities of Rotterdam, Hamburg and Rennes within a co-tutelle framework.

The PhD programme aims at training PhD candidates and supporting them in writing their PhD dissertation, which is expected to prove the candidate’s ability to carry out original and independent research at the highest level. The aim of the results of the candidate’s research should be publishable in renowned international refereed journals. The quality of the research work, the ability to give presentations and to write articles of economic analysis are goals which aim at bringing students towards a top career as economists in academic institutions, research bodies and international organizations.

Andrea Mattozzi

Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche - DSE

Piazza Scaravilli 2 Bologna (BO)

[email protected]

Doctoral Program

The Ph.D. program is a full time program leading to a Doctoral Degree in Economics.  Students specialize in various fields within Economics by enrolling in field courses and attending field specific lunches and seminars.  Students gain economic breadth by taking additional distribution courses outside of their selected fields of interest.

General requirements

Students  are required to complete 1 quarter of teaching experience. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships within the Economics department or another department .

University's residency requirement

135 units of full-tuition residency are required for PhD students. After that, a student should have completed all course work and must request Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status.

Department degree requirements and student checklist

1. core course requirement.

Required: Core Microeconomics (202-203-204) Core Macroeconomics (210-211-212) Econometrics (270-271-272).  The Business School graduate microeconomics class series may be substituted for the Econ Micro Core.  Students wishing to waive out of any of the first year core, based on previous coverage of at least 90% of the material,  must submit a waiver request to the DGS at least two weeks prior to the start of the quarter.  A separate waiver request must be submitted for each course you are requesting to waive.  The waiver request must include a transcript and a syllabus from the prior course(s) taken.  

2.  Field Requirements

Required:  Two of the Following Fields Chosen as Major Fields (click on link for specific field requirements).  Field sequences must be passed with an overall grade average of B or better.  Individual courses require a letter grade of B- or better to pass unless otherwise noted.

Research fields and field requirements :

• Behavioral & Experimental
• Development Economics
• Econometric Methods with Causal Inference
• Econometrics
• Economic History
• Environmental, Resource and Energy Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International Trade & Finance
• Labor Economics
• Market Design
• Microeconomic Theory
• Macroeconomics
• Political Economy
• Public Economics

3.  Distribution

Required:  Four other graduate-level courses must be completed. One of these must be from the area of economic history (unless that field has already been selected above). These courses must be distributed in such a way that at least two fields not selected above are represented.  Distribution courses must be passed with a grade of B or better.

4.  Field Seminars/Workshops

Required:  Three quarters of two different field seminars or six quarters of the same field seminar from the list below.   

PhD Program

Year after year, our top-ranked PhD program sets the standard for graduate economics training across the country. Graduate students work closely with our world-class faculty to develop their own research and prepare to make impactful contributions to the field.

Our doctoral program enrolls 20-24 full-time students each year and students complete their degree in five to six years. Students undertake core coursework in microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, and econometrics, and are expected to complete two major and two minor fields in economics. Beyond the classroom, doctoral students work in close collaboration with faculty to develop their research capabilities, gaining hands-on experience in both theoretical and empirical projects.

How to apply

Students are admitted to the program once per year for entry in the fall. The online application opens on September 15 and closes on December 15.

Meet our students

Our PhD graduates go on to teach in leading economics departments, business schools, and schools of public policy, or pursue influential careers with organizations and businesses around the world.