Ph.D. Degree
The Ph.D. degree program prepares students for professional careers in teaching, research, business, and government. The program provides a broad mastery of both theoretical and applied fields of economics. Both orthodox and heterodox approaches to economics are integral parts of the program. The department attempts to provide students receiving financial aid with teaching opportunities.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
The requirements for admission to the Ph.D. program are:
· The completion of all work required for a bachelor's degree
· GPA of 3.0 or better or its equivalent
· The successful completion of intermediate microeconomic and macroeconomic theory
· Acceptable GRE scores on verbal, quantitative, and analytical components (the department does not have threshold GRE scores for admission)
· Three academic reference letters
· A brief statement of personal academic goals
Foreign students must demonstrate their proficiency in English, by taking the TOEFL examination.
The Graduate School requires a minimum of 500 (173 on computer-based exam or 61 on iBT exam) or better on the TOEFL
A master's degree in economics is not a requirement.
Preparation in mathematics through calculus, statistics, and linear algebra is strongly recommended. It may be necessary for students not fully prepared for a graduate program to take remedial courses. Students who lack the proper background in micro and macroeconomic theory, statistics, and mathematics must take courses to remedy these deficiencies prior to their first year of study. These courses are offered during the summer term.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
The Ph.D. program consists of four parts:
1. Core Program
2. Methodology Seminars
3. Fields of Specialization and Electives
4. Dissertation Research
The requirements for the doctorate are formulated in terms of mastery of these four components. Overall, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in their graduate course work.
Part I: Core Program
The core areas taken in the first year are microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, and political economy. All Ph.D. students are expected to be full-time during their first year, registering for 12 credit hours per semester. The core areas taken in the first year are microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, and political economy. The full set of graduate courses for the first year of the program is listed below:
Fall Semester: Spring Semester:
Quantitative Methods (Econ 7002) Seminar in Current Economic Issues (Econ 7001)
Political Economy I (Econ 7003) Political Economy II (Econ 7004)
Microeconomic Theory I (Econ 7005) Microeconomic Theory II (Econ 7006)
Macroeconomic Theory I (Econ 7007) Macroeconomic Theory II (Econ 7008)
There are three qualifying exams that are given during the summer following the first year covering Micro, Macro and Political Economy. Students are allowed to retake these exams once.
Entering students must be proficient in college
algebra, introductory calculus, and statistics. Students must take the
Mathematics Exam administered by the Department before beginning classes in the
Fall semester. Students are not required to pass the exam in order to continue
with their course work. The level of required mathematics is described in the
document Mathematics
Prerequisite. As an aid, the following sample examination can be
used as an indicator of the examination students will be required to take prior
to being enrolled in the Fall Semester classes: Sample Mathematics Exam.
Students who do not feel they can pass the exam, who want to refresh their
mathematics knowledge or who wish improve their performance on the exam should
enroll in the Department's optional mathematics tutorial course held during the
summer before entering Graduate School. The tutorial and the exam are described
below: Math Tutorial
Class
Part II: Methodology Seminars
The methodology requirement consists of two advanced seminars:
· Econometric methodology (either ECON 7590 or ECON 7800)
· Historical methodology (ECON 7400 or ECON 7600 or Econ 7601)
This requirement should be completed in the student's second or third year.
Part III: Fields of Specialization and Electives
Before the second year, the student selects fields of specialization. This requirement adds depth and application to the student's economic training. During the second and/or third years students take two two-semester fields, or four one-semester fields, or any combination that results in a total of four courses. Field courses are offered on a rotating basis over two years.
2008-2009 Academic Year Field Offerings:
Two-Semester Fields: One-Semester Fields:
Development Labor
Econometrics Natural Resource & Environmental Economics
Gender Health Economics
Economic History
Finance (special rules apply here)
2009-2008 Academic Year Field Offerings:
Two-Semester Fields: One-Semester Fields:
Econometrics Public Economics
International
Industrial Organization
History of Economic Thought
Money and Macro
Finance (special rules apply here)
Prior knowledge of a field at an advanced undergraduate level is recommended. Such knowledge may be obtained through course work or directed reading. A comprehensive examination is taken upon completion of each field. If the examination is failed, it may be retaken once.
Altogether the methodology, field and electives seminars must total 24 credit hours (equivalent to 8 courses). Elective courses must be chosen from economics courses at the 7000 level.
Part IV: Dissertation Research
Dissertation research begins during the third year with a yearlong dissertation workshop to aid students in choosing a research topic and ends with a final defense. Throughout the dissertation stage, student research is supervised by a committee of faculty who are expert in the student’s area of study. Dissertation students enroll for Dissertation Research, ECON 7970; fourteen credit hours are required. The dissertation workshop counts toward the ECON 7970 requirement.
ASSISTANTSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID
The Economics Department awards graduate assistantships and endeavors to provide some financial assistance for as many students as possible. Graduate students are also eligible for fellowships offered by the University. Applicants without either departmental funding or personal financial support sufficient to complete the program are discouraged from enrolling.
Students entering the program with financial support are guaranteed support through their fourth year, contingent upon (1) satisfactory performance of duties, and (2) satisfactory progress towards the PhD.
Graduate financial aid will be withdrawn if the student recipient is not currently enrolled in the Economics Ph.D. program. Funded students, who fail one qualifying exam, will have their funding reduced by 50 percent. Funded students failing two or more qualifying exams will lose all funding. Students receiving a “marginal” result on all three qualifying exams will have their funding reduced by 50 percent. Students who lose funding because of poor exam grades will not have their funding automatically restored if their performance on a second exam improves. The department chair or Ph.D. Committee can also withdraw funding as a result of poor performance as a research or teaching assistant.
Students entering without support can become eligible for support by compiling a satisfactory record in their coursework and qualifier exams, and by demonstrating potential for teaching and research, although availability of support is contingent on departmental needs and resources.
However, good performance in the Ph.D. program does not guarantee financial support for previously unfunded students.
Teaching assignments and funding beyond the fourth year will be based on the following criteria: clearance for teaching by the university, satisfactory performance of previous assignments, satisfactory progress in the program, needs of the curriculum, and knowledge of the subject.
The Department Chair interprets and applies these rules in individual cases.
WHAT IS SATISFACTORY PROGRESS? GUIDEPOSTS FOR STUDENTS:
The following timeline summarizes the department’s description of satisfactory progress in the Ph.D. program. These guideposts are set to help students pace their work in the program (and they may be taken into account in the determination of eligibility of funding).
(1) Students are expected to pass the core qualifier exams in micro, macro, and political by the end of Spring Semester of their first year. (Students must pass core qualifier exams by the end of the Spring semester of their second year.)
(2) Students are expected to satisfy all field and other course requirements, including dissertation workshop, by the end of their third year.
(3) Students are expected to complete all field exams by the beginning of Spring semester of their fourth year.
(4) Students are expected to defend their dissertation proposal by the end of the Spring semester of their fourth year. The proposal should provide a clear articulation of the topic, expected contribution to the literature, the road map for the completion of the dissertation, and substantive work in one core chapter of the dissertation.
(5) Students are expected to have the final defense of dissertation by the end of their fifth year.
CALENDAR FOR INCOMING Ph.D. STUDENTS
Students enrolling in the Ph.D. Program in Economics at the University of Utah should mark these dates on their calendars.
Contact: Cihan Bilginsoy
Director of Graduate Studies
Email: cihan.bilginsoy@economics.utah.edu