Economics, Ph.D.

Core Requirements (27 Credit Hours)

• ECO 6115 Microeconomics I Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 6206 Macroeconomics I Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 6405 Mathematical Economics I Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 6424 Econometrics I Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 6425 Econometrics II Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 7116 Microeconomics II Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 7207 Macroeconomics II Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 7406 Mathematical Economics II Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 7426 Econometrics III Credit Hours: 3

Fields (12 Credit Hours)

Select two pairs from the groupings below or from other pairs that the department may choose to offer:

• ECP 6536 Economics of Health Care I Credit Hours: 3
• ECP 7537 Economics of Health Care II Credit Hours: 3

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• ECP 6405 Industrial Organization I Credit Hours: 3
• ECP 7406 Industrial Organization II Credit Hours: 3

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• ECS 6015 Economic Development Credit Hours: 3
• ECO 6525 Public Sector Economics Credit Hours: 3

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Electives/Directed Research/Dissertation (33 Credit Hours)

Of this 33 hours minimum at least six hours must be met with additional graduate-level structured coursework approved by either the Graduate Director or the student’s (Co-) Major Professor(s) and at least 21 hours by a combination of ECO 6917 Directed Research  and ECO 7980 Dissertation  with Dissertation comprising at least 11 of these 21 hours.

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination is offered in two parts.

Dissertation (11 Credit Hours Minimum)

• ECO 7980 Dissertation Credit Hours: 2-19

Graduation Requirements:

• Complete 27 credit hours of required coursework with required GPA.
• Complete 12 credit hours of economics field coursework with required GPA.
• Complete all credit hours of electives, of which there must be at least six with the required GPA.
• Pass both parts of the qualifying examination
• Complete at least 21 credit hours of directed research/dissertation with a minimum of 11 of these credit hours being dissertation.
• Write and successfully defend the doctoral dissertation proposal.
• The sum total of elective/directed research/dissertation credit hours must be at least 33.
• Write and successfully defend the doctoral dissertation.

Students with M.A. Degrees in Economics from External Institution

Students who already hold an M.A. degree in Economics from an external institution prior to entering the Ph.D. program are offered the opportunity to take the First-Year Qualifying Examination in the summer before entering the program. Students who chose this option and pass the exam are waived from taking the associated four required classes: Mathematical Economics I, Mathematical Economics II, Microeconomics I, and Macroeconomics I. In addition, the total number of coursework credit hours for these students is reduced from 45 to 39. The minimum total number of graduate level credit hours required is still 72. Students who choose to take the First-Year Qualifying Exam, but do not pass, will take these four required courses during their first year in the major. They will then take the First-Year Qualifying Exam the following summer.