PhD in Economics

60 credits (Post-Master's degree)
90 credits (Post-Bachelor's degree)

About the Program

The PhD in economics, housed in the Department of Economics and International Business, prepares economists for careers in research, teaching, business, and government. It is designed to provide students with not only a broad understanding of modern economics, but also the opportunity to explore a number of specific fields of study including industrial organization, international economics, and health economics.

In the second year of study, the PhD in Economics offers three fields of specialization: Industrial Organization, International Trade, and Open Economy Macroeconomics. Students complete courses in two of these fields of specialization.

Degree Requirements

• 27.0 credits of first year core courses
• 18.0 credits of economics field requirements
• 15.0 credits (minimum) of dissertation research
• 30.0 additional dissertation research credits for students without a Master's degree

Core Program

All PhD students pursue a common set of core courses. The following courses are all completed during the first year, with the exception of ECON 942 Econometrics III, which is completed in the second year.

Core Courses				27.0 Credits
ECON 902	Mathematical Economics			3.0
ECON 910	Advanced Microeconomics I			3.0
ECON 911	Advanced Microeconomics II			3.0
ECON 920	Advanced Macroeconomics I			3.0
ECON 921	Advanced Macroeconomics II			3.0
ECON 940	Econometrics I			3.0
ECON 941	Econometrics II			3.0
ECON 942	Econometrics III*			3.0
ECON 980	Game Theory			3.0
STAT 931	Statistics for Economics			3.0
*Taken in the second year.
First-Year Examination After the completion of the core coursework, students are examined on their competence in the core material and their readiness to proceed.
Fields of Specialization				18.0 Credits
Students are required to complete the coursework for at least two of the following fields/sequences.
Industrial Organization
ECON 950	Industrial Organization			3.0
ECON 951	Industrial Organization II			3.0
ECON 959	Industrial Organization Seminar			3.0
International Trade
ECON 960	International Trade			3.0
ECON 961	Empirical International Trade			3.0
ECON 969	International Trade Seminar			3.0
Open Economy Macroeconomics
ECON 925	Macroeconomic Dynamics			3.0
ECON 962	Open Economy Macroeconomics			3.0
ECON 979	Open Economy Macro Seminar			3.0
Electives
In addition, students can take elective courses from the Economics Department, from any other departments in the College of Business, and from departments in other Colleges of Drexel University. The following is a set of sample electives:
ECON 930	Monetary Economics			3.0
ECON 952	Health Economics			3.0
ECON 955	Public Economics			3.0
ECON 964	Economic Development			3.0
ECON 990	Special Topics: Ph.D. Economics			3.0
ECON 992	Independent Study: Ph.D. Economics			3.0
	Additional courses with the permission of the advisor			3.0
Candidacy Examination At the completion of their coursework, students take written and oral candidacy examinations. These examinations test each student's preparation for dissertation research. Once the candidacy examinations are passed, the student is recognized as a PhD candidate. Doctoral Dissertation The doctoral dissertation is a piece of original research designed to make a contribution to the student's chosen discipline. Each candidate selects a dissertation adviser and an advisory committee of additional faculty members is formed. The candidate prepares a detailed dissertation proposal that is defended before the University community. After successfully defending the proposal, the candidate conducts the research (12-credit minimum) and prepares a written dissertation. The completed dissertation is then defended in a final oral examination.
Dissertation Research				min. 12.0
ECON 998	Dissertation Research in Economics			var.

Dissertation Format Review

In addition to meeting the Thesis Advisory Committee's standards of originality and scholarly content, all doctoral dissertations must conform to university format requirements. Students should obtain a copy of the Thesis Manual from the Graduate Studies Office or from the Thesis Reviewer in 5038 MacAlister Hall.