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Ph.D. in Economics

The Ph.D. program at Berkeley is designed for students interested in pursuing advanced study and conducting original research in Economics. The Ph.D. degree is awarded in recognition of the recipient's qualifications as a general economist and of the ability to make scholarly contributions in fields of specialization.

In advancing to the Ph.D. degree, students pass through two major stages:

• Preparation for candidacy typically takes two to three years. During the first two semesters, students take courses to achieve competence in econometric methods, methods of economic history and fundamentals of microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. During the next two years, students prepare for examination in two fields of specialization of their choosing, prepare a dissertation prospectus, and take an oral examination. When these steps are completed, students are advanced to candidacy.
• Completion of a dissertation after advancing to candidacy typically takes one to two years. The dissertation must be based on original research and represent a significant contribution to the body of Economic knowledge.

The entire process takes approximately five to six years, although some students are able to complete the program in less time. Below is an overview of the program requirements by year and other pertinent information.

The UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science   provides students helpful resources, links, and tools for successfully completing the Ph.D. in Economics.

ECONOMICS GRADUATE STUDENT SERVICES

The economics student services mission is to advise our students holistically by providing a high standard of service in a supportive and collaborative environment.  professional and peer advisors work as a team to provide accurate information in a timely manner.  we partner with faculty to assist students in engaging with the campus and the global economic community.  we value fairness, diversity, and the important roles our students, faculty, and staff in the department of economics play at the university of california, berkeley..

If you or someone you know is experiencing financial, food, housing or other basic needs challenges - you can find support and services at:  http://tinyurl.com/UCB-BNC-C19 .

Meet the members of the Economics Graduate Student Services advising team!

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Home / Academics / Graduate Program / Ph.D. Economics

Ph.D. in Economics

2019 Ph.D. cohort

The Economics Department

The graduate program coordinator/advisor, the graduate director, and the graduate committee administer the economics graduate program.  If students have questions or concerns about university/program administration, policy, processes, or degree progress, the following people would be the appropriate contacts:

Meenoo Kohli , graduate programs coordinator

Suzi Burkhardt, graduate programs adviser

Ajay Shenoy , Ph.D. program director

In addition to policy matters, the graduate committee is responsible for awarding funds for presentations at scholarly meetings, funds for summer field work, and nominations for fellowships.

For issues related to academic and professional development, courses, academic milestones, etc., students should contact their faculty advisor. 

Graduate Offices and Mailboxes

Graduate students have assigned office space located in Engineering 2. Each student is issued an office key from the graduate program coordinator.

Graduate mailboxes are located in the graduate lounge, room 410. Be sure to check your mailbox frequently, as important announcements are placed in the mailboxes. No personal mail should be delivered here. Mail sent to campus should be addressed to:

Graduate Web Sites and Email

Graduate student web sites and email can be found on the economics web site at  http://economics.ucsc.edu/about/people/phd.html . 

Students are responsible for managing their own web site.  Students may have their personal web site linked on the department web site.  For more information on personal pages:  http://its.ucsc.edu/directory/how-to-update.html

Graduate Computer Facilities

The graduate student computer room is located in E2, room 434.  There is also a copy machine/printer/scanner across the hallway.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS In the first year, students normally take a three-quarter sequence of core theory courses in microeconomics (Economics 204 A-B-C), a similar sequence in macroeconomics (Economics 205 A-B-C), and three quarters of econometrics (Economics 211A-B-C). If mathematics review is needed, students have the opportunity to take a prior course in September, "Mathematical Methods for Economic Analysis" (Economics 210B).

Students are expected to pass two written examinations covering micro- and macroeconomics theory at the end of the first year. An econometrics project, designed to provide an opportunity to evaluate the student's ability to do applied econometric analysis, is required by the beginning of the second year of studies.

In the second year, students are required to take a minimum of 40 units. Students are required to take at least two sequences. A sequence is normally defined as at least two courses in a clearly designed subfield of economics.

Students are required to write a field paper due at the end of the second year.



In the third year, students take and pass an oral qualifying exam. In years 3-5, students enroll in a workshop in their field of study (Economics 274, 275, or 276). They also work under the supervision of a faculty advisor as they progress towards writing a dissertation.

ACADEMIC STANDING INFORMATION Residency The minimum residency requirement for a Ph.D. degree from the UC system is six quarters. To receive a degree from UCSC, students must be registered at the Santa Cruz campus for at least three of the six quarters. A minimum of one quarter in residence must elapse between advancement to candidacy and the awarding of the degree.



 Preliminary Examinations
 Students are required to pass two written examinations. The examinations cover microeconomic and macroeconomic theory and are taken at the end of the first year. Students are expected to pass both exams in June of their first year. Students will be allowed to retake each prelim exam only once, in the following September. Both exams must be passed before attempting to write a field paper.

Econometrics Project In lieu of an econometrics preliminary exam, an econometrics project is required at the beginning of the second year of studies. The paper is designed to provide an opportunity for each student to do applied econometric analysis and to evaluate students' ability to do so. The paper will not substitute for passing the econometrics course sequence.

Field Paper Students are required to write a field paper due at the end of the second year. The purpose of the field paper is to demonstrate that the student can identify a research question and bring appropriate techniques to bear in addressing it.

Qualifying Examination Before a student can advance to candidacy, he or she must pass an oral examination. The examination is a general exam in the subject area of the student's proposed dissertation research. A prospectus outlining the proposed topic and reviewing the background literature in the general area of the topic is prepared before the oral examination. The exam covers the student's command of the literature in the subject area and areas related to the proposed research approaches and techniques. It is not restricted to the prospectus, but the purpose of the exam is to assess the student's preparation to begin the dissertation research. Students are expected to take the oral examination no later than the end of the first quarter of the third year in the program.



Advancement to Candidacy 
To advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. a student must pass the preliminary examination, field paper and qualifying examination and clear all incompletes from his/her record. The student is officially advanced to candidacy on the date the $90 Advancement of Candidacy Fee, Report on Qualifying Examination, and Dissertation Reading Committee forms are received in the Graduate Studies office. The student must be registered for at least one quarter after advancement to candidacy and prior to awarding of the degree.



Dissertation 
To satisfy the requirements for the Ph.D., a student must present a dissertation on a topic from within his/her subfield of specialization. The dissertation must reflect original research and demonstrate command of previous work on the topic and closely-related areas. It must make a significant contribution to understanding the issue analyzed. A three-member dissertation advisory committee, headed by the student's research adviser, will read and evaluate the dissertation. The dissertation advisory committee, must be approved by both the Economics Ph.D. Committee and the Graduate Council. The Committee is convened soon after the student advances to candidacy to provide continuing guidance throughout the development of the thesis.

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• PhD Program

The PhD Program at UC Santa Barbara is designed for students interested in pursuing advanced study and conducting original research in economics. The PhD is awarded in recognition of the recipient's qualifications as a general economist and of the ability to make scholarly contributions in one or more fields of specialization.

Completing the PhD program will take on average five to six years, although some students will be able to complete the program in less time.

Admission decisions are made by the Department’s Graduate Faculty Admissions Committee, whose goal is identifying students of outstanding promise. The committee will make decisions based on academic achievement, intellectual potential and scholarly promise, programmatic fit, and available space

There is no single criterion for admission, but the most successful candidates will have the following qualities:

• A history of academic success as indicated by coursework in economics and mathematics
• Excellent grades
• Strong scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), particularly in the quantitative section
• Three high-quality letters of recommendation, which speak to the candidate’s ability to excel in academic work and conduct independent research. As a practical matter, this usually means Economics faculty or other economists active in research.

The UC Santa Barbara Department of Economics actively seeks to recruit a diverse set of graduate students. Our program is made up domestic and international students with a wide range of perspectives and experiences. We welcome students from colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. We strongly encourage applications from students who have excelled academically despite economic or social disadvantages.

UCSB is the first university in the prestigious AAU to be designated a Hispanic Serving Institution. The University has earned a four-and-a-half star rating for being LGBTQ friendly.

While admission is competitive and based on merit alone, the University may provide extra fellowships to candidates who increase diversity. Criteria for diversity are varied, and applicants should read the information provided on the UC Santa Barbara Graduate Division website and include relevant elements in the personal statement.

Data from Previous Years

For more information on the competitiveness of the program, please refer to the table below. Although the minimum undergraduate grade point average requirement for admission to graduate school at UC Santa Barbara is 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), the average for those admitted and starting the program is normally much higher. Meeting or exceeding the listed information does not guarantee admission to our program.

  PhD Application Deadlines

• Priority Financial Support: December 1, 2023
• Final Deadline: January 2, 2024

Important Documents

Graduate advisor.

Mark Patterson

• Email: [email protected]

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Department of Economics • College of Letters & Science • UC Santa Barbara 2023 © Regents of the University of California

Graduate Program

Our department offers a Ph.D. degree in Economics.  This website gives a complete list of our core program requirements, field options, areas of faculty research, current Ph.D. students, and placements of our recently-graduated students.  It also has a publicity video that introduces the department from the perspective of current graduate students and recent alumni/ae.  Our graduate program is STEM-approved.

We take pride in the value added by our program.  Our commitment to graduate student teaching and thesis supervision is unusually strong. While our program is oriented toward students who aim for faculty positions at universities and for research positions in the public sector and international agencies, in recent years a number of our graduates have chosen to take positions in the private sector, especially in financial and high-tech firms.

We admit those students who demonstrate the greatest promise for success not only in the Ph.D. program but also in their subsequent careers. We base our admissions decisions primarily on the standard criteria (academic preparation, grades, research experience, letters of recommendation, and GRE scores) but also look for personal traits such as joyfulness, resilience, creativity, and independence.

We encourage applicants from a variety of backgrounds, but a good understanding of intermediate microeconomics, intermediate macroeconomics, multivariate calculus, basic linear algebra, and probability and statistics is required before beginning the core requirements.  Training in econometrics and in more advanced mathematics and statistics is desirable but not necessary.

UCR is a rapidly expanding campus.  There are many exciting initiatives on campus, such as the School of Public Policy and the Global Studies Program, which offer opportunities for students interested in public policy.  The City of Riverside is a very livable community that was recently ranked among the best places to reside and do business in the United States.  Situated halfway between the City of Los Angeles and Palm Springs, and blessed with a Southern California climate,  Riverside is less than an hour away from the beach, the mountains, and the desert. Few places in the United States offer such a range of recreational opportunities.

Please contact Gary Kuzas, Graduate Student Affairs Assistant, if you have any questions about our program or the admissions process: [email protected]

Hiroki Nishimura, Graduate Advisor for Enrolled Students Siyang Xiong, Graduate Advisor for Admissions

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UCLA Graduate Programs

Graduate Program: Economics

UCLA's Graduate Program in Economics offers the following degree(s):

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Masters available on Doctoral track

With questions not answered here or on the program’s site (above), please contact the program directly.

Economics Graduate Program at UCLA 8292 Bunche Hall Box 951477 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1477

Visit the Economics Department’s faculty roster

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Visit the registrar's site for the Economics Department’s course descriptions

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(310) 206-1413

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Berkeley Berkeley Academic Guide: Academic Guide 2023-24

About the Program

The Economics PhD program at UC Berkeley is designed for students interested in pursuing advanced study and conducting original research in economics. The PhD degree is awarded in recognition of the recipient's qualifications as a general economist and of the ability to make scholarly contributions in fields of specialization. New admissions to the graduate program are restricted to students pursuing the PhD degree. There is no external, terminal program for the MA degree.

Visit Department Website

Admission to the University

Applying for graduate admission.

Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. A complete list of graduate academic departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website .

Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application can be found on the Graduate Division website .

Admission Requirements

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;

A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and

Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.

For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page . It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here .

Where to apply?

Visit the Berkeley Graduate Division application page .

Admission to the Program

A degree equivalent to a US bachelor’s is required for admission to the program. An undergraduate degree in economics is not required for admission to the PhD program, provided that applicants have achieved an adequate background in economics and mathematics at the undergraduate level.

• Economics: All applicants are expected to have completed intermediate math-based economic theory courses. Further education in economics and economic theory is helpful, but not required.
• Math: Applicants must have knowledge of multivariate calculus, basic matrix algebra, and differential equations; completion of a two-year math sequence, which emphasizes proofs and derivations. Some knowledge of statistics and elementary probability is highly desirable, as is additional coursework in algebra and real analysis.

The GRE is also required. Please visit our website  for all department-specific requirements.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

Normative time requirements.

In advancing to the PhD degree, students pass through two major stages:

s1) Preparation for candidacy typically takes three years. During the first two semesters, students take courses to achieve competence in econometric methods, methods of economic history, and fundamentals of microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. During the next two years, students prepare for examination in two fields of specialization of their choosing, prepare a dissertation prospectus, and take an oral examination. When these steps are completed, students are advanced to candidacy.

2) Completion of a dissertation after advancing to candidacy typically takes three to four years. The dissertation must be based on original research and represent a significant contribution to the body of economic knowledge.

The entire process takes approximately six to seven years, although some students are able to complete the program in less time.

Time to Advancement

During the first two semesters of graduate study, students must take a set of eight core courses to satisfy requirements in mathematics, economic history, economic theory, and econometrics. Syllabi for current and recent economics courses, including the core courses described below, can be found on the   Economics Course Home Page Registry .

Preliminary Exams—Field Examination

All graduate students must take written qualifying examinations in two fields of specialization. Students prepare for these examinations in the second year by completing graduate courses offered in their chosen fields. 

Fields Available in the Economics Department

• Advanced Economic Theory
• Development Economics
• Econometrics
• Economic History
• Financial Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International Economics
• Labor Economics
• Macroeconomics
• Political Economics
• Psychology and Economics
• Public Finance

Alternative fields offered by another department or designed by the student may be substituted for one of the fields listed above if approved by the graduate committee. Alternative fields may include Economic Demography, Education and Economics, Health Economics, Law and Economics, Resource Economics, Urban and Regional Economics, or City and Regional Planning.

Students must complete at least one semester of any  department seminars   prior to taking their oral examination. This is typically done in the third year of study.

Dissertation Prospectus and Oral Examination (QUALIFYING EXAMINATION)

Students are encouraged to begin discussing possible dissertation topics with appropriate faculty members at an early stage. After completing the written field examinations, students choose a faculty member to serve as an advisor on developing a dissertation topic involving significant and original research, and to supervise the writing of a prospectus. The prospectus describes the research to be conducted, the techniques to be used, and initial findings. Students who cannot find an adviser on their own will be matched with a preliminary adviser at the beginning of the third year of study.

Qualifying Examination

When the prospectus is approved by the faculty adviser, the qualifying examination is scheduled. The examining committee consists of four faculty members who conduct an oral examination based on the student's areas of specialization and on the dissertation prospectus. A primary function of the oral examination is to aid the student in developing a dissertation and to determine whether the student is sufficiently prepared to complete original research successfully.

Time in Candidacy

Advancement.

Upon successful completion of the oral examination and selection of a dissertation committee, the student is advanced to candidacy. Following advancement to candidacy, students pursue research necessary for the completion of their dissertation.

Fourth Year Paper

In the fourth year students will work with their advisor to write a complete draft of a research paper. The topic can be on what was done for the orals examination, or something new. Students may be excused from this requirement under exceptional circumstances (e.g., lengthy field work), but they would need to submit a letter to the Graduate Chair from the student's advisor requesting an exception. 

Dissertation

Students are encouraged to select dissertation topics that can be completed in one to two years. 

Upon completion of the dissertation and its acceptance by the dissertation committee, the student is awarded the PhD degree.

Graduate Program Outcomes

Professional placement.

Students who have received, or will soon receive, the PhD in Economics are assisted by the department in finding suitable career positions. The department learns of available openings for qualified economists through an exchange of information with universities, colleges, government agencies, and research institutes.

The department staff coordinates and facilitates placement activities, and a faculty member oversees and advises placement. Serious effort is made to help students find positions in which their capacities will be both used and rewarded. The department has been highly successful in placing students, which is a reflection on the quality of its students and their training, and the importance the department places on this activity.

Past placement outcomes can be found on the department's website .

ECON 201A Economic Theory 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 Basic preparation for the Ph.D. program including theory of the firm and the consumer, game theory. Economic Theory: Read More [+]

Rules & Requirements

Prerequisites: 101A-101B, 204, Mathematics 53 and 54; or equivalent

Hours & Format

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 2 hours of discussion per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture and Two hours of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.

Additional Details

Subject/Course Level: Economics/Graduate

Grading: Letter grade.

Economic Theory: Read Less [-]

ECON 201B Economic Theory 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Basic preparation for the Ph.D. program including agency theory and mechanism design, general equilibrium theory. Economic Theory: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 101A-101B, 201A, 204, Mathematics 53 and 54; or equivalent

ECON 202A Macroeconomics 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 Basic preparation for the Ph.D. program including aggregation theory, national accounting and index problems, survey of major short-term models, implications of various expectations hypotheses, wage price determination, the role of money and financial assets, theories of consumption and investment, disequilibrium theory, dynamic systems, and international considerations. Macroeconomics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 100A-100B or 101A-101B or equivalent. Mathematics 53 and 54 or equivalent

Macroeconomics: Read Less [-]

ECON 202B Macroeconomics 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Basic preparation for the Ph.D. program including aggregation theory, national accounting and index problems, survey of major short-term models, implications of various expectations hypotheses, wage price determination, the role of money and financial assets, theories of consumption and investment, disequilibrium theory, dynamic systems, and international considerations. Macroeconomics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 100A-100B or 101A-101B or equivalent. Mathematics 50A or equivalent

ECON 204 Mathematical Tools for Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2024 3 Week Session, Fall 2023, Summer 2023 3 Week Session The course provides a rigorous abstract treatment of the elements of real analysis and linear algebra central to current research in economics. The course develops in the students the ability to read mathematical proofs and to compose simple proofs on their own. Mathematical Tools for Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Mathematics 53 and 54 or equivalent and consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week

Summer: 3 weeks - 10 hours of lecture and 5 hours of discussion per week

Additional Format: Two hours of Lecture and One hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks. Ten hours of Lecture and Five hours of Discussion per week for 3 weeks.

Mathematical Tools for Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 206 Mechanism Design and Agency Theory 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2019 This course will study the optimal design of mechanisms in the presence of incomplete information and imperfect observability. The course will begin with the "classic" principal-agent problem and will then develop its applications to the "implicit contracts" theory of agency and to the choice of government policies for regulated industries. The second half of the course will treat the design of auctions, regulation with costly or imperfect monitoring, mechanism design with limited contracts. Mechanism Design and Agency Theory: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 201B and 209A or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Two hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

Formerly known as: 209B

Mechanism Design and Agency Theory: Read Less [-]

ECON 207A Mathematical Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022 Mathematical analysis of economic theory. The problems treated involve as wide a range of mathematical techniques and of economic topics as possible, including theories of preference, utility, demand, personal probability, games and general equilibrium. Also listed as IDS 213A-213B and Math 213A-213B. Mathematical Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Math 104 and 110 and Statistics 101

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture per week. Twelve hours per week including class time and preparation.

Mathematical Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 207B Mathematical Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2020, Spring 2015, Spring 2011 Mathematical analysis of economic theory. The problems treated involve as wide a range of mathematical techniques and of economic topics as possible, including theories of preference, utility, demand, personal probability, games and general equilibrium. Also listed as IDS 213A-213B and Math 213A-213B. Mathematical Economics: Read More [+]

ECON 208 Microeconomic Theory Seminar 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Microeconomic Theory Seminar: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Two hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.

Microeconomic Theory Seminar: Read Less [-]

ECON 209A Theory and Application of Non-Cooperative Games 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2013, Fall 2012, Fall 2011 This course will study both pure game theory and its application to such problems as oligopoly pricing, non-cooperative bargaining, predatory pricing, and optimal auctions. The focus will be on game theory as a modelling process as opposed to a body of known results. Theory and Application of Non-Cooperative Games: Read More [+]

Theory and Application of Non-Cooperative Games: Read Less [-]

ECON 209B Theory and Application of Non-Cooperative Games: II 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2016, Spring 2015, Spring 2014 The course will cover basic topics not covered in 209A; will provide a more thorough treatment of topics covered in 209A; will cover a selection of advanced topics. Theory and Application of Non-Cooperative Games: II: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 209A or consent of instructor

Theory and Application of Non-Cooperative Games: II: Read Less [-]

ECON 210A Introduction to Economic History 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Survey of some central themes in world economic history. Required of all Ph.D. candidates in economics. Introduction to Economic History: Read More [+]

Introduction to Economic History: Read Less [-]

ECON 210B Topics in European Economic History 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021 A survey of some central themes in European economic history. Topics in European Economic History: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 210A

Topics in European Economic History: Read Less [-]

ECON 210C Topics in American Economic History 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2018, Fall 2016, Fall 2013 A survey of some central themes in American economic history. Topics in American Economic History: Read More [+]

Topics in American Economic History: Read Less [-]

ECON 211 Seminar in Economic History 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminar in Economic History: Read More [+]

Seminar in Economic History: Read Less [-]

ECON 215A Political Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2017, Fall 2016, Fall 2015 Tools of political economics: preferences and institutions, electoral competition, agency, partisan politics. Redistributive politics: general interest politics, special interest politics. Comparative politics: electoral rules, separation of powers, political regimes. Dynamic politics: fiscal policy, growth. Political Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 215A is a prerequisite to 215B

Instructor: Roland

Political Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 215B Political Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Tools of political economics: preferences and institutions, electoral competition, agency, partisan politics. Redistributive politics: general interest politics, special interest politics. Comparative politics: electoral rules, separation of powers, political regimes. Dynamic politics: fiscal policy, growth. Political Economics: Read More [+]

ECON C215A Political Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2010, Fall 2009 Tools of political economics: preferences and institutions, electoral competition, agency, partisan politics. Redistributive politics: general interest politics, special interest politics. Comparative politics: electoral rules, separation of powers, political regimes. Dynamic politics: fiscal policy, growth. Political Economics: Read More [+]

Also listed as: POL SCI C237A

ECON C215B Political Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Prior to 2007 Tools of political economics: preferences and institutions, electoral competition, agency, partisan politics. Redistributive politics: general interest politics, special interest politics. Comparative politics: electoral rules, separation of powers, political regimes. Dynamic politics: fiscal policy, growth. Political Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: ECON C215A is a prerequisite to ECON C215B , and POL SCI C237A is a prerequisite to POL SCI C237B

Also listed as: POL SCI C237B

ECON 217 Risk Seminar 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 This interdisciplinary seminar features seminar participants and guest speakers from academic institutions and financial services firms, presenting work on the analysis and management of risk in financial markets. Economics, statistics, finance, operations research, and other disciplines will be represented. Risk Seminar: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Graduate standing

Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for Economics 217 after completing Statistics 278B.

Additional Format: Two hours of seminar per week.

Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.

Instructors: Goldberg, Anderson

Risk Seminar: Read Less [-]

ECON 218 Seminar in Psychology and Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 A graduate seminar in the field of behavioral economics. Seminar in Psychology and Economics: Read More [+]

Instructors: Della Vigna, Koszegi, Rabin

Seminar in Psychology and Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 219A Foundations of Psychology and Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 This course presents psychological and experimental economics research demonstrating departures from perfect rationality, self-interest, and other classical assumptions of economics and explores ways that these departures can be mathematically modeled and incorporated into mainstream positive and normative economics. The course will focus on the behavioral evidence itself, especially on specific formal assumptions that capture the findings in a way that can be used by economists. Economic applications will be used for illustrative purposes, but the course will emphasize formal theory. Foundations of Psychology and Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 201A-201B or consent of instructor

Foundations of Psychology and Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 219B Applications of Psychology and Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course will build off of the material presented in 219A. It will expand on the psychological and experimental economic research presented there, but will emphasize a range of economic applications and especially empirical research. Applications of Psychology and Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 219A, 240A-240B or consent of instructor

Applications of Psychology and Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 220A Industrial Organization 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022 Market structure, conduct and performance in the unregulated sector of the American economy. Public policies related to the promotion or restriction of competition. Industrial Organization: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 201A

Industrial Organization: Read Less [-]

ECON 220B Industrial Organization 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Fall 2021 Continuation of 220A. The characteristics of regulated industries and the consequences of regulation for economic performance. Industrial Organization: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 220A

ECON 220C Special Topics in Industrial Organization 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2020 See course announcement for current topics. Special Topics in Industrial Organization: Read More [+]

Special Topics in Industrial Organization: Read Less [-]

ECON 221 Seminar in Industrial Organization: Regulation and Public Enterprise 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminar in Industrial Organization: Regulation and Public Enterprise: Read More [+]

Seminar in Industrial Organization: Regulation and Public Enterprise: Read Less [-]

ECON C222 Economics of Innovation 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2020, Fall 2018, Fall 2016, Spring 2016, Fall 2015 Study of innovation, technical change, and intellectual property, including the industrial organization and performance of high-technology industries and firms; the use of economic, patent, and other bibliometric data for the analysis of technical change; legal and economic issues of intellectual property rights; science and technology policy; and the contributions of innovation and diffusion to economic growth. Methods of analysis are both theoretical and empirical, econometric and case study. Economics of Innovation: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

Also listed as: PHDBA C279I

Economics of Innovation: Read Less [-]

ECON 224 Economics of Institutions 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2016, Spring 2015, Fall 2012 This course develops the proposition that institutions have pervasive ramifications for understanding economic organization. A comparative institutional approach is employed whereby the transaction is made the basic unit of analysis and alternative modes of organization are assessed with respect to their comparative contracting properties. Economics of Institutions: Read More [+]

Economics of Institutions: Read Less [-]

ECON C225 Workshop in Institutional Analysis 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2015, Fall 2014, Fall 2013 This seminar features current research of faculty, from UC Berkeley and elsewhere, and of advanced doctoral students who are investigating the efficacy of economic and non-economic forms of organization. An interdisciplinary perspective--combining aspects of law, economics, and organization--is maintained. Markets, hierarchies, hybrids, bureaus, and the supporting institutions of law and politics all come under scrutiny. The aspiration is to progressively build toward a new science of organization. Workshop in Institutional Analysis: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Economics 100 or 101; Business Administration 110 or equivalent; or consent of instructor

Also listed as: PHDBA C270

Workshop in Institutional Analysis: Read Less [-]

ECON 230A Public Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 The economic and policy analysis of government expenditures, taxes, and intergovernmental fiscal relations. 230A is not a prerequisite for 230B. Public Economics: Read More [+]

Public Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 230B Public Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Government intervention changes opportunities and incentives for firms, families, individuals, service providers, and state and local government. This course considers the incentive effects of government expenditure programs. The primary emphasis will be in the examination of the effect of social expenditure programs on individuals and families. Most of the papers will be empirical. The course will not contain an explicit section on methodology and econometric techniques; instead, relevant econometric techniques (e.g., discrete choice, duration analysis) will be discussed in the context of the empirical literature. Public Economics: Read More [+]

ECON 230C Public Sector Microeconomics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2009, Spring 1999 The economic and policy analysis of government expenditures, taxes, and intergovernmental fiscal relations. Public Sector Microeconomics: Read More [+]

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture per week.

Public Sector Microeconomics: Read Less [-]

ECON 231 Seminar in Public Sector Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminar in Public Sector Economics: Read More [+]

Seminar in Public Sector Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 234A Macroeconomic Finance 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2012, Spring 2011, Fall 2009 Introduction to macroeconomic finance. Course covers static portfolio choice, capital asset pricing model (CAPM), consumption based models, dynamic equilibrium asset pricing theories, and current issues in behavioral finance. Strong emphasis on household finance and risk-sharing. Course is both theoretical and empirical. Macroeconomic Finance: Read More [+]

Formerly known as: 236D

Macroeconomic Finance: Read Less [-]

ECON 234C Financial Decision-Making in Firms 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2017, Spring 2015, Spring 2014 This course provides a theoretical and empirical treatment of the core topics in corporate finance including internal corporate investment; external corporate investment (mergers and acquisitions); capital structure and financial contracting; bankruptcy; corporate governance. Financial Decision-Making in Firms: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 240A-240B or equivalent

Financial Decision-Making in Firms: Read Less [-]

ECON C234C Empirical Corporate Finance 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Fall 2020, Spring 2020 This course provides a theoretical and empirical treatment of the core topics in corporate finance including internal corporate investment; external corporate investment (mergers and acquisitions); capital structure and financial contracting; bankruptcy; corporate governance. Empirical Corporate Finance: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: ECON 240A -240B or equivalent

Credit Restrictions: Students who have passed ECON 234C are not eligible to also receive credit for passing ECON C234C .

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture per week.

Instructor: Malmendier

Also listed as: PHDBA 239FD

Empirical Corporate Finance: Read Less [-]

ECON 235 Financial Economics Seminar 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 This course presents speakers who work on the boundary of economics and finance, on topics including asset pricing, behavioral finance, and corporate finance. Financial Economics Seminar: Read More [+]

Additional Format: One and one-half hours of seminar per week for eight weeks.

Financial Economics Seminar: Read Less [-]

ECON 236A Advanced Macroeconomics I 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 Macroeconomic models; theory and practice of aggregate economics; rational expectations models; finance theory integrated with macro. Advanced Macroeconomics I: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: For 236A: 201A-201B and 202A-202B. For 236B: 236A

Advanced Macroeconomics I: Read Less [-]

ECON 236B Advanced Macroeconomics II 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Macroeconomic models; theory and practice of aggregate economics; rational expectations models; finance theory integrated with macro. Advanced Macroeconomics II: Read More [+]

Advanced Macroeconomics II: Read Less [-]

ECON 236D Behavioral Macroeconomics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2021, Fall 2006 This course focuses on incorporating insights from behavioral economics into macroeconomic analysis. Behavioral Macroeconomics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Economics 202A or their equivalents. Economics 202B, Economics 219A/B will be useful, but not required Admission will be automatic for regular Berkeley PhD students. Undergraduate and master students who have an interest in economics graduate studies are also encouraged to consider taking the course, but with instructor's consent

Behavioral Macroeconomics: Read Less [-]

ECON 237 Seminar in Advanced Macroeconomics and Money 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminar in Advanced Macroeconomics and Money: Read More [+]

Seminar in Advanced Macroeconomics and Money: Read Less [-]

ECON 240A Econometrics 5 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 Basic preparation for the Ph.D. program including probability and statistical theory and the classical linear regression model. Econometrics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 100A or 101A or equivalent; 100B or 101B or equivalent; Mathematics 53 and 54, or equivalent; Statistics 131A or equivalent

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture and 2 hours of discussion per week

Additional Format: Four hours of Lecture and Two hours of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.

Formerly known as: 240

Econometrics: Read Less [-]

ECON 240B Econometrics 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Basic preparation for the Ph.D. program including generalized least squares; instrumental variables estimation; generalized method of moments; time series analysis; and nonlinear models. Econometrics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 240A or equivalent

ECON 241A Econometrics 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Intended for students specializing in econometrics and others with strong mathematical backgrounds. Linear and nonlinear statistical models and their applications in economics. Special problems in analyzing data from non-controlled experiments. Econometrics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Econ 240A,B; linear algebra; multivariable calculus; basic probability and inference theory

ECON 241B Econometrics 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022 This course will cover fundamentals of time series econometrics. It is intended both for students specializing in econometric theory and for students interested in applying time series methods to economic data. Econometrics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Econ 240A-B, or equivalent

ECON 241C Econometrics 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 The course covers topics in classic nonparametric and modern approaches to econometrics. Topics include (among others) decision theory, high-dimensional models, causal inference, and Bayesian methods. Econometrics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Econ 240A-B; linear algebra; multivariable calculus, basic probability and inference theory

ECON 242 Seminar in Econometrics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminar in Econometrics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 240A-240B

Seminar in Econometrics: Read Less [-]

ECON 244 Applied Econometrics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Fall 2021, Spring 2021 Methods of applied econometrics, with emphasis on alternative modelling strategies and problems met in practice. Intended for doctoral students conducting empirical research. Applied Econometrics: Read More [+]

Applied Econometrics: Read Less [-]

ECON 250A Labor Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Fall 2021 Analysis of labor market behavior. Labor Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 250A is prerequisite to 250B. Consent of instructor

Labor Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 250B Labor Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022 Analysis of labor market behavior. Labor Economics: Read More [+]

ECON 250C Labor Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2014, Spring 2013, Spring 2012 Analysis of labor market behavior. Labor Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 250B

ECON 251 Seminar in Labor Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminar for students at the doctoral dissertation level. Seminar in Labor Economics: Read More [+]

Seminar in Labor Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 255 Spatial Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024 The course covers issues in spatial economics, from a variety of viewpoints, including public finance and economic geography. The class will introduce students to advanced tools for both theoretical and empirical analysis of spatial topics. Spatial Economics: Read More [+]

Spatial Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 260A Comparative Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2021, Fall 2020 New issues raised by transition for economics. Political economy of reform: speed, sequencing, reform design, political economy of privatization. Allocative changes: speed of sectoral reallocation, price liberalization, output fall and macroeconomic dynamics, law enforcement, dynamics of institutional change. Comparative Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 260A is prerequisite to 260B

Comparative Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 270B Development Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Problems of underdevelopment and poverty, policy issues and development strategies. Development Economics: Read More [+]

Development Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 270C Development Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Basic macro-policy planning with investment project analysis. Development Economics: Read More [+]

ECON C270A Microeconomics of Development 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 Theoretical and empirical analyses of poverty and inequality, household and community behavior, and contract and institutions in the context of developing countries. Microeconomics of Development: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Four hours of lecture per week.

Also listed as: A,RESEC C251

Microeconomics of Development: Read Less [-]

ECON 271 Seminar in Development Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminar in Development Economics: Read More [+]

Seminar in Development Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 274 Global Poverty and Impact Evaluation 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2016, Spring 2015, Spring 2013 Rather than simply describing the causes and symptoms of global poverty, this course will explore the variety of tools available for rigorously measuring the impact of development programs. Through weekly case studies of field research, the course will cover impact evaluation theory and methods. The course will culminate with a final project in which each student will design an impact evaluation of a policy or intervention. Global Poverty and Impact Evaluation: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: At least one prior term of intermediate economics (i.e., 100A or 100B) and some prior coursework in statistics

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture and One hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.

Instructor: Miguel

Global Poverty and Impact Evaluation: Read Less [-]

ECON C275A Economic Demography 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2019, Spring 2015 Economic consequences of demographic change in developing and developed countries including capital formation, labor markets, and intergenerational transfers. Economic determinants of fertility, mortality and migration. Economic Demography: Read More [+]

Instructor: Lee

Also listed as: DEMOG C275A

Economic Demography: Read Less [-]

ECON C275B Aging: Economic and Demographic Aspects 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2006, Spring 2004, Spring 2002 Course considers demographic and economic aspects of population aging. Aging: Economic and Demographic Aspects: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 7.5 weeks - 2 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture per week for seven and one-half weeks.

Also listed as: DEMOG C236

Aging: Economic and Demographic Aspects: Read Less [-]

ECON 280A International Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022 The world economy as a general equilibrium system. The theory of international economics, trade policy. International Economics: Read More [+]

International Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 280B International Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2021, Fall 2020 This course develops basic theoretical models for studying issues in open-economy macroeconomics. The current account and the trade balance, international capital market integration, developing country debt problems, the real exchange rate, fiscal policy in the open economy, and international policy coordination. International Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 280A is not prerequisite to 280B

ECON 280C International Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021 This course is an empirical treatment of open-economy macroeconomics and finance. Topics include trade elasticities, the determination of the trade balance and income under fixed and floating exchange rates, purchasing power parity, devaluation in small open economies, quantifying the degree of international capital mobility, implications for the effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policy, international interdependence and coordination, models of exchange rate determination. International Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 280B

ECON 281 Seminar in International Trade and Finance 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminar in International Trade and Finance: Read More [+]

Seminar in International Trade and Finance: Read Less [-]

ECON 291 Departmental Seminar 1 Unit

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 A general interest seminar featuring speakers and topics of broad interest whose work will be important for all areas of economics. Departmental Seminar: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 201B, 202B

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: One and one-half hours of seminar every other week.

Departmental Seminar: Read Less [-]

ECON 295 Survey of Research in Economics 1 Unit

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Presentations by departmental faculty of new research directions in different subfields of economics. Survey of Research in Economics: Read More [+]

Survey of Research in Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 296 Special Topics in Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2014, Spring 2013, Fall 2010 Topics of different sections to be announced annually. Special Topics in Economics: Read More [+]

Special Topics in Economics: Read Less [-]

ECON 298 Directed Group Study for Graduates 1 - 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Seminars for the group of selected topics, which will vary from year to year. Directed Group Study for Graduates: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week

Additional Format: Hours to be arranged.

Directed Group Study for Graduates: Read Less [-]

ECON 299 Supervised Independent Study and Research 1 - 12 Units

Terms offered: Summer 2024 First 6 Week Session, Summer 2024 Second 6 Week Session, Spring 2024 Open to candidates for the Ph.D. degree who have passed the qualifying examination and who are engaged in research for the thesis, and in special cases, with consent of the instructor in charge, to graduate students who desire to do special work in a particular field. Supervised Independent Study and Research: Read More [+]

Summer: 6 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week 8 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week

Additional Format: Zero hours of Independent study per week for 15 weeks. Zero hours of Independent study per week for 8 weeks. Zero hours of Independent study per week for 6 weeks.

Supervised Independent Study and Research: Read Less [-]

ECON 301 GSI Practicum 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Course credit for experience gained in academic teaching through employment as a graduate student instructor. GSI Practicum: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Appointment as graduate student instructor in department, consent of graduate advisor

Subject/Course Level: Economics/Professional course for teachers or prospective teachers

Instructor: Olney

GSI Practicum: Read Less [-]

ECON 375 GSI Pedagogy Workshop 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 This course is the pedagogy workshop for graduate student instructors (GSIs) in the Departments of Economics and Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE), and satisfies the Graduate Division requirement for first-time GSIs. The goal of the workshop is to teach teaching. Through readings, discussion, assignments, and in-class activities, GSIs develop teaching skills grounded in pedagogical research. GSI Pedagogy Workshop: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Not repeatable.

GSI Pedagogy Workshop: Read Less [-]

ECON 602 Individual Study for Doctoral Students 1 - 8 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Fall 2023, Spring 2023 Individual study in consultation with the major field advisor, intended to provide an opportunity for qualified graduate students to prepare themselves for the various examinations required of candidates for the Ph.D. A student will be permitted to accumulate a maximum of 16 units of 602. Individual Study for Doctoral Students: Read More [+]

Credit Restrictions: Course does not satisfy unit or residence requirements for doctoral degree.

Additional Format: Zero hours of Independent study per week for 15 weeks.

Subject/Course Level: Economics/Graduate examination preparation

Individual Study for Doctoral Students: Read Less [-]

Contact Information

Department of economics.

530 Evans Hall

Phone: 510-642-0822

Fax: 510-642-6615

[email protected]

Department Chair

Andres Rodriguez-Clare

609 Evans Hall

Phone: 510-643-1654

[email protected]

Graduate Chair

Yuriy Gorodnichenko

619 Evans Hall

Phone: 510-642-6649

[email protected]

Undergraduate Chair

Demian Pouzo

663 Evans Hall

Phone: 510-642-6709

[email protected]

Director of Student Services

Michelle Fong

551 Evans Hall

[email protected]

Assistant Director, Course Management

Isabel Burle

545 Evans Hall

[email protected]

Curriculum & Enrollment Coordinator

Blair Van Tassel

543 Evans Hall

[email protected]

Assistant Director, Graduate Student Services

Janene Vernard

541 Evans Hall

Phone: 510-642-6172

[email protected]

Assistant Director, Undergrad Student Services

Carlos Garcia

533 Evans Hall

Economics Undergraduate Advisor

Trinh Nguyen

Ashley Vera

Dinko Lakic

539 Evans Hall

Mildred Flores

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• University of California, Irvine

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The Department of Economics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) offers a program of graduate study leading to a Ph.D. degree in Economics. This section describes the University, the Department and its faculty, and the admission procedures and degree requirements of this program.

For further information about graduate study in Economics at UCI, and application forms, write or phone :

Graduate Admissions University of California, Irvine Department of Economics 3151 Social Science Plaza Irvine, CA 92697-5100 USA

(949) 824-4074

or submit your request online by clicking here: Application Request . Alternatively, you can apply online through the UCI Graduate Division Web Site .

The University of California, Irvine

UCI is one of the ten campuses of the University of California. Established in 1965, UCI has rapidly become a major research university.  In 1995 members of its faculty were awarded Nobel Prizes in both physics and chemistry. The campus is located 40 miles south of Los Angeles and five miles from the Pacific Ocean near Newport Beach and Corona del Mar. The city of Irvine itself is a comprehensively planned suburban area, with the campus located on its southern periphery. Attractions of the area include a pleasant year-round climate and miles of beautiful beaches only minutes from campus.

For a virtual tour click here: UCI Virtual Tour .

At UCI, instruction and research activities are organized through the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, the School of Biological Sciences, the Department of Education, the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, the School of Humanities, the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, Interdisciplinary Programs, the Paul Merage School of Business, the School of Physical Sciences, the School of Social Ecology, the School of Social Sciences (which includes the Department of Economics), and the School of Medicine. More than 100 graduate and professional programs are offered through these units. In addition, the campus is home to a number of research institutes, including the Institute for Mathematical Behavior Sciences and the Institute of Transportation Studies.

The Program

The program of graduate study leading to the Ph.D. degree in Economics is administered by the Department of Economics in the School of Social Sciences. The program covers most areas of economics. Special programs in Transportation Economics and Public Choice are available to interested students.  Economics faculty and graduate students also participate in UCI's Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Science ( IMBS ) Institute of Transportation Studies ( ITS ), Global Peace and Conflict Studies ( GPACS ) and the Center for Economics and Public Policy.

The program encourages extensive faculty contact within a tutorial framework by maintaining a small size, by selecting students whose research interests mesh with those of the faculty, and by emphasizing early exposure to current research through faculty seminars and student papers. Seminars involving faculty and graduate students meet on a regular basis to discuss current literature in specialized fields. The program combines rigorous core requirements with considerable flexibility in designing independent study and dissertation research agendas. Recent graduates have taken academic, government, and private industry jobs.

The Economics Faculty

The Department of Economics is located within the School of Social Sciences. In addition to our permanent faculty, several associated faculty from other disciplines bring further expertise in economic anthropology, political science, finance, economics of health care, and mathematical behavioral science. The faculty is regularly augmented by active emeriti, full-time visiting economists, and occasional short-term visitors who teach and give seminars.

The Department of Economics is composed of faculty with interests in a broad range of areas within micro- and macroeconomics, and the evaluation of public policy. It is especially strong in econometrics (both Bayesian and classical), macroeconomics, public choice, political economy and empirical microeconomics including transportation, energy, industrial organization, labor, development economics.

Other subject areas within the School of Social Sciences include Anthropology, Cognitive Sciences, Linguistics, Mathematical Behavioral Science, Political Science, and Sociology. All are strong in mathematical and quantitative techniques. The School encourages and supports interdisciplinary research; some Department faculty also are affiliated with other departments and organized interdisciplinary research groups.

More detailed information can be found on our faculty and affiliated faculty web pages, which also provide links to individual faculty web pages.

Research Facilities

UCI is a major research university and has an excellent library with a collection of more than 1.5 million volumes, as well as special inter-library loan arrangements with the other University of California libraries. The School of Social Sciences provides computer rooms, conference rooms, and offices for graduate students. The Economics Department has a small library with current journals and unpublished working papers from other universities. Students also have access to advanced computing resources as well as PC and UNIX laboratories. Three Organized Research Units, the Institute of Transportation Studies, the Center for Research on Information Technology and Organizations, and the Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences, provide research opportunities for graduate students, as does a new experimental laboratory and the new Center for Economics and Public Policy .

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The University of California, in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical condition (cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. The University also prohibits sexual harassment. This nondiscrimination policy covers admission, access and treatment in University programs and activities.

Inquiries regarding the University's student-related nondiscrimination policies may be directed to: Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, 524 Administration Building, Irvine, CA 92697-1125, telephone 949-824-5594.

Director of Graduate Studies

Professor Ivan Jeliazkov SSPA 3175, 949-824-1581

Director of Graduate Admissions

Professor John Duffy SSPB 3285, 949-824-8341

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Graduate Program

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Check out the Economics interactive brochure

Program description.

The UC Merced Economics Ph.D. is a STEM-designated, applied-micro focused program, with faculty expertise in immigration, innovation, public economics, development, political economy, economic history, international trade, and experimental and labor economics. The hallmarks of our program are strong mentorship from our vibrant, and very research-active faculty and strong training in the latest frontiers in data analysis and computing. Faculty have recently published in journals such as the Quarterly Journal of Economics, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Journal of Human Resources, Journal of International Economics, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Journal of Public Economics, Labour Economics, Games, Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, International Labor Relations Review, and the American Economic Review P&P. 

The Economics program is excellent preparation for careers in academia, industry, government, and public policy. We introduce students to research at an early stage and facilitate collaborations between students as well as with faculty (almost 100% of 2nd years are producing work co-authored with a faculty member). There is a great sense of camaraderie and cooperation, with frequent faculty get-togethers and a student-run reading group exploring the latest research. Students have ample opportunities to interact with leading scholars from around the globe through our active seminar series and there are also several All-UC and All-CA groups, for example in economic history and labor economics, to connect students to the research environment and vast array of resources associated with the University of California, the world’s premier public university system.

We currently have 12 students across three cohorts who are successfully navigating their path towards independent research. We are searching for more outstanding candidates to form the third cohort of our strong program. We plan to admit another small, high-quality cohort and to provide full funding for those students for 5-6 years through guaranteed teaching assistantships.

Our 2023-2024 grad course offerings are as follows:

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What are you looking for?

Suggested search, doctoral studies.

The USC PhD in Economics program is designed to prepare students for careers in teaching, research, industry, and government. The Department emphasizes economic theory, econometrics, and applied economic analysis—microeconomics, macroeconomics, international & development economics, behavioral economics, urban, and regional economics.

Why pursue your PhD at USC?

Continuous mentoring.

Faculty closely guide students throughout their time in the program. As soon as they arrive, students are assigned a faculty mentor, with whom they maintain close contact during their doctoral education. First-year students take part in a workshop designed to familiarize incoming scholars with the Department of Economics’ distinguished faculty members and their respective fields of research. When students transition from coursework to research work, they participate in small-group discussion workshops (“Reading Groups”), where students can expect to regularly receive feedback on their own research from a varied group of faculty members.

True Interdisciplinary Research

Our faculty believe in the value of interdisciplinary research and have robust connections to other departments, schools, and research centers at the University. Doctoral students work on multidisciplinary projects in areas such as health care, environmental science and policy, traffic engineering, neuroscience, psychology, and computer science. Students are often encouraged to work with the amazing scholars throughout USC, including those within the following:

USC Marshall School of Business Sol Price School of Public Policy Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics Center for Economic and Social Research

Beyond Academia

Our program is designed to train students to conduct original research. This is not limited to careers in the academic sector. Many of our students go on to deploy their skills in the public sector and in the private industry. We give our full support to students who choose these paths and are proud of their achievements.

Improvement & Innovation

The Department of Economics is devoted to maintaining a progressive curriculum. Staff and faculty continually assess and update courses to provide students with the tools that will enable them to perform frontier research. We have had great recent success in bringing new faculty and research members to our department, which continues to expand our reach into all areas of economics.

Southern California

USC Dornsife doctoral students get to enjoy the many advantages of life in Southern California. Nearby, students can enjoy a variety of events and activities in Los Angeles—beaches, concerts, arts, music, and amazing food. For students who seek to venture a little further, the reserves and national forests in Southern California are just a scenic drive away! Imagine being able to step foot on sand and snow within the same day. With great weather year-round, students are free to explore opportunities beyond campus and discover new passions.

Explore the Program

Take the next step, usc economics bloomberg lab, program leadership, director of doctoral studies.

Prof. Pablo Kurlat [email protected]

PhD Program Advisor

Ms. Annie Le Admissions:  [email protected] Advisement:  [email protected]

Preparation for PhD

Preparation for phd program.

Applications for Ph.D. programs are due early, often in Fall of the year preceding admission. There is big advantage in future success in enrolling in the best program(s) that will admit you. You should apply to a number and range of programs to hedge your bets and because a certain element of chance is involved.

Key information for admission includes:

• Overall GPA
• Letters of recommendation.  This component is essential. A letter that says only that you have a good overall GPA is not helpful because it adds nothing to what is already in the transcript. A constructive letter says that the professor has known you for some time, and thinks you are a mature and smart person capable of independent research.
• Any research experience (as an undergraduate or in [postgraduate employment) or substantive essays in coursework.
• Performance on the GRE if required . Take the test before Fall. If advisors know your score, then they can give you a better idea of how high to shoot. And if you don't like your score, you have time for a retake.

To obtain the most useful recommendation letter, you need to develop a relationship with the professor writing a letter. Ways to do this include working (as a reader or TA), attending office hours often, interaction in class, taking more than one class from the same professor, and writing a term paper or honors thesis. Tell the professor about the range of schools in which you are interested. Information to give the professor typically includes: transcript (most professors will accept a photocopy, but ask first); statement of purpose; other personal information relevant to explaining your goals and parts of your past that you would like to be highlighted (or downplayed); and written work from the class, such as essays or exams that can give more information than just the recorded score. Try to give the recommendation forms to be completed by the professor in a packet rather than one school at a time.

More Information on a Ph.D. in Economics

The preceding information is relevant for Ph.D. degrees in a range of economics-related fields including Economics, Public Policy, Health Policy, Business and Finance.

Economics Ph.D. programs are oriented to people seeking careers in academia or the government. The American Economic Association website is a good reference for Ph.D. study in economics. Ph.D. students do course work for the first two or so years before moving to the thesis. If you don't go on to the thesis, you can usually get a master's degree as a consolation prize. A thesis takes a long time, and five years is a quick time to complete the Ph.D. If you want to pursue a Ph.D. degree and are well prepared coming out of UC Davis, then apply for admission to a Ph.D. program and not a master's degree program.

Admission to the better Ph.D. programs comes with four-five years of funding sufficient to cover tuition and living expenses, in return for working 20 hours a week as a teaching assistant (TA) or resident advisor (RA).

Graduate programs in economics are very mathematical by comparison to undergraduate programs, and lack of mathematical ability is a key indicator of failure. The economics section of the GRE is much less important. Consequently, a key admission criterion is what math classes you have taken.

• A minimum preparation for a PhD in Economics or in Data Analysis is: Lower division advanced calculus (MAT 21A-D), linear algebra (MAT 22A/AL or MAT 67), probability and statistics (STA 130A-B or the more advanced 131A-B), and econometrics (ECN 140). 
• Entry into a top 50 Economics Ph.D. is exceptionally competitive and you need some upper division mathematics. The courses to take are, in order: Abstract Mathematics (MAT 108), Real Analysis (MAT 127A-B), and Probability Theory (MAT 135A). If you take MAT 135A then you need not take STA 130A-B or 131A-C. A minor in Mathematics is 20 upper division units. Other courses to consider are Stochastic processes (MAT 135B) and Partial Differential Equations (MAT 118A). If you complete most of these math upper division courses before your last year at Davis, you can talk to the instructor of ECN 239 (only offered in fall) and see if you can be admitted to take one first-year PhD course together with our own PhD students. Satisfactory performance in a PhD course and a letter from the instructor can help with your application.

An overview of undergraduate courses at U.C. Davis in Economics, Statistics, Computer Science, and Communications especially useful for data analysis is provided here .

The PhD in Economics program requires students to complete a total of 60 units of graduate-level course work. The 60 units include ECON 794a    and  ECON 794b.    Those interested in applying to the PhD program should review information concerning admission procedures and requirements within the following websites:

• USC Department of Economics
• USC Office of Graduate Admission

In addition to the course requirements listed below, students within the PhD in Economics program must also satisfy these requirements:

Core Theory Examination Before beginning the third semester of graduate study, each student must pass a written examination in general economic theory including applications. A maximum of two attempts is allowed. Not taking the examination at a given due time is considered as failing the examination once. The core theory examination is offered twice every year during the summer session. Any exceptions are subject to approval of the Director of Doctoral Studies (DDS).

Second-Year Paper During the summer after the fourth semester of study, each student must submit an empirical paper using quantitative methods to the examination committee. The paper may use field, experimental or simulated data. In this paper, each student should demonstrate competence in using a computer programming language and software.

Third-Year Paper and Presentation During the summer after the sixth semester of study, each student must submit and present a research paper to a committee of faculty. The paper must be of publishable quality.

Qualifying Examination Upon successful completion of course requirements, the second- and third-year paper requirements, and the core theory examination, each student stands for a qualifying examination that focuses on the presentation and defense of the written dissertation proposal. After passing the qualifying examination, a student is admitted to candidacy for the PhD degree. This examination must be taken no later than the end of the eighth semester of study.

Doctoral Dissertation Following passage of the core theory examination and approval of a dissertation topic by the qualifying exam committee, each student accelerates their dissertation-focused research under the supervision of the dissertation committee. The primary requirement of the PhD is a quality dissertation that is based on a substantial amount of original research conducted.

It is also each student’s responsibility to carefully follow Graduate School procedures and requirements pertaining to formal submission of their dissertation.

Master of Arts in Economics (optional)

PhD students may earn an MA degree as they progress through their doctoral studies. 

ECON 601   ,  ECON 602   ,  ECON 609    and  ECON 611    may be substituted for  ECON 500   ,  ECON 501    and  ECON 513    requirements of the MA in Economics degree. The remaining elective units may be selected from graduate-level ECON courses that the department has approved.

First-Year Courses (24 units)

Each student must complete the following courses during their first year in the PhD program:

• ECON 601 Microeconomic Theory I Units: 4
• ECON 602 Macroeconomic Theory I Units: 4
• ECON 603 Microeconomic Theory II Units: 4
• ECON 605 Macroeconomic Theory II Units: 4
• ECON 609 Econometric Methods Units: 4
• ECON 611 Probability and Statistics for Economists Units: 4

Seminar Courses (6 Units)

All seminar courses are repeatable. Each student must complete six units from amongst the following courses:

• ECON 690 Seminar in Economic Theory Units: 2
• ECON 691 Seminar in Econometrics Units: 2
• ECON 692 Seminar in Economic Development Units: 2
• ECON 693 Seminar in Applied Economics and Public Policy Units: 2
• ECON 694 Seminar in Dynamic Economics Units: 2
• ECON 696 Empirical Microeconomics Seminar Units: 2

Frontier Research (6 Units)

Each semester, the Department offers multiple sections of ECON 700    with each section focusing on a distinct field. Each student must complete this repeatable course three times:

• ECON 700 Research on Frontier Economics Units: 2

Elective Courses (20 Units)

The Director of Doctoral Studies (DDS) must approve all elective courses. ECON and non-ECON courses may count toward the elective requirement. Each student must complete twenty units of elective coursework.

Dissertation Courses (4 Units)

Each student must complete at least these two dissertation courses:

• ECON 794a Doctoral Dissertation Units: 2
• ECON 794b Doctoral Dissertation Units: 2

PhD in Economics

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• Center for Neuroeconomics Studies
• Claremont Institute for Economic Policy Studies

Computational Justice Lab

Our PhD program promotes practice-based scholarship that embraces the scientific method to better understand how people and societies make decisions.

Students are exposed to cutting-edge research in international economics and behavioral and applied microeconomics. Students are encouraged to collaborate with top scholars impacting the field today. Because we are an all-graduate student program, we mentor our students closely and prepare them for success in a competitive and fast-changing world. We have a long history of both influential research and of training students for careers in academia, government, and the private sector.

Program Highlights

• We closely mentor our students throughout their graduate school experience. CGU is an all-graduate institution & its core faculty are dedicated to enhancing our students’ success.
• We offer an active intellectual environment through informal brainstorming groups, and formal workshops and seminars.
• Students can get teaching and research assistantships at CGU and can also gain valuable teaching experience through lectureships in Los Angeles area colleges and universities.
• Our apprentice/experienced practitioner educational model offers our students research experience by involving them in research projects that require problem solving and the application of analytical skills as well as the ability to effectively collaborate as a member of a research team.
• As members of The Claremont Colleges, Economics PhD students have access to one-of-a-kind support from adjunct faculty and the Consortium’s infrastructure that prepare them for career success.
• This program is STEM designated, allowing international students who hold F-1 visas to apply for OPT work authorizations for a total of 36 months (an initial 1-year period and a 24-month OPT STEM extension) of paid work experience in the U.S. after graduation.

Program at a Glance

UNITS 72 units

*Actual completion times will vary and may be higher, depending on full- or part-time course registration, units transferred, and time to complete other degree requirements.

COURSES BEGIN Fall | Spring

DEPARTMENT Economic Sciences

DIVISION Division of Politics & Economics

DEGREE AWARDED PhD in Economics

Featured Courses

This course introduces the subject matter, methods, and results of experimental economics. The course will stress the interaction of theory and experiment, seeking to relate questions in the theory of markets, games, and decisions to issues in experimental design and the analysis and interpretation of results.

Global monetary and financial issues have captured the interest of economists for very many years, with recent international events including the global financial crisis in 2008/09 and the economic and financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic only serving to shine an even stronger light on them.

This course covers probability and statistics. Topics include the fundamental concepts of probability theory, Bayes’ rule, notions of discrete and continuous distributions, hypothesis testing, and other necessary statistical instruments, which are widely used in almost every phase of your academic career. A firm understanding of mathematical techniques and its applications covered in this class is essential for successful graduate studies in economics.

This course takes the design of graphics and tables seriously and explores a variety of visual techniques for investigating patterns in data, summarizing statistical results, and efficiently representing the robustness of such results to alternative modeling assumptions.

This course is designed to give students a flexible and broad toolkit for conducting quantitative social science research. It will cover the skills needed to collect, clean, aggregate, explore, visualize, and analyze data using the R statistical language. It will cover everything from general programming and workflow to web scraping and mapping.

This course is an opportunity for students to obtain a deep understanding of the theory and empirical support in law and economics. While the course will cover many areas within law and economics, a focus will revolve around criminal justice issues.

View All Economics Courses

As a student in the Department of Economic Sciences, you will have the opportunity to contribute to faculty-led research opportunities that offer practice-oriented learning.

Faculty & Research

Paul J. Zak

Professor of Economic Sciences, Psychology & Management Director, Center for Neuroeconomics Studies

Research Interests

Neuroeconomics, Neuroscience of Narratives, Neuromanagement

C. Mónica Capra

Professor of Economic Sciences

Experimental Economics, Behavioral Economics, Neuroeconomics

Joshua Tasoff

Associate Professor of Economic Sciences

Behavioral Economics, Experimental Economics, Animal Welfare Economics

Gregory DeAngelo

Associate Professor of Economic Sciences Director, Computational Justice Lab

Law, Political Economy, Public Choice

Affiliated with

Robert Klitgaard

University Professor

Public Policy, Economic Strategy, Institutional Reform, Corruption

Tom Kniesner

Senior Research Fellow

Labor Economics, Health Economics, Econometrics

Graham Bird

Clinical Professor of Economic Sciences Program Director: International Money and Finance; International Economics and Development Policy Co-Director: Claremont Institute for Economic Policy Studies

International Finance, International Macroeconomics, Economic Development

Thomas Willett

Professor Emeritus Director, Claremont Institute for Economic Studies

International Money and Finance, International Political Economy and Economic Policy

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

Akita International University, Japan

Assistant Professor of Economics, Akita, Japan

ALG, TrueCar

Vice President, Data Analytics, Santa Barbara, CA

California State University at San Marcos

Assistant Professor of Economics, San Marcos, CA

California State University at Sonoma

Assistant Professor of Economics, Rohnert Park, CA

Central Bank of Guatemala

Economist, Guatemala

Central Bank of Indonesia

Economist, Indonesia

Central University of Finance and Economics

Assistant Professor of Economics, Beijing, China

Chapman University

Assistant Professor of Economics, Orange, CA

Eckerd College

Assistant Professor of Economics, St. Petersburg, FL

Ernst & Young

Analyst, Los Angeles, CA

Finance Ministry of Thailand

Economist, Thailand

Harvard Law School

Manager Empirical Research Center, Boston, MA

Ivey Business School – Univ. Western Ontario

Assistant Professor of Economics, Canada

Kansai Gaidai University

Assistant Professor of Economics, Japan

Kent State University

Visiting Assistant Professor of Economics, Kent, Ohio

Loyola Marymount University

Clinical Assistant Professor of Economics

Ministry of Economy and Planning, Saudi Arabia

Economist, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Finance

Fiscal Policy Office, Thailand

National University of Sciences and Technology

Assistant Professor, Islamabad

Northern Arizona University

Assistant Professor of Economics

Oxford University

Postdoctoral Candidate in Behavioral Economics, United Kingdom

Pepperdine University

Assistant Professor of Finance, Malibu, CA

Pricewaterhouse Coopers

Economist, London, United Kingdom

Resources for the Future

Postdoctoral Researcher, Washington, DC

Results Washington

Director, Olympia, WA

SAB Holdings

Investment Consultant, China

Samsung Economic Institute

Senior Researcher, South Korea

Samsung Securities

Investment Analyst, South Korea

Saudia Arabia Ministry of Finance and Economy

Economist, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority

Stitch Labs

Data Analyst, San Francisco, CA

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Manager, Market Research, San Francisco, CA

Toyota Motors

Senior Analyst, Los Angeles, CA

UBS (New York)

Quantitative Economist

University of California, Riverside

Clinical Assistant Professor of Finance, Riverside, CA

University of Massachusetts, Boston

Visiting Professor of Economics, Boston, MA

Whittier College

Assistant Professor of Economics, Whittier, CA

Request information about the Economics program

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The CSUN Tseng College of Extended Learning offers test preparation programs (course to prepare you to take the standardized tests required for graduate school admissions). More information is available on the Tseng web page: https://tsengcollege.csun.edu/programs/contractedprograms Masters CSUN does not offer a Masters in Economics. We do have a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) Program .

For a Masters in Economics at a local California State University, check out San Diego State University (SDSU) , Sacramento State University (CSUS) , Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) , Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) , or Cal State LA (CSULA) .

• Follow this link for master's programs in Economics across the country: https://www.mastersavenue.com/

Ph.D. For advice on what courses to take at CSUN to prepare for a doctoral program in Economics, read the section entitled "Suggested Economics Electives to Focus Your Course of Study" under Focus Your Studies and Graduate School Preparation . If you are a CSUN student interested in attending graduate school in Economics, contact Professors  Franco Beltran Silva , Joseph Histen  and/or Alex Yukhov  for more advice.

• Follow this link for master's and Ph.D. programs in Economics across the country: https://www.gradschools.com/

Graduate School in Related Fields In addition to law school, the graduate programs listed here are suited to individuals with undergraduate degrees in economics. More are coming... Boston University : The M.A. in Economics is a terminal master’s program that equips its graduates with the advanced knowledge and quantitative skills required for an economic analyst in the business world, the consulting industry, a central bank or government. The training provides a thorough understanding of fundamental economic principles, application of mathematical methods and modeling, and the use of computer software for large-scale data analysis.

University of Southern California (USC) : The M.S. in Applied Economics and Econometrics programs identify business opportunities and address public policy challenges using location-based Big Data with insights from geographic information science (GIS), urban economics, and spatial econometrics.

University of Kentucky : The M.S. in Economics provides a strong foundation in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, in addition to allowing students to pursue some electives in their fields of interest. The degree is often earned en passant to a Ph.D. in Economics or a related field.

University of New Mexico : The M.S. in Public Policy program will train a new generation of analysts who can serve their communities by identifying and championing data-driven policy options.

University of California, Irvine (UCI) : The M.S. program covers most areas of economics. Special programs in Transportation Economics and Public Choice are available to interested students. In addition, the Department offers a program joint with the Department of Statistics ( STAT ) for students who wish to pursue a master's degree in statistics concurrent with the Ph.D. in Economics.

University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) : The Ph.D. graduate degree program is designed for students interested in pursuing advanced study in economics and conducting original research in Economics.

updated: September 7, 2022

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Economics and Econometrics Graduate Programs in California

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Stanford University Department of Humanities and Sciences

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UCLA College of Letters and Science

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UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science

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College of Letters and Science - UC Santa Barbara

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UCI Social Sciences

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UC Davis College of Letters and Science

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• • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: Very informative and hard-working staff, graduate students and faculty. Anthropology department is robust, first-rate and diverse. Faculty are continuously researching and dedicating time to advancing the field. ... Read 2 reviews

University of California - Davis ,

DAVIS, CA ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Very informative and hard-working staff, graduate students and faculty. Anthropology department is robust, first-rate and diverse. Faculty are continuously researching and dedicating time to... .

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UC San Diego Division of Social Sciences

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Orfalea College of Business

San Luis Obispo, CA •

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo •

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo ,

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University of San Francisco College of Arts and Sciences

San Francisco, CA •

University of San Francisco •

University of San Francisco ,

SAN FRANCISCO, CA ,

College of Liberal Arts - California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA •

California State University - Long Beach •

California State University - Long Beach ,

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Fowler College of Business

San Diego, CA •

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Mihaylo College of Business and Economics

Fullerton, CA •

California State University - Fullerton •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   2 reviews

Graduate Student: I am in the Fully Employed MBA program and it's a good program. Most of the professors are also faculty at UC Irvine. So, I get good education for an affordable price. ... Read 2 reviews

California State University - Fullerton ,

FULLERTON, CA ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says I am in the Fully Employed MBA program and it's a good program. Most of the professors are also faculty at UC Irvine. So, I get good education for an affordable price. .

College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences - California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona, CA •

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona •

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ,

POMONA, CA ,

College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies - California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento, CA •

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California State University - Sacramento ,

SACRAMENTO, CA ,

College of Business and Economics - California State University - Los Angeles

California State University - Los Angeles •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

Graduate Student: It is an Excellent College. I studied in this College for my part-time MBA while I was working full-time with Kaiser Permanente IT. I wanted to improve my management skills, interested in Promotion Opportunities. As part of Tuition Reimbursement Program, I signed up for this university. College has low fee structure. has good faculty in Finance, Economics, Management, Marketing. As part of the finance class, I got knowledge about Stock Market and traded in the stock market and made some money. College also has good tie ups with business communities. As part of that I met a few graduates from the college who were doing well in business. This improved my sense of business. Even though I completed 4 courses, this is better than some of the colleges I tried to do some more courses. This university is at the top of my list for good education, low fees, ROI ... Read 1 review

California State University - Los Angeles ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says It is an Excellent College. I studied in this College for my part-time MBA while I was working full-time with Kaiser Permanente IT. I wanted to improve my management skills, interested in Promotion... .

Lucas College and Graduate School of Business

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San Jose State University •

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College of Business and Economics - California State University - East Bay

Hayward, CA •

California State University - East Bay •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Graduate Student: CSU East Bay has a great MBA program. The professors have real work experience to share with students. The transition to semester system is good for students who want to complete the program in 2-4 years, depending on their time commitment. ... Read 1 review

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HAYWARD, CA ,

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Featured Review: Graduate Student says CSU East Bay has a great MBA program. The professors have real work experience to share with students. The transition to semester system is good for students who want to complete the program in 2-4... .

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School of Social Science, Policy and Evaluation - Claremont Graduate University

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California University of Management & Sciences

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Southern California Institute of Architecture

LOS ANGELES, CA

• • Rating 4.56 out of 5   9

College of Science and Engineering - San Francisco State University

College of Health and Social Sciences - San Francisco State University

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Graduate Program

Graduate program in economics.

Start Fall 2024! Domestic Application Deadline is April 1, 2024! The International Application Deadline is March 15, 2024!

The Department of Economics offers one program: Master of Arts in Economics. Our program is designed to prepare students for careers in the public or private sectors and gives a solid foundation for students who will pursue a doctorate degree. We specialize in areas of research that align with our recognized expert faculty members, including transportation and development economics. 

Students are encouraged to participate and take advantage of our sponsored events and organizations, including the Economics Seminar Series, the Economics Graduate Association (EGA), the CSULB Student Research Competition, the Annual Economics Poster Competition, and the Long Beach Regional Economic Forum.

For more information or if you have questions, contact Mariya Mileva or visit her Grad Advising office hours on Tuesdays from 2 PM – 3 PM  via Zoom .

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Arts in Economics at California State University, Long Beach.  The department and university requirements for admission are found below.  All students begin the program in the fall semester; we are not accepting applications for the spring semester.

Any questions about admissions may be directed to  [email protected] .

Click here for our  MA application packet  to learn more about our program and how to apply.

IMPORTANT DATES

Applications for the Fall 2024 admission open on October 1, 2023.

• For D omestic Applicants, Fall 2024 applications are accepted from October 1, 2023 -  April 2024.
• For I nternational Applicants, Fall 2024 applications are accepted from October 1, 2023 - March 2024.
• Admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis from March to May 2024.
• Graduate Assistantship offers will be made from May to June 2024.
• The Fall semester starts on August 19, 2024.

To officially apply visit Cal State Apply .

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• You must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year college or university. List of Foreign Universities.
• You must have either majored or minored in economics or taken 18 units of core economics courses.
• You must have completed (1) principles of macroeconomics, (2) principles of microeconomics, (3) intermediate microeconomics, (4) intermediate macroeconomics, (5) statistics, and (6) calculus.
• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.50.
• A minimum GPA 3.0 GPA in (1) principles of macroeconomics, (2) principles of microeconomics, (3) intermediate microeconomics, (4) intermediate macroeconomics, (5) statistics, and (6) calculus.

APPLICATION

• $70 application fee
• A Personal Statement of 500-750 words
• CSULB students & alumni: two CSULB faculty with at least one being from Economics
• non-CSULB students: two faculty with at least one preferable from Economics
• See Submitting Transcripts below.
• GRE (or GMAT) scores are not required but encouraged. If completed, please send scores to Institution Code 4389, and Department Code 1801 for non-CSULB students .
• A Resume/CV is not required but encouraged, indicating any work experience and activities relevant to the program.
• If you wish to upload a writing sample of a research paper or any other relevant documentation, you can do so in the Supplemental Materials section.
• Monitor the status of your application by visiting the Applicant Self-Service .

Download a 2024 Application Checklist .

Through Mail

• Enrollment Services/Admissions California State University, Long Beach 1250 Bellflower Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90840

Electronic Transcripts

• Official transcripts may be submitted electronically directly from a U.S. college or university.
• Follow instructions on the CSULB Graduate Admissions site

CSULB vs Non-CSULB Students

• CSULB Students and Alumni do not need to submit official transcripts.
• Current B.A. Non-CSULB Students: Unofficial transcript(s) documenting that you have completed the required courses in Economics for admission are okay.
• Non-CSULB Students with a Bachelors: Official transcripts documenting that you have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year college or university are required.

TUITION & FEES

Please refer to the university's webpage on Tuition and Fees . Tuition and fees will depend on each student's residency status and part-time/full-time unit load.  The typical MA in Economics student takes 10 units per Fall and Spring semester for a total of three semesters.

GRADUATE & TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

Assistantships are available to students on a competitive basis. No additional application materials are required. Students are automatically considered for an assistantship when their application is reviewed. In the 2022-2023, each semester we offered about 110 hours per week of graduate assistantships and 6 teaching assistantships . Graduate assistantships included grading and tutoring responsibilities. Teaching assistantships included running lab sections for Economics Statistics, Introduction to Econometrics, Econometrics I, Econometrics II, and Forecasting.

College of Liberal Arts Equity Scholars Assistantship

This Assistantship was created "to recruit promising students into the Humanities and Social Sciences" and for "recruitment of first-generation, historically underrepresented, and/or low-income graduate students". The stipend from the Assistantship ranges from about $3500 per semester up to about $7000 for one year.

To be considered for the award, you must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or above. For you application to the Assistantship to be reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee, you must also submit your Cal State Apply application for the M.A. in Economics at CSULB.

Please complete the Equity Scholars Application to be considered for this position. Application review will be ongoing until the Assistantship(s) have been awarded. The application deadline is April 15.

Visit the College of Liberal Arts Equity Scholars site for more information on this program.

SCHOLARSHIPS

For the 2022-23 academic year, MA in Economics students received a total of $2,000 from department scholarships. Applications for department scholarships are accepted between November and March, and are awarded the next academic year.

Along with the General Application Requirements, all international applicants must meet the following additional requirements:

• Submit your application by March 15, 2024 .
• Meet or exceed the English language requirement minimum test score and submit the official test scores to International Admissions. Information and instructions can be found HERE .
• Submit original or certified copies of ALL OFFICIAL academic records, transcripts/individual mark sheets, certificates, and diplomas. Submission instructions can be found HERE .
• Applicants who have studied in the U.S. are required to have the institution(s) directly send their official transcript(s) to International Admissions. Opened transcripts are not considered official.
• English translations of all academic records and certificates/diplomas are required if they are in a language other than English.
• Use WES (World Education Services) for 3rd party evaluation
• Any questions related to the English Language Requirement and submission of documents should be directed to the International Admissions at [email protected] . Please include your application (CAS ID) number or CSULB Student ID number in all correspondences.

FINANCIAL AID:

International students are eligible for department-sponsored graduate and teaching assistantships and for the Equity Scholars assistantship. See above for more details and application instructions.

Goals & Objectives

The program features a 30-unit curriculum that can be completed in as little as 3 semesters for full-time students. Core courses are offered in the evenings to accommodate working professionals. Goals and Objectives of the Program

Graduation Requirements

• Program Requirements and Curriculum

Candidates in this program are responsible for observing the general requirements stated in the  university catalog as well as requirements specified by the Department. Information may be obtained from the graduate advisor. A limited number of graduate assistantships are available to qualified students.

The program features a 30-unit curriculum that can be completed in as little as 3 semesters for full-time students. Core courses are offered in the evenings to accommodate working professionals. The degree culminates with seminar courses in a specific field and general economics, where students undertake independent research projects. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and successfully defend their research as part of a comprehensive exam to graduate. Please see our sample course schedule for more details.

Printable flyer with requirements and sample schedule: Program Requirements and Curriculum

SAMPLE SCHEDULE FOR FULL-TIME STUDENTS

• ECON 510: Advanced Microeconomics (3 units; complete with a grade of B or better)
• ECON 511: Advanced Macroeconomics (3 units; complete with a grade of B or better)
• ECON 585: Econometrics I (4 units; complete with a grade of C or better)
• ECON 586: Econometrics II (4 units; complete with a grade of C or better)
• ECON 587: Research Methods in Economics (3 units; complete with a grade of C or better)
• In recent years, we have offered ECON 565: Economic Development (3 units)
• ECON 690: Seminar in Economics (3 units; complete with a grade of B or better)
• ECON 691: Economics Research Lab (1 unit; complete with a grade of B or better)
• In recent years, we have offered ECON 666: Seminar in Transportation Economics (3 units) and ECON 670: Seminar in Trade and Development (3 units)
• 400-Level Economics Elective (3 units; complete with a grade of C or better)

Last edited 11/2022 - Curriculum subject to change

• Graduate Program FAQ's
• Student Research 

For general questions please contact the department:

Location: SSPA-361A Phone: 562-985-5061 Email:  [email protected]

• Mondays & Fridays 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM – Remote
• Tuesday – Thursday 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM – In person

Note: The department is closed for lunch from 12 PM to 1:00 PM every day.

Former PhD Student Jingyi Huang Awarded the Allan Nevins Prize for Best Dissertation

Former UCLA economics PhD student Jingyi Huang has been awarded the Allan Nevins Prize for the best dissertation in U.S. economic history from the Economic History Association. This prize is a notable recognition of Huang’s work and puts her on the path of major contribution to the field for years to come.

After completion of her PhD in economics at UCLA in 2021, Jingyi Huang was a postdoc at Harvard for the 2021-2022 school year and is now an assistant professor at Brandeis University.

More information about the Economics History Association can be found here .

Previous winners of the award can be found here .

UCLA Department of Economics

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PhD in Health Economics

• Admission and Financial Aid
• Requirements for Degree Completion

Located in Los Angeles on the USC University Park Campus, the USC PhD program in health economics offers students the opportunity to help shape the future of health care through groundbreaking research and innovative policy solutions. Our multidisciplinary program offers rigorous training in microeconomics, econometrics, cost effectiveness analysis, welfare economics, public finance, epidemiology and health status measurement. Students in the program work closely with our world-renowned faculty, gaining the practical research experience needed to launch their careers.

Our program offers numerous benefits to help position our students for future success. All of our PhD students are fully funded, including tuition remission and stipend, for up to five years through teaching and research assistantships or competitive fellowships.  Many of our students participate in internships that offer real world experience and networking opportunities in industry, policy analysis and consulting.  Our department’s affiliation with the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics provides opportunities for students to work closely with distinguished faculty from across USC on impactful projects. Bolstered in part by our strong alumni network, our students are highly sought after for positions in academia, government and industry.

“I chose the Health Economics PhD program at USC for three reasons: the strong concentration of health economics faculty here as compared to traditional economics departments, the rigor of economics training compared to other applied programs, and quality of life (i.e., location in sunny Southern California and funding from a USC School of Pharmacy fellowship).”

Laura Henkhaus

Phd, health economics ’19, data scientist, hill physicians medical group.

(30-33 UNITS)

The Master of Arts in Economics is STEM designated. The program prepares students for professional careers in private industry and government, and lays a foundation for further graduate work at the doctoral level. It provides highly rigorous, analytical and policy-relevant insights into social and economic issues; and goes beyond the Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree by delving into wider areas of specialization using more technical and rigorous methods. The degree helps students understand how to use economic theory and econometric models to generate testable hypotheses about economic and social relationships that have practical relevance to the business community and/or public policy. Students are able to summarize previous research findings from scholarly literature and learn effective communication skills, in addition to understanding how to write research reports, present research and disseminate research findings to business leaders, experts in the field and to a broader audience.

Students must meet the CSU requirements for admission to a master’s degree program. Please consult the Graduate Admissions    section in this catalog for complete information. In addition, admission to the program will be based on the following:

• A GPA of at least 3.0 in the following courses or their equivalents (corresponding CSUF courses are in parenthesis): Business Calculus ( MATH 135   ), Principles of Microeconomics ( ECON 201   ), Principles of Macroeconomics ( ECON 202   ), Intermediate Microeconomics ( ECON 310    or ECON 315   ), Intermediate Macroeconomics ( ECON 320   ), Probability and Statistics ( ISDS 361A    or ECON 340   ), and one advanced undergraduate elective in economics.
• For international students, a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (80 iBT) or an IELTS of 7.0.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (the GRE score is valid only if the examination was taken no more than five years prior to the date that the application is submitted). The GRE requirement is waived for students whose GPA is higher than 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.
• At least two academic letters of recommendation, a resume and a statement of purpose not to exceed 750 words.
• A GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) or better in the last 60 units.

An applicant who does not meet one or more of the requirements above may still be considered for admission, depending on the evaluation of the entire application file (the students must, however, have a GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 semester units at the time of admission). If admitted, an applicant without sufficient preparation may be asked to take specified prerequisite courses and exams. Admitted students that need to take prerequisites are called “conditionally classified” students. Conditionally classified students can take a limited number of courses at the graduate level, subject to the approval of the graduate adviser of the department. Students must complete all prerequisites within one year. Once completed, they will advance to classified standing. Classified students are eligible to take graduate courses for which they are qualified.

Graduate training in economics, which is a STEM program, is highly quantitative. Therefore, a strong background in mathematics (for e.g., MATH 150A) is highly recommended for admission into the program.

Degree Requirements

Students are urged to meet with the graduate adviser in the Department of Economics as soon as possible.

Any study plan course in which a “C-” (1.7) or below is received must be repeated with at least a “C” (2.0), regardless of the overall grade-point average of the students. A minimum 3.0 GPA is required for graduation. Students are also required to graduate in a timely manner.

Required (21 units)

• ECON 440 - Introduction to Econometrics (3)
• ECON 441 - Introduction to Mathematical Economics (3)
• ECON 502 - Advanced Microeconomics (3)
• ECON 503 - Advanced Macroeconomics (3)
• ECON 504 - Advanced Microeconometrics: Causality and Policy Evaluation (3)
• ECON 505 - Advanced Macroeconometrics: Time Series and Forecasting (3)
• ECON 595 - Current Research in Economics (3) or approved 500-level substitute

ECON 440    is a prerequisite to ECON 504    and ECON 505   .

Electives (6-12 units)

For the thesis option, select 6 units, 500-level. For the comprehensive exam option, select 12 units, of which a maximum of 6 may be 400-level courses. Other courses may be chosen with department graduate adviser approval.

• ECON 410 - Industrial Organization (3)
• ECON 411 - International Trade (3)
• ECON 412 - Labor Economics (3)
• ECON 413 - Law and Economics (3)
• ECON 415 - Economics of Health (3)
• ECON 416 - Benefit Cost and Microeconomic Policy Analysis (3)
• ECON 417 - Public Finance (3)
• ECON 418 - Behavioral Economics (3)
• ECON 419 - Economics of the Education System (3)
• ECON 420 - Money and Banking (3)
• ECON 421 - Monetary and Fiscal Policy (3)
• ECON 431 - International Macroeconomics and Growth (3)
• ECON 433 - The Less Developed Countries and the World Economy (3)
• ECON 450 - History of Economic Thought (3)
• ECON 462 - Natural Resource Economics (3)
• ECON 528 - Seminar in Financial Economics (3)
• ECON 529 - Seminar in Monetary Economics (3)
• ECON 531 - Seminar in International Economics (3)
• ECON 532 - Topics in Game Theory (3)
• ECON 533 - Seminar in Development Economics (3)
• ECON 534 - Seminar in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (3)
• ECON 535 - Seminar in Industrial Organization (3)
• ECON 590 - Seminar in Economic Analysis (3)
• ECON 599 - Independent Graduate Research (3)

Culminating Experience (0-3 units)

The culminating experience marks the end of a graduate program. It demonstrates mastery of disciplinary materials and meets requirements from Section 40510 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations. Please consult the Culminating Experience    section in this catalog for more information.

• ECON 598 - Thesis Research (3)
• Comprehensive Exam (0)

Total (30-33 units)

Equilibrium Selection in Participation Games: A Unified Framework

Abstract In many applied settings, an activity or project requires a critical mass of participants to be worthwhile. This property can give rise to multiple equilibria. We study seven well-known equilibrium selection theories: two heuristic arguments, two models with rational players, and three from the evolutionary literature. With one exception, each relies on strategic complementarities. We weaken this to a mild single crossing property and show that the theories’ predictions have a common form: an agent plays a best response to some fictional distribution of the participation rate of her opponents.