Economics

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs

Northeastern University
360 Huntington Avenue
301 Lake Hall
Boston, MA 02115-5000

phone: 617.373.2882
fax: 617.373.3640 econ@neu.edu

Maps/Directions

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Six Steps to a Ph.D. in Economics

1. COMPLETE THE REQUIRED COURSEWORK
For students who enter with a bachelor's degree, this requires completing all core courses (ECON 5105, ECON 5110, ECON 5120, ECO 5140, ECON 7710, ECON 7720, and ECO 7740), completing the two required courses in your chosen field, and completing at least three elective courses. For students who enter with a master's degree in economics, this normally implies completing the Ph.D. level core courses (ECON 7710, ECON 7720, and ECO 7740), completing the two required courses in your chosen field, and completing at least one elective course. Your overall grade point average must be at least 3.0, with at least a B grade in all core and field courses.

2. PASS THE MICROECONOMICS AND MACROECONOMICS QUALIFYING EXAMS
These exams are normally offered twice a year. You are given a maximum of two attempts to pass each exam. They should be taken as soon as you have completed the Micro II and Macro II courses.

3. PASS THE FIELD COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
This exam is normally offered twice a year. It includes questions from the field you have chosen to concentrate in as well as questions on econometrics methodology. It should be taken as soon as you have completed the field courses. You are given a maximum of two attempts to pass this exam. After you have completed the required coursework and passed the field comprehensive exam, you will become certified as a doctoral degree candidate (ABD). A degree candidate has a maximum of five years to complete an acceptable doctoral dissertation.

4. TAKE AT LEAST TWO SEMESTERS OF THE DISSERTATION SEMINAR
This seminar requires no registration and carries no academic credit, but should be attended during the two semesters you are registered for ECON 9990, Dissertation. You are welcome to attend before you become a degree candidate (to get a feel for economic research and the types of questions people address) and are strongly encouraged to continue attending throughout the dissertation writing process. All doctoral candidates will be expected to present their research at various stages of writing their dissertation.

5. FORM A DISSERTATION COMMITTEE AND PREPARE AND PRESENT A DISSERTATION PROPOSAL
The department expects that a doctoral candidate's dissertation committee should be formed and the dissertation proposal presented within six months of reaching degree candidacy. Your committee should consist of a principal advisor, and a minimum of two other members. Your principal advisor must be a member of the economics department who holds a Ph.D. degree. Not all committee members have to be members of the economics department, but should be qualified for the field you plan to write in. One committee member can be from outside the department. The composition of your committee must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator. When your committee has agreed on your proposal topic, you must present and defend it at an open seminar.

6. COMPLETE AND DEFEND THE DISSERTATION
This entails working with your principal advisor and other committee members, until you have completed your dissertation. It also entails presenting the final version of your dissertation to your committee at an open seminar.