Economics, PhD PhD
The Department of Economics offers graduate programs of study designed to prepare students for careers in education and for careers in administrative and research positions in government, industry and labor. The programs are built upon a solid core of training in economic theory and in quantitative analysis, with area concentrations in econometrics, economic growth and development, industrial organization, international economics, labor economics and human resources, mathematical economics, monetary theory and policy, and urban and regional economics.
Program Type
Doctoral
Program Format
On Campus
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Application to all graduate programs are completed through the UWM Graduate School. Please see their website for detailed information about the application process and contact them with questions.
We also have provided information about applying to one of the economics graduate programs and our admissions criteria:
How to apply for the PhD in economics
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these departmental requirements to be considered for admission to the program. A master’s degree is not prerequisite for admission to the PhD program in economics.
- An undergraduate major in economics with a grade point average (both overall and in economics) of 3.0 (4.0 scale) and one semester of calculus or adequate preparation at the undergraduate level equivalent to two semesters of coursework in intermediate economic theory, one semester of statistics, and one semester of calculus.
- An applicant having a master’s degree in economics or graduate coursework in economic theory must have a graduate grade point average of at least 3.33 (4.0 scale).
- Submission of scores on the Graduate Record Examination General Test and Subject Test or equivalent quantitative courses is recommended. Test of English as a Foreign Language exam is required for applicants whose native language is not English.
- Two letters of recommendation from persons familiar with applicant’s scholastic achievement and potential.
- Reason statement. A personal statement that describes your research interests, qualifications, and career goals.
Reapplication
A student who is in the master’s program must formally reapply for admission to Graduate School before continuing toward the PhD. To receive doctoral student status, a student must complete the master’s degree or obtain a waiver of this requirement from the admissions committee, the graduate study advisor, and the Department Chair. The waiver must be obtained before the student completes 27 credits in the MA program.
Credits and Courses
Minimum degree requirement is 54 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, at least 27 of which must be earned in residence at UWM. Of the total credits required, a minimum of 42 must be taken in the field of economics.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 801 | Advanced Microeconomic Theory I | 3 |
| ECON 802 | Advanced Macroeconomic Theory I | 3 |
| ECON 803 | Advanced Microeconomic Theory II | 3 |
| ECON 804 | Advanced Macroeconomic Theory II | 3 |
| Select 12 credits in quantitative theory | 12 | |
| Select 15 credits in two areas of concentration | 15 | |
| Select 3 credits of research skills as detailed below | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 9-12 | |
| Minor Field 1 | ||
| Electives 2 | ||
| Total Credits | 51-54 | |
- 1
Minor field: 9 to 12 credits in a single department other than Economics; courses planned with a professor in the minor department and the examination, if required, is administered by the minor department.
- 2
Electives: 9 to 12 credits in courses from any departments, including Economics, but no more than 6 credits in any one department other than Economics; courses are to be planned with the approval of the Graduate Study advisor and no examination is required.
Additional Requirements
Major Professor or Advisor
Each new student will be assigned an initial advisor from among the department’s faculty. By the second year in the program, students will be expected to select their own major advisor and, in consultation with this advisor, a committee for preliminary examinations and the dissertation. The major advisor for each student, assisted by the student’s dissertation committee and the director of graduate studies, will take primary responsibility for guiding the student successfully through the program and into the labor market and career opportunities.
Preliminary Examination
All doctoral students are required to complete preliminary examinations in two specialty areas after completing 27 credits at the post-master’s level. The areas are selected by the doctoral candidate in consultation with the student’s advisor and other members of the graduate faculty. Examination areas are limited to those subfields or subdisciplines that are within the student’s area of specialization and widely recognized areas within sociology. The disciplinary subfields must be broader than, but related to, the focus of the student’s dissertation and must be approved by the Department’s Graduate Studies Committee. Examinations will consist of the student answering three or more questions from a list containing at least five, as determined by the student’s committee. Candidates write their answers on one full day in September and March.
An empirical or substantive paper may be substituted for one preliminary examination. The empirical paper is read and evaluated by two members of the graduate faculty in sociology, in addition to the student’s major professor. The length and quality of the paper should be similar to that of a journal article. Students should use the format for the journal to which they would like to submit the paper. The paper also may be in the style of a full length Annual Review of Sociology piece or similar article.
Students who do not pass an examination on the first attempt will be provided feedback on their performance and be allowed to take the exam a second time but must do so within 9 months of the administration of the first exam. Students who do not complete the examination successfully upon the second attempt will not be allowed to continue in the program.
Dissertation
The dissertation is a major piece of original research representing a substantial contribution to sociological scholarship. In order to become eligible for dissertation status the student must complete a successful oral defense of a dissertation proposal before the student’s doctoral committee.
The dissertation itself, under the supervision of the major professor and in collaboration with a dissertation committee, must demonstrate the ability of the candidate to formulate a research topic and pursue independent and original research representing a substantial contribution to sociological scholarship. The practices necessary for completion of the dissertation will conform to the guidelines established by the UWM Graduate School. The dissertation committee shall be composed of the major professor and three additional graduate faculty members (at least two of whom must be from the UWM Department of Sociology graduate faculty). The dissertation committee is responsible for assessing the dissertation project, which involves approving the dissertation proposal, reviewing working drafts of research in progress, and, finally, evaluating the candidate’s ability to defend decisions made during the course of research and the results of the research. After submission of a reading copy of the dissertation to the faculty dissertation committee, the candidate and the major professor will schedule a committee meeting for the purpose of undertaking an oral defense of the dissertation work by the candidate. At the conclusion of the candidate’s oral remarks, the dissertation committee will vote on passing the candidate’s dissertation work. A majority of the committee must vote to approve the dissertation and recommend granting of the Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Time Limit
All components of the PhD program must be completed within 10 years of matriculation.
Teaching and Research Assistantships are the primary form of financial support for a limited number of graduate students. These positions provide a salary and tuition remission. Some small scholarships are also available. Click below for more details.