The requirements for the Ph.D. degree fall into four basic categories. These are course work, comprehensive examinations, the dissertation and a residence requirement. The Department does not have a foreign language requirement.
Course Work
The course requirements consist of a first-year core curriculum, eight second-year electives and a teaching/internship requirement. The core curriculum consists of core courses in microtheory (EC 740, 741), macrotheory (EC 750, 751), mathematics for economists (EC 720), statistics (EC 770) and econometrics (EC 771). The second year is devoted to electives. In addition to the Department's own electives, students may take courses in the Carroll School of Management's Ph.D. program in finance, and in other departments of Boston College. Boston College is involved in a consortium arrangement with Boston University, Brandeis University, and Tufts University whereby students at one institution may cross-register for one course per term at any other. Requests for transfer of credits earned at other institutions or for acceptance of courses taken in other departments of Boston College are handled on an individual basis. Our general policy is to accept course work taken outside the Department only if the work is judged to be comparable in quality to our own and appropriate for a Ph.D. in economics.
Comprehensive Exams
All students are required to pass written comprehensive examinations in microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, and in two of the following fields:
Econometric Theory
Advanced Micro Theory
Advanced Macro Theory
Applied Econometrics
International Economics
International Trade and Development
Public Sector Economics
Labor Economics
Industrial Organization
Monetary Economics
Finance
Each exam is based on a two-course sequence on the subject matter. The micro and macro comprehensives are offered twice a year in late May and late August. Students generally take them immediately after the first year and begin to write field comprehensives at the end of the second year. Please consult the "Information for Doctoral Students" brochure for specific details of the comprehensive fields.
Dissertation
The third year of study is devoted to the formulation and development of a thesis topic, with attendance at the weekly dissertation seminar. The thesis is written under the supervision of a committee of three faculty members: a director chosen by the student and two readers agreed upon by the student and the director. The thesis is approved when it is successfully defended before the committee in an oral examination. As in any Ph.D. program, the ultimate time to completion varies considerably. The department expects every student to be well-prepared to enter the job market in January of the fifth year of full-time study. Although there are exceptions, students should expect to spend a minimum of four years of full-time study in order to complete the degree.
Economics Practicum
As of September 1, 2004, all students in the Ph.D. program must either teach one economics course (undergraduate or graduate) outside of Boston College or hold an off-campus internship position (paid or unpaid) for the duration of at least one but not more than two semesters. To fulfill this three-credit requirement, students enroll in EC798, Economics Practicum (Teaching/Internship). Only the Director of Graduate Studies may waive this requirement.
Residence Requirement
Each Ph.D. student must spend at least one academic year as a full-time student at Boston College.
