Graduate School Bulletin

Admission requirements of the Economics Department

All first year courses in the PhD program are mandatory and follow a two semester sequence, while the first semester courses of the MA program are also mandatory. Thus both programs admit students only for the Fall semester unless they have taken PhD level courses in another university. Minimum requirements to be considered for admission, in addition to the minimum Graduate School requirements, are as follows, although exceeding these requirements increases the probability of admission:

A. A bachelor’s degree, with an average of at least B in the undergraduate major subject, which need not be economics. Applicants with majors in mathematics, the physical sciences, or engineering are encouraged.

B. At least one year of introductory differential and integral calculus and at least one semester of linear algebra in courses whose level is that required for physics majors in research universities with proficiency demonstrated by a grade of at least B in the courses. Additional semesters of multivariate calculus are highly recommended. Further mathematics such as real analysis and topology are very helpful.

C. Letters of recommendation from three instructors or academic advisors. The referees should be able to evaluate the mathematical preparation and ability of the applicant.

D. Submission of results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (verbal, quantitative, and analytical parts). Applicants with quantitative scores below the 80th percentile are generally not admitted.

E. For foreign students, provide scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the IELTS. However, if you have a degree (high school diploma, bachelor's, master's, or PhD) from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction, or if you have worked as a Teaching Assistant at an English-speaking institution, this requirement may be waived.

Students should be aware that admitted students generally exceed these requirements. However, students who do not meet or exceed all these requirements may apply if they think that their preparation as a whole shows they are capable of succeeding in the graduate program.