Preparing for a PhD in Economics
A Ph.D. in Economics provides excellent preparation for a variety of jobs in academia, the private sector, governmental bodies such as the Federal Reserve System and specialized regulatory agencies, and international organizations. If you have a passion for using advanced economics methods in the classroom, frontier research, and real-world applications, then pursuing a Ph.D. may be a great choice for you.
For undergraduate students pursuing an Economics degree, it is advisable to supplement regular coursework with additional math preparation beyond the requirements of the ECON B.A. or B.S. Pursuing an additional major or a minor in a quantitative discipline such as Mathematics or Statistics provides valuable groundwork for graduate studies in Economics.
Aspiring Ph.D. applicants are also encouraged to engage in research opportunities, such as working as a research assistant for faculty in the Economics Department, participating in the Undergraduate Research opportunities, or undertaking an honors thesis.
To help you navigate your decision, we encourage you to seek advice from your Professors, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, or the Director of Graduate Studies at a relatively early stage in your undergraduate career.
Course Recommendations
After fulfilling the MATH and STOR requirement for B.S. Econ, the following courses are recommended in order of importance:
- Additional ECON 500-level courses with research-active faculty
- Upper-division MATH and STOR courses (MATH 300a, 500s and STOR 400s, 500s)
- First-year courses in UNC’s ECON Ph.D. Program (ECON 700s)
- Graduate-level MATH and STOR courses (MATH 600s, 700s and STOR 600s)
Please pay attention to pre-requisites as you make your course enrollment plans.