Contact Info

Phone:	314-935-5670
Email:	economics@wustl.edu
Website:	http://economics.wustl.edu/graduate

Doctoral Candidacy

To earn a PhD at Washington University, a student must complete all courses required by their department; maintain satisfactory academic progress; pass certain examinations; fulfill residence and Mentored Experience Requirements; write, defend, and submit a dissertation; and apply to graduate via Workday Student. For the details of doctoral degree general requirements in Arts & Sciences, including an explanation of Satisfactory Academic Progress, students should review the Doctoral Degree Academic Information page of the Arts & Sciences Bulletin.

Program Requirements

• Total Units Required: 30 (Note: Remission applies for a maximum of 72 graduate-level units.)
• Degree Length: 5 years
  • Note: Students must be enrolled in 9 graduate credits each semester to retain full-time status. As students complete their course work, if enrolled in fewer than 9 graduate credits, they must enroll in a specific Arts & Sciences graduate course that will show 0 units but does count as full-time status. Students should connect with their department to ensure proper enrollment prior to Add/Drop.
• Grade Requirement: A minimum grade of B- is required for coursework to count toward the degree.

PhD in Economics

General Course Requirements

The PhD in Economics takes five years to complete and requires at least 30 units of 5000-level courses with a 3.0 grade point average. Students may transfer up to 10 units of graduate credits completed elsewhere, but they are advised to make such a transfer only after consultation with the director of graduate studies.

Courses taken must include the following:

1. Microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory: 12 units (ECON 8010 Microeconomics I, ECON 8011 Microeconomics II, ECON 8020 Macroeconomics I, ECON 8021 Macroeconomics II); and
2. Quantitative methods and econometrics: 9 units (ECON 8710 Quantitative Methods I, ECON 8111 Quantitative Methods II, ECON 8110 Applied Econometrics).

A Typical Chronology of PhD Study

Qualifying Examinations

Progress toward the PhD is contingent upon the student passing examinations that are variously called preliminary, qualifying, general, comprehensive, or major field exams. The qualifying process varies according to the program. In some programs, it consists of a series of incremental, sequential, and cumulative exams over a considerable time. In others, the exams are held during a relatively short period of time. Exams may be replaced by one or more papers. The program, which determines the structure and schedule of the required examinations, is responsible for notifying the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, of the student’s outcome, whether successful or unsuccessful.

In economics, students must qualify to advance to the dissertation stage in each of three core fields: microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. In each field, students may qualify by achieving an A- or higher in their first-year coursework, or through a qualifying exam. Exams are given in August at the beginning of the second year, with a second attempt available in January. 

Mentored Experience Requirements

Doctoral students at Washington University must complete a department-defined Mentored Experience. The Mentored Experience Requirement is a doctoral degree requirement that is notated on the student’s transcript when complete. Each department has an established Mentored Experience Implementation Plan in which the number of units that a student must earn through Mentored Teaching Experience(s) and/or Mentored Professional Experience(s) is defined. The Mentored Experience Implementation Plans outline how doctoral students within the discipline will be mentored to achieve competencies in teaching at basic and advanced levels. Some departments may elect to include Mentored Professional Experiences as an avenue for completing some units of the Mentored Experience Requirement. Doctoral students will enroll in ASGS 8005, 8010, or 8015 Mentored Teaching Experience - Assistant in Instruction; ASGS 8020 Mentored Teaching Experience - Mentored Independent Teaching; or ASGS 8120 Mentored Professional Experience to signify their progression toward completing the overall Mentored Experience Requirement for the degree.

The Doctoral Dissertation

A Research Advisory Committee (RAC) must be created no later than the end of the student's third year; departments may set shorter timelines (e.g., by the end of the student's second year) for this requirement. As evidence of the mastery of a specific field of knowledge and of the capacity for original scholarly work, each candidate must complete a dissertation that is approved by their RAC.

A Title, Scope & Procedure Form for the dissertation must be signed by the committee members and by the program chair. It must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, at least six months before the degree is expected to be conferred or before the beginning of the fifth year of full-time enrollment, whichever is earlier.

A Doctoral Dissertation Guide and a Dissertation Template that give instructions regarding the format of the dissertation are available on the website of the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Both should be read carefully at every stage of dissertation preparation.

The Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences, requires each student to make the full text of the dissertation available to the committee members for their review at least one week before the defense. Most degree programs require two or more weeks for the review period; students should check with their faculty.

The Dissertation Defense

Approval of the written dissertation by the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) is strongly recommended before the student can orally defend the dissertation. The Doctoral Dissertation Committee that examines the student during the defense consists of at least five members. Normally, the members of the RAC also serve on the Doctoral Dissertation Committee. The dissertation committee is then additionally augmented to ensure that the following criteria are met:

1. Three of the five members (or a similar proportion of a larger committee) must be full-time Washington University in St. Louis faculty members or, for programs involving Washington University in St. Louis-affiliated partners, full-time members of a Washington University in St. Louis-affiliated partner institution. All members must be authorized to supervise PhD students and have appropriate expertise in the proposed field of study. One of these three members must be the PhD student's primary thesis advisor, and one may be a member of the emeritus faculty.
2. All other committee members must be active in research/scholarship and have appropriate expertise in the proposed field of study whether at Washington University in St. Louis, at another university, in government, or in industry.
3. At least one of the five members must bring expertise outside of the student's field of study to the committee, as judged by the relevant department/program and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

The approval processes outlined in the RAC section of the Doctoral Council bylaws also apply to the doctoral dissertation committee, including approval of each dissertation committee by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

The student is responsible for making the full text of the dissertation accessible to their committee members for their review in advance of the defense according to program rules. Washington University in St. Louis community members and guests of the student who are interested in the subject of the dissertation are normally welcome to attend all or part of the defense but may ask questions only at the discretion of the committee chair. Although there is some variation among degree programs, the defense ordinarily focuses on the dissertation itself and its relation to the student's field of expertise.

Attendance by a minimum of four members of the Doctoral Dissertation Committee, including the committee chair and an outside member, is required for the defense to take place. This provision is designed to permit the student's defense to proceed in case of a situation that unexpectedly prevents one of the five members from attending. Students should not plan in advance to only have four members in attendance. If four members cannot attend, the defense must be rescheduled. The absence of all outside members or of the committee chair also requires rescheduling the defense.

Students, with the support of their Doctoral Dissertation Committee chair, may opt to hold their dissertation defense in person or by utilizing a virtual or hybrid format.

Submission of the Dissertation

After the defense, the student must submit an electronic copy of the dissertation online to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. The submission website requires students to choose among publishing and copyrighting services offered by ProQuest’s ETD Administrator. Students are asked to submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates separately. The degree program is responsible for delivering the final approval form, signed by the committee members at the defense and then by the program chair or director, to the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences. Students who defend their dissertations successfully have not yet completed their PhD requirements; they finish earning their degree only when their electronic dissertation submission has been accepted by the Office of Graduate Studies, Arts & Sciences.

Master's Degree Along the Way/
In Lieu of a PhD

Students who do not pass preliminary qualifications are usually eligible for a master's degree based on coursework, in lieu of a PhD.

As part of their degree requirements, PhD students must complete a program-defined Mentored Experience Requirement (MER) as per these guidelines. The Mentored Experience Implementation Plan (MEIP) is the written articulation of a program-defined degree requirement for PhD students to engage in mentored teaching activities and/or mentored professional activities, collectively referred to as MERs.

Mentored Experience Requirements (MERs)

Philosophy of Teaching

The aspiration of many of our PhD students is to become tenure-track assistant professors immediately following graduate school. Along with research, teaching is an important component of their future jobs. Thus, training PhD students as teachers (as well as researchers) is important both for postgraduate job placement as well as for ensuring continued success in the postgraduate placement. The communication skills gained through teaching are important in any career. Teaching any subject is also an invaluable way to sharpen one's expertise.

Preparatory Engagement

Preparatory Engagement activities are those that represent an introduction to the foundational skills associated with teaching or communication. Pedagogical preparation engagement activities are normally completed before students are permitted to engage in assisting or teaching in a classroom.

Economics requires three preparatory activities for their PhD students:

1. Before the first semester of serving in an Assistant in Instruction (AI) role, the student will participate in at least one graduate-student focused workshop hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). (For most students, participation in at least one workshop will occur during the first year of the PhD program or during the summer between the first and second years.)
2. The student will attend the CTL's Graduate Student Mentored Teaching Orientation (in August of the second year of the PhD program) and engage with the associated digital resources on Canvas provided by the CTL.
3. The student will attend the Department of Economics' orientation meeting for second-year PhD students.

Mentored Teaching Experiences (MTEs)

Assistant in Instruction (AI)

An Assistant in Instruction (AI) is a PhD student who is directly engaged in the organization, instruction, and/or support of a semester-long course primarily taught by a faculty member. An AI receives mentorship from a faculty member related to best practices in classroom engagement, instruction in the field, interpersonal engagement, and other relevant skills. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each AI experience. To complete each AI assignment and to ensure that it applies toward their degree requirements, students must register for the appropriate course number for each semester of engagement. Refer to the "Required Pathways for Completion" section below for course numbers and details.

Typically, graduate students serving in an AI role will have 10 MER units per semester (up to a maximum of 60 MER units). Students usually are assigned an AI role for each semester of their second, third, and fourth years of study.

Whether an assignment is full time (10 MER units) or half time (5 MER units) depends on the enrollment in the course and in the course demands of the AI. Generally, graduate students serving in an AI role will have 10 MER units per semester, comprised of a full-time AI role or two half-time AI roles.

• 10 MER units means that the student is an AI for a single course.
• 5 MER units means that a student is a half-time AI. Generally, a student will have two half-time assignments during a given semester.

PhD students can serve as AIs in almost any course offered by the department, as long as they have the necessary prerequisite knowledge and have been approved for the role by the supervising faculty mentor.

Typical AI duties include (but are not limited to) tutoring via office hours, leading review sessions, providing logistical support for the course, answering student questions about the course or assignments, managing Canvas, grading and evaluating assignments, grading exams, preparing and assigning assessments, and administering/proctoring quizzes or exams.

Mentored Independent Teaching (MIT)

MIT is a semester-long experience for PhD students who engage as the primary instructor or co-instructor of a course under the mentorship of a faculty member as part of the MER. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each MIT experience. To complete each MIT assignment and to ensure that it applies toward their degree requirements, students must register for the appropriate course number (ASGS 8020) for each semester of engagement. Refer to the "Required Pathways for Completion" section below for more details.

If a PhD student independently teaches a 3-unit, full-semester course, then this will be counted as 20 MER units. 

One section of a half-semester course will be counted as 5 MER units and will be reported under AI in Workday. Available courses for this option include the following:

• ECON 4830
• ECON 4840
• ECON 4841
• ECON 4850
• ECON 6850

Required Pathways for Completion

Students work with their faculty mentor and their Director of Graduate Studies to plan how and when they will complete their MERs. Students register during the normal registration period for courses in accordance with one of these approved pathways.

• Preparatory Engagement, plus one of the following pathways:

Pathway #1

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8010	Take six times

Pathway #2

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take two times
ASGS 8010	Take five times

Pathway #3

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take four times
ASGS 8010	Take four times

Pathway #4

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take six times
ASGS 8010	Take three times

Pathway #5

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take eight times
ASGS 8010	Take two times

Pathway #6

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take ten times
ASGS 8010	Take one time

Pathway #7

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take twelve times

Pathway #8

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8010	Take four times
ASGS 8020	Take one time

Pathway #9

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take two times
ASGS 8010	Take three times
ASGS 8020	Take one time

Pathway #10

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take four times
ASGS 8010	Take two times
ASGS 8020	Take one time

Pathway #11

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take six times
ASGS 8010	Take one time
ASGS 8020	Take one time

Pathway #12

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take eight times
ASGS 8020	Take one time

Pathway #13

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take six times
ASGS 8010	Take one time
ASGS 8020	Take two times

Pathway #14

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8010	Take two times
ASGS 8020	Take two times

Pathway #15

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take four times
ASGS 8020	Take two times

Optional Activity: Teaching Intensive Pathway (TIP)

The TIP is an optional pathway for those students whose career interests lie in academia or another field that would benefit from extended teaching experiences. This immersive experience allows students to further explore the breadth and depth of teaching best practices and pedagogy related to their respective field. Students who are interested in participating in this elective experience must formally request to participate, which is subject to program approval. Due to this experience being an elective, unpaid experience, students who participate in the TIP will not receive compensation.

Students can teach a department-approved semester-long undergraduate course independently for 20 MER units.

Students can teach a department-approved, partial-semester course for 5 MER units per section. Available courses for this option include ECON 4830, ECON 4840, ECON 4841, ECON 4850, and ECON 6850.

Optional Pathways A-C

Pathway A

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8020	Take two times

Pathway B

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take four times
ASGS 8020	Take one time

Pathway C

UG Spanish Seminar

ASGS 8005	Take eight times

Optional Activity: Professional Intensive Pathway (PIP)

The PIP is an optional pathway for those students whose career interests lie outside of academia or who want to benefit from mentored professional experiences (MPEs). An MPE is an unpaid professional experience for PhD students that allows students to develop skills and experiences relevant to their intended career outcomes. Students and mentors complete a mentorship plan prior to the start of each MPE. Students who are interested in participating in this elective experience must formally request to participate, which is subject to program approval. Due to this experience being an elective, unpaid experience, students who participate in the PIP will not receive compensation. 

Students take one MPE for 20 MER units and work with their graduate supervisor for permission.

Optional Pathway D

UG Spanish Seminar

LGS 8120	Take one time