PhD Course Sequence

*Econ 5090, Introduction to Mathematical Economics, is a course which begins approximately a week before regular fall classes, and is completed in October. During the first week, the course meets twice each weekday. Once the fall semester begins, the course meets twice a week.

Core exams are taken at the end of May, following completion of first-year classes. The exams are offered again in early August for any student required to retake one or more.

During their second year, students are required to take the following courses, with a total of 12 credits each semester. 

1. One Econometrics class--8710 or 8720--in either the fall or the spring (3 credits). 

2. Two courses in each of two fields (12 credits). For instance, if your fields are Labor and Public, you would take one Labor and one Public field course in the fall, and a second Labor and second Public field course in the spring. 

3. Three electives (9 credits). Courses taken outside the Economics Department require approval from the DGS.

A sample schedule is below.

For information on Field Courses see: http://economics.virginia.edu/phd-structure (“Fields of Concentration”)

1. Research Methods in Economics (Econ 8991), 3 credits each semester

2. At least one 3-credit Economics workshop each semester.

3. Econ 9998 (Fall) or 9999 (Spring), Non-topical research, variable as needed to total 12 credits (full-time enrollment)
 for the semester. Econ 9998 (with the DGS as instructor) is taken after completing the field requirement, and before a dissertation reader has been approved. By the Spring semester, two faculty members must have agreed to serve as the student's dissertation advisors. From this point forward, students will register for Econ 9999 with the primary advisor as the instructor.

Econ 9999, Non-topical Research, 12 credits. Doctoral research under the supervision of primary dissertation reader.