Continuing in the Program and Good Academic Standing

The requirements for staying in the Economics PhD program and continuing to receive financial support for those students who are offered it are quite simple.

• • Remain in good academic standing, as defined below.

  • Maintain full-time registration in the Economics PhD program.

  • Perform any job duties in a satisfactory manner.

  • Non-native English speakers must complete the English proficiency requirements detailed in their offer letter by the end of the first year in the program.

Historically, our completion rate has been quite high.  Of 93 students that entered our program between 2000 and 2003, 68 have graduated with a Ph.D., 6 left the program with an MA, 20 transferred to another program and 6 left without a degree.  Three students are still working on their degrees.  The average time to completion was 5.8 years.

It is unusual for students to be terminated in our program.  

The only criteria for dropping students from the program are failure in the preliminary written or oral examinations or failure to complete the dissertation within a reasonable amount of time.  

The few students who leave the program because of inability to do the work generally founder on the written preliminary examinations and leave with an MA.  

Failure of the preliminary oral examination would mean that the committee thought the student's thesis design was ill-conceived and would indicate a severe failure of communication between the student and faculty.  

Our records do not show anyone leaving the program for this reason.  Failure of the final oral examination is theoretically possible but unheard of in practice.

A student whose success appears uncertain based on grades and performance on the preliminary exams will be counseled to leave with an MA and/or transfer to another program.  

We permit students to keep trying until they have reached the limit for passing the exams. 

It is expected that most students will be able to complete the requirements for the Ph.D., including a successful defense of the dissertation, within 5 or at most, 6 years, although exceptions may be made in extenuating circumstances.  

Students who appear to be in danger of exceeding that limit will be asked to submit a plan with both short-term and long-term goals for completing the dissertation to their advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.  

The student is then required to make regular progress reports to his advisor and the DGS.  

If it appears these goals cannot be met, the student will be advised to withdraw from the program and re-enter at such a time that he or she can successfully complete the degree.  

Requests for readmittance are routinely granted, provided the student submits a reasonable plan to complete the degree and have the approval of the dissertation advisor.

Criteria for good academic standing.

Please note that the last day of the academic year is the day before classes start in September.  Therefore the last day of the first year is the day before classes start for the second year.

Second year

During the first year of the program, students must have competed at least five full-semester, advisor-approved courses and have earned a GPA of 3.2 (a low B+) in the economics component of those courses.

Third year

The student must pass the written preliminary exams in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory and one field exam by the end of the second year.

Fourth year

The student must pass the second field exam by the end of the third year.

Fifth year

The student must pass the preliminary oral exam and complete at least 10 thesis credits by the end of the fourth year.

Sixth year and beyond

The student must complete their thesis credits by the end of the fifth year.  

Teaching positions are not normally available for students after the fifth year.  

The decision as to which students receive a limited number depends up on the department's needs, the student's teaching record and the student's progress toward the degree.   

Students are strongly encouraged to seek fellowship support for the fifth and sixth years of the program.