PhD in Economics

Faculty members publish in top academic journals such as: American Economic Review, Econometrica, RAND Journal of Economics, Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economics and Statistics, Journal of International Economics and the Journal of Money Credit and Banking. The School of Economics has 20 tenured/tenure-track faculty members.

This is an official STEM Designated Degree Program.

Each year, three to six PhD students are accepted into this program. This provides a collegial environment in which PhD students have the opportunity to interact with faculty on a daily basis. Beginning the first year, PhD students spend time as research assistants under the supervision of a faculty member. Faculty provide rigorous training on how to conduct high quality independent research and become an effective teacher. They also have the opportunity to take PhD-level courses in related business fields including finance, organization and strategy, decision sciences and marketing.

Admission Requirements

All applicants are required to submit GRE scores. Please note that scores older than five years are not accepted. Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not received a degree from a U.S. university must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). All applicants must submit a personal statement explaining the educational and personal experiences that have influenced their decision to pursue a PhD, as well as future career plans and goals. Faculty members are especially interested in learning about applicants’ research experience and future research interests.

A bachelor’s degree is required for admission. Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for all undergraduate course work and a minimum 3.3 average for any graduate-level coursework. The faculty generally expect applicants to demonstrate a substantially higher level of accomplishment than these minimum requirements.

Two letters of recommendation must be submitted in support of the application. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek recommendations from academics or other professionals who can assess the likelihood of their success in a research-oriented PhD program.

Assistantships and Financial Aid

We strive to provide graduate assistantships to all entering PhD students; each applicant is automatically considered for an assistantship. All first year doctoral students work with a faculty member on research activities. During subsequent years, doctoral students are assigned a combination of teaching and research responsibilities. Assistants receive a stipend and full time tuition remission per academic year. Doctoral students who are making satisfactory progress toward the degree can expect to be provided with an assistantship for up to five years.

Contact Your PhD Coordinator

For inquiries about the LeBow PhD Program in Economics, please email the PhD Coordinator for Economics Marco Airaudo, PhD at ma639@drexel.edu. For general questions about the doctoral programs at LeBow College of Business, email lebowphd@drexel.edu.

PhD in Economics Plan of Study

This highly collaborative program allows you to specialize your area of study as you work toward your dissertation.

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