Becoming an Economist
With a PhD in economics, you can choose to become a college professor or work at the Federal Reserve, international agencies, consulting firms, 私人银行, or other for-profit ventures. Learn more about the economics profession here.
If you are interested in earning a PhD in economics, talk to your academic advisor early in your career. Competitive applicants have strong grades in their intermediate economics and advanced mathematics courses (see Choosing Electives guide for details), as well as research experience. For additional advice, read the following resources:
- Masayuki Kudamatsu’s Tips 4 Economists links to a wide range of excellent resources with tips for applying to graduate school (and beyond).
- Professor Wong's advice for those thinking about a PhD in economics or other quantitative social sciences
- Former Oxy Professor Slavov's tips for applying to PhD Programs in economics
- American Economic Association's resources for preparing for graduate school
You may also want to consider attending one of several summer programs for aspiring PhD Students. 的se programs are designed to help you prepare for graduate school, to connect you with peers and mentors, and to help you decide if graduate school is right for you. 的se programs include:
-
的 AEA Summer Training Program & Scholarship Program. This 8-week intensive residential program "prepares talented undergraduates from under-represented groups for doctoral programs in 经济学 and related disciplines." 的 application deadline is often in January.
-
的 Becker Friedman Institute Summer Institute. This 3-week program aims to increase the diversity of the economics profession by attracting “extraordinary students from colleges and universities around the country who would not otherwise consider studying economics — and to get them excited about this important area of study through exposure to some of the most innovative faculty in the field.” This program is ideal for college students early in their undergraduate educations. 的 application typically opens in December.
PREDOC is a consortium of universities and research institutions providing a pathway into PhDs in the social sciences. In addition to running a summer program, PREDOC also acts as a clearinghouse for research and job opportunities.
Note that most students do not begin PhD programs in economics directly after their undergraduate career. 而不是, students often develop their skills (and learn if a PhD is the right choice for them) by first working as an economics research assistant or analyst, or by participating in a one-year pre-doctoral master's program designed to enrich students' quantitative skills. Common pre-doctoral opportunities include:
- Economic Consulting Firms: 分析组, 贝茨的白色, Brattle集团, Charles River Associates, Compass Lexecon, Cornerstone Research, EconOne, Edgeworth 经济学, 美国国家经济研究协会, Quant 经济学
- Policy 组织: RAND Corporation, 的 Brookings Institution, International Monetary Fund, Peterson Institute for International 经济学
- Federal Reserve Board and Regional Banks
- Research Assistant Positions: Many academic economists hire pre-doctoral researchers for full time employment. Available jobs are posted on the 求职网站 在 Econ RA Twitter Feed.
- One-year Master's in 经济学: University of Wisconsin, University of Texas at Austin, Duke University, Tufts University, 加州大学洛杉矶分校, Washington University, and Vanderbilt University
Recent Oxy Econ 校友 Pursuing PhDs:
- Eva (Yiyun) Wang '18: University of Michigan, 经济学
- 研究所特雷福Osaki '17: UC Santa Barbara, 经济学
- 艾米丽Fallick '16: UC San Diego, 经济学
- 丹尼尔·佩雷斯 '16: UC 洛杉矶, 经济学
- Christina Seyfried '15: Yale, Political Science
- 卡伦Cohane '15: University of Wisconsin, Sociology
- 泰勒拉德勒 '14: University of Michigan, 经济学
- 阿里扎侯赛因 '13: University of Virginia, Education Policy
- 梅根·朗 '13: UC Berkeley, 经济学
- 约瑟夫王寅 '10: University of Oregon, 经济学
- 吉米·吉兰 '08: UC Berkeley, 经济学