Admission Requirements

For admission to the doctoral program, candidates are expected to attain a GRE score of 302 (current scale) or 1100 (former scale) or better. Students entering the Ph.D. program in economics must hold a baccalaureate degree.

Application Procedures

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.

Applicant must

1. submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.shtml);
2. submit official scores on the General Record Examination (GRE);
3. submit official transcripts of all previous college work.

Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy in Economics requires students entering with a baccalaureate degree to complete a minimum of 64 semester hours, including a minimum of 51 hours of formal coursework, a one-credit hour economics workshop (two presentations), and 12 hours of dissertation research. Of the total 64 hours, at least 43 hours must be at the 7000 level.

Students must complete the Qualifying Examination . Competency in economic theory is tested by qualifying examinations in microeconomics and macroeconomics at the end of the student’s first year of study. A major field examination and either a minor field exam or an econometrics exam will test a candidate’s competency in two applied fields. These field examinations will be taken after completion of all the course requirements for the specific field. A field consists of a minimum of two doctoral-level (7000-level) courses plus electives as advised by the field coordinators. The field requirements are listed below.

Candidates must successfully defend a dissertation prospectus and, upon approval by the candidate’s dissertation committee, prepare a dissertation. The student is responsible for contacting a Ph.D. faculty member about becoming the chair of the student’s dissertation committee. The chair will suggest other potential committee members.

After completion of the dissertation, the candidate is given an oral examination dealing with the structure and content of the dissertation.The candidate will be notified in writing of the committee’s approval of the dissertation.

Curriculum: Economics

 Candidate must complete 64 hours in the following course of study:

Program Notes

On matriculation, students will complete a degree plan. The Ph.D. advisor must approve the degree plan. In some cases, it may be possible to complete the program on a part-time basis, but the program is designed for full-time students.

Up to 12 semester hours of formal coursework may be applied toward the minimum of 51 hours of formal coursework for students entering with an M.A. in economics.

Candidate must

1. file a degree plan prior to the completion of 21 credit hours (in consultation with graduate advisor);
2. file a Notice of Intent to Graduate form in the College of Graduate Studies within the first two weeks of the term in which the student intends to graduate.