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Head of the Department: Richard Arnould
Associate Head and Director of Graduate Studies: Roger Koenker
330 Wohlers Hall
1206 South Sixth Street
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-0120
Fax: (217) 244-6571
E-mail: econ@uiuc.edu
Graduate Degree Programs
The Department of Economics offers graduate programs leading to the
master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees. The candidate
for a Ph.D. may specialize in the following fields: microeconomic
theory, public finance, monetary theory, international economics,
economic history, labor economics, growth and development, urban and
regional economics, mathematical economics, econometrics, industrial
organization, and law and economics.
Admission
Admission to the Ph.D. program is available only for the fall semester.
In addition to the standard undergraduate preparation in economics,
students are expected to have had at least two semesters of calculus
and one of linear algebra to be admitted to the Ph.D. program. The
results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) should accompany
applications for admission. The Graduate College admission requirements
apply. In addition, international students must submit Test of English
as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) results; if they wish to apply for teaching
assistantships, the Test of Spoken English (TSE) is also required.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate
program and is encouraged as part of the academic work of all Ph.D.
candidates in this program.
Master of Science in Economics with a Specialization in Policy Economics
This is a specially designed, intensive one- to two-year program of
study. It is intended for promising young administrators in government
and private institutions (in both Third World countries and advanced
industrial countries) who need additional training in the areas of
economic analysis and quantitative techniques. Individuals with other
backgrounds and interests may substitute appropriate advanced-level
courses for the core courses listed below.
The program of study in policy economics consists of 40 hours of
graduate coursework. A core of four courses (macroeconomics, microeconomics,
statistics, and applied econometrics) is required of all students
in the program. Beyond that core, students select one field of concentration
from those listed above. An additional four graduate courses are required.
Two of these must be taken in economics and an additional two courses
may be in economics or in other areas. Students normally enter the
program in the fall term.
This required coursework is further enriched through (1) a short course
in computers, to gain skills which are later used in the statistics
and econometrics courses; (2) opportunities to take field trips to
observe financial institutions, commodity exchanges, and the like;
(3) scheduled lectures by outstanding, internationally known economists;
(4) discussion groups and tutoring for participants who are having
difficulty; and (5) program staff assistance with visas, housing,
and other problems.
Tuition and fees for this program are substantially higher than those
in other University programs. No financial aid is available for students
in this program.
Master of Science
A master of arts degree and a master of science degree are available
for students in the Ph.D. program to enable them to earn a master’s
degree as they work toward the Ph.D. degree. Students interested in
a terminal master’s degree are not admitted except into the
Master of Science in Economics with a specialization in Policy Economics.
Doctor of Philosophy
The Ph.D. program requires the completion of 96 gh of study beyond
the bachelor’s degree. Specific requirements include a set of
core courses: 4 gh in mathematics for economists, 12 gh
of microeconomic theory, 8 gh of macroeconomic theory, 12 gh
of statistics and econometrics, and 32 doctoral thesis hours.
Candidates must maintain a grade point average of B+ in the micro,
macro, and statistics core courses. Candidates must also successfully
complete two fields through coursework and/or a written examination.
A research paper is also required. In addition, candidates are required
to give an oral defense of the thesis proposal and pass an oral final
examination covering the research. A student with an appropriate background
who devotes full time to graduate work can complete the Ph.D. degree
in four years beyond the bachelor’s degree. An additional year
or more is sometimes necessary, especially for those holding part-time
assistantships.
Financial Aid
Over the past seven years, the Department of Economics has been able
to offer fellowships or assistantships to most domestic students who
meet the standards for entrance or continuation in the Ph.D. program.
A similar commitment to domestic students is anticipated for the coming
year. Teaching assistantships are generally not given to international
students during their first year unless they have scored at least
50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and have a particularly strong
academic background. |
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