The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Programs.
The requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Program.
Pre-candidacy requirements
Pre-candidacy requirements include satisfactory completion of 48 credits, including 18 credits in required courses and 30 credits in elective courses. Students must also earn a grade of "pass" or "pass with distinction" on each part of the general examination, as outlined below.
General Examination
The General Examination consists of two preliminary examinations—one in microeconomic theory and one in macroeconomic theory—and a research paper proposal. To pass the general examination, students must earn a grade of "pass" or “pass with distinction” in the preliminary examinations, and earn a grade of “pass” or “pass with distinction” on the research paper proposal.
Students who earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the microeconomic theory course sequence (ECON 8301 and ECON 8302) are considered to have earned a grade of "pass" on the preliminary examination in microeconomic theory; students who earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the macroeconomic theory course sequence (ECON 8305 & 8306) are considered to have earned a grade of "pass" on the preliminary examination in macroeconomic theory. Other students must sit the preliminary examinations at the end of the first year.
Students who do not earn a grade of "pass" or "pass with distinction" on both preliminary examinations may, with departmental approval, retake one or both exams before the start of the following semester. Both preliminary examinations must be passed by the second attempt.
Students are also required to earn a grade of "pass" or "pass with distinction" on the research paper proposal, which constitutes the second half of the general examination. Students must submit the research paper proposal by the end of their third year in the program. (Part-time students may submit the research paper proposal in the fourth or fifth year of the program, subject to departmental approval.) Students who do not pass the research paper proposal by the end of the third year must pass it by the end of the following semester.
Post-candidacy requirements
Post-candidacy requirements include successful completion of 24 credits at the 8000 level, the formulation of a dissertation proposal, a formal presentation of the proposal by the student to a potential dissertation committee for approval, and completion of a dissertation that demonstrates the candidate's ability to do original research as determined by the dissertation committee.
The 24 credits must include a minimum of 6 credits in ECON 8999.
Once a student successfully completes 24 credits, they must register for 1 credit in CCAS 0940 each subsequent fall and spring semester until they have successfully defended their dissertation to the dissertation oral examination committee, thereby completing the degree program.
Students may apply for the master of philosophy (MPhil) degree after successfully defending a dissertation proposal.
Time limits
The pre-candidacy stage must be concluded within three years of matriculation in the program; part-time students may conclude the pre-candidacy stage within five years of matriculation, subject to departmental approval. Upon successful completion of pre-candidacy, students are considered for admission to candidacy, i.e., the dissertation stage. The dissertation stage must be completed within five years of entry into candidacy, or within eight years of matriculation in the program, whichever is sooner*.
