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Ph.D. in Economics Course Requirements
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Requirements and Regulations Specific to the Degree:

  1. Program of Study

    A program of study indicating how the student will fulfill each of the degree requirements must be approved by the student's doctoral coordinator by the end of the first semester of enrollment. This program of study becomes part of the student's file; it may be revised, as appropriate, but must be kept current, as it will be a key factor in determining satisfactory progress in the program. Fifty-seven semester hours of course work, as a minimum, must be successfully completed for graduation. When feasible, registration in 12 hours per semester is encouraged; at a minimum, students must register for nine hours per semester (excluding summer session). Information on this requirement and program of study forms may be obtained from the Office of Academic Assistance.

    The following courses may not be used for degree credit toward the Ph.D. in Economics: Econ 8060, Econ 8080, Econ 8150, Econ 8180, Econ 8220, Econ 8850, Econ 8860, and Econ 8700.

  2. Foundation Coursework

    Students entering the doctoral program are presumed to have background and current knowledge in the following areas:

    • multivariable calculus including integrals, partial derivatives and infinite series
    • matrix algebra including linear transformations, determinants and inverses
    • computer skills for empirical research including statistical packages and the use of data tapes and files
    • macroeconomics and microeconomics through the intermediate level

    Students may remedy a deficiency in any or all of these areas by taking credit or noncredit courses, auditing appropriate graduate or undergraduate classes, and/or attending tutorial sessions. Students who believe their background is not adequate may consult with the doctoral coordinator or Office of Academic Assistance for recommendations on overcoming deficiencies. Courses at the university that provide these foundations are as follows:

    • multivariable calculus
      Econ 6030 (3 hrs) or Math 2215 (4 hrs) or DSc 8070 (3 hrs)
    • matrix algebra
      Econ 6030 (3 hrs) or Math 3435 (3 hrs) or DSc 8070 (3 hrs)
    • computer skills/data files
      BA 6000 (2 hrs)
    • macroeconomics
      Econ 3900 (3 hrs)
    • microeconomics
      Econ 3910 or MBA 8403 (3 hrs)

  3. Areas of Study

    Students are required to take coursework in the following areas of study:

    1. Economic Theory and History
          Semester Hours
      1. Economic Theory:
      Econ 8100, Econ 8110, Econ 8120, Econ 8130, Econ 9070
      15
      2. History of Economic Thought:
      Econ 8500
      3
         
      18

    2. Mathematical and Statistical Tools
          Semester Hours
      1. Mathematics for Economists:
      Econ 8030 or, designated alternative specified by doctoral coordinator
      3
      2. Mathematical Statistics:
      Econ 8730
      3
      3. Econometrics:
      Econ 8750
      Students may not enroll for courses which satisfy this requirement until the program of study is approved.
      3
      4. Advanced Econometrics: Econ 8760
      3
         
      12

    3. Applied Economics. A minimum of three courses (9 hours) must be completed in the area of applied economics, chosen from:
    4. Elective Fields. Each doctoral student must complete a minimum of three courses (9 hours) in one of the following areas:

      • Environmental Economics
      • Experimental Economics
      • Labor Economics
      • Public Finance
      • Urban and Regional Economics

      The courses available in these fields are listed below.

      Environmental Economics:

      • Econ 9310 Environmental and Resource Economics I
      • Econ 9320 Environmental and Resource Economics II
      • Choose one of the following:
        • Econ 8230 Experimental Economics, or
        • A course approved by the environmental committee

      Experimental Economics:

      • Econ 9340 - Experimental Economics
      • Econ 9180 - Economics of Uncertainty or 9190 - Applied Game Theory or an alternative approved by the chair of the student's dissertation committee.
      • Econ 9940 - Workshop in Experimental Economics


      Labor Economics:

      • Econ 9220 Advanced Labor Economics
      • Econ 9230 Topics in Advanced Labor Economics
      • Choose one of the following:
        • Econ 8770 Topics in Econometrics, or
        • HRM 9800 Seminar in Human Resource Management, or
        • A course broadly related to labor economics, subject to the approval of the labor committee

      Public Finance:

      • Econ 9450 Advanced Public Economics I
      • Econ 9460 Advanced Public Economics II
      • Choose one of the following:
        • Econ 8450 Issues in Public Programs and Tax Policy, or
        • Econ 8460 Economics of the State and Local Public Sector, or
        • Econ 8470 International Public Economics

      Urban and Regional Economics:


      Field requirements are determined by the faculty field committees in consultation with the Graduate Committee and will typically consist of three courses.

    5. Secondary Field. A minimum of two courses (six hours) will be selected by the student with approval from the doctoral coordinator. The two courses must fit together in one of the sub-disciplines of economics. There is no comprehensive exam required for this secondary field.

    6. Dissertation Research. All doctoral students must register for a minimum of 3 credit hours of Econ 9510, Dissertation Workshop.

  4. Required Examinations

    1. Theory. Written examinations in macroeconomic and microeconomic theory must be completed successfully by each student. Students will be expected to take these examinations at the end of the theory sequence. This requirement must be satisfactorily completed within one year after completion of the prescribed coursework in economic theory. Each examination (micro and macro) will be offered once each year, with the provision for a reexamination determined by the committee.

      Students will not be permitted a second attempt to pass each theory examination except upon recommendation, by majority vote, of the group of faculty members who graded the examination. A maximum of two attempts is permitted to pass each examination.

    2. Elective Fields. Students must successfully complete a written examination in one elective field. This examination must be taken at the first time it is offered following completion of all field-related coursework.

      Students will not be permitted a second attempt to pass the field examination except upon recommendation, by majority vote, of the group of faculty members who graded the examination. A maximum of two attempts is permitted.


  5. Regulations for the Degree
    1. Transfer Credit. A maximum of 15 semester hours may be transferred from other institutions. Transfer credit, whether from other institutions or from Georgia State University, must have been completed within five years of the semester of entry to the doctoral program. The course must have been limited to graduate students only and a grade of A or B must have been received.

      At the time the program of study is planned with the doctoral coordinator, the student who requests transfer credit must submit a course description from the catalog of the institution, a syllabus or course outline, and written justification stating why the course is relevant to the program of study. Final approval for the acceptance of transfer credit rests with the doctoral coordinator and the Office of Academic Assistance.

    2. Scholastic Warning and Termination. The doctoral grade-point average (GPA) is defined as the GPA for all courses numbered 6000 or higher taken after admission to the doctoral program which apply toward the degree as listed on the program of study. Each student must maintain a 3.00 doctoral GPA (B average). A student whose doctoral GPA falls below 3.00 is on "scholastic warning." After being placed on scholastic warning, a student must attain a 3.00 doctoral GPA within two consecutive semesters; otherwise the individual will be terminated from the doctoral program. The doctoral GPA could differ from the GPA calculated by the university and reported on the student's official transcript, since the university GPA could also include the grades from any graduate courses numbered 6000 or above taken at Georgia State University before admission to the doctoral program.

      No student will be permitted to sit for any examination required for the doctoral degree, other than course examinations, without having a minimum 3.00 doctoral program GPA at the time the examination is to be taken. A student with a doctoral GPA below 3.00 is ineligible for graduate assistantship appointments as either a GRA or GTA. A student who has been terminated from the doctoral program will not be permitted to reapply or reenter the program.

    3. Standards of Performance. The requirements and regulations listed in this catalog refer to minimum standards of performance. The department may have additional requirements, as set forth in writing, that exceed the minimum standards outlined here. If a student fails to meet these additional requirements, either the department or the doctoral coordinator may require that the student withdraw from doctoral study. To continue in the program, a student must make reasonable and timely progress toward the degree in terms of course work completed and examinations.

    4. Petitions. Where a student believes that unusual circumstances invalidate any of the regulations or requirements relating to the degree in his or her particular case, the student may write to the doctoral coordinator and request exemption from or change in the policy. The petition by the student must be submitted with accompanying justifications. If the doctoral coordinator supports the request, he or she will write a letter of support for the student and submit the material to the Office of Academic Assistance for a decision in consultation with the associate dean.

    5. Continuous Registration. Beginning with the semester of acceptance, a doctoral student must register for a minimum of nine hours a semester (excluding summer session) until graduation. Econ 9000, Doctoral Research, may be used to satisfy this requirement until the student has passed the theory and field examinations. Econ 9500, Dissertation Research, may be used to satisfy this requirement once the student has passed the field examination. Students who fail to meet the continuous registration requirements are subject to withdrawal from the program.

    6. The Dissertation. The purpose of the dissertation is for the Ph.D. candidate to demonstrate his or her ability to conduct a research program leading to a significant contribution to the candidate's discipline.

    7. The Dissertation Committee. After successfully completing the three qualifying examinations, the student forms a Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee consists of a chair plus a minimum of three members. The expectation is that one of the committee members should be from outside the department. The committee, and any subsequent change in its membership, is appointed by the Office of Academic Assistance, based on the recommendation of the doctoral coordinator. As the student develops an interest in a potential dissertation topic, he or she should discuss this topic with individual faculty members, both to determine the topic's feasibility and merit and the faculty members' interest and expertise in that area. When the student is ready to begin initial work on the dissertation, he or she should first discuss with the doctoral coordinator who among the faculty would be the most appropriate person to serve as chair of the dissertation committee. Only after the doctoral coordinator has agreed with the choice should the student invite the faculty member to chair the committee. Once the dissertation chair has been chosen, the chair, in consultation with the student, will recommend the selection of three additional committee members to the doctoral coordinator.

    8. The Dissertation Proposal Defense. Prior to admission to candidacy for the degree, a dissertation proposal defense must be held. After the student completes a written proposal that the Dissertation Committee judges to be ready for a final defense, a dissertation proposal defense will be held before the Dissertation Committee and readers. The readers are three or more faculty members who are not members of the student's Dissertation Committee. The student, in consultation with his or her Dissertation Committee chair, will recommend three readers to the doctoral coordinator, and subsequently the Office of Academic Assistance, for approval.

      The student's dissertation proposal should include a summary of the following: the purpose of the study; the nature of the subject to be investigated and its importance; a brief review of the literature; the theory, if any, to be developed; the empirical methodology, techniques, and data sources, if any, to be used; the nature of the hypotheses to be developed or tested; and a time frame for completion of the dissertation. Normally the proposal should not exceed 40 pages.

      The proposal defense will be open to all interested faculty and doctoral students and will be announced two weeks prior to the date it is scheduled so that interested faculty and students may attend. After the proposal defense has been held, the committee members and readers will vote to determine if the student is deemed to have a satisfactory research topic. A unanimous decision by the student's Dissertation Committee and a majority decision by the readers is required. The approving members and readers will sign the dissertation proposal defense approval form.

      Submission of the approval form does not constitute a contractual agreement between the student and the Dissertation Committee. It is within the scope and function of the Dissertation Committee to recommend modifications to the research as it proceeds. Upon submission of the proposal defense approval form, the student is admitted to candidacy for the degree.

    9. Final Dissertation Defense and Graduation. When the candidates's Dissertation Committee judges that the dissertation is complete, it must be defended orally in a final dissertation defense. At least two weeks in advance of the final dissertation defense, an abstract of the dissertation should be submitted to the Office of Academic Assistance and an announcement will be made to all academic units regarding the scheduling of the candidate's dissertation defense. While any interested faculty member or graduate student may attend the examination and participate in the discussion, only those individuals who are members of the candidate's Dissertation Committee may vote on the dissertation's approval or disapproval. Upon successful defense of the dissertation, a dissertation defense approval form will be signed by the members of the Dissertation Committee and submitted to the Office of Academic Assistance. Unanimous approval is required.

      Six weeks prior to graduation, the candidate must submit a copy of the dissertation the candidate believes is in final form to the Office of Academic Assistance. After the dissertation has been reviewed by the Office of Academic Assistance and the final oral has been held, the candidate will make any recommended changes to the dissertation. For graduation, three final copies of the dissertation must be submitted to the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies by the Wednesday prior to the commencement ceremony. Guidelines for the dissertation are available from the Office of Academic Assistance.

    10. Time Limits for the Degree. These time limits should be interpreted as the maximum amount of time students may take to complete each of the degree requirements. It is anticipated that most students will complete the requirements much earlier than the maximum time limits specified below:

      1. All course work on the program of study and required theory and field examinations must be completed within four years from the semester of entry into the doctoral program.

      2. The Dissertation Committee must be appointed, the dissertation proposal defense must be held and approved within one year after completion of the theory and field examinations.

      3. All requirements for the degree, including the dissertation, must be completed within seven years from the semester of entry into the doctoral program.

Placement of Doctoral Graduates in Economics

Georgia State University doctoral graduates have taken positions in academia, government and business. Our graduates have taught at universities and colleges such as Agnes Scott College, Auburn University, Babson College, Converse College, Clemson University, Clark College, Emory University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Howard University, Ithaca College, Kennesaw State University, Marshall University, Mercer University, Northeastern Louisiana University, North Dakota University, North Texas State University, Pennsylvania State University, St. Cloud University, St. John's University, Southern Institute of Technology, Spelman College, Texas A&M University, Tulane University, University of Minnesota, University of Redlands, University of South Florida, University of South Colorado, West Virginia University and Wright State University.

Graduates have also taken positions in the private sector at major organizations such as BellSouth Corp., NationsBank, E.F. Hutton and the Florida Power and Light Company.

Research positions in government agencies, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the Office of Tax Analysis, the U.S. Treasury and the U. S. Army Research Institute are held by our graduates.

Recent Dissertation Topics in Economics:

  • Alcohol Taxes, Prices and Consumption: Drunk Driving Fatalities
  • Availability of Credit to Businesses
  • Gender Differences in the Early Earnings of a Cohort of MBAs
  • The Impact of Spatial Mismatch on Female Labor Supply
  • Are Black Communities Truly Underserved? An Analysis of Retail Markets and Service Industries in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area
  • Consumer Demand and Tax Policy as Sources of Sales Tax Revenue Performance
  • The Relationship Between Job Search Strategy and Job Search Outcome
  • Do States Over or Under Apportion Corporate Income
  • An Analysis of the Determinants of Enrollment Intensity and Labor Force Participation of Students Attending Publicly Funded Commuter Colleges
  • Net Fiscal Incidence at the Regional Level: A Computable General Equilibrium Model with Voting
  • Quality of Human Capital and Black-White Youth Earnings
  • The Response of Race/Gender Groups to Occupational Characteristics:1968-1993
  • The Effect of Medical Malpractice on the Productivity of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  • Relative Regional Employment Growth: The Role of Differentials in Returns to Capital
  • The Scope Test Reconsidered: Theory and Experimental Evidence
  • Do Dirty Industries Migrate?: A Case Study of Plant and Additions in the Pulp and Paper Industry
  • Taxation in a Deregulated Local Telecommunications Industry: An Applied General Equilibrium Analysis Profile of Accepted Applicants: Ph.D.-Economics

To provide guidance in assessing your possibility of admission to the Ph.D. program in Economics, a profile of those applicants accepted in Fall of 2000 follows. Meeting this profile will not guarantee admission. Admission is not precluded if the profile is not met. This profile is provided to encourage you to consult with the Office of Academic Assistance or the doctoral coordinator prior to submission of your application if you have concerns regarding the competitiveness of your academic credentials.

Scores Averaged

Verbal Quantitative GRE: 77% 78% GMAT: 75% 85% Undergraduate Grade Point Average: 3.20 Graduate Grade Point Average: 3.61 TOEFL: 630 (paper-based test

 

 

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