economics phd in canada

• Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD)
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The Ph.D. program in economics at UBC owes its strength to the quality of its research faculty, extensive opportunity for student-faculty interaction, and a diverse offering of specializations for thesis work. Our faculty members specialize in a wide range of topics, including development economics, economic history, applied and theoretical econometrics, economics of inequality and gender, environmental economics, industrial organization, international finance, international trade, labour economics, macroeconomics, applied and theoretical micro, political economy, and public economics.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

The Vancouver School of Economics at UBC is one of the world's best: in a recent ranking based on research publications, the department ranked in the top 20 worldwide, and number one in Canada.

Each year, we typically admit about 15 new students to our program. As a result, our program is small enough to provide extensive research supervision, yet large enough to offer expertise in a wide range of fields.

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 93

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is required by some applicants. Please check the program website.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research facilities.

The school houses the Centre for Labour Studies and manages the British Columbia Inter-University Research Data Centre. As a result, unique training opportunities, research funding, and access to data and computing resources are available to our Ph.D. students.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

Virtually all of the School's research faculty hold grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and other funding agencies, implying that opportunities for research assistantships and dissertation support are ample.

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding

• 33 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 33 students was $13,467.
• 17 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 17 students was $13,717.
• 19 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 19 students was $3,513.
• 49 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 49 students was $22,471.
• 3 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 3 students was $30,000.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

76 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 75 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

The market for Ph.D. economists is strong and the School actively supports the placement of our Ph.D. job market candidates. Our students have obtained positions at leading research and teaching universities around the world. A number of graduates also obtained excellent positions at government agencies, central banks, non-governmental organizations, and in the private sector.

At the Vancouver School of Economics, we are dedicated to ensuring the success of our students on the job market.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Economics (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion rates & times.

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Anderson, Siwan (Micro-level institutions, role of gender, studies of rural governments)
• Baylis, Patrick (Economics; Climate Changes and Impacts; Economic Planning of Energy; climate change economics; energy economics; environmental economics)
• Beaudry, Paul (National and International macroeconomic issues, Business cycles, inflation, financial markets, the macro-economic effects of technological change and globalization, and the determinants of aggregate employment and wages)
• Bostanci, Gorkem (Macroeconomics (including monetary and fiscal theory); Industry economics and industrial organization; Firm Dynamics; Input Allocation and Productivity; Labor Demand; intellectual property)
• Copeland, Brian (International trade, environmental economics, interaction between globalization, the environment, and the sustainability of renewable resources)
• Devereux, Michael (Economics, Macro and Monetary Economics Economic Policy, Monetary and Fiscal Policy, Deficits, Exchange Rates, Capital Flows, Financial Crises, International, monetary)
• Drelichman, Mauricio (Economic history, Spain, Argentina)
• Farinha Luz, Vitor (Microeconomic Theory,)
• Ferraz, Claudio (governance and accountability in developing countries; how politics affect public service delivery; the effects of electoral rules on political selection; the role of the state in high crime and violence environments)
• Fortin, Nicole (Wage inequality and its links to labour market institutions and public policies, including higher education policies economic progress of women, gender equality policies, and gender issues in education)
• Francois, Patrick (African Autocracies, Economics of Developing Countries, Indian Village Governance, Macro, development, problems in development economies, political economy and non profits)
• Gallipoli, Giovanni (Macroeconomics (including monetary and fiscal theory); Economic Policies; Economic Phenomena on a National or International Level; Economic Phenomena on an Individual or Organizational Level; applied microeconomics; computational economics; Labor markets; macroeconomics; Consumption theory and measurement; Trade; Insurance)
• Gao, Ying (Microeconomic theory; Signaling Games; Information Design)
• Green, David (Antibiotic Resistance,  Infectious Disease, Epidemiology, Determinants of the wage and employment structure bridging between macro labour and micro labour identification issues)
• Hnatkovska, Viktoriya (International finance, macroeconomics, development economics in India )
• Hoffmann, Florian (Labor Economics, Macro Economics, Income Inequality, Education, Mobility )
• Hwang, Il Myoung (empirical industrial organization and market design; evaluating different school choice mechanisms)
• Jaccard, Torsten (Economics; international trade)
• Juhasz, Reka (Economics; international trade; Economic History; Development and Growth; industrial policy and industrialization)
• Kasahara, Hiroyuki (Econometrics and international trade )
• Lahiri, Amartya (Exchange rates and monetary policy, growth and development, international economics, macroeconomics, and development economics)
• Lemieux, Thomas (labour market issues, Applied, labour, earnings inequality in Canada and other countries I am also interested in econometric methods used to analyze the earnings distribution and regression discontinuity designs)
• Li, Hao (Microeconomic theory, theory of contracts and organizations, and games and decisions )
• Li, Wei (Contract theory, applied game theory, and information economics I am deeply interested in the interaction of information and incentives in various economics and political environments )
• Lowe, Matthew (preference formation; social integration; political selection)

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

• Essays on labor economics and applied econometrics
• Essays in development economics
• Essays in labor economics
• Partition estimation : theory and application
• Essays on household finance
• Trade credit, yield spreads, and supply chain vulnerabilities : insights into economic distortions and firm stability
• Essays in development economics : language, firms and information in Africa
• Essays in behavioral economics
• Three essays on industry and the environment
• Essays on worker mobility, spatial labor markets, and urban real estate markets
• Production network economies with household heterogeneity : a sufficient statistics approach
• Essays on the economics of crime and violence
• Essays in economic history and development
• Essays in optimal monetary policy
• Essays in labour economics

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Arts in Economics (MA)

Related Disciplines

• Doctor of Philosophy in Geography (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in History (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (PhD)

Further Information

Specialization.

Economics covers many fields including: macroeconomics, labour economics, international trade and finance, environmental economics, industrial organization, information and incentives, economic theory, health economics, development economics, and economic history.

UBC Calendar

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis-based program

Program overview.

This Economics PhD program is fast becoming one of the most sought-after in the country. Key to this growing reputation is the quality and diversity of our faculty and our research. Our researchers publish in leading academic journals, showcasing expertise in climate change, international trade, energy policy and more. Our curriculum is on par with leading economics graduate programs in Canada, but our smaller program size (accepting six to 12 applicants a year) means our students get a greater level of guidance and support from faculty members, unprecedented access to guest lecturers and experts, and more opportunities to pursue their research interests. The placement record of our recent PhDs is undeniable evidence of how strong this program has become.

Our department is committed to the sharing of fresh ideas, sponsoring conferences and workshops, a weekly seminar series, and the newly established Dr. Frank Anton Distinguished Lecture Series in Economics. We are also home to a federal data centre, so students can apply directly for their own research agendas.

Completing this program

• Core Courses: Two courses each in econometrics, microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory.
• Candidacy: Students must submit a second-year research paper, complete comprehensive exams and submit a thesis proposal.
• Additional Courses: May include international trade, energy, labour, regulatory, financial or public economics, research methods, other topics.
• Thesis: Students will be required to submit and defend an original research thesis.

Regulatory agencies, central banks, international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, financial services industry, universities.

A PhD in economics is usually considered a final degree.

Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.

Six core courses and six electives

Learn more about program requirements in the Academic Calendar

Classroom delivery

Time commitment.

Five years full-time; six years maximum

A supervisor is required, but is not required prior to the start of the program

See the Graduate Calendar for information on  fees and fee regulations,  and for information on  awards and financial assistance .

Virtual Tour

Explore the University of Calgary (UCalgary) from anywhere. Experience all that UCalgary has to offer for your graduate student journey without physically being on campus. Discover the buildings, student services and available programs all from your preferred device.

Supervisors

Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree. Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.

Aidan Hollis

Arvind Magesan

Aamir Rafique Hashmi

Blake Shaffer

Trevor Tombe

Jean-Francois Wen

Alexander Whalley

Admission requirements

A minimum of 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units) of the undergraduate degree.

Minimum education

An MA degree in Economics or equivalent, with a high level of proficiency in Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, and Econometrics. Students may be required to upgrade their knowledge in those fields if courses were taken more than five years ago.

Work samples

• The Department of Economics does not require GRE scores for admission purposes. However, the Department of Economics Admissions Committee would encourage students to submit the GRE. To clarify, an offer of admission can go through without a GRE test having been taken, or a score submitted, so long as all other required documents are submitted.

Reference letters

Test scores.

Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)  are not required for admission however the program strongly encourages PhD applicants to supply their  GRE  scores. Both admission and funding are highly competitive, and we do use these scores to help make difficult decisions. There is no substitute for the GRE.  Applicants should score at least 155 in the Quantitative Section and at least 3.5 in the Analytical Writing Section.

Note:  Students who have obtained a degree at a Canadian University are not expected to submit GRE results but are also encouraged to do so. The GRE School Code is 0813 and Department Code is 1801.

English language proficiency (ELP)

An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iB T including TOEFL iBT Home Edition)  minimum score of 86 (Internet-based, with no section less than 20).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)  score of 6.5 (with no section less than 6.0).
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency  minimum score of 180.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)   score of 59 or higher
• Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL)  overall score of 70 (no section less than 60).
• Academic Communication Certificate (ACC)  minimum of B+ in each course.
• Duolingo English Test  obtaining a minimum score of 125 (with no sub-score below 105).

*Please contact your program of interest if you have any questions about ELP requirements.

For admission on September 1:

• Applications open: October 1
• Canadians and permanent residents: January 15 application deadline
• International students: January 15 application deadline

If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about international requirements

Are you ready to apply?

Learn more about this program, department of economics.

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Contact the Graduate Program Administrator

Visit the departmental website

University of Calgary 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB T2N 1N4

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Related programs

If you're interested in this program, you might want to explore other UCalgary programs.

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Course-based GEMBA

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PhD Program

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• Instream Students
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• PhD Comprehensive Exams

Requirements

Applicants to the Ph.D program do not require a Masters degree in Economics .  

Candidates admitted to the "Ph.D 2" year must satisfy five requirements: 1) coursework; 2) the Ph.D Written Comprehensive examination; 3) the Field requirements; 4.) the third-year paper requirement; and 5) the dissertation and oral defense.

The norm is that students enter in PhD 2. There are then 6 mandatory terms of full-time residency, which usually comprise the fall and winter terms of the first three years, ie:

• Fall year 1: full time; Winter year 1: full time; Summer year 1: continuing
• Fall year 2: full time; Winter year 2: full time; Summer year 2: continuing
• Fall year 3: full time; Winter year 3: full time; Summer year 3: continuing

After these mandatory years of full time status, it is possible to complete the program.  

So after your third year is complete, registration looks like this:

• Fall year 4: additional session*;  Winter year 4: additional session;  Summer year 4: additional session
• Fall year 5: additional session 

*additional session fees are payable every term (ie including summer), whereas you only pay fees for the fall and winter terms during the first three residency terms.  

This continues until the Summer year 6 (PhD 7) term, which is the last permitted term of registration before being in time limitation.  Additional explanation can be found  on the student accounts website  and in the program requirements section of the ecalendar.

New incoming Ph.D. students must take ECON 709 Microeconomic Theory 3, ECON 711 Microeconomic Theory 2, ECON 712 Macroeconomic Theory 1, ECON 713 Macroeconomic Theory 2, ECON 662 Econometrics 1, ECON 663 Econometrics 2 and ECON 701 PhD Comprehensive Examination.

Students entering the Ph.D 2 year will be required to take up to 12 graduate level courses over two years of study. The immediate aims of coursework at the Ph.D level are to prepare students to be able to pass their comprehensive exams, to help them find a thesis topic and to give them the necessary skills to undertake research on their thesis.

Ph.D Comprehensive Examinations

All Ph.D 2 students take their written Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Theory Comprehensive examinations at the end of the year in May. If they fail either of the two (or both), they would re-do them within a minimum of four (4) months and a maximum of six (6) months. In such circumstances the grade of HH (to be continued) will be used. In the event of a second failure, a grade of F will be reported to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and the student will be withdrawn from the University. The comprehensive exams are denoted by ECON 701:  Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination. Students register only once for the comprehensives.  The PhD Comprehensive Exam guidelines can be found here:  https://www.mcgill.ca/economics/graduates/phd-comprehensive-exams

Field Requirements

At the start of their second year (PhD 3), Ph.D. students need to select two major fields, and one minor field. The two major fields will be selected from the set of fields offered by the economics department.  The field offerings will typically (subject to staffing) include Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, Financial econometrics, Labour Economics, and Development Economics.  Additional fields might be offered. The courses underlying the minor field are the student’s choice but are subject to approval by the Graduate Program Director.  To complete a major field, a student will need to pass two courses in that field. In addition, a student must enrol and pass the Ph.D. Field Synthesis course for that  field. To complete the minor field, a student will need to pass two courses in that field, and at least one of them must be taught at McGill Economics. The PhD Field Synthesis Guidelines can be found here:  https://www.mcgill.ca/economics/graduates/phd-comprehensive-exams

Failure policy

A student will be required to withdraw from the University if he/she has two course failures or two comprehensive failures. A course failure is a failure to achieve the graduate passing grade of B- in (i) any course; (ii) any supplemental exam associated with a course; (iii) a re-taking of a course. Each instance is deemed to be a new failure, even if the second instance is in a supplemental associated with the same course as the initial failure. A comprehensive exam failure is a failure to achieve the passing grade in (i) the macro/micro comprehensive exam or (ii) either of the two field comprehensive exams. Each instance is deemed to be a new failure, even if a second instance is in the same exam as the initial failure. Notice that as long as the Macro/Micro comprehensive exams are taken during the same comprehensive exam period, ( i.e., either in May or during the retake) they are considered a single exam and therefore failing one or both of them will be considered as a single failure. See this webpage for course failure and comps failure webpage

Third-year paper and oral defense

Ph.D students who have completed their comprehensive exams are required to participate in ECON 770 PhD Research Seminar 1 and ECON 771 PhD Research Seminar 2 . The objective of this course is to ease the transition from consuming to producing research. The final goal is to write, submit to the department, and present a paper. Ideally, this paper should serve as a starting point for the dissertation. The dates for submission and presentation will be determined on a year-by-year basis by the faculty member in charge.

Thesis Submission

About a month before the thesis is ready for initial submission, the supervisor should consult with his/her student and identify one or more potential examiners who are qualified to examine the thesis. Check the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) website for details regarding thesis formatting. In particular, consult the thesis preparation checklist, which can be found on the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) website .  Note however that departmental guidance on substantive content supersedes requirements set through GPS (including those set out in the checklist). In particular, note that manuscript based theses in economics do not require the separate 20 page literature reviews nor the 10 page "Comprehensive scholarly discussion of all the findings." For those elements of the checklist, please just enter "non applicable."

Joint PhD Courses in Economics -- Open to PhD students only

PhD students who have completed their first year of studies may take select courses at other Montreal universities. More information about this can be found on the Joint PhD Course offerings website .

Supervision website

The Supervision: Graduate and Postdoctoral Support website offers research and evidence-based advice to graduate students and their supervisors on how to work together effectively and avoid common problems in supervision.

Related Content

Graduate advisors.

PhD Graduate Director: Professor Markus Poschke

PhD Graduate Advisor: Professor Markus Poschke

MA Graduate Director: Professor Matthieu Chemin

Research Progress Tracking

Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) is instituting a policy of research progress tracking for students in thesis programs. Students and their supervisors are required to complete annual progress reports. For more information, refer to the graduate and postdoctoral website

Students who do not complete the required forms, by department deadlines, are deemed by the Economics Department to not be in good standing. They can expect financial aid to be suspended, and may be subject to other sanctions imposed by the Economics Department or by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS).

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Faculty of Social Sciences

Phd in economics.

Join a vibrant community of scholars at McMaster University, where faculty, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants, and graduate students collaborate to advance the field of economics.

Our  PhD in Economics  program is designed to cultivate independent, professional economists who utilize state-of-the-art methods to analyze complex economic phenomena.

Graduates of our PhD program emerge as skilled economists, ready to tackle real-world challenges.

You’ll have two primary career paths: many of our alumni secure academic positions as professors in economics departments or interdisciplinary settings, such as schools of public policy. Others find rewarding roles in high-quality research positions within government ministries, international organizations, and occasionally in the private sector.

Areas of Specialization

Students can specialize in a variety of fields, including: Econometrics, Growth and Monetary Economics, Health Economics, International Economics, Labour Economics, Population Economics, and Public Economics.

This breadth of focus allows you to tailor your studies to your interests and career goals.

Intimate Learning Environment

We admit only 5-8 PhD students each year, ensuring small class sizes that foster intensive interaction between students and faculty.

This close-knit environment promotes personalized mentorship and collaborative learning, enhancing your academic experience.

Research Facilities and Opportunities

McMaster is home to several cutting-edge research facilities that support your academic pursuits:

Secure Empirical Analysis Lab (SEAL) Learn More

Access a wealth of confidential micro-data for research in education, charities, and public services, with continuously expanding data holdings.

Statistics Canada Research Data Centre (RDC) Learn More

Utilize master files from a variety of Statistics Canada surveys and an increasing array of public-sector administrative microdata to support your economic research.

McMaster Decision Science Laboratory (McDSL) Learn More

As Canada’s first computer-mediated experimental economics laboratory, McDSL enables you to conduct controlled economic experiments across diverse fields.

Learn More About Our Commitment to Your Success

Experience Beyond the Classroom: The WIL Advantage

The Work Integrated Learning (WIL) stream provides a unique opportunity to gain practical experience while pursuing your PhD in Economics. Students actively compete for and apply to positions worldwide, leveraging both departmental resources and personal networks.

Join the WIL stream and take your academic journey beyond the classroom, preparing yourself for a successful career in economics!

Global Opportunities

Positions can be held anywhere in the world, allowing you to broaden your horizons and gain diverse experiences in various economic contexts.

Skill Development

This hands-on approach not only enhances your resume but also equips you with valuable skills and insights that are essential in today’s competitive job market.

Engage with industry professionals and build connections that can open doors to future career opportunities.

Find Out More About the WIL Stream

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Take the next step.

Explore our  supervisors page  to learn more about the faculty members who will guide you through your academic journey.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to  reach out to us .

Apply to the PhD in Economics

Ready to join us? Submit your application today!

Program Information

Requirements and timelines.

The first phase is passing the comprehensive macroeconomic and microeconomic theory exams. To accomplish this, students must complete the following coursework:

• two microeconomics theory courses (ECON 721** and ECON 722)
• two macroeconomic theory courses (ECON 723** and ECON 724)
• two econometrics courses (ECON 761* and ECON 762)
• ECON 765 (as it is a required course)
• elective courses must be passed prior to writing comprehensive examinations in any area (see phase 2)

Students entering the PhD program from our MA in Economics program will already have completed the required courses and two electives; these students would require approximately six more electives. The Economics waiver exam may allow PhD students who enter the PhD program from another university to receive credit for ECON 761. Electives must be chosen so that the student satisfies the coursework requirements of his or her chosen fields for comprehensive exams (see the list below). Most electives are taken from courses offered by the economics department, but a student may also take up to two courses from other departments, with the approval of the graduate chair (economics) and the course instructor. Students in recent years, for example, have taken finance courses offered by the DeGroote School of Business, health-related courses offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences, and statistics courses offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

After the successful completion of the first year of coursework, comprehensive exams in micro and macro theory are typically given in May or June.

The second phase involves passing comprehensive exams in two areas of specialization and writing a research paper. The field examination committee may require that candidates complete specific courses before taking these exams. Below are the typical areas of specialization and the typical courses required for each. A graduate chair may, however, permit additional specializations in areas where the department has a research strength provided they are based on courses offered by the department.

The fields currently available are:

• Econometrics
• Experimental Economics
• Growth and Monetary Economics
• Health Economics
• International Economics
• Labour Economics
• Macroeconomics
• Microeconomics
• Population Economics
• Public Economics

Field exams are normally written after the second year of coursework has been successfully completed. Candidates have two chances to pass each comprehensive exam. Within 18 months of starting the program, students must pass the micro and macro theory comprehensive exams. The exams must be completed within 24 months of beginning the program. Within 27 months of entering the doctoral program, the student must complete a research paper. The research paper will be presented in the Fall term during the PhD workshop discussed below. The research paper must be accepted by the supervisory committee.

The thesis is the third phase. At this point, students may choose to enroll in additional courses if they are relevant to their proposed research. With the approval of the Graduate Chair, up to four half courses may be taken outside of the department. In addition to writing a thesis and taking courses, students must achieve the Active Researcher Milestone which involves participating in the department’s research activities (for example, by attending seminars, PhD workshops and meeting with visiting speakers) and regularly presenting their research. The Active Researcher Milestone must be achieved annually until graduation.

At this stage, students are required to complete the following seminar courses. Students who have passed all their comprehensive examinations should register for ECON 798 in the Fall term that immediately follows and present the research paper. Doctoral students typically take a total of 12-14 graduate courses at this university.

ECON 798: Workshops in Economics I

ECON 799: Workshops in Economics II

Co-op Option

Students in the PhD program who have successfully completed the comprehensive examinations may apply for the co-op option associated with this degree program. The number of students who will be accepted will be small and will depend on available placements. To complete the PhD co-op option, the student must work a total of eight months in either one or two placements and successfully complete both ECON 796 Economics Co-op Work Term I and ECON 797 Economics Co-op Work Term II.

*A student who has a particularly strong background in econometrics can elect to write the econometrics waiver exam. Students who pass the waiver exam are allowed to replace ECON 761 (term 1 of econometrics) with an elective course. These students take ECON 762 in term 2 and complete the econometrics project. Credit for ECON 761 will appear on their transcripts.

**All students registering in ECON 721 (Micro Theory 1) or ECON 723 (Macro Theory 1) are encouraged to take the mathematics preparation course ECON 765, an intensive ten-day refresher course in mathematics (MATH CAMP). Math camp is given in August, prior to the start of regular graduate courses for the fall term. After the completion of this course, students are tested regarding their mathematics preparation. The course has two parts. Part I covers topics related to ECON 721-Micro Theory I and part II covers topics related to ECON 723-Macro Theory I and matrix algebra. Each part has its own final exam. Students registered in ECON 721(ECON 723) must write the exam related to part I (part II). A student’s score on the part I (part II) exam counts as 10% of the student’s final grade in ECON 721-Micro Theory I (ECON 723-Macro Theory I).

***Incoming students are strongly encouraged to enroll in ECON 4T03 so they are well prepared for first term micro.

Admissions and Applications

The application portal opens on november 15th and closes on january 14th..

Learn more about the graduate studies application process and how to apply.

As a minimum, a standard Canadian entrant into our PhD program will have a Master’s degree in economics from a recognized university and will have maintained B+ average in their master’s study. We emphasize that these are minimum standards; those admitted typically have stronger academic records.

Students from foreign universities are expected to have equivalent backgrounds. Although equivalency is difficult to determine, here are some guidelines for a few countries from which we commonly receive inquiries:

• India: First-class standing for the Bachelor’s degree and upper-second-class standing for the Master’s degree.
• Bangladesh and Pakistan: First-class standing in both the bachelors and master’s degrees.
• China: A four-year degree with an average of at least 85%. The subject area must be ECONOMICS, not business. Strong skills in mathematics and statistics/econometrics are expected.

A student whose native language is not English, and who has not completed an English-language degree in a predominantly English-speaking country, must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. The minimum acceptable TOEFL score for the Dept of Economics is 580 (237 on the computerized exam; 92 iBT); the minimum acceptable IELTS score is 6.5 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each category.

If you have any questions email them to [email protected] . Please be patient all emails will be answered.

**If your transcript states the medium of instruction was English or you submit a letter with your application from the University stating your medium of instruction was English then that will waive your ELP requirement and a test result will not be required**

Please note if you submit a score lower than 6.5, your application will not be reviewed. It is imperative that you meet the testing requirements noted above.

Required Document Checklist

• Application Form and Fee
• Two letters of reference
• Academic transcripts
• Statement of interest
• Writing Sample (Paper or Essay – there is no minimum words and it must be single author)

As reference links are sent after your application is submitted, it is highly recommended that you apply at least one week before the January 15th deadline, as this will allow for references and other documents be received in time.

Financial Information, Scholarships and Awards

Information on Graduate Program fees can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.

Financial Aid

Students to whom we offer admission are automatically considered for financial assistance – no special forms need be filled out. Funding is awarded on academic excellence and the availability of funds. Funding is open to all domestic and international students.

All students admitted to the PhD program are offered two forms of financial assistance. The first is a Teaching Assistant (TA) position, which normally requires the student to perform 130 hours of marking or tutoring in each of the fall and winter terms. The second is scholarship support. In addition, many upper-year PhD students receive support in the form of a Research Assistantship (RA) in lieu of a TA, in which they work on a research project with a faculty member.

The minimum annual financial assistance provided to a PhD student is $17,500 during each of first four years of doctoral study. If a student’s study extends beyond four years, financial assistance as a TA or RA may be available, but it is not guaranteed.

Finally, in addition to the financial assistance provided in a letter of offer, students are eligible for TA and RA positions during the spring and summer terms, which provides support above that available during the Fall and Winter terms.

Trudeau Scholarship: Students in the 1st or 2nd year of the doctoral program or those applying to the doctoral program are eligible. View more information regarding eligibility and the application process.

Additional information on external scholarship support can be found at the following sites:

• Student Financial Aid and Scholarships
• SSHRC Doctoral Scholarships and Fellowships
• School of Graduate Studies Scholarship Information
• Commonwealth Scholarships

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Cynthia Zhao Graduate Administrative Assistant Email: [email protected]

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The Vancouver School of Economics at UBC offers a renowned PhD program. Our program typically admits 15 new students per year. It is small enough to provide extensive research supervision and collaboration, yet large enough to offer expertise in a wide range of fields. Nearly all the School’s research faculty hold grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and other Federal agencies and foundations.  This provides ample opportunities for research assistantships and dissertation support.

The school is home to the Stone Centre on Wealth and Inequality as well as the Centre for Innovative Data in Economics Research (CIDER). It also helps manage the British Columbia Inter-University Research Data Centre and has an FDZ-IAB Data Access Point. As a result, unique training opportunities, research funding, and access to data and computing resources are available to our PhD students.

In addition to studying with the VSE, our students can work with faculty in UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, the Sauder School of Business and Computer Science, to name a few.

Program Overview

Before coursework in September, students undertake a mathematics review that is administered online in August.

During their first year, students take course sequences in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. Each course sequence consists of two courses, each a semester-long.

At the end of the academic year, students write comprehensive examinations in microeconomics and macroeconomics.

Second year

In the second year, students take advanced courses in their chosen fields of specialization and a one-semester course in applied econometric methods. Students also participate in a one-semester seminar course that introduces them to the research process.

Starting in the second year, students begin attending the many research seminars held by the school, furthering their exposure to the research frontier.

Near the end of the second semester, students submit a research paper proposal. Students spend the summer after the second year working on this paper (which is submitted in the first semester of the third year) to familiarize students with the research process and aid and foster the transition to independent study.

In their third year, students reduce their course load and concentrate on research. Students participate in a PhD research seminar course. This seminar provides an opportunity for interaction between faculty and students in their respective fields through research presentations and discussions.

By their third year, students regularly participate in VSE research seminars, usually in one or two fields of specialization. Students are also regular participants in one of the weekly lunch workshop series, where students and professors present their work-in-progress and preliminary research in an informal setting.

Throughout the year, students further their research through self-initiated interaction with faculty outside of the classroom setting.

By the year's end, students form a dissertation committee in preparation for admission to candidacy. Admission involves having their dissertation prospectus approved by the candidate's supervisor(s).

Fourth year

In consultation with their committee, students now work full-time on their dissertation. The goal is to prepare a completed dissertation chapter that students can use as a "job market paper".

Job Market Placement

The VSE is involved in preparing our PhDs "job market package," distributed to employers. The VSE will advertise the student's credentials to employers through several formal and informal channels.

Typically, students complete their job market papers by the end of the first semester of the fifth year. During this semester, students are assisted in the preparation of their "job market package", containing their research papers, curriculum vitae, and faculty reference letters.

In late November, faculty members conduct mock interviews with job market candidates to prepare for interviews at the American Economic Association meeting and the Canadian Economics Employment Exchange.

During this period, the VSE reserves its seminar schedule for its job market candidates, so students can practice their "job market seminar" and receive invaluable feedback from faculty in all fields of the VSE.

Initial job interviews are held every year in December and January. Following interviews, students visit universities and other employers and typically conclude their job search by the end of March.

Dissertation

Students typically complete their dissertation at the end of the fifth year. At this time, the candidate is given an oral examination by members of the VSE. Then the candidate defends the dissertation in an oral examination administered by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Upon successful defense, the PhD is granted.

Program Requirements

Students are required to enroll in at least 18 credits of coursework in the first year. The standard first-year course program is:

• Term 1 (September to December) – ECON 600 Microeconomics I, ECON 602 Macroeconomics I, ECON 626 Econometrics I
• Term 2 (January to April) – ECON 601 Microeconomics II, ECON 603 Macroeconomics II, ECON 627 Econometrics II (three credits each)
• Comprehensive Exams in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory are written in June

In the second year, students typically take ECON 628 Topics in Applied Econometrics (three credits) plus an additional 21 credits of economics courses at the 500- and 600-level; of these 21 credits, students may take six for audit. By the end of the second year, students are to have completed 42 credits of coursework.

In the third year of the program, students must take ECON 640 Ph.D. Research Seminar (three credits).

Summer research paper

The summer paper familiarizes students with the research process and aid and fosters an independent research transition.

A written proposal for the summer research paper is due on March 15, during the PhD program's second year. Students spend the summer after completing the second-year coursework working on the paper.

A first draft of the paper is due at the start of the third year on September 1. After receiving final suggestions for revision from the faculty, a final version of the research paper is due on October 1.

Candidates for the PhD degree who hold a master's degree must be enrolled for a minimum of two academic sessions (two years) at UBC before taking the final examination for the PhD degree. For students admitted to the PhD program with a Bachelor's degree, the total minimum enrolment period is three academic sessions (three years).

Students usually are admitted to candidacy when they have completed their period of residence and required coursework, passed the comprehensive examinations, submitted the summer research paper, and, most importantly, have their dissertation prospectus approved by their research supervisor.

A student who is not admitted to candidacy within three years from the date of initial registration is required to withdraw from the program. The dean may permit an extension of this period under exceptional circumstances.

The dissertation

A candidate for the PhD degree must submit an acceptable dissertation. The dissertation represents a substantial piece of original research and constitutes a contribution to knowledge in the field of the subject chosen.

The candidate selects their dissertation topic in consultation with a dissertation committee.

Before the research has progressed too far, the candidate presents a detailed dissertation prospectus in a seminar setting; at this point, the prospectus is either formally accepted or rejected by the dissertation committee. Students research under the supervision of a faculty member who serves as chairperson of the committee.

When the dissertation is completed, the candidate is given an oral examination by faculty members of the Vancouver School of Economics and is then asked to defend the dissertation in an oral examination administered by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

PhD Economics

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Economics (PhD)

Program overview.

A PhD in Economics gives you expertise in one of our department’s many areas of specialization. You will work with distinguished scholars who provide mentorship in fields such as applied econometrics, labour economics, monetary economics, financial economics and game theory. Students benefit from the Centre Interuniversitaire de Recherche en Économie Quantitative (CIREQ) in facilitating collaboration between Montreal's major universities in economic research, and are encouraged to register for advanced elective courses at Concordia, McGill and the Université de Montréal. Our faculty members have been published in numerous prestigious journals such as Econometrica, the American Economic Review, the Journal of Political Economy, the Review of Economic Studies and the Journal of Monetary Economics.

Program structure

Degree requirements, degree requirements.

Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.

Please see the Economics Courses page for course descriptions.

Economics PhD (90 credits)

Admission requirements, admission requirements.

• MA in economics from a recognized university with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or equivalent.
• Students with a high standing in a master’s degree or equivalent in other fields, such as commerce, mathematics or business administration from a recognized university may be admitted, subject to satisfactory completion of qualifying requirements, if necessary.
• Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.

Application process

Application deadlines.

February 1 (Canadian resident) January 15 (International)

Priority will be given to complete applications submitted by the deadline. In some cases, programs may continue to accept applications as long as there is space available.

International students: Considering the waiting period involved in meeting the entry requirements to Canada and Quebec , we strongly encourage international applicants to apply early and submit supporting documents prior to the deadline.

Tuition & funding

Tuition and fees.

Tuition and fees of the program may depend on your student status, among other key factors. Estimate these costs based on the most common situations.

Awards and funding

Funding packages are generally available for students in thesis-based programs. They come in the form of awards, teaching and research assistantships are offered at the time of admission to most students to allow them to focus on their research and studies. Research and thesis-based students are automatically considered for all entrance graduate awards when they apply to Concordia, provided they meet eligibility criteria. No separate application is required.

The Quebec and Canadian governments offer a number of competitive graduate scholarships. We encourage you to apply for these awards at the same time you are preparing your application.

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Economics (Applied Economics) - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Hagey Hall Hub located on Waterloo's main campus

Get a strong foundation in economic theory and econometrics and conduct original research alongside world-renowned scho lars with the Ph D in A pplied Economics program .

You’ll receive training in the areas of public policy, including such fields as labour economics, macro-economics, monetary economics, econometrics, natural resources, environmental and health economics.

Through this rigorous academic program and applied research experience, you’ll develop your communication and analytical skills, preparing you for a career in academia or the private sector as an economist, data analyst, policy advisor, economic consultant and many others.  

Research areas and degree options

• Public Economic Policy

Program overview

Department/School : Economics Faculty : Faculty of Arts Admit term(s) : Fall (September - December) Delivery mode : On-campus Program type : Doctoral, Research Length of program : 48 months Registration option(s) : Full-time Study option(s) : Thesis

Application deadlines

• February 1 (for admission in September)

Key contacts

[email protected] (for program inquiries)

Sherri Anne Arsenault (for all other inquiries) 

Admission limitations

Due to funding restrictions, the Faculty of Arts is currently limiting the number of international students we can admit. Please contact the department's Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program.

Supervisors

• Review the finding a supervisor resources
• No supervisor is required to apply to this program

Admission requirements

• Master's degree in Economics.
• Minimum 80%, first class average in Master of Arts (MA) Economics degree.
• A one-page statement of Academic Interest.
• A GRE score is not required but is recommended for all international students applying to the program.

Degree requirements

• Review the degree requirements in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree
• Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the department of Economics graduate students

Application materials

• The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the  application documents web page for more information about this requirement
• If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the  writing your personal statement resources  for helpful tips and tricks on completion

Writing Sample

Transcript(s)

• Three academic  references are required
• TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)
• The Department of Economics does not consider international applicants whose English language proficiency scores fall below the minimum requirements

Tuition and fees

• Visit the  graduate program tuition page  on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program
• Review living costs and housing
• Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students