Frequently Asked Questions About Brown's Ph.D. Program in Economics

1. Does the Department of Economics offer an MA program?

The Department does not have a separate MA program and does not encourage applications from students who only wish to pursue the MA degree. Students can earn the MA on the way to the Ph.D. or can receive the MA if they choose not to complete the Ph.D. program.

2. What are the requirements for admission to the Ph.D. program?

Applicants to the program should submit the application, 3 letters of recommendation, personal statement, transcripts, and GRE General Aptitude Test scores. We do not look at the GRE subject test score. The TOEFL test is required for foreign applicants, except those who hold (or will receive) a degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English. The TSE test is not required.

3. What is the Department's financial aid policy?

The department awards financial aid sufficient to cover both tuition and living expenses to selected first year students and to all students in good standing in years 2-5 of the program who are not funded through other sources. Students who receive aid in the first year receive it in the form of a fellowship (requiring no work on their part). In years 2-4 of the program, students will generally work as a teaching or research assistant. However some students in years 2-4 will receive fellowships. We expect that half or more of students in their final year will receive dissertation fellowships, with the rest working as teaching assistants. To receive financial aid in your first year, you must apply before the financial aid deadline specified on the admission form (generally around January 15).

4. How many students are accepted into the program each year?

Our target size for an entering class is 22 students, of whom we aim to support 11 with fellowships. We accept in the neighborhood of 40 students per year, of whom 20 are offered fellowships. Last year, we received 500 applications.

5. How long does it take to complete the program?

The average time of completion is five years, although some students finish in four years. The department does not fund students beyond the fifth year, except in rare cases, for example when a student spends time away from campus doing primary data collection.

6. Can someone tell me in advance whether I am likely to be admitted to your program?

No.

7. What does your admission committee look for?

A) Exposure to economics at a high level. We look for students who have taken upper-level courses that exposed them to active areas of research in the field. Students who have written senior or MA theses, or worked as researchers or research assistants have an advantage.

B) Adequate preparation in mathematics. Applications should have at least 2 or 3 semesters of calculus. We also look for coursework in linear algebra, real analysis, probability theory and/or statistics.

C) A good grade record. This is not precise, as standards vary widely among schools.

D) Informative letters of recommendation. We are particularly interested in letters from scholars who understand the research environment at a top Ph.D. program, that is, scholars who themselves are actively engaged in research and publication and those who have Ph.D.s from research-oriented institutions. We look for letters that make it clear the applicant knows what doing a Ph.D. is like and which describe how the applicant has been exposed to the research process.

E) Of the GRE scores, we focus mainly on the quantitative score. There is no firm minimum for admission, however it is rare that we admit a student with quantitative GRE lower than 760.

8. When will I learn whether I have been admitted?

Decisions regarding admission and financial aid are made by mid-March. Applicants must make enrollment decisions by mid-April.

9. What is your University code?

Our University code is 3094. The department code for economics is 1801.

10. Can the application fee be waived in cases of financial hardship?

No, our application fee cannot be waived.

11. Where can I get an application?

The Department of Economics does not have the applications. You can apply on line or request a paper application at the following address:

http://www.brown.edu/Divisions/Graduate_School/admissions.html
http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Economics/graduate.php

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