|

|
 |
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
[back to the top]
|