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Thank you for your interest in the PhD program in Economics at the University of Minnesota. This is an exciting time to be in the Minnesota Economics program. In the last five years, we have added 10 new faculty members to the program, which has enabled us to expand our expertise in economic theory and applied microeconomics while retaining our traditional strength in macroeconomics and monetary policy. We have a new home in Hanson Hall. This $45.5 million dollar building, which opened in June 2008, houses both the Department of Economics and the Carlson School of Management. The new building has allowed us to improve computing facilities and office space for graduate students.
We remain proud of our graduate program. The most recent U.S. News and World Report poll ranks Minnesota 4th in Macroeconomics and 9th overall. A study titled “Ranking Economics Departments Worldwide on the Basis of Ph.D. Placement,” published in the February 2008 Review of Economics and Statistics ranked the effectiveness of Minnesota’s graduate training as 8th in the United States and 9th in the world based on placement of Ph.D.s.
The Minnesota Economics program focuses on preparing students for careers as research economists. The courses will give you the tools that you need to conduct research and our workshop system will guide you through the research and dissertation writing process. While in the workshops you will not only benefit from the experience of presenting your research before your fellow students and faculty, you will also see other students go through the same process and learn to give constructive feedback of your own. Our emphasis on cooperative learning helps students to build lifelong research partnerships that result in groundbreaking work decades after leaving the program. The program also provides training for a teaching career. Our students receive extensive instruction in how to teach economics and Minnesota is renowned for producing researchers who are also excellent teachers.
Our admission process is extremely competitive. We admit only students who are prepared to succeed in the program and are ready to take on challenging courses and conduct cutting-edge research. Our goal is to graduate students who can make a valuable contribution to the literature and go on to a rewarding and productive scientific career. To assist our students in that goal, we offer a faculty that is committed to helping students do well, a friendly academic environment, and a strong professional relationship with organizations both in and outside of the University of Minnesota.
If you have specific questions about our program, please contact the Economics Graduate Studies Office. They will be happy to answer your questions about our admissions process, course offerings or your fit to the program. The Graduate Studies Office cannot evaluate your chances of admission without receiving a complete application. Please keep in mind that your chances of admission depend not only on your own qualifications but on the qualifications of the other students in the application pool. You can contact the Graduate Studies Office at +1-612-625-6833 or by email at econdgs@econ.umn.edu.
I wish you the best of luck as you start on your academic career.
Sincerely,
Chris Phelan
Professor and
Director of Graduate Studies