14 Best Economics PhD Degree Programs for 2024

The Ph.D. in Economics degree program provides cutting-edge education in economic theories and the development of a rigorous toolkit of mathematical and econometric techniques. The program is particularly strong in the areas of public economics, applied microeconomics, macroeconomics, data analysis, and the economics of conflict.

Our nationally recognized, interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Public Policy and Political Economy degree program offers training opportunities for doctoral students from internationally renowned faculty. The mission of the program is to prepare our students for professional positions in research, teaching, and practice in fields related to public policy and political economy, in both academic and nonacademic settings.

The Ph.D. program in Economics at SMU is the oldest Ph.D. program at the University and has a long track record of providing students with rigorous training in a broad range of fundamental methodologies for conducting economic research. The program is relatively small which allows for an open and friendly environment, and a low student-faculty ratio. Few programs can match the careful supervision, faculty contact time, and individualized mentoring that our Ph.D. students receive.

Wharton’s Ph.D. program in Applied Economics gives students the tools and training to get jobs in business schools, public policy programs, and applied-oriented economics departments. Drawing on a large faculty of applied economists across multiple Wharton departments and the Law School, the program allows specialization in a number of areas.

Start your academic career in one of our full-time residential Ph.D. programs in Economics or Business (with specializations in Accountancy, Finance, Management, or Marketing). Our research and teaching assistantships provide you with valuable hands-on experience where you collaborate closely with faculty committed to your success.

This PhD program is jointly run by the Universities of Trento and the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. This 4-year full-time Ph.D. program is jointly run by the Universities of Trento and the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano and includes one year of core courses as well as individualized training depending on the specific research interests and objectives of the Ph.D. student as recommended by the supervisor.

Economics Analytics and Decision Sciences is one of the three PhD Programs offered by the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca.

The aim of the Ph.D. in Regional Science and Economic Geography is to address issues related to local and regional development. The methodological perspective of research and teaching is multidisciplinary, combining regional and urban economics, economic and human geography, spatial planning, and sociology.

The DIW Graduate Center (GC) at the German Institute for Economic Research welcomes applications from highly qualified post-graduate students from around the world to enroll in its structured doctoral program in Economics.

The Ph.D. Programme on Innovation, Economics, and Governance for Development (IEGD) is a multidisciplinary course offered by UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance. The programme focuses on research skills and methods, training fellows to become both scholars and practitioners in the fields of governance and the economics of technology. The programme provides advanced training in the knowledge and skills most relevant to the economics of technology and innovation, and to governance, social protection, and migration. Built around a core of courses on innovation and development, the programme also features modules on the economics of technological change, complex social systems, governance and policy evaluation, social protection, and migration. During their first year, fellows complete an intensive programme of required and elective courses, taught by leading scholars of UNU-MERIT and our partner universities. These courses are taught in English, in Maastricht, and spread across two semesters, starting in September each year. The course work is followed by three years of dissertation research and writing, ending with a completed Ph.D. thesis. At the end of the programme, the doctoral degree is awarded by Maastricht University upon successful defense of the thesis. Our students pursue a wide variety of dissertation topics, fitting into any of the institute’s eight research themes: 1. Economics of Knowledge and Innovation 2. Structural Change and Economic Development 3. Economic Complexity and Innovation 4. Governance and institutions 5. Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability Transitions 6. Migration and Development 7. Social Protection 8. Population, Development and Labour Economics

Postgraduate research in the School of Social and Political Sciences is informed by the expertise of its team of academics, who have long-standing links to industry, government, research organisations, and the voluntary sector.

Ph.D. students complete an independent research project under the guidance of a supervisory team. The research is normally completed over a maximum period of 3 to 3.5 years (full-time) or 6 to 6.5 years (part-time).

The PhD is a programme of independent, self-directed academic research degree, supported by a team of supervisors that makes an original contribution to knowledge written up in a publishable dissertation. The PhD programme also supports the development of research and generic skills to equip you to operate successfully as a professional researcher in any setting.

This programme gives the candidate the opportunity to pursue an in-depth study of both finance and economics. Finance is a conceptual framework that combines corporate finance, investment and financial institutions, showing how companies should be managed in order to increase wealth.