The Graduate Program in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania is a Ph.D. program (only students who intend to obtain the Ph.D. are admitted.)
The Department of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania will be accepting applications for the PhD program during the 2023-24 admissions cycle. We look forward to receiving your applications to our program this fall. Applicants are accepted only for full-time work towards the Ph.D. degree. Part-time admissions and terminal Master's applications are not considered. The application system for Fall 2024 is expected to open on October 1, 2023.
The primary goal of the program is to produce outstanding research economists. The program is designed to ensure that students acquire a thorough knowledge of economic theory, econometric methods, and the structure of modern economies, before beginning their own research under faculty supervision. While the program covers all major areas of economics, it has particular strengths in micro theory (especially game theory), empirical microeconomics, and modern macroeconomics.
The Graduate Group in Economics requires that students complete at least 16 courses in economics or related fields, of which a maximum of eight may be transferred from other institutions. Some of these course units may be earned by attending and participating in workshops. After two years in the program, students are expected to begin their dissertations. The median length of time required for completion of the program is 5.5 years, however both shorter and longer periods are possible.