About the AEA Committees Honors & Awards For Graduate Students For Undergrad Students News & Notes Officers General Information Minutes UA Questionnaire Continuing Education Directory of Members Call for Papers Media

AEJ: Applied Economics AEJ: Economic Policy AEJ: Macroeconomics AEJ: Microeconomics American Economic Review Journal of Economic Literature Journal of Economic Perspectives eTOCs Virtual Field Journals Institutional Subscriptions AEA Journals on JSTOR Ads in Journals Back Issues Order Forms Copyright & Permissions

Submissions Registration/Housing Preliminary Program Annual Meeting Papers Annual Meeting Webcasts Disclosure Code Information Exhibitors Exhibitors & Advertisers Forms Special Events Form Continuing Education Econ-Harmony

EconLit Desktop Link EconLit for Members JEL Codes Guide JEL Classifications Journal List Contacts/Corrections Upcoming Exhibits Document Types Search Hints

JOE Listings Submit a JOE Listing Job Market Signaling Job Market Scramble Resources For Economists RFE Abridged Contents RFE Search RFE Conferences Econ Search Engine

Member Login Become a Member Directory of Members EconLit for Members AEA Journals on JSTOR Econ-Harmony Annual Meeting Webcasts Browse JEL Indexes Virtual Field Journals Institutional Subscriptions

For Undergraduate Students

Economics for College Students

What is Economics?

Fields of Economics

Current Issues

Finding Facts

Developing Skills

Popular Books

College Programs

Careers in Economics

What's needed for Graduate Study?

Opportunities to Learn and Discuss Research

For Graduate Students

Graduate Study in Economics

Graduate Schools

Graduate Program Rankings

Graduate Education Research

Job Market and Salary

Graduate Study

What's needed for graduate study?

Students who consider graduate study in economics might seek MAs or PhDs in economics. Students need not major in economics as undergraduates to pursue graduate study. Preparation in mathematics, however, is increasingly important with completion of courses in calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, and real analysis usually expected before enrollment. The AEA offers more information about graduate study in economics.

MA programs in economics

Here is a commercial website with links to graduate programs in economics, including masters programs.

Applied economics programs

PhD programs in applied economics are sometimes found in colleges of agriculture or schools of business and give more attention to specific policy areas.

PhD programs in economics

Webpages with advice on preparing for graduate study

Professor Susan Athey at Harvard discusses the process of applying to PhD programs in economics.
Harvard University describes the skills that should be emphasized in an application.
Williams College recommends completing an undergraduate thesis as a way to develop skills in pursuing an original investigation in economics.
Professor Mark Foley at Davidson College gives good information about graduate study in economics.

Students who are interested in graduate study may be interested in the opportunities offered undergraduates to participate in workshops, present their essays at professional meetings, and to publish their essays in peer-reviewed journals.

This Educations.com website provides links to international programs.