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PhD in Economics At a Glance

  • Eight required courses: build a foundation in economic theory, econometrics, and research methods.
  • Seven elective courses: tailor field coursework to your research interests and explore diverse perspectives and methods.
  • Write a dissertation: launch your research career within the vibrant economic-policy ecosystem of Washington, DC.
  • Qualifies as a STEM degree program. 
  • Program Director: Professor Nathan Larson.
Selected
Curriculum
Faculty & Research
DC Networks & Careers

Tailor Your Degree to Your
Research Interests

See complete Admissions and Program Requirements.

Offering a combination of rigorous technical training and a focus on policy-relevant research, our Economics PhD program will prepare you for careers in academia, research organizations, government, and the private sector. As an AU PhD student, you will master economic theory, statistical methods, and applied field knowledge. Through the dissertation-writing process, you will develop the ability to formulate and empirically answer economic questions based on original research.  

  • Broad perspectives: In addition to providing a strong foundation in economic theory and econometrics, our program encourages students to account for the historical, cultural, and institutional context of the economic problems facing society today.
  • Flexibility: In addition to eight required courses, students choose seven electives tailored to their research interests. Our students use these electives to build expertise in field concentrations (including development, gender, international, labor, macro/monetary, among others) and to learn advanced empirical methods (including cutting-edge econometrics and GIS tools). While most students are full-time, evening classes make the program accessible to Washington-area professionals.
  • Milestones: Students must successfully pass one comprehensive exam at the end of their first year and produce a journal-quality research paper by the end of their third year. The third-year paper serves as a launching pad for the dissertation, giving students an early start on the writing process.

 

Faculty Dedicated to Your Success

At AU, you will take classes from and work with a faculty of accomplished economists who are engaged with practitioners and policymakers around the world. Their research and publications provide a preview of the wide range of topics, perspectives, and methods that you can pursue in our program.

Our research centers, including the Institute for Macroeconomic & Policy Analysis (IMPA), the Program on Gender Analysis in Economics, and the Info-Metrics Institute, host guest scholars and research projects further enhancing the opportunities for graduate students. By working as research and teaching assistants, PhD students gain valuable experience and mentorship in an academic setting. 

Throughout their third year and into the fourth, students work under the guidance of a faculty advisor, first to write their third-year paper, and later to develop a dissertation proposal and form a committee of faculty members who lend their own insights and expertise. Over the course of the program, students develop collegial and productive relationships with faculty, classmates, and economists at DC-area institutions, often co-authoring and publishing.

Launch Your Career Among
Top Economists 

The Washington, DC, area hosts one of the world’s largest communities of economists, spanning universities, international organizations, research institutes, and the federal government. This concentration of opportunities makes American University an outstanding place to pursue a PhD in economics.

Our PhD students regularly earn internships and permanent positions with DC-area employers such as the World Bank, IMF, major think tanks, NGOs, and US government. Many of our graduates go on to academic positions in the US and worldwide or take on influential roles in public policy and international organizations.

Read about recent job placements for our PhD program graduates.

See the 2017-8 list of job market candidates.

News & Notes

See abstracts from the 2025 Third Year Paper Conference.