DOCTORAL

The USC PhD in Economics program is designed to prepare students for careers in teaching, research, industry, and government. The Department emphasizes economic theory and econometrics, applied economic analysis, including microeconomics, macroeconomics, international and development economics, behavioral economics, urban, and regional economics.

PhD students can expect:

Continuous Mentoring

Faculty closely guide students throughout their time in the program. As soon as they arrive, students are assigned a faculty mentor, with whom they maintain close contact during their doctoral education. First-year students take part in a workshop designed to familiarize incoming scholars with the Department of Economics’ distinguished faculty members and their respective fields of research. When students transition from coursework to research work, they participate in small-group discussion workshops (“Reading Groups”), where students can expect to regularly receive feedback on their own research from a varied group of faculty members.

True Interdisciplinary Research

Our faculty believe in the value of interdisciplinary research and have robust connections to other departments, schools, and research centers at the University. Doctoral students work on multidisciplinary projects in areas such as health care, environmental science and policy, traffic engineering, neuroscience, psychology, and computer science. Students are often encouraged to work with the amazing scholars throughout USC, including those within the following:

• USC Marshall School of Business
• Sol Price School of Public Policy
• Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics
• Center for Economic and Social Research

Beyond Academia

Our program is designed to train students to conduct original research. This is not limited to careers in the academic sector. Many of our students go on to deploy their skills in the public sector and in the private industry. We give our full support to students who choose these paths and are proud of their achievements.

Improvement & Innovation

The Department of Economics is devoted to maintaining a progressive curriculum. Staff and faculty continually assess and update courses to provide students with the tools that will enable them to perform frontier research. We have had great recent success in bringing new faculty and research members to our department, which continues to expand our reach into all areas of economics.

Southern California

USC Dornsife doctoral students get to enjoy the many advantages of life in Southern California. Nearby, students can enjoy a variety of events and activities in Los Angeles—beaches, concerts, arts, music, and amazing food. For students who seek to venture a little further, the reserves and national forests in Southern California are just a scenic drive away! Imagine being able to step foot on sand and snow within the same day. With great weather year-round, students are free to explore opportunities beyond campus and discover new passions.

To learn more, please review these webpages: