Description
The objective of the Ph.D. program in Economics is to prepare students for research careers in academe, business, and government. The program focuses on Environmental and Natural Resource (ENR) economics and equips students with theoretical, conceptual and quantitative skills to research a broad range of ENR problems.
Degrees Offered
- Doctor of Philosophy in Economics
Admission
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s). In addition to the general admission requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- An official, competitive score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
- Official prior transcripts, including GPAs, of previous undergraduate and graduate programs.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A goal statement.
- A resume.
- For applicants from countries where English is not the official language, or for an applicant whose bachelor’s degree is not from an accredited U.S. institution, an official score of at least 230 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required. An evaluation of all foreign transcripts is also required.
Additional Notes on Admissions
Admission decisions are made on the recommendation of the Graduate Program Committee in the Department of Economics. All interested students should contact the Graduate Program Director for information about applying to this program. The college strongly encourages applications from minority and diverse populations. Race, national origin, and gender are not used in the evaluation of students for admission into graduate programs.
Application Due Dates
All students applying for fellowships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.
U.S. Applicants
| Program(s) | Fall Priority | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Doctor of Philosophy in Economics | Jan 15 | Apr 15 | ||
| Note:Applications for Fall will be considered after the April 15th deadline on a space-available basis. | ||||
International Applicants
| Program(s) | Fall Priority | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Doctor of Philosophy in Economics | Jan 15 | Jan 15 |
International Transfer Applicants
| Program(s) | Fall Priority | Fall | Spring | Summer |
| Doctor of Philosophy in Economics | Jan 15 | Mar 1 |
Doctor of Philosophy in Economics
Total Hours Required for Ph.D.—Minimum of 72 Credit Hours
The program emphasizes Environmental and Natural Resource (ENR) economics. The curriculum offers the opportunity for students to tailor their program of study to their interests. Moreover, all doctoral students will have an opportunity to adopt an interdisciplinary perspective in developing their dissertation research.
Core Courses—24 Credit Hours
- ECO 6403 Mathematical Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6118 Microeconomic Theory I (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6206 Macroeconomic Theory I (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6424 Econometrics I (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7116 Microeconomic Theory II (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7205 Macroeconomic Theory II (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7426 Econometrics II (3 credit hours)
- ECP 7086 Advanced Topics in Economic Theory (3 credit hours)
ENR Economics Courses—12 Credit Hours
- ECP 6309 Advanced Resource and Environmental Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECP 7306 Environmental Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECP 7307 Research Seminar in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECP 7311 Natural Resource Economics (3 credit hours)
Economics Electives Courses—9-12 Credit Hours
- ECO 6705 Seminar in International Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECS 6015 Economic Development (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6403 Games and Economic Behavior (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6505 Public Finance and Fiscal Policy (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7428 Time Series (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6453 Experimental Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECP 6408 Industrial Organization (3 credit hours)
Interdisciplinary Electives—6-9 Credit Hours
Typical Plan of Study for the Ph.D. in Economics
YEAR 1
Fall Semester
- ECO 6403 Mathematical Economics (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6118 Microeconomic Theory I (3 credit hours)
- ECO 6206 Macroeconomic Theory I (3 credit hours)
Spring Semester
- ECO 6424 Econometrics I (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7116 Microeconomic Theory II (3 credit hours)
- ECO 7205 Macroeconomic Theory II (3 credit hours)
YEAR 2
Fall Semester
- ECO 7426 Econometrics II (3 credit hours)
- ECP 6309 Advanced Resource and Environmental Economics (3 credit hours)
- Economics elective course (3 credit hours)
Spring Semester
- ECP 7086 Advanced Topics in Economic Theory (3 credit hours)
- ECP 7306 Environmental Economics (3 credit hours)
- Economics elective course (3 credit hours)
YEAR 3
Fall Semester
- ECP 7311 Natural Resource Economics (3 credit hours)
- Economics elective course (3 credit hours)
- Elective course (3 credit hours)
Spring Semester
- Economics elective course (3 credit hours)
- ECP 7307 Research Seminar in Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (3 credit hours)
- Elective course (3 credit hours)
YEAR 4
Fall and Spring Semesters
- ECO 7980 Doctoral Dissertation (9 credit hours each semester)
Qualifying Examination
At the end of the first year, the student must pass the qualifying examination in microeconomic theory and macroeconomic theory to assess their readiness to advance to the next stage of the doctoral program.
Candidacy Examination
The Candidacy Examination is required upon completion of the course work. The student must pass the Candidacy Examination administered by a Dissertation Advisory Committee to demonstrate his/her mastery of ENR economics.
Dissertation Proposal Examination
The student must pass the Dissertation Proposal oral examination administered by a Dissertation Advisory Committee.
Dissertation—18 Credit Hours
The student must successfully defend a written dissertation to demonstrate his/her ability to conduct independent research and apply the tools of economic analysis.
Financial Support
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Key points about financial support:
- If you are interested in financial assistance, you are strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
- You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
- If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
- UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are awarded based on academic merit and therefore are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
- Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
- For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program coordinator of your major.
Contact Info
Michael R. Caputo, Ph.D., Professor
Phone Number: 407-823-1405
cbagrad@bus.ucf.edu