Economics Concentration

A focus on policy research

Our innovative Phd program provides you with the advanced theoretical, quantitative, and statistical skills required to perform and interpret economic analyses in a wide range of policy-oriented areas. Graduates of the program work in a broad range of in-demand fields including economic consulting and research, policy analysis and evaluation, forecasting, data science, risk analysis, and academia.

Our program focuses on producing top-quality policy-oriented researchers through rigorous training in advanced empirical analysis and economic modeling. You will be prepared to perform and interpret cutting-edge economic analyses in a wide range of areas including education, environmental policy, health, labor, public economics, macroeconomics and banking, and technology and innovation.

Mentorship

Collaborative research experiences with invested instructors sharing a deep commitment to teaching and scholarship

45-66 Hour Program

Streamlined Program: Tailored to Your Experience

Flexibility

Earn a PhD without experiencing career interruptions or the need to relocate.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the program requires the submission of a completed application including Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores and a completed bachelor’s degree with coursework in the following:

• Intermediate microeconomics
• Intermediate macroeconomics
• Regression analysis
• Mathematical economics or equivalent

General Program Of Study

	Credit Hours	# of Courses
Common Core Courses	6-9 hours	2-3
Economics Concentration Courses	18 hours	5
Elective Courses	0-9 hours	0-3
Supervised Independent Research	12 hours	2
Dissertation Research	12-18 hours	—

Program Costs

	Tuition and Fees
In-State (Online)	$24,450
Outside of NC (Online)**	$37,888
Out-of-State (Online)	$61,238

Estimated program costs are based on completing 45 credit hours at 2025-2026
rates. For a complete breakdown of all current tuition and fee charges, please
visit spartancentral.uncg.edu. Student health insurance is not included in the
estimated costs.

The Department of Economics has a limited number of tuition waivers available
for qualified, in-state doctoral students.

Check Out Our Program Fact Sheet

January 15th – Priority deadline

Complete applications submitted by this date are given first priority for admission and for financial support through fellowships, scholarships, and assistantships.

April 1st – Standard deadline

Complete applications submitted by this date will be considered for admission and for financial support after applications that were submitted by January 15 have been evaluated.

Close Collaboration with Faculty

Our PhD students work under the guidance of faculty who conduct nationally and internationally recognized research that promotes economic understanding, policy improvements, and economic development. Whether it is classroom interactions or one-on-one discussions, you’ll find our faculty always have time to support you as you make your way through the PhD program.

Classes at the doctoral level are small, and students benefit from direct and frequent interactions with faculty.  Students begin working in applied research early in their programs and are encouraged to work with faculty to identify policy problems they want to investigate through their dissertations.  They frequently work with faculty on grant-funded research, and co-author papers with faculty for presentation at regional and national professional meetings.

Students Who Work (and Play) Together

Because our PhD program is small, you’ll also find that it’s easy to get to know your fellow students. PhD work can be a daunting process, but it’s made easier and more rewarding when students work together. We strongly encourage our students to work together, to help each other out, and share in their successes.

Opportunities to Share Your Work

Part of being an economist is sharing one’s work, getting feedback, and, yes, sometimes engaging in discussions over contentious issues. As a result, we strongly encourage our PhD students to share their work at all stages of the research process. This can take place informally through one-on-one conversations with faculty or fellow students, casual group conversations at the end of the day, or even by exchanging written work and asking for feedback. But formal interactions are also an important part of the world of economists, so the Department also strongly encourages PhD students to participate in our informal Brown Bag Presentations intended for work still in the early stages and in our more formal Seminar Series where more complete, polished work can be shared.

Have Questions?

To learn more please contact Dr. Martijn Van Hasselt at mnvanhas@uncg.edu.

Dr. Martijn van Hasselt

Bryan 446
mnvanhas@uncg.edu