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• M.A. Economics

The M.A. Economics (MAE) program is designed to give students a quantitative approach to economics with the flexibility to tailor the degree to fit their future goals. It offers comprehensive instruction in a wide range of areas within the discipline, including computational economics, economic analysis, and financial economics. Graduates of the program are adept in applied research and financial analysis, highly competitive on the finance sector job market, and ready for top Ph.D. programs.

The master’s program is designed to combine theoretical rigor in core areas of economics with exceptional flexibility in course requirements to encourage students to explore their academic interests. In addition to master’s-level courses, students frequently enroll in many doctoral level courses in economics, and in courses from other departments, including Political Science, Public Policy, Finance, Statistics, and Mathematics. The curriculum is intended to be completed in three or four semesters.

What Makes Our Program Different?

Students enrolled in our program have the flexibility to develop quantitative and computing skills across disciplines and departments at Duke, access to research and teaching assistantships, opportunities to enroll in PhD level courses, and more!

The MAE differences:

• Courses everywhere!  Our students develop their economics knowledge by means of rigorous graduate courses taken in our department, but they do not stop there. They are given the chance to enroll in advanced mathematics, statistics, and computer science courses, having them counted into MAE requirements. Many students will branch farther out to take graduate classes (subject to advisor approval) in the Sanford School of Public Policy or the Fuqua School of Business, among others.    
• Research Assistant (RA) opportunities:  Our program is designed to enhance research training among our students. Faculty in the Department of Economics regularly hire our MAE students to work as research assistants, enabling them to strengthen applied skills and tools. The quality of their preparation and work is recognized beyond our department. As evidence of this, several of our students land similar research positions in the Sanford School of Public Policy or the Fuqua School of Business, among others.    
• Teaching Assistant (TA) opportunities:  Very few master’s programs afford the opportunity for their students to work as teaching assistants. We are different. Many of our master’s courses have second-year MA students working as TA’s. This is not just a great opportunity to deepen the learning of materials. It also enables those applying to PhD programs, in particular international students, to signal their ability to communicate ideas in a clear and compelling way. These paid positions will also help you defray the cost of the program.  
• Diversity of student interests:  MAE students share a passion for economics, but their interests are wide in scope. Some pursue research intensive experiences, aiming to apply to doctoral degrees, others explore internships and industry opportunities. Some deepen their exposure to advanced economics, other attain more breadth by building up computer science, mathematics, or statistics skills. Some venture into finance, accounting, or strategy topics, engaging in PhD level courses at the Fuqua School of Business, others are drawn to public policy. Everyone has the opportunity to find and develop their interests.  
• Industry vs. PhD:  We value diversity of goals. Roughly 40% of MAE students go on to doctoral programs, though some in that group may work for a couple years before doing so. Other students begin or resume careers in government or private sector. We believe in letting you figure out your best fit through the richness of experiences provided by our program. Whatever you choose, you will be uniquely prepared for either industry or academic paths. Since our MAE is a STEM program, international students benefit from excellent conditions to pursue private sector jobs in the US.

Degree Requirements Summary

Requirements Overview 2023 and 2024

(Students matriculating prior to Fall 2023: Please refer to the section below, Requirements Overview 2022 and Prior )

• ECON 601 Microeconomics
• ECON 605 Advanced Microeconomic Analysis
• ECON 620 Game Theory with Applications of Economics and Other Social Sciences
• ECON 664 Competitive Strategy and Industrial Organization
• ECON 701 Microeconomic Analysis I
• ECON 705 Microeconomic Analysis II
• ECON 885 Special Topics in Economic Theory, with approval
• ECON 602 Macroeconomic Theory
• ECON 606 Advanced Macroeconomics II
• ECON 624 International Trade
• ECON 652 Economic Growth
• ECON 702 Macroeconomic Analysis I
• ECON 706 Macroeconomic Analysis II
• Or approved substitutes
• ECON 608 Introduction to Econometrics
• ECON 612 Time Series Econometrics
• ECON 613 Applied Econometrics in Microeconomics
• ECON 623 Forecasting Financial Markets
• ECON 672 Empirical Methods in Financial Econometrics
• ECON 703 Econometrics I
• ECON 707 Econometrics II
• ECON 883 Special Topics in Econometrics, with approval
• At least ONE Capstone Course  (3 credits), with a grade of B or better. Capstone courses must include an individual and original research paper and cannot be used to fulfill any of the previous requirements.
• students may take either ECON 673/MATH 581 or ECON 671, but not both, for credit towards the degree;
• students may take either ECON 674/MATH 582 or ECON 678, but not both, for credit towards the degree;
• MATH 712 and 719: Multivariable Calculus must be pre-approved by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) of the MAE program for credit toward the degree.
• Internship  (optional)
• Responsible Conduct of Research  (RCR) training during orientation and 1 RCR forum
• (For international students)  English language proficiency courses , if required

Requirements Overview 2022 and Prior

• ECON 564 Competitive Strategy and Industrial Organization
• ECON 613 Applied Econometrics in Microeconomics (Counts towards the micro/macro requirement or the metrics requirement, but not both.)
• ECON 621 Non-Market Valuation
• ECON 656 International Monetary Economics
• ECON 668: Political Economics: Collective Decisions and Individual Values
• ECON 690 Special Topics in Economics: General Equilibrium Theory and Financial Markets
• ECON 690 Special Topics in Economics: Continuous Time Methods (Counts towards the micro/macro requirement or the metrics/compmethods/compsci/math/stats requirement, but not both.)
• ECON 881 Special Topics in Applied Microeconomics, with approval
• ECON 882 Special Topics in Macro International Finance, with approval
• ECON 672 Empirical Methods in Financial Econometrics (Note: This course was formerly ECON 690 Special Topics in Economics: Financial Econometrics.)
• ECON 690 Special Topics in Economics: Microeconometrics Tools
• Any of the econometrics courses listed above
• Any computational methods or cross-listed math course at the 600-level of above offered by the Department of Economics
• Courses in computer science, mathematics and statistics at the 500-level or above.  NOTE:  Starting in Fall 2020, students may take  either  ECON 673/MATH 581  or  ECON 671, but not both, for credit towards the degree. Also starting in Fall 2020, students may take  either  ECON 674/MATH 582  or  ECON 678, but not both, for credit towards the degree. 
• ONE Capstone Course  (3 credits), with a grade of B or better
• Responsible Conduct of Research  (RCR) Training during orientation and 1 RCR forum 2-hour course (either GS 711 or GS712)
• (For international students)  English language proficiency

It is the policy of The Graduate School that undergraduate courses (499 or lower) do not count towards the M.A. degree or a student's GPA. Courses that are cross-listed as both undergraduate- and graduate-level courses count towards the M.A. degree and a student's GPA only if they have a separate, more rigorous syllabus for graduate students. It is the student's responsibility to verify that this is the case before enrolling in any cross-listed courses.

Doctoral students enrolled at Duke University can pursue a master's degree en route to the Ph.D. without paying for an additional 30 units of graduate credit. ( Please note:  Ph.D. students who wish to receive more than one master's degree en route to the Ph.D. will incur additional tuition charges.) Sometimes doctoral students from other programs at the university wish to earn a master's degree in a different department or school, typically in a field related to the discipline of their Ph.D. For those who would like to pursue an M.A. Economics degree to supplement their Ph.D. in another program, the following steps are required:

• Students must meet with the director of M.A. studies, Assistant Professor  Nelson Sa , to discuss their academic plan for the M.A. Economics degree.
• Students must satisfy all of the M.A. program requirements for the degree in economics.
• Students must complete and submit  The Graduate School's application  to earn a M.A. degree in another discipline en route to the Ph.D. The application includes a rationale for the intellectual relationship between the two programs, a transcript, and two letters of recommendation from Duke faculty speaking to and supporting the relationship between the doctoral and M.A. Economics program. Students need to obtain the required approval signatures prior to submitting the application to the Graduate School.
• The application must be completed and submitted to the Graduate School well in advance of the  graduation deadline dates  in order for students to be formally approved. Once approved, they must apply to graduate as M.A. Economics students by deadline.
• After they have applied to graduate, students must  complete a portfolio  as their written M.A. Economics completion examination requirement. Please review information about portfolio requirements. The  M.A. program assistant  will notify students by email of semester portfolio deadline dates.
• Students must submit a list of courses to the director of M.A. studies indicating which courses will be completed to fulfill the M.A. program requirements. Courses on the list will be approved by the director of M.A. studies on a student-by-student basis and must form part of a coherent curriculum that fits with the student's area of concentration for the Ph.D.

List of Acceptable Non-ECON Courses for M.A. En Route

The following list of non-ECON courses have been approved for the M.A. Economics en route to the Ph.D. Please keep in mind that, as noted above, all courses are subject to the approval of the director of M.A. studies; this list is meant to be suggestive only.

Faculty advisors assigned to MA students are responsible for assisting them in discovering and participating in appropriate channels of scholarly, professional, and disciplinary exchange; and for helping students develop the professional research, teaching, and networking skills that are required for a variety of career options, both within and outside academia. By doing this, advisors play a crucial role in the development and success of our graduate students, engaging with the next generation of researchers and scholars.

The advisor-advisee relationship is a cooperative partnership that should be based on mutual respect and acceptance of responsibilities. In this document, we describe the main responsibilities of advisors and students, as well as the channels available to resolve problems that can appear in this relationship.

Responsibilities for MA Advisors

An effective academic advisor has the following responsibilities:

• Have basic knowledge of MA program requirements and the Graduate School policies regarding academic milestones.
• Listen to and support an advisee’s scholarly and professional goals.
• Help the advisee develop a timeline for completing academic requirements and meeting professional goals. Take reasonable measures to ensure that this timeline is met.
• Communicate clearly and frequently with an advisee about expectations and responsibilities.
• Meet with an advisee to review progress, challenges, and goals.  Advisors should meet with their students at least once a semester, prior to registration. They should have at least one additional meeting with incoming students at the start of their first semester.
• Encourage openness about any challenges or difficulties that impact the graduate student experience and work with the advisee to resolve any challenges.
• Act as a liaison between the student and the Director of Graduate Studies and the department.
• Be aware of institutional resources that can provide support to advisees in times of academic, professional, and personal challenges and whom you, as an advisor, may consult for further guidance.
• Notify the Director of Graduate Studies if you know or suspect that your advisee is facing significant academic or personal challenges.

Responsibilities for Students

To be an effective advisee, students have the following responsibilities:

• Become familiar with the graduate program requirements and the Graduate School policies regarding academic milestones.
• Work with your advisor to develop a timeline for completing academic requirements and meeting professional goals.
• Devote an appropriate amount of time and energy toward achieving academic excellence and earning the advanced degree in a timely fashion.
• Take the initiative. Be proactive in finding answers to questions and in planning your future steps.
• Meet with their advisors once a semester, before registration. First-year students should also meet with their advisors at the start of their first semester.
• Be honest with your advisors. Alert them about any difficulties you may have about program requirements, normal progress, and performance expectations.
• Be willing to be mentored and open to feedback. Listen and respond appropriately to recommendations from advisors.
• Be mindful of time constraints and other demands imposed on faculty members and program staff.

Problem resolution

As with any other relationship, the advisor-advisee partnership may fail to function as expected. There may be multiple reasons for this. For example, the advisor or the advisee may repeatedly fail to satisfy the responsibilities described earlier; or the advisor and advisee may have a personal conflict that cannot be easily resolved.

These situations should be discussed first with the Director of Graduate Studies, and subsequently, and only if necessary, the Chair of the department. These department representatives will assist in mediating existing problems.

If the departmental efforts to resolve these problems are unsuccessful, students and faculty can refer to the Associate Dean or the Dean of the Graduate School for a formal resolution.

STEM Designation

This degree program classifies as STEM (CIP Code 45.0603: Econometrics and Quantitative Economics), and students in this program can apply for a  24-month STEM extension of F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT) .

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• Political Economy

This field examines the reciprocal relationships between politics and markets, both within and among countries, using a variety of analytical tools, including those of economics. Its concerns include interactions among economic and political development; cooperation and conflict among nations, groups, and individuals; the distribution of material resources and political power; the effects of political actors and institutions on economic outcomes; the causes and consequences of technological and structural change, growth, and globalization; and regulation.

First Field

Course requirements.

• POLSCI 745 Core in Political Economy
• ECON 601 Microeconomics
• POLSCI 747S Seminar on Political Economy: Macro Level OR an approved macroeconomics course
• 2 field course in political science

Preliminary examination

All students must complete a preliminary examination at the end of their second year which consists of a second year paper and an oral defense. The second year paper must be submitted to the student’s preliminary exam committee and the DGS by May 1 st and the oral examination must be completed by May 15 th . Students should speak with the field chair and their primary advisor(s) well in advance of these deadlines to ensure a shared understanding of what is expected.

Second Field

• ECON 601 Microeconomics OR POLSCI 747S Seminar on Political Economy: Macro Level OR an approved macroeconomics course

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University Program in Environmental Policy (UPEP)

Identifying policy solutions to environmental challenges requires a command of social sciences, alongside topical knowledge and understanding of relevant policy processes. Duke's University Program in Environmental Policy (UPEP) PhD is a 5-year program for intense research training, combining disciplinary specialization − in economics or political science − with an emphasis on understanding policy settings and the precise nature of the problem we hope to solve with policy. That requires integrating multiple perspectives to frame useful applications of disciplinary rigor.

Our students and faculty conduct world-class research, in domestic and international contexts, on a wide array of topics in environmental economics, policy, and politics. Graduate placements have included academic positions in disciplinary departments, interdisciplinary units, and professional schools and professional positions in domestic and international public agencies, environmental organizations, research institutes, and consulting firms.

The UPEP PhD program is jointly administered by the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Sanford School of Public Policy. It draws on the extensive resources of both schools, as well as numerous departments and research institutes across Duke University. UPEP students work in close proximity to PhD students in other disciplines, within each School as well as across Duke. We have close affiliations with the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and the Duke Global Health Institute .

UPEP builds on a long history of Duke University engagement with environmental policy issues. The predecessors of the Nicholas School—the School of Forestry, the Marine Lab, and the Department of Geology—were founded in the 1930s. The Sanford School of Public Policy traces its history to the formation of Duke’s Institute of Policy Sciences and Public Affairs in 1971. Both schools have offered environment-focused PhD training for many years. In 2010, UPEP was created to bring together groups engaged in social science research and training for environmental policy.

Applying to UPEP

UPEP applicants should apply directly to the  Duke Graduate School . All doctoral students must enter the program in the fall.

We welcome applicants from diverse academic, cultural, socioeconomic, and professional backgrounds. Approximately 3-5 students are projected to enter the program each fall, for a total of 20-25 students enrolled at any given time.

Admissions Requirements

Admission to the program is extremely competitive, with less than 10 percent of applicants typically offered admission. Applicants should have a record of high academic achievement and the potential to become leading researchers on environmental policy issues. Although the program’s admissions committee evaluates applicants from a comprehensive standpoint, successful applicants will likely have:

• High GPA scores.
• Personalized letters of recommendation that attest to the applicant’s scholarly ability.
• Research interests that overlap those of one or more UPEP faculty members.
• Applicants should clearly specify the preferred concentration in the personal statement. Adequate preparation for PhD-level training in either economics or political science is an important consideration in admissions. 

Matching with Faculty

UPEP conducts program-level admissions review to evaluate applicants’ backgrounds and interests and find matches with potential advisors. Applicants may contact faculty members individually, but it is not necessary to secure an advising commitment in advance in order to be accepted into the program.

To identify faculty members with research interests similar to yours, consult the active UPEP advisor list in the UPEP Handbook and explore the  Nicholas School Faculty Database  and the  Sanford School Faculty Directory .

Other Areas of Study

Candidates should have a strong interest in either the economic or political aspects of environmental studies . If you are primarily interested in other areas, consider the following doctoral programs instead:

• If you are interested primarily in natural science aspects of the environment, consider applying to the Nicholas School’s  PhD program in Environment ,  PhD program in Earth and Ocean Sciences , or  PhD program in Ecology . 
• If you are interested in studying marine resource issues from social science perspectives other than economics or political science, consider applying to the Nicholas School’s  PhD program in Marine Science and Conservation .
• If you are interested in an applied social science degree without a specific focus on the environment, consider applying to the Sanford School’s PhD program in Public Policy Studies .

Faculty Who Advise UPEP Students

Nicholas faculty.

• Elizabeth Albright
• Lori Bennear
• Brian Murray
• Marty Smith
• Jeff Vincent 
• Erika Weinthal

Sanford Faculty

• Sarah Bermeo
• Sara Sutherland
• Marc Jeuland
• Robyn Meeks
• Subhrendu Pattanayak
• Alexander Pfaff

PhD Students in UPEP

Current students.

Savannah Carr-Wilson

Maya Chandrasekaran

Xingchen Chen

Alex Diaz Herrera

Ryan McCord

Dylan Munson

Gabriela Nagle Alverio

Chrissie Pantoja Vallejos

Matthew Reale-Hatem

Paula Sarmiento

Zhenxuan Wang

Ben Weintraut

Updated 10/2023

UPEP fosters interaction among students, Duke faculty, faculty at neighboring universities (in particular North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), and visiting researchers by co-sponsoring two seminar series that meet regularly during the academic year: 

• Environmental Institutions Seminar Series (held at Duke). 
• Triangle Resource and Environmental Economics Seminar Series  (held at Research Triangle Institute). 

UPEP runs its own internal biweekly seminar in which mostly students present to the other students and faculty.

Students also participate in numerous other seminars sponsored by the Nicholas School, the Sanford School, the Departments of Economics and Political Science, and other schools, departments, institutes, and centers at Duke and area universities.

Institutes & Centers

Students in the program interact with researchers at several institutes and centers at Duke, including: 

• Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability
• Duke Global Health Institute
• Social Science Research Institute
• Duke Center for International Development

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find our responses to the most common questions asked by prospective applicants.  

General Questions

What is the difference between UPEP and other PhD programs in the Nicholas and Sanford schools at Duke?

UPEP is intended for individuals who are interested in conducting PhD studies in environmental policy with an emphasis on economics or political science, under the supervision of Duke University faculty members who have primary appointments in the Nicholas or Sanford schools. 

Other PhD programs at Duke are probably more appropriate for you if you are interested in natural science aspects of the environment, purely disciplinary programs in economics or political science, fields of public policy other than environmental policy, or studying marine resource issues from perspectives other than economics or political science. 

If you are still not sure which program to apply to, please contact the faculty members whose research interests you and ask them which programs admit students that they can supervise.

What kinds of careers does UPEP prepare students for?

A variety of organizations hire individuals with PhDs in environmental policy, including universities, research institutes, government agencies, private-sector consulting firms, and NGOs.  

Is UPEP an interdisciplinary program?

UPEP is interdisciplinary in the sense of requiring students to learn about two important dimensions of environmental policy—economics and politics—and encouraging them to develop a basic understanding of natural science aspects of the issues that interest them.  It emphasizes, however, the development of disciplinary expertise in either economics or political science as applied to environmental policy issues.

What kind of financial aid will I receive if I am admitted?

Details will be provided in your offer letter.

Can you send me a brochure on UPEP?

All information on UPEP is web-based.  Please contact the UPEP Director of Graduate Studies Assistant (DGSA,  [email protected] ) if you are unable to find the information you are seeking on this website.

Does Duke have a Master’s program in Environmental Policy?

Duke has a Master of Environmental Management (MEM) program, which is administered by the Nicholas School and includes an Environmental Economics and Policy concentration , and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, which is administered by the Sanford School.

Does Duke have a joint JD/PhD program in environmental policy?

You can earn both a JD and an Environmental Policy PhD from Duke in the following way.  Begin by applying to the three-year JD/MA program, with the MA in either Environmental Science and Policy (through the Nicholas School) or Public Policy Studies (through the Sanford School).  Please contact the Duke Law School for more information on the JD/MA program.  In the final year of the JD/MA program, apply to UPEP like any other applicant.  Depending on the courses taken during the JD/MA program, the number of additional years required to complete the UPEP PhD might be reduced from 5 years to 4 years, but probably not by more. 

Program Requirements

How long does the program take to complete?

Typically 5 years.  You can see illustrative timelines for the environmental economics and environmental politics concentrations in the UPEP Student Handbook .

Are economics and political science the only concentrations under UPEP?

Currently, yes.  

Do I need to decide on my concentration (economics or concentration) when I apply?

Yes.  You should state your intended concentration in your application.  Applicants who are unsure about their concentration will not be admitted.

What are the requirements of each concentration?

Please see the UPEP Student Handbook for program and curriculum details.

Do I need to identify a prospective advisor before I apply?

No, but your chances of admission will increase if your application indicates that you have identified one or more faculty members in the Nicholas or Sanford schools whose research interests are similar to yours.  You are welcome to communicate with faculty members before you apply, but please note that they cannot tell you whether you will be admitted.  Admission decisions are made by the Duke Graduate School, as advised by the UPEP admissions committee, not by individual faculty members.

How do I identify faculty members who might be interested in advising me if I am admitted?

Please see the “UPEP Faculty” listed above.

Will I be assigned an advisor if I am admitted?

Yes.  You will be assigned an advisor when you are admitted.  Your advisor will likely be a faculty member that you have mentioned in your application.  Another faculty member will be assigned, however, if none of the faculty members that you mention is available or if another faculty member is deemed to be a more suitable advisor for you.  Assigning an advisor at this early point in the program ensures that you will have a faculty member who will take responsibility for advising you on course selection, discussing your research interests, assisting you in obtaining grants and fellowships, and in other ways helping you complete the program successfully.

Can I change my advisor?

Yes.  Students interested in changing advisors should contact the UPEP Director of Graduate Studies.

Can I work with only my advisor as a teaching assistant (TA), a research assistant (RA), or on my dissertation research?

No.  TA assignments are made independently of advisor assignments, although you will likely serve as a TA for your advisor at least once.  RAships depend on funding availability.  You can serve as an RA for either your advisor or another faculty member.  UPEP students form dissertation committees consistent with Duke Graduate School rules, and members of the committee other than your advisor often play a large role in supervising aspects of the research.

Admissions Process

How do I apply to UPEP?

You apply through the Duke Graduate School. 

When is my application due?

The application deadline is posted on the Duke Graduate School website .  Late applications are generally not considered.

Can I enter the program during the spring semester instead of the fall semester?

No.  All students must enter during the fall semester.

Do I need to visit Duke before I apply?

No.  If you are interested in visiting, please contact the faculty members whose research most interests you and arrange a time to visit when they are available.  You will be responsible for making and paying for your own travel arrangements.  If you are admitted to UPEP, then you and other admitted students will be invited to visit Duke in mid-March, with the costs of that visit being covered by Duke up to a budgeted amount.

How are admission decisions made?

UPEP has an admissions committee, which meets in early January to review all of the complete applications submitted to Duke Graduate School.  Incomplete applications are not reviewed.  Based on the admission committee’s findings, the UPEP Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) provides recommendations to the Duke Graduate School as to which students should be admitted.  The Graduate School makes the official admission decisions.

When will I find out if I have been admitted?

Typically by the middle of February.

When must I decide whether to accept Duke’s offer of admission?

This information will be in your offer letter.  The date is typically in mid-April.

If I am admitted to the program, can I defer admission?

Ordinarily no, but deferrals may sometimes be granted for medical reasons.

Will I automatically be considered for other PhD programs at Duke or for a Master’s program if I am not admitted to UPEP?

No. Your application to UPEP is only for UPEP.

If I am not admitted to UPEP, should I enter another program and then apply for a transfer to UPEP?

You are welcome to do this, but there is no guarantee that it will increase your chances of admission.  You will be required to reapply through the normal process, and your application will be reviewed with along with those from first-time applicants.

I applied to the program last year but was not admitted. I would like to reapply. Can Duke transfer my scores, transcripts, and other materials to this year’s application?

No. You must submit a new application.

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Outrageous Ambition

We invite you to conduct research that matters with our world-class faculty.

Doctoral program.

The PhD in Public Policy at Duke University enables students to collaborate with Duke’s top-rated faculty in public policy and with Duke’s departments of economics, political science and sociology, among others, all on the beautiful Duke campus.

Public policy leader

The Sanford School is a national and international leader in the dynamic field of public policy studies, with numerous interdisciplinary centers exploring vital policy questions in the field and in the classroom. Members of our faculty are experts in fields ranging from aging, education, and the environment to international affairs, media and democracy, and welfare reform.

Our students

Most of our students pursue doctoral-level public policy research with the goal of working in domestic and international public agencies, research organizations and policy consulting firms. Others seek academic positions in public policy, public administration and policy-oriented schools. They are united by their passion for public policy and their desire to have a positive impact on the world.

Duke’s PhD in Public Policy is distinguished by its truly interdisciplinary nature. The program offers a unique balance of depth in a discipline such as:

• political science

PhD students focus on a particular policy area such as social policy, global policy, health policy or environmental policy. They also interact with leading scholars and interdisciplinary centers at Duke such as:

• Duke Global Health Institute
• Duke Center for Child and Family  Policy
• ​Duke Social Science Research Institute
• Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment

With just 6-8 students a year all PhD students get lots of individual faculty attention. In addition to working with Duke’s world-class faculties of public policy, economics, history, political science, psychology and sociology and psychology, PhD students interact with leading scholars from:

• Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences
• Duke’s Fuqua School of Business
• Duke’s Law and Medical Schools.

Questions? Contact us

Browse our  FAQ section , or  contact PhD Program staff via email  so we can help you.

Student Story: Alison Pei

Alison Pei PhD'24 earned a PhD at Sanford, dedicating her research to labor market dynamics and innovation. She now works at an economic consulting firm in Boston, focusing on antitrust and competition. Alison says Sanford gave her the confidence to research. “They kept encouraging me to voice my thoughts and contribute ideas as if I were a seasoned researcher.” she says. “This experience only stokes my passion for continuing to navigate the waters where research, policymaking, and the real world collide.”

Featured Video

Focus on Environment

Hear PhD candidate Gabriela Nagle Alverio talk about her experience at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University.

Research for a Better Society

Hear Ajenai Clemmons PhD ‘21 discuss her research project and passion for pursuing this work at the Sanford School.

G-ECON-AM - Economics - Master's

Download as pdf, degree designation.

The MA in Economics is designed to give students a quantitative approach to economics with the flexibility to tailor the degree to fit their future goals. This program offers comprehensive instruction in a wide range of areas within the discipline, including computational economics, economic analysis, and financial economics.

Students preparing to enter these programs will find an undergraduate background in mathematics, engineering, computer science, statistics, or economics to be very helpful.

For additional information, please visit econ.duke.edu/masters-programs/degree-programs/ma-econ .

Bulletin Links

• Divinity School
• Fuqua School of Business
• Graduate School
• School of Law
• School of Medicine
• Nicholas School of the Environment
• School of Nursing
• Pratt School of Engineering
• Sanford School of Public Policy
• Undergraduate Instruction
• Archived Bulletins

2024-2025 Graduate School Bulletin. Download PDF here.

PhD Program

Duke's Fuqua School of Business

Fuqua’s Finance PhD program is rigorous, technical, and specifically designed for students who aspire to become faculty members at leading universities and to contribute to the research in the field at these institutions. The program provides you with the tools and techniques to push the frontiers of research in financial economics.

A unique aspect of the Fuqua Finance program is how closely our faculty work with you from the very start. The Finance team is a small group, only admitting 3 to 4 students each year, which enables ongoing faculty input for each student. Those who complete the program will receive a PhD in Business Administration with a Finance focus.

• Curriculum/Program Requirements
• Current PhD Students
• Student Research and Awards

• Master of Management
• Master of Quantitative Management
• Executive Education
• STEM Qualifying

Daytime MBA

Leaders who bring out the best in others.

Developing the next generation of business scholars

Fuqua's PhD Program in Business Administration (CIP 52.1399, STEM eligible) prepares candidates for research and teaching careers at leading educational institutions and for careers where advanced research and analytical capabilities are needed.

At Fuqua, you'll develop close working relationships with leading scholars in your field in a stimulating and collaborative learning environment. We encourage strong collaborations between students and faculty, both within your academic area and across different areas, in order to foster the groundbreaking interdisciplinary research we're known for.

Academic Experience

Our PhD program focuses on three critical development areas to prepare you for your career:

• Independent inquiry
• Competence in research methodology
• Communication of research results

From the start, you'll be introduced to rigorous coursework and the research activities across our faculty and your PhD student peers.

Our Faculty

In our PhD degree program, you'll work with our world-renowned faculty who are recognized for excellence in both teaching and research, and for their accessibility across degree programs.

Program Requirements

The PhD in Business Administration is a degree of the Graduate School of Duke University and follows the degree requirements set by Duke's Graduate School. In general, the PhD program requires an average of 5 years to complete. After you and a faculty member in your academic area determine your specific study program, according to your interests and goals, you'll be required to:

• Gain expertise in your area of special interest through your coursework and independent study
• Complete a preliminary qualifiying exam in this area of study by the third year of residence, or earlier
• Defend your dissertation successfully

How to Apply

If you have any questions about Fuqua's PhD programs, please contact our PhD Program Office +1 919.660.7862 or by email . Applications for the PhD program can be found online on the Duke Graduate School website . The application deadline is December 14.

Admission is based on both merit and on a competitive basis. On average, each academic area matriculates 2-3 students each year. The acceptance rate ranges between 2% and 8% across the areas.

Recent PhD Placements

Oliver Binz  - Accounting

• The Information Content of Corporate Earnings: Evidence from the Securities Exchange Act of 1934   Journal of Accounting Research, 2022
• Firms’ Response to Macroeconomic Estimation Errors Journal of Accounting and Economics, 2022
• Managerial Response to Macroeconomic Uncertainty: Implications for Firm Profitability The Accounting Review, 2022

Gregory Burke  - Accounting

• SEC Rule 14a-8 Shareholder Proposals: No-Action Requests, Determinants, and the Role of SEC Staff   Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 2023

Matt Kubic  - Accounting

• Regulator Continuity and Decision-Making Quality: Evidence from SEC Comment Letters The Accounting Review, forthcoming
• State Sponsors of Terrorism Disclosure and SEC Financial Reporting Oversight Journal of Accounting and Economics, 2021
• Examining the Examiners: SEC Error Detection Rates and Human Capital Allocation The Accounting Review, 2021
• Time to Get It Right: An Examination of Post-Acquisition Fair Value Adjustments Journal of Financial Reporting, 2021

Chen Chen  - Decision Sciences

• Dynamic Pricing of Relocating Resources in Large Networks Management Science, 2021

Mingliu Chen  - Decision Sciences

• Optimal Monitoring Schedule in Dynamic Contracts Operations Research, 2020

Yan Chen  - Decision Sciences

• Society of Agents: Regret Bounds of Concurrent Thompson Sampling NeurIPS 2022, accepted

Huseyin Gurkan  - Decision Sciences

• Informing the Public About a Pandemic Management Science, 2021
• Contracting, Pricing, and Data Collection Under the AI Flywheel Effect Management Science, 2022
• Multistage Intermediation in Display Advertising Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 2020

Simiao Jiao - Decision Sciences

• LU decomposition and Toeplitz decomposition of a neural network with Yucong Liu and Lek-Heng Lim Applied and Computational Harmonic Analysis Volume 68

Cagin Uru  - Decision Sciences

• Sequential Search with Acquisition Uncertainty Management Science, forthcoming
• Sequential Search with Acquisition Uncertainty By David B. Brown and Cagin Uru Management Science

Sophie Yu  - Decision Sciences

• Testing Correlation of Unlabeled Random Graphs Annals of Applied Probability, forthcoming
• Testing Network Correlation Efficiently via Counting Trees Annals of Statistics, accepted
• Settling the Sharp Reconstruction Thresholds of Random Graph Matching IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, 2022

Jingwei Zhang  - Decision Sciences

• On the Strength of Relaxations of Weakly Coupled Stochastic Dynamic Programs Operations Research, forthcoming
• Dynamic Programs with Shared Resources and Signals: Dynamic Fluid Policies and Asymptotic Optimality Operations Research, forthcoming

Hanjing Zhu - Decision Sciences

• One-Pass SGD in Over-Parametrized Two-Layer Neural Network AISTATS, 2021

Rafael Alves  - Finance

• Forecasting Large Realized Covariance Matrices: The Benefits of Factor Models and Shrinkage Research Policy, 2022

John Barry  - Finance

• Corporate Flexibility in a Time of Crisis Journal of Financial Economics, 2022

Hao Pang  - Finance

• Common shocks in stocks and bonds Journal of Financial Economics, 2022
• Contagion in a network of heterogeneous banks Journal of Banking and Finance, 2021

Danbee Chon  - Management & Organizations

• Disentangling the Process and Content of Self-Awareness: a Review, Critical Assessment, and Synthesis Academy of Management Annals, 2021

Sean Fath  - Management & Organizations

• Encouraging Self-Blinding in Hiring Behavioral Science and Policy, forthcoming
• How Reflecting on Experiences of Disadvantage Can Lead White Men to Perceive Racial Privilege Harvard Business Review, forthcoming
• Blinding Curiosity: Exploring Preferences for “Blinding” One’s Own Judgment Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2022
• Self-Views of Disadvantage and Success Impact Perceptions of Privilege Among White Men Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2022
• Why Putting on Blinders Can Help Us See More Clearly MIT Sloan Management Review, 2021
• The Highs and Lows of Hierarchy in Multiteam Systems Academy of Management Journal, 2021
• Signaling Creative Genius: How Perceived Social Connectedness Influences Judgments of Creative Potential Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2021

Carman W Fowler  - Management & Organizations

• Seen and Not Seen: How People Judge Ambiguous Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 2022

Anyi Ma  - Management & Organizations

• On the Mutual Constitution of Person and Culture: Examining the Link Between Perceived Control and Cultural Tightness-Looseness Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, forthcoming
• Support for Increasing Low Wage Workers’ Compensation: The Role of Fixed-Growth Mindsets about Intelligence Journal of Experimental Psychology, forthcoming
• Reconciling Female Agentic Advantage and Disadvantage with the CADDIS Measure of Agency Journal of Applied Psychology, 2022
• Exploring Perceptions of Disadvantage and Success as Interwoven Antecedents of White Privilege Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2022

Jessica Paek - Management & Organizations

• Congratulations, So Happy for You! Promotion Motivation Predicts Social Support for Positive Events Motivation Science, 2022
• Tying the Value of Goals to Social Class Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2023
• The Andrew Carnegie Effect: Legacy motives increase the intergenerational allocation of wealth to collective causes Social Psychological and Personality Science, forthcoming

Rebecca Ponce de Leon  - Management & Organizations

• “Invisible” Discrimination: Divergent Outcomes for the Non-Prototypicality of Black Women Academy of Management Journal, 2022
• “They’re Everywhere!”: Symbolically Threatening Groups Seem More Pervasive than Non-Threatening Groups Psychological Science, 2022
• Double Jeopardy or Intersectional Invisibility? Reconciling (Seemingly) Opposing Perspectives Research on Social Issues in Management: The Future of Scholarship on Race in Organizations, forthcoming
• Ironic Egalitarianism: When Hierarchy-Attenuating Motives Increase Hierarchy-Enhancing Beliefs Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2021

Sara Wingrove  - Management & Organizations

• Interpersonal Consequences of Conveying Goal Ambition Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, forthcoming
• Scientific Skepticism and Inequality: Political and Ideological Roots Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2020

Rodrigo Dias  - Marketing

• Spending and Happiness: The Role of Perceived Financial Constraints Journal of Consumer Research, 2022
• Aha over Haha: Brands Benefit More from Being Clever than from Being Funny Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2022

Holly Howe  - Marketing

• Aha vs. Haha: Brand Benefit More from Being Clever than from Being Funny Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2022
• Open Science Online Grocery: A Tool for Studying Choice Context and Food Choice Journal of the Association of Consumer Research, 2022
• Being There without Being There: Gifts Compensate for Lack of In-Person Support Psychology and Marketing, 2022
• Therapeutic Cannabis Use in Kidney Disease: A Survey of Canadian Nephrologists Kidney Medicine, 2022
• Associations Between Resistance Training Motivation, Behaviour and Strength International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2021
• Body Image and Voluntary Gaze Behaviors Towards Physique-Salient Images International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
• The Shifting Perspectives Study Protocol: Cognitive Remediation Therapy as an Adjunctive Treatment to Family Based Treatment for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2021
• Anger Damns the Innocent: The Paradox of Anger in False Accusations of Wrongdoing Psychological Science, 2021

Nah Lee  - Marketing

• Vertical versus Horizontal Variance in Online Reviews and Their Impact on Demand Journal of Marketing Research, accepted

Demilade Oba  - Marketing

• How communication mediums shape the message Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2023

Siddharth Prusty  - Marketing

• Robust Importance Weighting for Covariate Shift Proceedings of the Twenty Third International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Statistics, 2020

Jacqueline Rifkin  - Marketing

• Penny for Your Preferences: Leveraging Self-Expression to Encourage Small Prosocial Gifts Journal of Marketing, 2020
• How Nonconsumption Can Turn Ordinary Items into Perceived Treasures Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2021

Kelley Gullo Wight  - Marketing

• Social Relationships and Consumer Behavior  APA Handbook of Consumer Psychology, 2022
• Secret Consumer Behaviors in Close Relationships Journal of Consumer Psychology, forthcoming

Lingrui Zhou  - Marketing

• Befriending the Enemy: The Effects of Observing Brand-to-Brand Praise on Consumer Evaluations and Choices Journal of Marketing, 2022
• Better to Decide Together: Shared Consumer Decision Making, Power, and Relationship Satisfaction Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2021

Yuan-Mao Kao  - Operations Management

• Impact of Information Asymmetry and Limited Production Capacity on Business Interruption Insurance Management Science, 2022

Chenghuai Li - Operations Management

• The Blockchain Newsvendor: Value of Freshness Transparency and Smart Contracts N. Bora Keskin, Chenghuai Li, Jeannette Song Management Science, forthcoming

Yuexing Li  - Operations Management

• Data-driven Dynamic Pricing and Ordering with Perishable Inventory in a Changing Environment Management Science, 2022

Chen-An Lin  - Operations Management

• Wait Time–Based Pricing for Queues with Customer-Chosen Service Times Management Science, 2022

James Scott - Operations Management

• A normal fan projection algorithm for low-rank optimization Scott, J.R., Geunes, J. Mathematical Programming (2024)

Ali Kaan Tuna  - Operations Management

• Sustainability Implications of Supply Chain Responsiveness Research Policy, 2022

Divya Sebastian  - Strategy

• Invention value, inventive capability and the large firm advantage By Ashish Arora, Wesley M Cohen, and Honggi Lee Research Policy, 2023

Lia Sheer  - Strategy

• Sitting on the Fence: Integrating the Two Worlds of Scientific Discovery and Invention within the Firm Research Policy, 2022
• Knowledge Spillovers and Corporate Investment in Scientific Research American Economic Review, 2021
•  Matching Patents to Compustat Firms, 1980-2015: Dynamic Reassignment, Name Changes, and Ownership Structures Research Policy, 2021
• FARS Midyear Meeting Outstanding Reviewer Award 2022
• EAR Conference Best Discussant Award 2021

Matthew Kubic  - Accounting

• The Fuqua School of Business' Best Dissertation Award 2019-2020

Ayoub Amil  - Decision Sciences

• RMP Jeff McGill Student Paper Prize (2022), Finalist  - Multi-Item Order Fulfillment Revisited: LP Formulation and Prophet Inequality

Irem Nur Keskin - Decision Sciences

• 2024 POMS College of Supply Chain Management Best Student Paper Competition, Honorable Mention
• INFORMS M&SOM Student Paper Award (2023), Second Place
• The Fuqua School of Business' Best Dissertation Award 2022-2023
• INFORMS 2022, George Nicholson Student Paper Competition, Finalist

Taha Ahsin  - Finance

• MFA Doctoral Symposium (2022), Finalist
• SFA Doctoral Student Paper Runners-Up Award (2022)

Jing Huang  - Finance

• European Finance Association Best Conference Paper Prize 2021 for  Open Banking: Credit Market Competition when Borrowers Own the Data
• Western Finance Association Best Paper in FinTech 2022, for "Fintech Expansion"

YoungJun Song  - Finance

• Most Influential Faculty Award
• Selected for AOM Best Paper Proceedings (top 10% of accepted papers)

Xiaoran Li - Management & Organizations

• Academy of Management (AOM) OB Division Best Reviewer Award 2024
• Lepage Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Faculty Award
• Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Outstanding Dissertation Award 2020

Jessica Paek  - Management & Organizations

• Lim Kim San Fellowship at Singapore Management University 2022
• Kenan Institute for Ethics Graduate Fellowship 2021–2022
• Best Theoretical/Empirical Paper Award, Academy of Management Meeting, Conflict Management Division 2021
• Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity Graduate Student Scholarship 2021
• The Fuqua School of Business' Best Dissertation Award 2021-2022
• University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Advancing Research and Creativity Grant 2022
• Winner, INFORMS/Organization Science Dissertation Proposal Competition 2021

Jessica Reif  - Management & Organizations

• Teaching on Purpose Fellowship, Kenan Institute for Ethics (2024)
• Best Student Poster Award, Honorable Mention - Society for Judgment and Decision Making (2022)
• JCR Ferber Award
• MSI Alden-Clayton Dissertation Proposal Competition (Honorable Mention)
• AMA CBSig Rising Star Award (2023)
• AMA Sheth Doctoral Consortium Fellow
• AMA CBSig Rising Star Award
• AMA Mathew Joseph Emerging Scholar Award
• SCP 2023 Best Competitive Paper Finalist
• AMA Sheth Consortium Fellow 2020
• Society of Consumer Psychology, Best Poster Award - Beyond Persuasion: Developing a Framework of Communication Patterns in Joint Decision-Making
• Co-Principal Investigator, The Jerome A. Chazen Institute for Global Business Research Grant 2022
• Best Talk Award 2022, Society for Consumer Psychology Conference (Interpersonal Relations & Group Processes Track)
• Early Career Faculty Award 2021, University of Missouri-Kansas City Emeritus College

Boya Xu - Marketing

• 2024 ASA Statistics in Marketing Doctoral Dissertation Research Award Finalist
• AMA Sheth Consortium Fellow 2023
• Co-Principal Investigator, NET Institute Research Grant 2023
• INFORMS Marketing Science Doctoral Consortium Fellow, 2021, 2023

Chenghuai Li  - Operations Management

• 2023 POMS College of Sustainable Operations Early-stage Doctoral Student Award
• 2023 POMS-HK Best Student Paper Competition, Second Place
• 2023 INFORMS Minority Issues Forum Poster Competition , Honorable Mention
• 2022 INFORMS OR/MS Tomorrow Mini-Poster Competition, Honorable Mention
• 2022 YinzOR Conference Flash Talk Competiton , Fan Favorite Award
• 2022 Winner, Best Paper Competition, Digital Supply Chain and Supplier Diversity Conference
• INFORMS Data Mining Best Paper Competition, Winner 2020 - Data-driven Clustering and Feature-based Retail Electricity Pricing with Smart Meters
• College of Sustainable Operations Student Paper Award, Honorable Mention 2021 - Wait Time Based Pricing for Queues with Customer-Chosen Service Times

Larisa Cioaca - Strategy

• 2024-2025 Katherine G. Stern Fellowship, Duke University Graduate School
• 2024 Junior Fellow, Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) at George Mason University
• Recipient of the Duke India Initiative Grant ($2020)
• Duke Graduate School Bass Instructional Fellow
• The Fuqua School of Business' Best Dissertation Award 2020-2021

What areas of study do you offer?

We have study concentrations in the following areas: Accounting, Decision Sciences, Finance, Marketing, Management and Organizations, Operations Management and Strategy.

Could you evaluate my chances of admissions to the program?

Please be advised, we cannot offer assessment of candidacy to applicants or provide feedback to re-applicants. The admission decision is made by faculty in each area and awarded on a competitive basis, after evaluating all applications. We encourage all interested candidates to apply.

Do you have online or part time options for your degree program?

No, online or part time options are not available for our doctoral program.

Do you have to be in residence during the program?

Students are required to be in residence during their coursework (2-3 years) and are highly encouraged to remain in residence for the remainder of the program. On average, students complete the program in 5 years.

I have a graduate degree. Could I be exempt from the GRE/GMAT test requirement?

The GMAT or GRE is required for admission to the Business Administration Program. The GMAT or GRE cannot be waived under any circumstance.

Is there a minimum score for GMAT or GRE?

There is no minimum score requirement, although successful applicants tend to have competitive scores.

If I have an MBA degree, will that make a difference?

Some students have an MBA or another master's degree before entering the program. However, an MBA or another master's degree is not required for admissions.

Is work experience required?

No, it is not required.

Are interviews required as part of the admissions process?

No, they are not required, although some areas may choose to conduct preliminary interviews prior to final admission decisions.

How many recommendation letters are required?

Three recommendation letters are required.

What financial assistance is available for doctoral students?

Fuqua offers fellowships to all doctoral students, including international students. This fellowship pays for tuition, a competitive stipend for living expenses, and single person health fees. The fellowship is renewable for up to five years of doctoral education, conditional on good academic standing in the program. Additional funding in the form of research and teaching assistantships is also available to PhD students. For information about financial aid, please see  https://gradschool.duke.edu/financial-support .

Your admission to the PhD program will include stipends, tuition and registration, and health fees for up to ten semesters, provided you are making satisfactory progress in the program.  Other forms of financial assistance include:

• Desktop computer
• Support for approved academic travel
• Assistance in seeking funding from the Graduate School and outside sources

Teaching and research assistantships are available for supplementary funding.  For additional information about financial aid, please see  https://gradschool.duke.edu/financial-support .

Can I visit the Fuqua School of Business?

The PhD office is unable to offer school tours or individual meetings with Fuqua faculty before the pre-admit season begins. Contacting faculty prior to application submission is not necessary. Due to the volume of inquiries, faculty members regret that they are unable to respond to all inquiries. Prospective students are encouraged to learn about  faculty research .

Do you have a resource guide for Duke and the greater Durham area?

Duke Graduate School and the Emerging Leaders Institute  have surveyed current students and created  The Professional's Guide to Duke and Durham  to answer common questions for incoming students.

Duke's Graduate School

The answers to the following frequently asked questions can be found at the  Duke's Graduate School  general webpage:

• How do I apply to the PhD Program?
• Do I need to provide TOEFLs or IELTS scores?
• What is the minimum ESL-related score?
• If I have an admissions question, who do I contact?
• How much is the application fee?
• Are official documents required during the application review process?
• My transcript is not in English, do I need to provide a translation?
• What if I retake the GRE or GMAT, which score is considered?
• How can I check the status of my application?

Start your application to one of our PhD programs now.

Accounting * Decision Sciences * Finance * Management and Organizations * Marketing * Operations Management * Strategy

PhD Program in Business Administration

Duke university’s fuqua school of business.

100 Fuqua Drive Durham, NC 27708-0120 Tel +1.919.660.7862 [email protected]

Office Hours

Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.

Map and Directions

Fields of Study

Get a solid foundation in the tools of accounting research.

Decision Sciences

Help organizations make better decisions.

Push the frontiers of research in financial economics.

Management and Organizations

Understand organizations from multiple perspectives.

Among the most published and cited marketing faculties in the world.

Operations Management

Think conceptually, carefully and creatively about operations issues.

Innovation, entrepreneurship, organizations, and business and public policy.

Ph.D. in Environmental Policy

General info.

• Faculty working with students: 31
• Students: 13
• Students receiving Financial Aid: 100%
• Part time study available: No
• Application terms: Fall
• Application deadline: December 12

Martin D. Smith Director of Graduate Studies University Program in Environmental Policy Duke University Box 90328 Durham, NC 27708-0328 Phone: (919) 613-8028

Email:  [email protected]

Website: https://nicholas.duke.edu/academics/doctoral-degrees

Program Description

The University Program in Environmental Policy (UPEP) is a multidisciplinary, research-focused five-year doctoral degree, intended to prepare candidates for positions in applied academic departments and professional schools (e.g., environment and natural resources, public policy, public administration, international affairs), domestic and international public agencies and environmental organizations, research institutes, and policy consulting firms.  Although the program is multidisciplinary, it is designed to ensure that students have strength in a particular social science discipline.  Students designate their concentration when applying and currently may select either environmental economics or environmental politics.

Students interested in doctoral studies at Duke can also study the environment from a social science perspective through the disciplinary PhD program in Economics and PhD program in Political Science, and the interdisciplinary PhD program in Marine Science and Conservation.  Students interested in an applied social science degree without a specific focus on the environment should apply to the PhD program in Public Policy Studies.  Students interested in natural science aspects of the environment should consider the PhD program in Environment, PhD program in Earth and Ocean Sciences, PhD program in Marine Science and Conservation, and PhD program in Ecology.

UPEP is the first and only PhD program in the United States jointly administered by a school of the environment and a school of public policy.  It provides a focal point for faculty and graduate students in the Nicholas School of the Environment and the Sanford School of Public Policy who are interested in environmental policy.  It draws on the intellectual resources of not only the two schools but also related disciplinary departments (Economics, Political Science) and other professional schools (Law School, Fuqua School, Pratt School of Engineering) at Duke.  Faculty in the program conduct research on economic and political aspects of a wide range of topics, including air and water quality, biodiversity conservation, climate change, community resources management, corporate sustainability, ecosystem services, energy, environmental health, fisheries, forests, freshwater, and marine resources, in both U.S. and international contexts.  Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty members with related interests to learn more about their current research projects and interest in accepting new doctoral students.

Students in the program:

• A set of common requirements, including courses in the political-economic theory of public policy (PUBPOL 901/902, 6 credits), a series of research workshops leading to the dissertation proposal (ENV 834S, 4.5 credits), and at least one course in environmental/resource economics (3+ credits).
• Disciplinary concentration requirements, including core theory (6+ credits) and research methods (6+ credits) in economics or political science, and corresponding environmental field courses (i.e., environmental economics or environmental politics; (6 credits).
• As needed, appropriate training in natural sciences relevant to the student's research.  The level and content of such training is flexible and is worked out in consultation with the student's advisor and committee.
• Regularly attend and participate in one or more research seminars in which faculty and others present their research.
• Attain dissertation status, including meeting qualifying requirements and passing the preliminary exam, by the end of the third year.
• Pass a final examination, which consists of an oral dissertation defense to an approved supervisory committee.  This is typically completed by the end of the fifth year.  A successful Environmental Policy PhD dissertation must constitute a significant contribution to policy-relevant knowledge, either through innovative application of social science methods to environmental policy problems, or by innovation in theory or methods appropriate for addressing environmental policy problems.

Students normally receive a stipend and a scholarship to cover tuition and fees for up to five years of study if they maintain satisfactory progress toward their degree.  Support during the first 2-3 years is usually in return for service as a teaching assistant, with support during the remainder of the program expected to come from research grants managed by a student's major professor.  Some students also compete successfully for fellowships offered by the Graduate School and other sources at Duke.  Applicants are encouraged to explore external sources of fellowship support (e.g., National Science Foundation) during the application process.

Students in the program can interact with researchers at several centers and institutes at Duke University including the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, the Center on Global Change, the Duke Global Health Institute, the Social Science Research Institute, the Duke Center for International Development, and the Triangle Census Research Data Center.  They can also interact with visiting researchers through two research seminar series supported by UPEP--the Environmental Institutions Seminar Series held at Duke and the regional Triangle Resource and Environmental Economics Seminar Series organized by Duke, North Carolina State University, UNC Chapel Hill, and Research Triangle Institute, along with numerous other seminar series in the Nicholas School, the Sanford School, the Departments of Economics and Political Science, and other Duke schools, departments, institutes, and centers.

• Environmental Policy: PhD Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
• Environmental Policy: PhD Completion Rate Statistics
• Environmental Policy: PhD Time to Degree Statistics
• Environmental Policy: PhD Career Outcomes Statistics

Application Information

Application Terms Available:  Fall

Application Deadline:  December 12

Graduate School Application Requirements See the Application Instructions page for important details about each Graduate School requirement.

• Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts required with application submission; official transcripts required upon admission
• Letters of Recommendation: 3 Required
• Statement of Purpose: Required
• Résumé: Required
• GRE Scores: GRE General (Optional)
• English Language Exam: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required* for applicants whose first language is not English *test waiver may apply for some applicants
• GPA: Undergraduate GPA calculated on 4.0 scale required

Writing Sample None required

Additional Requirements: On no more than one page, please briefly highlight the following:

• Your academic preparation and/or professional experience in quantitative methods and skills (e.g. math, statistics, epidemiology). Provide a bulleted list of relevant academic coursework with final grades, and any relevant research projects, extracurricular engagement, experience with software, and/or professional responsibilities
• Your academic and/or professional writing experiences, as evidenced through research papers, an undergraduate thesis, scientific writing courses, or professional writing.

We strongly encourage you to review additional department-specific application guidance from the program to which you are applying: Departmental Application Guidance

List of Graduate School Programs and Degrees

The Graduate School

Doctoral Program

The Ph.D. program is a full time program leading to a Doctoral Degree in Economics.  Students specialize in various fields within Economics by enrolling in field courses and attending field specific lunches and seminars.  Students gain economic breadth by taking additional distribution courses outside of their selected fields of interest.

General requirements

Students  are required to complete 1 quarter of teaching experience. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships within the Economics department or another department .

University's residency requirement

135 units of full-tuition residency are required for PhD students. After that, a student should have completed all course work and must request Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status.

Department degree requirements and student checklist

1. core course requirement.

Required: Core Microeconomics (202-203-204) Core Macroeconomics (210-211-212) Econometrics (270-271-272).  The Business School graduate microeconomics class series may be substituted for the Econ Micro Core.  Students wishing to waive out of any of the first year core, based on previous coverage of at least 90% of the material,  must submit a waiver request to the DGS at least two weeks prior to the start of the quarter.  A separate waiver request must be submitted for each course you are requesting to waive.  The waiver request must include a transcript and a syllabus from the prior course(s) taken.  

2.  Field Requirements

Required:  Two of the Following Fields Chosen as Major Fields (click on link for specific field requirements).  Field sequences must be passed with an overall grade average of B or better.  Individual courses require a letter grade of B- or better to pass unless otherwise noted.

Research fields and field requirements :

• Behavioral & Experimental
• Development Economics
• Econometric Methods with Causal Inference
• Econometrics
• Economic History
• Environmental, Resource and Energy Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International Trade & Finance
• Labor Economics
• Market Design
• Microeconomic Theory
• Macroeconomics
• Political Economy
• Public Economics

3.  Distribution

Required:  Four other graduate-level courses must be completed. One of these must be from the area of economic history (unless that field has already been selected above). These courses must be distributed in such a way that at least two fields not selected above are represented.  Distribution courses must be passed with a grade of B or better.

4.  Field Seminars/Workshops

Required:  Three quarters of two different field seminars or six quarters of the same field seminar from the list below.