Doctor of Philosophy in Economics

The graduate program for the Department of Economics combines rigorous training in economic theory and research methods with inquiry into philosophical and social issues surrounding economic analysis.

Colorado State University’s doctoral program in economics has a national and international reputation of excellence in the fields of environmental economics, political economy, and regional economics. Our faculty and students are pluralists who specialize in a wide range of economic thought, including neoclassical, Keynesian, institutional, Marxian, and feminist economics. Our Ph.D. program prepares students for academic careers in the U.S. and around the world, as well as advanced assignments in government agencies and the private sector

Admission to the Ph.D. program in economics requires undergraduate training that includes satisfactory course work in intermediate microeconomics, intermediate macroeconomics, econometrics, and calculus.

As a general policy, the CSU Graduate School requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0. The department of economics seeks applicants with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.3.

GRE scores are required for consideration for admission. Successful applicants will have a combined Verbal + Quantitative score of at least 305, with no lower than 155 on the quantitative score (1150 and 700, respectively, in the old scoring system).

Conditional Admission

In exceedingly rare circumstances, we may offer conditional admission to exceptional applicants who are missing prerequisite undergraduate coursework, have a GPA below a 3.3, or have not quite met the threshold for English proficiency. We do not make exceptions or grant conditional admission for GRE requirements.

English language proficiency:

TOEFL minimum score - 550 (paper based), 80 (Internet based)

IELTS minimum score - 6.5

Duolingo minimum score - 120

PTE minimum score - 58