PhD in Economics
The Chicago School of Economics. It all started here at the University of Chicago.
Fields of specialization in the Economics PhD Program include price theory, market structure, industrial organization, labor economics, financial economics, business cycles, economic growth, and international economics. Doctoral students can take advantage of a wide range of course offerings in the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics at the University of Chicago and at Chicago Booth.
Our Distinguished Economics Faculty
Chicago Booth faculty have been responsible for many of the pioneering economic concepts that inform today’s global businesses and policymaking. And they’ll be your teachers, mentors, and research collaborators. Below you’ll find our microeconomics faculty. For our macroeconomics faculty, visit the Booth faculty directory and select “Macro/International Business” under “Academic Area.”
Alumni Success
Alumni of the PhD Program in Economics have written dissertations in industrial organization, labor economics, microeconomics, and other related areas. Upon graduation, they go onto Career Outcomes in academics, government, and industry.
Jessica Pan, AB ’05, MBA ’10, PhD ’10
Associate Professor of Economics
Department of Economics, National University of Singapore
Jessica Pan is an empirical labor economist with research interests in gender, education, and immigration. Her recent work examines gender differences in economic and educational outcomes, with a focus on underexplored determinants such as gender norms, social interactions, taste discrimination, behavioral traits, and workplace flexibility. Her PhD is in economics.
Inside the Booth PhD Experience
Nick Tsivanidis, PhD ’18, talks about the culture of interdisciplinary study he found at Booth.
Nick Tsivanidis, ’18: 00:03
My PhD thesis was about how commute costs shape economic organization in cities. Billions of people over the next 50, 100 years, they're going to be moving into mostly developing cities. Governments are going to spend huge amounts of money on providing new infrastructure to try and accommodate them. My project had both macro and applied micro elements. One of the benefits of Booth is that you have access to people from a wide range of areas who are very happy to encourage you to work on interdisciplinary topics.
Nick Tsivanidis, ’18: 00:38
I've always been interested in development and in particular how cities and countries can use evidence-based policy to try and improve welfare of their citizens. I've decided that pursuing a PhD would allow me to research and help translate that research into policy. What attracted me to the PhD program here at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business was this culture of interdisciplinary study. People at Chicago certainly aren't scared or will shy away from trying to think at the intersection of different areas. This is where a lot of very fruitful and productive new research actually takes place, which is at the border of frontiers. That really attracted me to come here.
A Network of Support
Doctoral students at Booth have access to the resources of several high-powered research centers that offer funding for student work, host workshops and conferences, and foster a strong research community.
Becker Friedman Institute for Economics
Bringing together researchers from the entire Chicago economics community, the Becker Friedman Institute fosters novel insights on the world’s most difficult economic problems.
George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State
Dedicated to examining issues at the intersection of politics and the economy, the Stigler Center supports research by PhD students and others who are interested in the political, economic, and cultural obstacles to better working markets.
Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation
Committed to making the world more equitable and sustainable, the Rustandy Center works to solve complex social and environmental problems. The center’s student support includes fellowships, research funding, and networking opportunities.
Fama-Miller Center for Research in Finance
Tasked with pushing the boundaries of research in finance, the Fama-Miller Center provides institutional structure and support for researchers in the field.
Center for Research in Security Prices
CRSP maintains one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive stock market databases. Since 1963, it has been a valued resource for businesses, government, and scholars.
Initiative on Global Markets
Enhancing the understanding of business and financial market globalization, IGM positions Chicago Booth as a thought leader in the understanding of ever-changing markets and improves financial and economic decision-making around the world.
Scholarly Publications
Chicago Booth is home to some of the most prestigious academic journals in economics.
The Journal of Labor Economics presents international research on the relationship between labor and the economy.
The Journal of Law and Economics has published some of the most influential and widely cited articles on a broad range of economic topics.
The Journal of Political Economy, one of the oldest economics journals in the world, focuses on the relationship between government and the economy.
Spotlight on Research
Our faculty and PhD students continually produce high-level research. The Chicago Booth Review frequently highlights their contributions in economics.
Benedict Guttman-Kenney's National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Dissertation Fellowship on Consumer Financial Management
The NBER fellowship will primarily support Guttman-Kenney's research in the economics of credit information.
Benedict Guttman-Kenney's National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Dissertation Fellowship on Consumer Financial Management
Chad Syverson on Keeping Markets Competitive
The Eli B. and Harriet B. Williams Professor of Economics discusses concentration, antitrust, and breaking up corporate giants.
Chad Syverson on Keeping Markets Competitive
How Should Economics Shape Policy?
Chicago Booth and the University of Chicago’s Lars Peter Hansen and Kevin M. Murphy discuss the challenges of translating academic research into policy advice.
How Should Economics Shape Policy?
When Students are Matched to Schools, Who Wins?
Economics is changing how public schools and students choose each other. Chicago Booth researchers examine the ramifications.
When Students are Matched to Schools, Who Wins?Current Economics Students
From the effects of government regulation on economies to the impact of urban transit infrastructures, our PhD students examine a wide range of economic issues. When they graduate, they go on to positions at some of the top universities and companies in the world.
Olivia Bordeu Gazmuri
Emily Crawford
Paulo Henrique de Alcantara Ramos
Camille Hillion
Anthony Ditta
Chuhan Guo
Tyler Jacobson
Nidhaanjit Jain
Kevin Lee
Jerry Ma
Pauline Mourot
Fern Ramoutar
Pengyu Ren
Lillian Rusk
Jorge Tello Garza
Zizhe Xia
Emily (Emma) Zhang
Program Expectations and Requirements
The PhD Program at Booth is a full-time program. Students generally complete the majority of coursework and examination requirements within the first two years of studies and begin work on their dissertation during the third year.
For details, see General Examination Requirements by Area in the PhD Program Guidebook.
Download the Guidebook