• Home  
• Undergraduate  
  • Course Information
  • Timetables
  • Undergraduate Catalog
  • Economics Career Development Office
• Graduate  
  • Program Overview
  • Admissions
  • Program Guidelines
  • Workshops
  • Placement
  • Students
  • Courses
  • Resources for Students
  • Campus and Madison
  • J.R. Commons Club
• Faculty & Staff  
  • Faculty Directory
  • Faculty Profiles
  • Staff Directory
  • Reference List
  • Links for Faculty & TAs
• Alumni  
• Research  
  • Fall 2010 Midwest Economic Theory and Trade Meetings
  • Workshop Schedule
  • Working Papers (SSRI)

Admissions

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ECONOMICS

The Department of Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison offers a doctoral program only. The department offers seven fields of study and the program is designed to be completed in five years. The majority of students finish the program in five years.  It is not uncommon, however, for students to complete the program in six years.

Our graduates pursue research careers at colleges or universities and work for government agencies or private firms after graduation. You can find additional information on our placement web page. 

PREPARATION FOR GRADUATE STUDY

 Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree which must be completed before entering the program. You do not need to have a Bachelor's Degree in Economics to received admission to the program. Applicants have Bachelor's Degrees in Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, and other disciplines.

Mathematics preparation should include multivariate calculus, elementary probability, and regression analysis. Graduate work in economics demands mathematical sophistication of a higher order than the requirements of most U.S. undergraduate economics programs would suggest. Students entering the graduate program are required to have taken a three-course sequence in calculus, a course in linear algebra, and a course in mathematical statistics. These prerequisites are a bare minimum, and additional background in mathematics and in graduate-level economics courses can ease the transition into the program.  A detailed description of the department's expectations about students' mathematics preparation, both upon entry to the program and upon completion of first-year coursework, can be found on the Math Requirements for Incoming Graduate Students page.

COST TO STUDY

Tuition and fee information is available on-line at the UW Office of the Registrar web page.  Students employed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison at least one-third time as a project assistant or a teaching assistant receive a tuition waiver a stipend and health benefits. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

The admission to the graduate program in Economics is a shared process at UW-Madison. The admissions and aid committee at the Department of Economics will evaluate your application and make a recommendation to the Graduate School regarding admission. For more detail information on where to send or submit each part of the application, visit the Application checklist page.

The Economics program's admission committee will inform you of their decision in March.

When applicants receive an admission packet from the Economics Department indicating that they have been recommended for admissions, this recommendation does NOT mean that they have been fully admitted. The applicant will have to finish the admission process with the Graduate school. The Economics Admission and Aid Committee will forward admissions recommendations to the Graduate School with supporting materials. The Graduate School's Office of Admissions and Academic Services will review the application and materials to ensure that the Graduate School minimum requirements are met (including financial support requirements for International Students).

For all the above, it is very important for applicants to continue monitoring their admission progress. For this purpose, each applicant has his/her own personalized web address in OASIS (online application information system) and Gradapply (the Economics department admission portal). 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT & FUNDING INFORMATION

All paid applications from both domestic and international students received by December 5th will be considered for funding. Funding is awarded to applicants on a competitive basis. For detailed information on department and University Fellowship information, please see our funding web page

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

More information is available at the FAQ (Frequently asked questions) web page.  If you have additional questions, please contact us:  Department of Economics, 1180 Observatory Drive, 7234 Social Sciences, Madison, WI 53706, (608) 262-3559, gradpro@ssc.wisc.edu