Admission into the PhD program of the Economics Department is highly selective. The admissions committee evaluates each application on its individual merits, and the applicant's projected success. The committee makes recommendations based on a review of academic transcripts, GRE scores, letters of recommendation and personal statements. We forward our admission recommendations to the Graduate School of the University, which renders the official admission decisions.
Individuals holding a four-year baccalaureate degree in any discipline from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale are eligible to apply. Substantial exposure to economics course work at the undergraduate level is beneficial. Applicants are required to have college credit in differential calculus. Because of the necessary rigor of the curriculum, we also strongly recommend taking courses in integral and multivariable calculus and linear algebra prior to applying.
The General Test of the GRE is required for admission into the program. A minimum composite score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE of 1000 is required to apply. However, substantially higher scores are required to be admitted and compete for financial assistance. The quantitative portion of the exam is given more weight than the verbal in making admissions decisions. The GMAT will not be accepted as a substitute for the GRE.
International students whose native language is not English, and who have not graduated from a domestic English-speaking institution within the past two years, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL-IBT). The UGA Graduate School requires a total of score no lower than 80, with a minimum of 20 on both the speaking and writing portions of the exam.
The application process is spelled out in detail on the Terry College's application process and materials page. All application forms and instructions for completing them are available there. Send the completed application directly to the PhD/MA Program Admission Office of the Terry College:
PhD/MA Admissions Office
Terry College of Business
University of Georgia
350 Brooks Hall
Athens GA 30602-6264
The official application deadline is July 1 for domestic applicants and April 15 for international applicants, prior to the fall semester in which you would enroll in the program. However, prospective PhD students who want to compete for financial aid must apply early. To be considered for Graduate School assistantships, applications must arrive by January 20. Department and Terry College financial-aid decisions are typically made in mid-March.
The UGA Graduate School only accepts electronic letters of recommendation, which can be submitted through its homepage.
PhD students are admitted for the fall semester only; there are no spring or summer admissions. In addition, the department does not transfer degree credit from other graduate programs. Students already holding a masters degree from another program are usually asked to take all core and field courses in residence at the Terry College. Under certain circumstances, the mathematics and statistics preparatory classes may be waived on a case-by-case basis.
Please see the Bursars's Office for information about tuition and fees.
All applicants to the PhD program are automatically considered for financial assistance, but those who apply early will be in the best position to compete for aid. The Terry College of Business offers a variety of teaching and research assistantships, scholarships and fellowships. Qualified incoming graduate students are typically offered 9-month (academic-year) teaching or research assistantships from the college, as recommended by the department. The department provides these assistantships to continuing PhD students for four years of study. The total value of these awards generally ranges from $11,000-17,000, depending on the applicant's qualifications and work assignment. All assistantships carry a tuition waiver, but recipients must pay fees of about $525 per semester. Teaching and research assistants are expected to devote from 13 to 16 hours per week toward their assistantship duties, which are determined by the faculty member or members to whom the student is assigned.
The Economics Department, in collaboration with UGA's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, offers the Carl Vinson Research Assistantship in Public Sector Economics. The Carl Vinson Institute of Government, one of the largest units of its kind in the nation, specializes in state and local government policy analysis, applied research, training, and technical assistance. The Assistantship provides the opportunity for study in an academic environment with strong research and public service traditions.
The recipient will pursue a course of study leading to the PhD in Economics degree and serve as a research assistantship in the Research Division at the Institute of Government. The 9-month stipend is approximately $16,000 plus waiver of tuition; in addition, there are summer employment opportunities with the Institute that are compensated at an hourly rate. The Assistantship is renewable, based upon degree progress and work performance, for a maximum of two years. Subject to satisfactory progress and budgetary approval, the Economics Department will provide assistantship support for a fourth year. To apply, include with your application materials for the PhD program in Economics a statement of your interest in the Carl Vinson Assistantship and qualifications. Address inquiries to the Graduate Coordinator in Economics.
The UGA Graduate School also awards graduate assistantships. Recipients are determined by a faculty panel based primarily on the applicant's academic record, test scores, and recommendations. The competition for these awards is very keen. Consult the Graduate School's assistantship page for details.
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