PhD in Economics: Why, Costs, and Time Commitment

 
PhD in Economics.
PhD in Economics.
 
Why?
Why?
How?
How?
How Much does it cost?
How Much does it cost?
 
 
Money
Money
 
 
Time
Time
Why me?
 
Why me? 
webpage: 
https://sites.google.com/site/giannidefraja/
 
 Director of Research Students in York
 
Director of Graduate Research in Leicester
 Director of Graduate Research in Nottingham
 29 PhD students
 12 PhD Examinations
Gianni De Fraja
University of Nottingham, 
Università di Roma ‘Tor Vergata’ 
  and CEPR
December 2015
@
g
i
a
n
n
i
d
e
f
r
a
j
a
Thesis writing
 
What is a PhD?
MPhil/PhD
 
 
contain 
an 
original 
contribution 
to
knowledge 
or 
understanding
 
a bound volume
 
which according to
university regulations
must
 
Il titolo di Dottore di Ricerca è conferito a chi, a
conclusione del corso, ha conseguito risultati
di rilevante valore scientifico, documentati da
una dissertazione finale scritta
 
and according to 
D.P.R.
11 luglio 1980 n. 382
(artt. 68 e ss.)
 
http://www.economist.com/node/17723223
Is a PhD any use?
 
The odd one out.
 
A.
PhD in Economics
B.
PhD in Film Studies
C.
PhD in Computer Science
D.
A large pepperoni pizza
 
If you must get a PhD get it in economics
 
on the other hand:
 
What does PhD stand for?
 
parents have doubts
professorship? ha – dream on!
please hire: desperate
potential heavy drinking
THE DEGREES OF MPHIL AND PHD: NOTES OF GUIDANCE
your.university.website
http://thephdlounge.com/
Also
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-illustrated-guide-to-a-phd-2012-3
 
US
 
 
Two years of intensive courses.
 
followed by three years of writing.
 
 
single source of funding
Time table
 
UK (old style)
 
 
One Year MSc
 
three years of research
 
one year of “writing-up”
 
 
three separate sources of funding
time
2019/20
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
An ideal timescale
Academic today
1
st
 Year
Laurea
Magistr
ale
2
nd
 Year
Laurea
Magistr
ale
1
st
 Year
PhD/MS
c/MRes
2
nd
 Year
PhD
Course-
work
Course-
work &
research
3
rd
 Year
PhD
research
Write
up Year
PhD
research
Write
up Year
PhD
viva
2020/21
2021/22
2015/16
Septemb
er 2022:
Start
Tenure
Track
$40K-
$100K
January
2022:
Job
Market –
100-150
applicati
ons
Teaching/scholarship $13-£25
Apply
for
PhD
gradu
ate
Huge cost
Huge cost
July-september:
GRE: (if you do
well, there will
be a part-
refund of the
fees)
 
exams
 
 
Economics is different – 
other subjects
The US model
US top 200-400 universities / 1000 candidates (2013)
All top “non-university” academic institutions 
(IMF, central banks)
Some UK (LSE, UCL, Warwick, Essex, Oxford (post-doc)
Some continental Europe (Toulouse, Norway, Holland)
 
Traditional UK recruitment
formal interviews, often with non economists
sometimes “group” visits on the day
concern is “fairness of treatment” to applicants
Recruitment in Italy and other less developed academias
Exam (Concorso)
 
dual labour market
people with tenure
secure and well paid
the rest
no job security, low pay
Inomics 
salary report
 
How does a person who sees/assesses a receiver of a PhD
view the PhD?
 
A certification that the holder is capable of carrying out
original research.
 
 
capable of carrying out/has the potential to carry out
 
not necessarily in the PhD
 
In practice
 
job appointment panels
 
 
 used to be a monograph
 problems with this
 not what economists do
 
 so what do economists do?
 they write papers to be published in journals
 since 1960 
ALL
ALL
 original contributions to economics have
appeared in papers in refereed journals.
In practice
 
 true in most physical sciences
 not true in many other social sciences
 not true prior to 1960 (Pigou, Keynes, Hicks, Chamberlin,…)
 not true in literary criticism, history, philosophy, arts.
 
 
 in economics, in UK (but similar in US)
 two/three publishable papers.
 reflected in size (longer does not mean better)
 
 
 
 
In practice
 
 
  two/three substantial chapters
 there must be a good reason to exceed 100 pages
 
  An excellent substantial chapter (JMP)
  At least another substantial chapter
 there must be a good reason to exceed 100 pages
 
Choosing where to apply.
Choosing what to apply for.
 
PhD
 
MSc – UK requires a “good” MSc
 
The role of the research project
- screening applicants
 
a relic from the past
 
nowadays exams are better
 
 
or a writing sample
Back to the beginning
 
Size matters
 
implies structure/environment/etc
 
much time is spent with other PhDs
 
The best model is a top 50 US school
How do you choose a school?
 
Quality matter
 
better profs & better students
 
From year 1/2
 
grant/scholarship/TAship
Choosing the topic (more relevant for UK style)
general good advice is:
 
choose your supervisor first
Back to the beginning
 
steer through literature
academic support (occasionally pastoral)
research guidance
career advice
 
what should he/she do?
 
listen to your ideas however crazy and demented
sift through them looking for nuggets of gold
make you write from 
early on
early on
read what you have written
scribble heavily on it
make you stand at the whiteboard to justify your stuff
care about you
The role of the supervisor
The role of the supervisor
 
what should he/she 
not
not
 do?
 
ask you to teach in his/her stead (worse unpaid)
ask you to organise conferences/seminars
ask you to carry his/her bags
let you wander away from the goal of completing
forget that he/she has a job and you do not
compete with you
try to seduce you
 
the supervisor should not but will do this to you
The role of the supervisor
The role of the supervisor
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Journey of pursuing a PhD in Economics, this resource covers the reasons behind pursuing this advanced degree, the associated costs, and the time involved. Insights from Gianni De Fraja shed light on the value of a PhD, the thesis writing process, and potential career paths. The discussion delves into the usefulness of a PhD in Economics, highlighting key considerations and providing guidance on the degrees of MPhil and PhD. A detailed timeline outlines the academic roadmap from coursework to research, viva, and the job market. Discover the ideal timescale and milestones in the pursuit of a PhD in Economics.

  • Economics
  • PhD
  • Costs
  • Time
  • Gianni De Fraja

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  1. PhD in Economics. Why? How? How Much does it cost? Money Time

  2. Why me? Gianni De Fraja University of Nottingham, Universit di Roma Tor Vergata and CEPR December 2015 Why me? webpage: https://sites.google.com/site/giannidefraja/ @giannidefraja Director of Research Students in York Director of Graduate Research in Leicester Director of Graduate Research in Nottingham 29 PhD students 12 PhD Examinations

  3. Thesis writing MPhil/PhD What is a PhD? a bound volume which according to university regulations must contain an original contribution to knowledge or understanding Il titolo di Dottore di Ricerca conferito a chi, a conclusione del corso, ha conseguito risultati di rilevante valore scientifico, documentati da una dissertazione finale scritta and according to D.P.R. 11 luglio 1980 n. 382 (artt. 68 e ss.)

  4. Is a PhD any use? http://www.economist.com/node/17723223 on the other hand: If you must get a PhD get it in economics The odd one out. What does PhD stand for? A. PhD in Economics B. PhD in Film Studies C. PhD in Computer Science D. A large pepperoni pizza parents have doubts professorship? ha dream on! please hire: desperate potential heavy drinking

  5. THE DEGREES OF MPHIL AND PHD: NOTES OF GUIDANCE your.university.website http://thephdlounge.com/ Also http://www.businessinsider.com/the-illustrated-guide-to-a-phd-2012-3

  6. Time table US Two years of intensive courses. followed by three years of writing. single source of funding UK (old style) One Year MSc three years of research one year of writing-up three separate sources of funding

  7. An ideal timescale Academic today 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 1st Year Laurea Magistr ale 2nd Year Laurea Magistr ale 1st Year PhD/MS c/MRes 2nd Year PhD 3rd Year PhD Write up Year PhD Write up Year PhD Course- work & research research research viva Course- work Apply for PhD Teaching/scholarship $13- 25 gradu ate exams January 2022: Job Market 100-150 applicati ons Septemb er 2022: Start Tenure Track $40K- $100K July-september: GRE: (if you do well, there will be a part- refund of the fees) Huge cost

  8. Economics is different other subjects The US model US top 200-400 universities / 1000 candidates (2013) All top non-university academic institutions (IMF, central banks) Some UK (LSE, UCL, Warwick, Essex, Oxford (post-doc) Some continental Europe (Toulouse, Norway, Holland) Traditional UK recruitment formal interviews, often with non economists sometimes group visits on the day concern is fairness of treatment to applicants Recruitment in Italy and other less developed academias Exam (Concorso) dual labour market people with tenure secure and well paid the rest no job security, low pay

  9. Inomics salary report

  10. job appointment panels In practice How does a person who sees/assesses a receiver of a PhD view the PhD? A certification that the holder is capable of carrying out original research. capable of carrying out/has the potential to carry out not necessarily in the PhD

  11. In practice used to be a monograph problems with this not what economists do so what do economists do? they write papers to be published in journals since 1960 ALL original contributions to economics have appeared in papers in refereed journals. true in most physical sciences not true in many other social sciences not true prior to 1960 (Pigou, Keynes, Hicks, Chamberlin, ) not true in literary criticism, history, philosophy, arts.

  12. In practice in economics, in UK (but similar in US) two/three publishable papers. reflected in size (longer does not mean better) two/three substantial chapters there must be a good reason to exceed 100 pages An excellent substantial chapter (JMP) At least another substantial chapter there must be a good reason to exceed 100 pages

  13. Back to the beginning Choosing where to apply. Choosing what to apply for. PhD MSc UK requires a good MSc The role of the research project - screening applicants a relic from the past nowadays exams are better or a writing sample

  14. How do you choose a school? The best model is a top 50 US school Size matters implies structure/environment/etc much time is spent with other PhDs Quality matter better profs & better students From year 1/2 grant/scholarship/TAship

  15. Back to the beginning Choosing the topic (more relevant for UK style) general good advice is: choose your supervisor first steer through literature academic support (occasionally pastoral) research guidance career advice

  16. The role of the supervisor what should he/she do? listen to your ideas however crazy and demented sift through them looking for nuggets of gold make you write from early on read what you have written scribble heavily on it make you stand at the whiteboard to justify your stuff care about you what should he/she not do? ask you to teach in his/her stead (worse unpaid) ask you to organise conferences/seminars ask you to carry his/her bags let you wander away from the goal of completing forget that he/she has a job and you do not compete with you try to seduce you

  17. The role of the supervisor the supervisor should not but will do this to you

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