phd economics ku

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Ph.D. in Finance

Program information.

At the University of Kansas, finance doctoral students are trained to teach at the university level, to do research that is publishable in top academic journals, and to analyze questions that are important to government agencies and the private sector. Successful students develop close working relationships with the KU finance faculty, both in the classroom and on co-authored research. Many of our students publish their first research study before finishing the program, and most students accept jobs at universities rated “high” or “very high” in research activity by the Carnegie Foundation.

We emphasize rigorous training and hands-on experience. Five semesters of coursework include a firm grounding in economic theory, thorough training in statistics and econometrics, and an immersion in the most important research studies in corporate finance, investments and financial institutions.

Application deadlines

Priority: December 15

Final: January 10

• Application requirements

Students begin their own research during the first year of the program and present their first research seminar early in the second year of the program. Many of our students publish their first research study before finishing the program, and most students accept jobs at universities rated “high” or “very high” in research activity by the Carnegie Foundation.

We emphasize rigorous training and hands-on experience. Successful students develop close working relationships with the KU finance faculty, both in the classroom and on co-authored research. Students typically teach three undergraduate finance classes before graduating.

Program details

Core courses, statistical methods.

BSAN 920: Probability for Business Research OR MATH 727: Probability Theory

BSAN 921: Statistics for Business Research OR MATH 728: Statistical Theory

BSAN 922: Advanced Regression

ECON 800: Optimization Techniques I

ECON 801: Microeconomics I

ECON 802: Microeconomics II

BE 917: Advanced Managerial Economics

Concentration courses

FIN 901: Current Research in Finance

FIN 937: Seminar in Business Finance

FIN 938: Seminar in Investments

FIN 939: Seminar in Financial Institutions

Supporting courses

ECON 817: Econometrics I

ECON 818: Econometrics II

One of the three sequences below

Sequence 1: Minor in Research Methods

ECON 715: Elementary Econometrics

Advanced elective research methods course

Sequence 2: Minor in Research Methods and Financial Accounting

ACCT 928: Introduction to Accounting Research

ACCT 932: Seminar in Financial Accounting Research I

Sequence 3: Minor in Research Methods and Applied Economics

ECON 770: Economics of the Labor Market

ECON 870: Applied Microeconomics

For more information, view a detailed list of courses in the academic catalog.

A course that is not being offered within a reasonable timeframe, or a course in which a student can demonstrate competence my be, with the approval of the area group and the Ph.D. Team, replaced with another course.

Area-specific core requirements may by changed subject to the approval of the area group and the Ph.D. Team.

A minimum of 15 courses, plus BUS 902 and BUS 903 are required for completion of the degree.

Courses recommended for preparation for the qualifier assessment may not be included in the concentration or minor areas.

• Summer research
• Pass the Finance Qualifier Assessment
• Present first-year research paper
• Teach an undergraduate finance class
• Pass the Finance Comprehensive Exam
• Present second-year research paper
• Present your dissertation proposal
• Defend your dissertation proposal

Program faculty

• Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs
• Anderson Chandler Professor
• School of Business Administration
• Dean's Office
• Finance Academic Area

• Assistant Professor
• Finance academic area

• Koch Professor in Business Economics

• Koch Distinguished Professor in Business Economics
• Harold Otto Chair of Economics

• Area Director, Finance
• O. Maurice Joy Professor

• Associate Professor
• Director, Davis Center for Figure Sense

• Capitol Federal Fellow

• Associate Dean of Graduate Programs
• Capitol Federal Professor
• School of Business administration

Finance doctoral students

• Ph.D. Student

• Ph.D. Candidate

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• Graduate Students

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers a BA, BGS and BS, as well as a MA and a PhD in Economics.  The study of economics offers students insight into some of the most fundamental issues facing societies today: what goods and services should we produce, how should they be produced, and how should they be distributed around the world. Economics is outstanding preparation for a career in finance, business, policy analysis, international relations, or any other field that requires rigorous analytic thinking. It also makes an excellent foundation for graduate study in economics, business, law, political science, or public administration.

Economics Department website

Sample of Related Skills

• Recognize and appreciate the diversity of views that have historically been expressed or may reasonably exist about economic problems and alternative economic systems and present those views in a coherently written essay    
• Identify compile, interpret, and analyze quantitative economic data by expressing relationships between concepts through graphs, statistical or econometric analysis, in coherent English    
• Describe the institutions in the United States that shape monetary and fiscal policy and the processes these institutions use to achieve their goals in addressing issues of unemployment, inflation, exchange rate, balance of payments, or economic growth in a global context    
• Use microeconomic tools and concepts to address public policy issues such as competition, environmental protection, financial regulation, innovation and intellectual property, labor law, or taxation    
• Use macroeconomic models to explain the changes in output, employment, inflation, and growth    
• Find information on price indices, employment and unemployment, world-wide GDP and human development statistics; organize and manipulate the data in spreadsheets and statistical programs; and interpret statistical results  

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Economic and Market Research : Can involve forecasting consumer demand and sales of an organization's products and analysis of an organization's competitors' market share and provide recommendations on how to manage the competition.    Banking and Finance: Involves forecasting, planning, and conducting cost analysis for banks and financial institutions.    Government: Includes conducting policy analysis and/or collecting economic data for federal, state or local government agencies.    Research: Involves conducting basic and applied studies of human behavior.    Insurance: Involves advising insurers, their regulators, and legislators on risk management issues. 

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• American Academy of Financial Management  - professional organization with an extensive job board containing opportunities in a wide variety of financial sectors including compliance, risk management, equities, derivatives, and asset management   
• American Economic Association's Job Opening for Economists  - comprehensive job board for opportunities in economics across the US   
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• CATO Institute  - non-profit public policy research foundation that offers jobs and internships in policy research and economics   
• Economic Policy Institute  - non-profit economic think tank that offers employment opportunities in policy research and economics   
• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority  - largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States that offers jobs and internships in a variety of areas including economics, compliance, regulation, public policy and statistics   
• Foreign Policy Research Institute  - non-profit devoted to research and public education on international affairs; includes jobs, internships, and a think tank directory   
• Gallup  - survey and research organization that identifies and monitors behavioral economic indicators worldwide and offers jobs in economics, management, sociology and psychology   
• Government & Non-Profit Resources  - more resources from career.ku.edu   
• Marketing Research Association  - a career site devoted to a career in marketing research that includes current jobs, internships, and social networking sites   
• National Association for Business Economics Career Center  - includes job postings, career profiles, salary surveys, and other valuable career information in business economics   
• National Economic Association Job Bulletin  - nationwide job opportunities in economics  
• RAND Corporation  - think tank that offers jobs, internships, and fellowships in international affairs and national security  

PhD-positions

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.

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Ph.D. Placement

• Department of Economics
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PhD scholarships

Vacant PhD scholarships in Economics are announced once a year, with application deadlines at around May 1.

Read more and find application form

Read more about the PhD scholarships of Danmarks Nationalbank

Universities

The University of Kansas

PhD in Economics

The University of Kansas, Kansas

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Help Me Decide

About Course

Program Duration

Degree Type

Course Credits

PhD in Economics at the prestigious The University of Kansas is a prestigious degree that offers in-depth learning in Economics. Being a renowned university, The University of Kansas receives enough funds to ensure the best education facilities for its students across all programs. This doctorate program offered full-time primarily focuses on the practical implementation of fresh ideas through rigorous study and research. The students are encouraged to add new aspects and findings to the existing area of knowledge. PhD in Economics at KU is ranked globally by estimated organisations. Such recognition speaks volumes about the course’s importance and effectiveness in the present scenario. The top-notch faculty, modern facilities, and the aura of creativity and innovation in the KU campus is a life-changing experience for the students looking forward to kickstarting or upgrading their careers. Overall, a PhD in Economics at The University of Kansas is an excellent opportunity to grow into a learned professional and bring new developments in the world.

Official fee page

$19,342 / year

$96,710 / 60 months

5000+ Students

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Minimum english score required

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• English Language Proficiency
• Current Resume or CV
• Personal Statement
• Three Letters of Recommendation 
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Yearly call for PhD positions in economics at KU Leuven

23 december 2023, 23 september 2024, phd programs, stipend of at least €2,520 per month (net of taxes) with full health insurance, andras avonts.

KU Leuven's Department of Economics is recruiting motivated students to enter the doctoral program leading to a PhD in Economics.

The Department of Economics is located on the Leuven and Brussels campuses of the Faculty of Economics and Business. Leuven is a historical and vibrant city in the center of Belgium. It is a twenty-minute drive from Brussels, the capital of Belgium and of the European Union. We are conveniently located within a two-hour reach of Paris, London, and Amsterdam.

Successful PhD applicants receive a fully funded position in our doctoral program. The academic year begins on September 23, 2024, but there is some flexibility to start earlier if desired.

The position is for up to 4 years, with an annual review of research progress and performance. As a PhD student, you will receive a stipend of at least €2,520 per month (net of taxes) with full health insurance.

During these four years, you conduct independent research under the supervision of one or more faculty members.

Information about our dynamic and internationally oriented research department, its researchers, output and activities can be found at http://feb.kuleuven.be/economics .

Explore detailed profiles of our faculty members on the following pages:

• Economics – Campus Leuven
• Economics – Campus Brussels
• Sustainability

Project The individualized doctoral program allows the doctoral student to devote four years to full-time research. The program ultimately leads to a doctoral degree and prepares the student for an academic career at a top university or a career as a researcher in a policy institution.

Find comprehensive details about the program, including admission requirements and placement records, by visiting http://feb.kuleuven.be/phd-economics .

Our renowned doctoral program in economics is usually preceded by a year of study in the Master of Advanced Studies in Economics (MASE) or an equivalent research master's program.

Profile To enter the doctoral program immediately, students must have successfully completed a research master's degree in economics or in a closely related field (e.g., finance, econometrics,...) by September 2024.

However, if you have yet to complete a research master's degree, you are equally invited to apply. In fact, we are offering some MASE scholarships to the most promising candidates while they complete the Master of Advanced Studies in Economics at KU Leuven. Learn more about the MASE program at: http://feb.kuleuven.be/mase .

Offer Successful PhD applicants will receive a fully funded position in our doctoral program. Selected candidates can expect to be contacted starting in February, and we will promptly communicate the outcomes of all applications once the recruitment process is concluded.

The academic year begins on September 23, 2024, but there is some flexibility to start earlier if desired.

During these four years, you will conduct independent research under the supervision of one or more faculty members. The topic(s) will be determined in collaboration with your supervisors.

Interested? You can apply for a PhD position in Economics at https://feb.kuleuven.be/econ-phd-application no later than January 31, 2024.

Your application package should include the following documents:

• Curriculum vitae
• Research statement
• Transcript of all university grades
• (recommended) GRE or GMAT test score and/or evidence of English proficiency such as TOEFL or IELTS test scores
• (optional) Writing sample, such as an MA thesis
• (optional) Reference letters can be addressed by your referees to [email protected]

If you have any questions about the application or the PhD position itself, please contact Mr. Andras Avonts ( [email protected] ).

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• Life as a researcher

Explaining worker exploitation through an economics PhD

4 Minute read

Life after graduate research: Dr Shashi Karunanethy

Economist Dr Shashi Karunanethy took a break from industry to pursue a PhD. Inspired by a Nobel Prize-winning economist, he sought to understand why worker exploitation persists even after institutions like slavery have been abolished.  His PhD has changed how he manages his team.

“Having the PhD as an economist has given me enormous experience and confidence,” says Dr Shashi Karunanethy. Dr Karunanethy graduated with a PhD in Economics in 2021.

“And every part of it was such a joy from the beginning to the end.”

After his Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne, Dr Karunanethy worked as an urban planner and economist. But he always intended to return to research at the University.

“Ever since I was in high school, I wanted to create a piece of written work that would explain how the world functions,” he says.

Before his PhD, his work was often shaped by the immediate needs of policymakers. Instead, Dr Karunanethy wanted to interrogate fundamental questions about how our society and institutions function. The PhD was Dr Karunanethy’s opportunity to do this.

Though his academic record wasn’t strong, Dr Karunanethy was determined. He worked through a Master of Economics as a pathway into a PhD.

The University of Melbourne supports PhD researchers to take creative risks

“Through the masters, the Faculty of Business and Economics members knew I was very focused on what I wanted to do. They encouraged me to pursue it in a way that I don't think any other university in Australia would have done,” Dr Karunanethy says.

Many economics PhDs involve testing a pre-determined theory or hypothesis. Dr Karunanethy’s PhD was historical and archival.

“It was three years of finding, collating and digitising hidden and long-forgotten historical datasets,” he says.

“It’s completely unclear if the data exists. Then you need to ask, ‘What kind of research can I do with this?’ It was a huge risk on the faculty’s part as much as it was on mine.”

Dr Karunanethy worked with librarians around the world. They helped him find colonial documentation hidden in the UK, the US and interior regions of India. He worked with researchers across environment, geography, sociology and economics. And he worked with translators to translate historical documents in Hindi.

Together, they sourced archival data that had never been analysed before.

Learn more about our graduate research options

Why does worker exploitation endure after coercive labour institutions are abolished?

“There's growing evidence of how good institutions don’t necessarily arise from human ideals, but more often from political compromises between bad actors,” Dr Karunanethy says.

His research aimed to understand the long-term effects of coercive labour institutions even after they are abolished.

There are varied examples of these types of institutions, from slavery in the Americas to indentured labour across the British colonies. All of them have been abolished. Yet we continue to observe their persistent negative effects on economic development outcomes, even today. Dr Shashi Karunanethy

Dr Karunanethy was inspired by the research of Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences winner Professor Abhijit Banerjee . Professor Banerjee was the PhD supervisor of Dr Karunanethy’s PhD supervisor, Professor Tom Wilkening .

“He, along with Lakshmi Iyer , proved that these institutions can have negative long-term effects in the context of India,” Dr Karunanethy says.

Dr Karunanethy wanted to understand why. He compared a native-ruled Indian regional area that wasn’t exposed to British rule to an area that was. Both regions had a native Indigenous population that were subjected to coercive labour institutions.

“But what happened in the native-ruled region was that the ruling elites were divided after independence. This infighting resulted in an agreement to set up good institutions, primarily to constrain each others’ power,” Dr Karunanethy says.

In British-ruled areas, local political elites had a monopoly on power in village institutions. Following independence, they sustained these monopolies and undermined reform efforts.

As a result, the landless labourer class is still larger in these regions. The regions also have poorer development outcomes.

Expertise earned through a PhD opens doors in consultancy

Dr Karunanethy received a Research Training Program scholarship through the University of Melbourne to support his studies. But he also continued to consult for the United Nations Development Programme as well as federal, state and local government entities across Australia.

The University gave me incredible opportunities to expand my network into areas of work where I had not worked in before, but I'd always wanted to. Dr Shashi Karunanethy

“One example was Indigenous economic development. I, through the University research and development programs, was able to work with Torres Strait and northern Australian Indigenous communities and advocate on their behalf for equity in government funding programs," Dr Karunanethy says.

Once he graduated, Dr Karunanethy returned to industry. He became Chief Economist at Geografia , an Australian urban planning and economic advisory firm.

The rigour of his PhD program has given Dr Karunanethy experience as a researching economist.

“Through the PhD, I recognised that we can be true experts in our own domain. That gives you the courage to contribute,” he says.

The PhD apprenticeship model has also changed how Dr Karunanethy manages people who work in his team.

“I treat them as apprentices in economics. It is a field that is nurtured and crafted and you become an expert in, and where you must continue to learn and improve as you age. That has informed the way I am as a chief economist.”

Learn more about a PhD in Economics

First published on 27 June 2024.

Keep reading

Why research with us.

Explore the benefits of undertaking your graduate research at the University of Melbourne.

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Explore your options as a graduate researcher at the University of Melbourne.

Discover what it's like to be a graduate researcher. Find out about University life, support services, and opportunities for skills development.

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Pros and cons as Kansas basketball's Kevin McCullar Jr. is selected in 2024 NBA draft

LAWRENCE — Kevin McCullar Jr. became the second Kansas basketball player to be picked in this year’s NBA draft Thursday, as the 56th overall pick, and according to multiple reports the second round selection is heading from the Phoenix Suns to the New York Knicks in a trade.

McCullar transferred from Texas Tech to KU ahead of the 2022-23 season, and in the two years that followed developed into an All-America caliber talent. He helped the Jayhawks to a Big 12 Conference regular season title during that first season, and entered the second with similar potential. And he’ll embark on his professional career with the chance to continue to enjoy success in this sport.

RELATED: 3 things to think about as Hunter Dickinson, Kansas basketball prepare for this season

RELATED: 3 things to think about as Rakease Passmore, Kansas basketball ready for Jayhawks’ season

McCullar established himself as one of the best defensive talents in college basketball during his time at that level, both because of what he’s capable of physically and his knowledge of the game. Over time, he showcased can he be a weapon offensively as well. During his final season at Kansas, the graduate senior guard averaged 18.3 points, six rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while shooting 45.4% from the field, 33.3% from behind the arc and 80.5% from the free-throw line.

McCullar will, though, have to deal with the reality he dealt with injury problems over the course of his college career. It’s a reason why, although he started all 26 of the games he played in this past season, he also missed a considerable amount of time and didn’t play in either the Big 12 or NCAA tournaments. Find a way to stay healthy, and continue to develop offensively, and he should have every opportunity to have a lengthy career.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: NBA draft: Kevin McCullar Jr. reportedly goes from Phoenix to New York

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Econ Alumni Seth Carpenter '92 on Bloomberg

Seth Carpenter '92 is the Chief Global Economist at Morgan Stanley. He talks to Bloomberg's Tom Keene and Paul Sweeny in this episode of Bloomberg Talks.

Click here to access the full talk!

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Study reveals same genes that can drive cancer also guide neural-circuit growth

Mon, 06/24/2024

Brendan M. Lynch

LAWRENCE — Many people are familiar with oncogenes — genes long known to be involved in cancers in humans, such as the gene “Src.” 

What’s less widely understood is that oncogenes didn’t evolve just to cause cancer in species, but rather to control events of normal growth and differentiation.

“As an organism grows from a single fertilized egg to form all the different tissue types, these oncogenes, including Src, evolved to control these normal events,” said Erik Lundquist, professor of molecular biosciences and associate vice chancellor for research at the University of Kansas. “To understand what these oncogenes are doing in cancer, it's important to understand what they're doing in normal development when they're not defective. When Src gets a mutation that causes it to be defective, it becomes an oncogene. But we're looking at what Src does in a normal developmental context.”

Now, in new research appearing in PLOS ONE , Lundquist and colleagues from his lab at KU have added new specifics to the role Src plays in our biology, showing the gene is required for healthy development of the nervous system.

The work depended on a model organism called C. elegans, a nematode worm whose Src gene is very similar to humans — but called “SRC-1.”

“The fun thing is that by the time humans and this worm last had a common ancestor, about 600 million years ago, most of the functions of the Src protein had already been worked out in that common ancestor,” Lundquist said. “What we study about the SRC-1 protein in this model organism, the nematode worm, will be relevant to what it's doing in human growth and development and therefore human pathogenesis and cancer.”

By using CRISPR gene editing technology in Lundquist’s lab to knock out the SRC-1 gene’s function entirely in the nematodes, the KU researchers showed the gene plays a key role in development of the nervous system by guiding axons.

“As the nervous system develops, neurons are born, and they have to elaborate these structures called axons,” Lundquist said. “Axons are the electrical wiring of the nervous system. The SRC-1 protein is involved in the normal development of these axons. 

“For example, in a human context, if you have a motor neuron born in your spinal cord, how does the axon get out to your fingertip to a muscle versus to your stomach to a muscle? That's called axon guidance. The SCR-1 protein is a key player in axon guidance, and this paper shows that.”

Lundquist’s collaborators at KU were graduate research assistant Snehal Mahadik and former undergraduate student Emily Burt.

“Snehal was a graduate student in our lab initially, did the work and received her Ph.D. a couple of years ago,” Lundquist said. “She also worked with an undergraduate student in the lab who's also an author on the paper — Emily, who helped do a lot of the experiments and was responsible for some of the analysis. Snehal did the genome editing, but Emily did many of the surrounding experiments.”

The KU team established new details about how SRC-1 is involved in the growth of axons, finding SRC-1 regulates a cellular structure called a growth cone.

“It’s like the steering wheel of the axon that guides the axon to its target — either a motor neuron or another neuron in the nervous system — to form a synapse,” Lundquist said. “Because the axon needs to be in place for a synapse to form, the SRC-1 protein acts in axon guidance.”

Moreover, the team settled scientific debate about how SRC-1 contributes to axon guidance in normal development.

“There had been some discrepancies in the literature about the role of this gene, and we settled that by deleting it entirely — which is quite definitive,” Lundquist said. “It turns out the mutation most people were using to study SRC-1 in worms wasn’t a loss of gene function. It was an activated form of the gene, more like what an oncogene does.”

Lundquist, who also serves with the KU Cancer Center and KU Center for Genomics, said oncogenes often lose their ability to be regulated by other proteins, leading to uncontrolled activity that can cause carcinogenesis.

“The mutation in the SRC-1 gene was like this,” he said. “But we did a clean, precise knockout, ensuring the gene had no potential function in the organism. We found the phenotype (its physical appearance) was opposite of the previous mutation, confirming the previous mutation was not a loss of function but an overactive form of the gene.”

The work is the initial step in developing new therapies for spinal cord injuries and stroke, which involve neuron damage and death.

“In genetics, there are often cassettes of molecules that are reused in different events,” Lundquist said. “We're looking at and defining a cassette that's being used by Src in axon guidance. But that same cassette might also be involved in processes related to oncogenesis and cancer. This understanding gives us more targets for therapeutic intervention.”

The KU researcher said if scientists can understand how Src is engaging its effectors, it broadens the target for therapeutic intervention with proteins that can be specifically modified by particular pharmaceutical compounds, maybe in ways that weren't previously appreciated. For this reason, the research was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

“That's the bigger picture importance to biomedical research — understanding how these proteins relate to each other in this context,” he said. “There's also the potential for repairing or alleviating the effects of stroke, hypoxia and nerve damage after stroke or spinal cord injury. Our central nervous systems do not regenerate well, so understanding how neurons normally grow might eventually help us understand how they might regrow.”

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Camila Ulloa and Dr. Ariana Torres Attended IFAMA

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