Assistantships and Financial Aid

The Economics Department awards research and teaching assistantships and endeavors to provide other types of funding for as many students as possible. Graduate students are also eligible for fellowships offered by the University.  Applicants without either departmental funding or personal financial support sufficient to complete the program are discouraged from enrolling.

Students entering the program with financial support are guaranteed support through their fourth year, contingent upon: (1) satisfactory performance of duties, and (2) satisfactory progress towards the PhD.

Graduate financial aid will be withdrawn if the student recipient is not currently enrolled in the Economics Ph.D. program. Funded students, who fail one qualifying exam, will have their funding reduced by 50 percent. Funded students failing two or more qualifying exams will lose all funding. Students receiving a marginal result on all three qualifying exams will have their funding reduced by 50 percent. Students who lose funding because of poor exam grades will not have their funding automatically restored if their performance on a second exam improves. The department chair or Ph.D. Committee can also withdraw funding as a result of poor performance as a research or teaching assistant.

Students entering without support can become eligible for support by compiling a satisfactory record in their coursework and qualifier exams, and by demonstrating potential for teaching and research, although availability of support is contingent on departmental needs and resources. However, good performance in the Ph.D. program does not guarantee financial support for previously unfunded students.

Teaching assignments and funding beyond the fourth year will be based on the following criteria:

• Clearance for teaching by the university
• Satisfactory performance of previous assignments
• Satisfactory progress in the program
• Needs of the curriculum
• Knowledge of the subject

The Department Chair interprets and applies these rules in individual cases.