Responsibilities of the Academic Commission
The research area in Microeconomics offers the students the possibility to do research in some of the more active fields of economics, from both a theoretical and an empirical perspective, such as experimental and behavioral economics, public economics, health economics, social networks, social choice, industrial organization and contest theory. Our faculty enjoys worldwide recognition for its excellence in research, which joint with a very active seminar series contribute to offer our students a stimulating intellectual atmosphere and a perfect place to undertake their research agendas.
Members of the Macroeconomics and Econometrics area specialize, on the one hand, in the development of new quantitative tools for Economics research, and on the other, in addressing pressing challenges that economies in the world are experiencing. Regarding the former, in the last few years, the group has focused on the development of dynamic-stochastic general equilibrium models, heterogeneous-agent and life-cycle models, computer algorithms to solve high-dimension economic models, time series modelling and tests, non-parametric analysis, cross section analysis, and big data analysis. The challenges that have been researched by the group include, among others, topics on micro and macro aspects of health, business cycles and the recent great recession, the underground economy, international trade, the recent economic-growth and labor-productivity slowdowns, pensions and the ageing society, decentralization in public policy, implications of natural resource discoveries, income inequality, wealth inequality, social programs, immigration, and the housing, labor and financial markets.
The research area in Applied Economics offers the students the possibility of specialization in the particular analysis of specific aspects of the economy, both in the general sphere and in specific economic and institutional sectors, such as tourism, the labor market, the housing and real estate markets, transport sectors, fiscal and tax system, the industry and competitiveness, and also in transversal and multisector aspects, such as poverty and development, energy and the economy of innovation and new technologies. This area has very specialized researchers in the economic analysis applied to these sectors with active research in the frontier of knowledge.
We encourage students with a solid academic background in quantitative methods and economics, preferably with a master degree in quantitative economics or applied economics, to apply.
For students who are in possession of master's degrees in Economics, Quantitative Economics, Applied Economics, Quantitative Methods, Mathematics and related areas, obtained in Spanish and foreign renowned universities, admission to the PhD is conditional upon obtaining a score more than satisfactory (indicatively, not less than an average score of 7 over 10). In each case, the Academic Committee of the doctoral program will evaluate the student's transcript and will decide on its admission.
For students who are not in possession of the aforementioned degrees, admission to the PhD is conditional on the valuation of the Academic Commission. The Academic Commission, in view of the student's curriculum, may establish specific doctoral training activities.
For students who require part-time doctoral studies, the admission criteria are the same. The program restricts the intake of students each year to a maximum of 20 students.
Detail information about the legal admission requirements can be found at EDUA web page.
For access information and enrollment for doctoral studies see the EDUA web page.
The admission criteria will be based on the merit and capacity of the applicants, according to their academic certificates, the Curriculum Vitae and a personal interview.
Candidates must send the following documents to the academic committee:
Admission will be based on the weighting of the following criteria:
The admission criteria for part-time students will be the same as those contemplated for full-time students.
All students will have to do a series of transversal activities; some of those activities are common to all doctoral programs whereas others are specific to each individual program.
For more information check the web page on common activities.
Detail and planning: The doctorate students must attend seminars given by researchers associated with the doctoral program or invited professors.
Control procedure: Students must attend a minimum of 20 of these seminars, which will be included in the document of activities of the doctoral student.
Actions and criteria of mobility: Mobility aids for invited professors.
Detail and planning: The doctorate students must present and defend publicly the work done during each academic year to the rest of the students and professors of the doctorate program.
Control procedure: Students must present and attend the presentation of the rest of students. Their participation will be included in the document of activities of the student.
Detail and planning: Specific training made by the thesis advisor: aspects such as scientific knowledge in the context of the object of research, management of techniques and software needed to carry out the research, design and analysis of experiments, discussion and dissemination of the research' results. This activity also includes training for the writing of the Doctoral Thesis.
Control procedure: The thesis advisor will supervise the information provided by the doctoral student in the document of activities of the doctoral student.
Detail and planning: Specific training in scientific communication. Activities include preparation, shipping the manuscript, and (in the case of acceptance) public exhibition of work related to the topic of thesis in congresses, conferences and meetings (workshops) or national or international PhD workshops.
Control procedure: Certificate of attendance to the event of scientific communication and bibliographic reference of the event minutes in the document for activities of the doctorate.
Actions and criteria of mobility: Mobility grants for PhD students.
Number of hours: Minimum stay of one month, with the possibility of splitting the period in fractions of time.
Detail and planning: Specific training consisting of the mobility of the student to a different university or research center.
Control procedure: Participation Certificate of the visiting period issued by the host University or research center.
Actions and criteria of mobility: Mobility grants for PhD students.
The Program provides the best students admitted with financial support linked to teaching or research assistantships on a competitive basis. Financial support can be extended up to three years. The renewal of financial support occurs on an annual basis, and requires the positive evaluation of the Academic Commission. Additional financial support is available to present the research in international conferences.
The Doctoral School opens every year a call for granting subsidies to facilitate the obtention of the mention of international PhD (Financial support for international mobility)