Each candidate’s program of study will be developed in consultation with the faculty chair of the Policy and Admissions Committee. The normal program is outlined below.

The Policy and Admissions Committee designates faculty members at the Business School and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as advisors for each student upon entrance into the Business Economics program. The advisors, in conjunction with the PhD Program Offices, will assist the student in deciding which courses to take and how to fulfill various degree requirements. It is expected that students will establish relationships with other faculty members, and it is possible that the major academic advisory role may be assumed by different faculty members in the dissertation stage of a candidate’s program. However, students are strongly advised to consult with the advisors and with the PhD Program Offices during all stages of PhD work.

• Two one-term courses in microeconomic theory (Econ 2010 a, b) are required.
• Two one-term courses in macroeconomics theory (Econ 2010 c, d) are required.
• Two one-term courses in graduate quantitative methods (Econ 2110 and 2120) or a more advanced course in econometrics are required.
• One additional one-term graduate level economics course is required. This course should be chosen to help prepare for advanced course work in the second year. Econ 2010d is one possibility, which is strongly encouraged to complete the macroeconomics course series. Other possible courses could be in mathematics, statistics, computer science, or psychology. The advisor’s approval of the course selected for this requirement is necessary.
• Completion of the business history requirement. The business history requirement may be completed in several ways including the Doctoral Business History Seminar, a pre-approved individual studies course, or a pre-approved MBA course.
• FOUR ONE-TERM COURSES to satisfy the course requirement of the Special Field Exam, which occurs at the end of the student’s second year. See Special Field Exam for additional information.
• Economics 3000 is a required course for all third year students in which students complete a research paper under the guidance of their faculty advisor. Students have one year to complete the paper and s/he must submit to the Graduate Office with the signature of at least two faculty members. The Ec3000 paper can be co-authored.
• TWO MBA COURSES. All Students without an MBA degree are required to complete two case-based HBS MBA elective curriculum courses or to take one MBA course and serve as a Teaching Fellow in another.

All courses should be completed with a grade of B or better.

Students must teach or assist with teaching in a formally offered course for one full academic term. This engagement should include, at least, 8 hours of front-of-class teaching and 16 hours of teaching preparation time. The requirement may be fulfilled by completing a teaching fellow or instructor assignment at a Harvard University.

By the end of their third year, all students are required to obtain approval of their dissertation proposal by their Dissertation Chair.

Students are expected to enroll in a working seminar or participate in an informal lunchtime seminar group. Students in their third year or beyond must present in the working seminar (or informal lunchtime seminar) at least once per year.

The student selects a faculty dissertation committee consisting of three members of the Harvard faculty; one of whom must be in the Department of Economics and one of whom must be from the Business School. Under the dissertation committee’s advisorship, the student will proceed to complete the dissertation research. The dissertation should demonstrate the candidate’s ability to perform original research that develops in a scholarly way a significant contribution to the knowledge and understanding in the chosen special field. The requirement is that the analysis and evaluation of relevant data yield significant and independent conclusions.

Normal completion time is five years.