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Doctoral program.

• Program overview
• PhD Placements
• Admission and financial aids
• Useful information
• Application deadlines
• Testimonies
• ENTER program

The mission of the TSE doctoral school is to train future researchers for brilliant academic careers, but also for successful careers in the professional world 

Much effort is put into providing students with the highest quality training. Doctoral students are very well advised on how to best prepare for the international job market to ensure them to receive the best placement. 

See our placement year by year

There are many more reasons to choose tse:.

• TSE attracts the best researchers from around the world to Toulouse to develop the economic models and solutions needed to understand and address tomorrow's issues.
• PhD students quickly become involved in scientific life by taking part in international conferences, seminars, etc.
• TSE offers a large range of disciplines, enabling them to cover all fields in Economics: Behavior, Institutions and Development; Econometrics and Empirical Economics; Environment and Natural Resources; Finance; Industrial Economics;  Macroeconomics; Mathematics of Decision Making and Statistics; Public Economics; Theoretical Economics.
• Doctoral students have an office close to their supervisor to facilitate interactions.
• Studies are funded from the Master 2 ETE level upwards and can extend to 5 years
• Visiting possibilities during studies with other partner universities

• Doctoral Program Presentation
• Student handbook 2024-2025
• PhD placement since 2009

Placement of students from the Ph.D. Program:

• Lisa Botbol:  Monash University
• Luisa Carrer: ESCP,  after post-doc at Bocconi
• Anaïs Fabre: LMU Munich, after post-doc at IFS (1 year) 
• Oscar Fentanes: Carlos III
• Jonas Gathen: Tilburg University, after post-doc at CEMFI
• Gokce Gokkoca:  Analysis Group
• Johanna Joy Isman:  Assurance Services International
• Oscar Jara:  NHH Bergen (post-doc)
• Chanwoo Kim: AlixPartners 
• Federica Lo Polito:  Frontier Economics
• Moritz Loewenfeld: University of Vienna
• Nicolas Martinez: Cornerstone Research
• Paul Henri Moisson: Paris School of Economics 
• Sébastien Montpetit: Warwick (post-doc)
• Esteban Muñoz: Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona)

Former students on the market:

• Christophe Gaillac: University of Geneva (tenured offer)
• Celine Fei: Mannheim (post-doc)
• Emil Palikot: Northeastern U. (Computer Science & Marketing Dept.)

Post-docs at TSE on the market:

• Péter Bayer:  UAB Barcelona
• Hakan Oyzilmaz: Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research
• Hippolyte Boucher : Airbus, Marseille
• Tim Ederer : Tepper Business School, Carnegie Mellon University (Economics), preceded by a one-year Post-Doc at the Becker-Friedmann Institute, University of Chicago
• Luise Eisfeld : HEC Lausanne (Finance)
• Hiyu Hou : Renmin University, Beijing
• Dakang Huang : Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFFE), Chengdu, China
• Antoine Jacquet : Post Doc at Science-Po, Paris, France (2 years)
• Max Lesellier : Université de Montréal
• Yaxin Li : Renmin University, Beijing
• Gosia Majewska : ESSEC Business School, Paris (Economics)
• José Munoz : Analysis Group, Brussels
• Peter Neis : Post Doc at CERDI, Clermont Ferrand University (2 years)
• Tuuli Vanhapelto : Adam Smith Business School, Glasgow (Economics)
• Philipp Wangner: Mannheim University, preceded by a one-year Post-Doc at Columbia University
• Li Yu : Liaoning University, Shenyang, China
• Ling Zhou : Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (after a two-years Post-Doc)
• Alae Baha - Oxford University,  Sociology Dep. (Post Doc, 3 years) 
• Paloma Carrillo - International Labor Organization
• Alipio Ferreira - 1 year postdoc at JPAL-LAC (Rio de Janeiro) and then Southern Methodist University (AP)
• Alexandre Gaillard - 1 year post-doc at Princeton and then Brown University (AP)
• Friedrich Lucke - Joint Research Center (JRC), European Commission, Brussels
• Filip Mrowiec  - Cornerstone (New York)
• Celia Ruiz  - Compass Lexecon
• Vatsala Shreeti - Bank of International Settlments
• Fernando Stipanicic - 1 year postdoc at Berkeley and then Oslo (AP)
• Jun Yan  - Xiamen University (AP)
• Yifei Zhang - Peking University, HSBC Business School (AP)
• Hussein Bidawi - International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• Nicolas Bonneton - University of Manheim Assistant Professor 
• Jacopo Bregolin - University of Liverpool Assistant Professor
• Christophe Bruneel - KU Leuven Assistant Professor
• Matheus De Souza Bueno - OECD
• Joana Duran-Franch - Postdoc at Columbia 1 year 
• Jacint Enrich Moya - Postdoc at Pompeu Fabra - 3 years 
• Christophe Gaillac - Postdoc Nuffield College – 3 years
• Jérôme Gonnot - Postdoc European University Institute – 2 years
• Kunal Khainar - Bank of England 
• Willy Lefez - Postdoc Berlin School of Economics - 4 years
• Charles Pébereau  - Post doc at Stanford - 3 years
• Stefan Pollinger - Sciences Po Paris Assistant Professor
• Kevin Remmy - Postdoc at University of Mannheim - 5 years 
• Yang Yang  - Nanjing University Assistant Professor 
• Miguel Zerecero - UC Irvine Assistant Professor
• Ling Zhou  - Postdoc University of Padova - 2 years 
• Miren Azkarate-Askasua  - Post-doctorate for one year at European University Institute (EUI), then Assistant Professor (University of Mannheim)
• Hussein Bidawi  -  International Monetary Fund
• Filippo D'Arcangelo  - OECD
• Hugues Dastarac  - Banque de France
• Vessela Daskalova  - Assistant Professor  (UC Dublin)
• Alberto Grillo  - Post doctorate at Aix-Marseille School of Economics
• Elia Lapenta  - Assistant Professor(CREST)
• Emil Palikot  - Post doctorate at Stanford
• Christopher Sandmann  - Post doctorate for one year at Princeton then Assistant Professor (LSE)
• Roberto Sarkisian  - Assistant Professor (University of Rome Tor Vergata)
• Peter Wikman  - Post doctorate at Toulouse School of Economics 
• Yuting Yang  - Assistant Professor (University of New Mexico)
• Jiakun Zheng  - Assistant Professor (Renmin University)
• Konrad Adler -Postdoctoral position with the finance group at Bonn University
• Aleksandra Fridman - Economist program at the International Monetary Fund
• Jakob Hennig - Visiting professor Position at the UC3M
• Jasmin Fliegner - Assistant professor in Economics, University of Manchester
• Claire Galez-Davis - International Organization for Migration (IOM) 
• Dimple Kukreja - Research Officer, Reserve Bank of India
• Xavier Lambin - Assistant professor, Grenoble School of Management
• Giulia Pavan - Compass Lexecon (Madrid office)
• Eva Raiber - Assistant professor, Aix-Marseille School of Economics
• Lei Xu - Economist, Bank of Canada
• Yaohui Dong  - Assistant Professor, School of Economics and Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen
• Simon Fuchs  - Research Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
• Pablo Garcia  - Economist, Banque Centrale du Luxembourg
• Vitalijs Jascisens  - Assistant professor, National Research University Higher School of Economics (Department of Economics and International College of Economics and Finance)
• Tannous Kass-Hanna  - Economist, International Monetary Fund
• Lan Lan  - Assistant Professor, University of Oslo (Economics Department)
• Julie Lassebie  - The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 
• Tsz Kin Leung  - Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cambridge (INET Institute)
• Ying Liang  - Lecturer, Monash University (Monash Business School)
• George Lukyanov  - Assistant Professor, École Polytechnique
• Lucas Mahieux  - Assistant Professor, Tilburg University
• Serge Nyawa  - Assistant Professor, Toulouse Business School (Department of Information, Operations and Management Sciences)
• Anastasiia Parakhonyak  - Assistant Professor in Economics and Finance, Durham University (Business School)
• Arnaud Philippe  - Lecturer in economics, Department of economics (School of Economics, Finance and Management), Bristol University
• Oleg Polivin  - Junior Data Scientist, Altran
• Andrés Salamanca  - Postdoctoral position, University of Southern Denmark (Department of Business and Economics)
• Jules Tinang  - Assistant Professor, University of Groningen
• Ying Lei Toh - Payments Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
• Shuichi Tsugawa  - Assistant Professor Department of Engineering, Kyushu University, Japan
• Shuguang Zhu  - Assistant Professor, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (School of Economics)
• Nordine Abidi  - Economist, European Central Bank
• Arthur Alik  - Staff economist, Worldbank, office of chief economist Africa region
• Andrii Babii - Assistant professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Constance De Soyres - Economist, International Monetary Fund
• François De Soyres - Economist, World Bank
• MiaoMiao Dongdon - Assistant professor, Bocconi University (Decision Science Department)
• Xintong Han  - Assistant professor, Concordia University
• Maxime Liegey  - Assistant professor, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogota)
• Christian Nguenang  - Consultant, Bewell Consulting-Harwell Management
• Christiern Daniel  Rose  - Lecturer, University of Queensland
• Nassima Selmane    - Assistant Professor, University of Groningen
• Tomar Shekhar  - Research Officer, Reserve bank of India
• Tuba Tuncel  -  Assistant Professor, HEC Montreal
• André Veiga  - Assistant professor, Imperial College Business School in London
• Chunan Wang  -    Assistant Professor of Economics, Beihang University (Beijing)
• Suxiu Yu  -  Assistant Professor, Renmin University of China, Hanqing Advanced Institute of Economics and Finance
• Fanny Camara  - Assistant Professor, University of Southern California
• Maddalena Ferrana  - Postdoctoral research associate in Values and Public Policy, Woodrow Wilson School and University Center for Human Values, Princeton University
• Markus Gebauer  - Assistant Professor, Higher School of Economics/ICEF
• Dong-Hee Joe  - Associate Research Fellow, Korea Energy Economics Institute
• Yves Le Yaouanq  - Assistant Professor, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
• Kun Li  - Lecturer, Australia National University, Research School of Finance, Acturial Studies & Statistics
• César Mantilla  - Assistant Professor, Universidad del Rosario
• Rodrigo Montes  - Senior Economist, Compass Lexecon
• Alban Moura  - Economist, Banque centrale du Luxembourg, Research Department
• Guillem Roig  - Assistant Professor, Universidad del Rosario
• Johanna Schauer  - Economist, IMF
• Ananya Sen  - Postdoctoral Fellow, MIT (Sloan)
• Gang Wang  - Assistant Professor, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
• Timothy Yeung  - Postdoctoral position of PSL Research University, hosted by University of Paris-Dauphine
• Luc Bridet - Lecturer, University of St Andrews
• Ho Cheung Cheng  - Assistant Professor, National Central University, Taiwan
• Jorge Florez  - Assistant Professor, Universidad del Rosario
• Mattia Girotti  - Banque de France
• Sinem Hidir  - Assistant Professor, University of Warwick
• Laura Lasio  - Assistant Professor, McGill University
• Margaret Leighton  - Lecturer, University of St Andrews
• Julien Sauvagnat  - Assistant Professor, Università Boconi
• Yonglei Wang  - Assistant Professor, Huazhong University of Science & Technology
• Qizhou (Leo) Xiong  - Postdoctoral researcher, University of Magdeburg and Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH)

Our ambition is to keep attracting the best students in the world. Therefore, we offer financial help for our future PhD students.

Some scholarships and grants are available at the Master 2 level: https://www.tse-fr.eu/admissions

Once the students graduate from the Master 2 ETE and continue in the PhD program, the doctoral school makes sure that they receive funding. Some positions of teaching assistant and research assistant are also available.

It usually takes 5 years for students to complete their thesis.

A world-class international doctoral program, training the brightest minds.

The "Doctoral track" ( Master 2 ETE ) allows students to acquire a thorough and advanced general training in economic theory (micro, macro and econometrics) before choosing a specific area of research. During this first year, students are also given training in research techniques and work one-on-one with a faculty advisor to complete a master’s thesis that will be assessed by a board of professors.

Second year

At the end of the first year, students are admitted in the second year Advanced Research degree in Economics (MRes in Economics) on the basis of their results (courses and research work) and embark on a final year of advanced, specialized courses. Students should select 7 course topics among a list of advanced specialized courses and attend an annual research workshop (members meet on a regular basis during the year). This intensive training should provide PhD students with a strong foundation for the writing of their thesis and for their future research career. An advisor and another faculty member assist students in the design of their plan of studies. During the second year, students choose their field(s) of specialization : 

• Behavioral and Experimental Economics
• Econometrics and Empirical Economics
• Economics Theory
• Industrial Organization
• Macroeconomics
• Public Policy and Applied Economics

At the end of this second year, students must present some original research work (a preliminary paper) to a jury of faculty members.

Thesis years

The two or three following years are devoted to full-time research and to writing the dissertation. Students are given the opportunity to mature and develop their economist’s intuition and techniques. PhD students participate in the life of academic groups , including seminars . They also present their research work in junior seminars and international conferences and are encouraged to participate in specialized summer schools.

Our PhD program is designed to prepare our candidates for the International Job Market. 

To find out about application deadlines please see our Admissions section .

Applications must be made online on the TSE platform eCandidatures. Any application submitted outside of the dates of the recruitment campaigns will not be reviewed.

Students testimonies

Some videos are available on the platform  youtube.

Christopher Sandmann, PhD student

Basile Dubois, PhD student  

"TSE is an amazing place for students who want to devote themselves into research. The professors here are very productive and nice. Their love to economics is so contagious. There are so many conferences, seminars, and workshops in diversified areas that could feed your interests and tastes. The quality and quantity of those meetings are fabulous. Overall, our PhD program in terms of its research environment is comparable to the top-ten programs in the US. The life at Toulouse is also very rewarding. You would meet many interesting persons here. International students' background are diversified and they come from five continents. I love here so much and miss the people I met here. You would never regret if you choose to come to TSE."

Nina Yin , Assistant Professor (China Center for Human Capital and Labor Market Research, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing, China)

"Learning how to become a researcher is not an easy task and TSE's structure in thematic groups played an important part in helping me develop research skills. Every week, we had a macro seminar with external speakers, a macro workshop for PhD students to present their work and a macro reading group where we discussed recently published papers ! When you present your work, comments from professors and fellow students can be tough to hear, but that's how make progress and learn how not to cut corners. Overall, the environment at TSE showed me a passion for intellectual challenges that was contagious. I felt encouraged to play my part and contribute, as an economic researcher, to a better understanding of the forces driving our economic system."

François de Soyres , Economist (World Bank)

"TSE gave me an outstanding training in econometrics which was crucial for the beginning of my career. I believe that the scientific environment at TSE is comparable to the best economics departments in the world. Just look at the amount and quality of seminars, workshops, and conferences hosted at TSE each year and compare it to any other top economics department. There are more events than you can digest!"

Andrii Babii , Assistant professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

"TSE is a very good environment for research. Besides the faculty helping students, much administrative hassle is kept away from students to be able to better focus. In any given week there are more research seminars than one can even attend, so one is exposed to many different ideas. Throughout my time at TSE I enjoyed substantial financial support, both for my living expenses as well as for accessing data"

Markus Gebauer, Assistant Professor of Economics (International College of Economics and Finance, National Research University - Higher School of Economics Moscow, Russia)

"I enjoyed the diversity and academic environment here. Students and researchers are coming from all over the world and doing research in various fields, each contributing in a unique way to the diverse culture here. The research environment is of first grand; each year, top researchers around the world visit and give talks at Toulouse, giving us plenty of opportunities to be exposed to the research frontier. The researchers/advisors are really great economists and patient teachers; discussions on our work are usually deep and focusing on the big picture and economic applications, which I find are the most important part of economics research. Of course, the city is truly beautiful!

Some deals are too good to be true but TSE defies this adage. One gets to live in a great city and have access to one of the best economics departments. TSE has a big PHD program with roughly 20 incoming students each year, which makes you feel like a part of the community. I was part of the Macro group and learned a lot through interactions with the faculty members and other students. And this interaction was not just limited to internal members as the PhD students interact a lot with the visiting seminar speakers (and there are a lot of them at TSE!!).  

In terms of the timeline, one spends the first two years on coursework. The core courses are interesting and give a good foundation for research, both in terms of material covered as well as to develop research agenda. I got good support from my advisor as well as other faculty members to keep my work on track throughout the PhD. For the job market, TSE has a professional team of people, comprising of staff members and faculty, who help you throughout the job market season. The hard work that TSE puts in to prepare its students is amply reflected in the placements!!"

Shekhar Tomar , Research Officer, Reserve bank of India

"I did my Ph.D. at TSE from 2011 until 2016 (plus a strong M1 a year prior). Coming from Peru to Europe for the first time, a lot was new, exciting, and different. Language-wise, for instance, classes were in English, while daily life was in French. To make this harder, coursework at TSE is tough and exams are intense. However, I can say with the benefit of hindsight, that such level of rigor makes TSE alumni well equipped to face the challenges of a dynamic world. At TSE, I learned to always stay curious, and to study seriously and committed to the subject at hand. After the Ph.D. I came to the U.S. to work in consulting. My adviser and other faculty members were always supportive of my choice and were instrumental for me finding a job in Washington, D.C. There, I have confirmed that TSE enjoys an outstanding reputation in economics, especially in IO. All in all, my years in Toulouse were some of the best in my life, I am deeply thankful to the school, the administrative staff, the faculty, and my friends!"

Rodrigo Montes , Senior Economist, Compass Lexecon

The TSE Doctoral School is a member of a European network of doctoral schools, ENTER  (European Network for Training in Economic Research), which includes the following universities:   - Universitat Autonoma Barcelona - Free University of Brussels - University of Mannheim - University of Stockholm - Tilburg University - Toulouse School of Economics - University College London - Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Doctoral students who enrol in the ENTER programme spend between three months to a year in one or two of the network institutions where they benefit from exactly the same status as the other doctoral students. Depending on their situation, they may either attend classes or seminars, or work on their thesis under the supervision of one of the university’s professors. They are thus in contact with a wider teaching body and a more diverse range of research themes. They can also develop productive professional relationships with other students and thus become truly European economists. The network schedules a conference which rotates every year to a different member university and encourages doctoral students to visit and stay at one (or several) of the universities in the network

For more information, go to www.enter-network.org

Recent PhD Placements

Economics phd accepted job offers.

Bank of Japan Bogazici University, Turkey Central European University, Hungary International Monetary Fund, DC Korea Information Society Development Institute Korean Institution for Industrial Economics and Trade National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Japan National University of Singapore (NUS) Renmin University, China Tulane University, LA University of New South Wales, Australia University of Oregon University of Sydney, Australia Wisconsin Center for Education Research, WI

Rutgers Business School, NY Banco de Mexico Banco de Mexico Bank of Canada Bank of Chile Clark University, School of Management, MA Central Michigan University Congressional Budget Office, DC European University Institute, Max Weber Fellowship, Florence, Italy Hong Kong University of Science and Technology European University Institute, Max Weber Fellowship, Florence, Italy Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain Federal Reserve Bank Board of Governors, DCInternational Monetary Fund, DC Korea Institute for International Economic Policy Libera Università Internazionale Degli Studi Sociali, Rome, Italy Max Planck Institute, Jena, Germany Middle East Technical University, Turkey Oberlin College, OH University of Alberta School of Business, Canada University of Copenhagen, School of Business, Denmark University of Naples, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (post-doctoral fellowship), Italy

Analysis Group, Boston Bank of Canada Black & Veatch, Houston Blackrock, New York Bureau of Economic Analysis, Washington DC Deloitte, Transfer Pricing Group, Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank, Atlanta Fudan University, China Georgia Tech Indiana University Kelly School of Business Institute for Financial Management and Research, Chennai India International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington DC ITESMs (Monterrey Tech) Graduate School of Public Policy and ALFA, Monterey, Mexico Korean Insurance Research Institute (KIRI), Korea McKinsey and Co., Brazil Michigan State University Oberlin College, OH Singapore Management University, Singapore Stanford Business School, CA Private hedge fund, New York Toulouse School of Economics, France University of California Davis University of Exeter, UK University of Hawaii, Hilo University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management Vanderbilt University, TN

Bank Indonesia California State University East Bay Case Western Reserve, PA Department of Justice, DC El Colegio de Mexico Federal Reserve Board of Governors, DC London School of Economics, UK Multi-Cultural Mental Health Research Center, Harvard University Purdue University, IN Analysis Group, Boston University of Sao Paulo, Brazil University of Virginia

Bates White, MA DxCG Inc, MA Ernst & Young, GA Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, TX International Monetary Fund, DC NERA, NY Northwestern University (Economics), IL Northwestern University (Kellogg School of Management), IL Wayne State University, MI World Bank, DC

Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Bank of Japan, Japan Bank of Japan, Japan Cornerstone Research, Menlo Park, CA University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Notre Dame, IN Suffolk University, MA

Note: Positions from 2005 to 2010 reflect only PhD students who entered the formal job market and accepted a job through that process. Students who already had jobs arranged or did not do a formal search are not included in those years. Hence the lists are incomplete. Students from 2011 on are those who voluntarily chose to list their new jobs, regardless of the search process.

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Welcome to BIGS-DR

International cooperation, our students, zef's interdisciplinary doctoral program at the university of bonn: bigs-dr.

The Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) is based at the   Center for Development Research ( ZEF ), an institute of the University of Bonn . The University of Bonn is one of Germany’s 11  Universities of Excellence  and runs  12 International Graduate Schools , among them BIGS-DR. The structured and interdisciplinary doctoral program was established in 1999 and has since offered outstanding opportunities for conducting development research, establishing international collaboration, and taking part in a tailored qualification program.

Research topics

ZEF’s doctoral program is an excellent choice for those seeking to build a career in the field of sustainable development, including research, project development and implementation, or policy-making. Topics of special research interest at ZEF include  Agriculture, Land use, Climate Change ; Water Resources (management); Biodiversity ; Food and Nutrition ; Health ; Gender ; Migration, Mobility, and Urbanization ; Governance and Conflict ; Markets and Services ; Innovation and Science Policy . 

ZEF's directors

ZEF is led by three directors (photos on top from left to right):  Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim (Economics), Prof. Dr. Ina Danquah (Planetary Health and Nutrition) and Prof. Dr. Christian Borgemeister (Ecology). Further professors and supervisors based at or affiliated with ZEF are: Prof. Dr. Jan Börner , Prof. Dr. Conrad Schetter and PD Dr. Eva Youkhana , Jun.-Prof. Dr. Wolfram Barfuß and  Jun.-Prof. Dr. Lisa Biber-Freudenberger . More info about all professors at ZEF here .

BIGS-DR students

More than 400 doctoral students from 100 countries have participated in the BIGS-DR program at ZEF so far. Each annual 'batch' comprises around 20-30 students who come from different disciplinary backgrounds.

Our students complete their doctoral studies in about 3-4 years and receive their doctoral degree from one of the faculties of the University of Bonn.

Study Program

BIGS-DR offers its students a tailor-made, interdisciplinary study program including courses, supervision and field research. ZEF's interdisciplinary and international setting offers many opportunities for broadening knowledge, strengthening skills and extending own networks.

Beyond, ZEF and the University of Bonn offer a wide portfolio of additional trainings to improve professional skills.

Why apply for a doctorate at ZEF?

BIGS-DR students participate in a tailor-made (inter)disciplinary course program .

BIGS-DR provides intensive supervision and tutorship within its structured doctoral program. In regular meetings, students are supported and guided by a team of experts consisting of their supervisors and senior researchers at ZEF.

BIGS-DR students are junior researchers and therewith part of an international and interdisciplinary academic community of junior and senior researchers, professors, and alumni.

ZEF collaborates with numerous institutions and projects worldwide , offering opportunities for joint lectures and research cooperation.

BIGS-DR students improve their professional skills and career prospects by attending workshops on academic writing, intercultural training, and research ethics.

Thanks to the structured program, it takes BIGS-DR students 3-4 years on average to conduct research , analyze their data, publish academic papers, present results at international conferences , complete their dissertations and obtain their doctoral degrees.

Upon successfully defending their dissertation, students are awarded a doctoral degree from one of the Faculties at University of Bonn (mostly Agriculture, Natural sciences, or Arts).

BIGS-DR courses count for European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System ( ECTS ). The course program at BIGS-DR amounts to 30 ECTS credits.

Dr. Silke Tönsjost Academic Coordinator

Max Voit Coordinator

Research & Capacity Development

Doctoral program, publications.

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Ph.D. Career Outcomes

• Accordion 5 Panel 5. Add body text in this space.

Graduate Program

Ph.d. in economics.

The Ph.D. program at Berkeley is designed for students interested in pursuing advanced study and conducting original research in Economics. The Ph.D. degree is awarded in recognition of the recipient's qualifications as a general economist and of the ability to make scholarly contributions in fields of specialization. Additionally, the Economics Ph.D. program is residential, there is no remote enrollment option. 

In advancing to the Ph.D. degree, students pass through two major stages:

• Preparation for candidacy typically takes two to three years. During the first two semesters, students take courses to achieve competence in econometric methods, methods of economic history and fundamentals of microeconomic and macroeconomic theory. During the next two years, students prepare for examination in two fields of specialization of their choosing, prepare a dissertation prospectus, and take an oral examination. When these steps are completed, students are advanced to candidacy.
• Completion of a dissertation after advancing to candidacy typically takes one to two years. The dissertation must be based on original research and represent a significant contribution to the body of Economic knowledge.

The entire process takes approximately five to six years, although some students are able to complete the program in less time. Below is an overview of the program requirements by year and other pertinent information.

Program Requirements

• Years 4 to 6
• Program Rules
• Frequently Used Forms
• Financial Support

The Economics degree program concerns the fundamental economic relationships and principles of a society, with respect to both individual economic units (microeconomics) and economies as a whole (macroeconomics).

The degree is relevant and related to the study of business administration, which concerns the economic operation of individual companies and their constituent structures and processes. The BSc in Economics is primarily designed for students to acquire both basic and more advanced knowledge of economics and economic methodologies, and also concerns aspects of business administration that inform economic analysis (investment, financing, entrepreneurial theory). Students also learn quantitative methods (mathematics for economists, statistics, econometrics) useful for analyzing and representing economic relationships.

The degree program is designed to enable students to identify a spectrum of economic relationships, address economic problems by applying appropriate methodologies and critically evaluate the consequences of economic policy decisions.

Possible lines of work:

Administration (public service, professional/industry associations), financial planning/management, labor/social sector, auditing, tax consulting, corporate consulting, banks, insurance companies, non-profit organizations/non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media industry/business journalism, academia (teaching/research at universities, research institutions, etc.)

University entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur)

German language proficiency (DSH level 1, CEFR level B2, as per DSH exam. regulations)

English language proficiency (CEFR level B2)

Department of Economics (German)

Subject-specific Study Advisory Service 2

Central Study Advisory and Counseling Service 3

Advice and support from fellow students 4

Self-assessments to help you choose a subject

Preliminary 6  courses 7 7 8

Examination regulations 9 8 1

Module guides (German) 10

At the University of Bonn, multilingualism and cultural diversity are considered to be valuable resources that complement subject-specific qualifications. This is why, in addition to curricular language modules, students have access to a diverse range of language-learning offers, including the independent-study offers at the Center for Language Learning (Sprachlernzentrum, SLZ) in which they can autonomously learn a foreign language or enhance existing language skills. Furthermore, students can apply for the “ Certificate of Intercultural Competence ” free of charge, which promotes extra-curricular and interdisciplinary activities of international or intercultural nature.

Universität Bonn

Department of Economics

• Institute for Applied Microeconomics
• Institute of Finance and Statistics
• Institute for Macroeconomics and Econometrics
• Institute for Microeconomics

Master of Science in Economics

The Master of Science program in Economics at the University of Bonn offers comprehensive training for both academic and professional careers. It is a quantitative and research-oriented program that offers advanced and rigorous training in all areas of economics. Students gain advanced mathematical, statistical and econometric skills and also have an opportunity to acquire effective programming practices relevant for economic analysis. The program introduces students to current topics and debates in economic research and enables students to understand complex economic models and to assess the relevance and limits of economic theories. The MSc Economics also offers students the opportunity to explore their own research interests and to work with highly motivated and talented fellow students from over 20 countries.

Edoardo Falchi, Master Student

“I am amazed by the international appreciation of our Master program that I experienced in research contexts during my studies and subsequently in the job market. I am proud of the supportive university community and I am grateful for the range of courses that are constantly updated to the latest innovations. Theory combines perfectly with application methods, giving invaluable added value. I cannot stress enough how talented the professors are and how many opportunities there are to pursue a career in Economics and Statistics.”

Gloria Hauschka, Master Student

"This program digs deep into economic theory, helping us grasp the core concepts and principles. It's like building a rock-solid foundation for everything else. If you're into microeconomic theory or applied micro, you're in for a treat. The program offers an extensive dive into this fascinating field.Your peers come from all walks of life - different academic backgrounds, various industries, you name it. It's like a melting pot of ideas and perspectives, which broadens your horizon and is crucial for future career prospects. Everyone here is ambitious, whether they're on the academic track or aiming for the business world. It creates this contagious atmosphere of motivation and innovation. If you're looking for a place to truly understand economics and be part of an energetic, diverse, and ambitious community, I can't recommend the University of Bonn enough.“

What characterizes the MSc Economics?

Our Master offers a great combination of advanced training in core areas of Economics and individual specializations plus the opportunity to conduct your own research under the guidance of internationally renowned experts in the field. The program thus prepares graduates for an advanced academic career as well as for leading positions in institutions and companies that require advanced analytical and quantitative skills.

International

Studying in the Master program is an international experience: Each year, about 60 percent to 70 percent of the students taking up the program are international students coming to Bonn from over 20 countries. In addition, Master students have the opportunity to integrate a semester abroad into their study program by spending a semester at one of the internationally renowned partner universities of the Department of Economics or the University of Bonn. 

Forward thinking

The MSc Economics is deliberately forward thinking with regard to study content and method development. For example, changes in markets due to digitalization and internationalization or new approaches to data science are important subjects of study, as the evaluation of large and complex data sets is becoming increasingly relevant in economics.

Research-oriented

The Master program enables students to understand current economic research, to build and discuss theoretical models and to use modern methodological tools. Research seminars introduce Master students to the most up-to-date research by discussing current research papers as well as helping them to explore their own research interests and develop suitable research designs.

In Bonn, only the first semester consists of mandatory courses in the core fields of Economics. From the second semester onwards, students have the opportunity to choose courses from five different fields of study and to specialize according to their interests. In addition, they can also attend seminars taught at PhD-level.

Our professors work in numerous national and international networks and the department cooperates with a number of research institutions such as:

• the IZA (Research Institute for the Future of Work) 5 ,
• the briq (Institute on Behavior and Inequality) 6
• the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Good 7 ,
• the Collaborative Research Center Transregio 224 Economic Perspectives on Societal Challenges: Equality of Opportunity, Market Regulation, and Financial Stability (EPoS) 8
• ECONtribute excellence cluster: Markets and Public Policy 9

To gain further insights into research, our Master students have the opportunity to work as research assistants at one of these institutes or research institutions. Within the framework of research seminars or guest lectures, students can find suggestions for a future academic career or the selection of a suitable doctoral program. In addition, the department offers a career day every year especially for its graduates, where they can get to know a whole range of potential employers who are specifically looking for future employees with a degree in Economics. This gives our graduates, who have very good overall chances on the job market, a better impression of the diversity of their career opportunities.

Master Coordinator: Our Master coordinator is available for all questions concerning the Master application, study planning, the integration of a semester abroad and other matters. She offers support for international Master students in finding a place in a dormitory and organizes special German language courses for them.

Social Tutor: The so-called "social tutor" helps our Master students to get to know their fellow students outside of the lectures. He organizes regular meetings and excursions and thus contributes to the exchange and networking among the students.

Professors: Our professors are open to questions concerning the content of their lectures, but also for finding a topic for the Master thesis, for questions regarding the choice of courses abroad or queries regarding a suitable doctoral program.

Exchange programs

Master students can spend one or more semesters abroad. The Department of Economics and the University of Bonn offer several exchange programs. You can find more and detailed information here.

Information for incoming Masters

Getting started at the University of Bonn: You have received your admission letter? Congratulations! You can start preparing for your studies in Bonn.

Important links

Module descriptions.

Find a list of all module descriptions offered in the Master Program in Economics. Classes are offered either in winter or in summer semesters.

Examination

Find all dates, deadlines and overall information on exams (Registration, Allocation, Withdrawal), transfer of credits and the master thesis.

BASIS is the electronic schedule of classes with information on all lectures, seminars and language classes, etc. You register for exams via Basis.

eCampus is the e-learning platform. Here you find the online courses for your lectures with scripts, tests, exercises, chat forums, Wikis and more.

After your studies

Graduates of our Master program are qualified for advanced positions within the private and public sector. They find employment in government authorities and public institutions, major enterprises, the financial sector, private research centers and the health sector as well as in a variety of international institutions such as central banks, government departments, OECD, EU, The World Bank, development agencies, economic consultancies, financial organizations, international corporations and more. Many of our graduates find qualified positions with multinational firms and organizations shortly after receiving their MSc degrees.

Students, who complete the Master program in Economics also have the option to apply for and continue with the combined Master/PhD program at the Bonn Graduate School of Economics .

Sabine Hübner-Monien

Adenauerallee 24-42

Study Counselling

Consultation by phone, via zoom or by e-mail. For prospective students as well as current students.

Fixed consultation hours