1. Can I earn an MA in Economics at The Ohio State University?
We do not offer a stand-alone or terminal M.A. degree. However, Ohio State University Ph.D. program students may earn a masters degree as they progress through our program, conditional on satisfactorily meeting all first-year course requirements and demonstrating sufficient proficiency on their micro and macro qualifier examinations.
2. Can I apply to your Ph.D. program with just a Bachelor’s degree?
Yes, students must have successfully completed or be expected to complete the minimum of a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent at the time of their matriculations. No Master’s degree (M.A. /M.S.) is required for your Ph.D. application.
3. Do I need to have a Bachelor’s degree in economics to apply to the PhD program?
No, we do not require a Bachelor’s degree in economics to apply to our Ph.D. program. However, our curriculum presumes that a prospective graduate student has a strong undergraduate program in mathematics and statistics. We also recommend that your undergraduate curriculum includes courses in intermediate microeconomics, macroeconomics, and basic econometrics.
4. Do you accept applicants with a three-year Bachelor’s degree?
Applicants are required to have completed an equivalent of a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation. A three-year foreign degree will not usually do. Applicants should contact Graduate Admissions to determine if they meet this requirement for admission at http://gradadmissions.osu.edu/gpcontacts.html.
5. Do I need to submit my degree certificate with my application material?
No, we require your official transcripts, not your degree certificates, to complete your application. Remember to upload one set of scanned official transcripts per institution online to OSU Graduate Admissions.
6. Where do I send official transcripts?
Upload one set of scanned official transcripts per institution online for Grad Admissions. See the Application Checklist webpage for more information.
7. How long are my GRE and TOEFL scores valid?
GRE scores are valid for up to five years following the test date. TOEFL scores are valid for up to two years following the test date.
8. What are your GRE and GPA requirements for admission?
Applicants must have the minimum 3.00 undergraduate GPA for graduate admission with or without financial support. The GPA benchmark for financial support considerations including fellowships is a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.50. However, you may still be eligible for funding even if you do not meet this requirement; we will evaluate your entire application to see if there may be other strengths that compensate.
9. Do I need to take the TOEFL if I am pursuing a Master’s degree in the US?
You are exempt from taking the TOEFL if you receive a four-year Bachelor’s degree or higher in the US. See additional information regarding language requirements here.
10. Do I need to submit a writing sample?
It is not required, but is encouraged.
11. Is Statement of Purpose required to complete my application? What is a Statement of Purpose?
Yes, you are required to submit Statement of Purpose (SOP). Your SOP should articulate in approximately 1-1.5 pages (1) your reason and motivation for pursuing a Ph.D. in economics to attain your career goal, and (2) at least two prospective fields of concentration and your reason for these fields. Your GPA and course performance can be read from your transcripts. Your major achievements such as honors and awards should be in your C.V. Your academic record, strengths and potential should be stated in the letters of recommendation we receive. Use SOP to state aspects that are not obvious from your transcripts, C.V. and letters.
12. Will you accept recommendation letters from former employers?
It is strongly recommended that an applicant obtain at least three academic recommendation letters from individuals who can provide a credible assessment of the applicants’ academic preparedness for graduate study. Seek someone who can state and qualify your academic strengths and research potential beyond what we can see in your transcripts.
13. Can the department waive my application fee?
No, applicants are solely responsible for all fees associated with their application process to our Ph.D. program.
14. Do I still have to submit hard copy versions of my application material if I submitted the same material online?
No, any application material submitted online need not be posted via mail or delivery services.
15. Will you accept application material submitted after the application deadline?
We expect that applicants make a concerted effort to submit completed application materials by our published deadlines. Any applicant requesting financial support should officially apply online, send all required application material, and pay the application fee by the published deadlines. Applications received after the published deadlines will be reviewed to the best of our capacity, but can miss the first round of admissions and a chance for financial support considerations.
16. Do you offer any Teaching or Research Assistantships for first-year Ph.D. students?
No, except for very special cases, we do not offer teaching or research assistantships for our first year students. Students are eligible for Teaching or Research Assistantships beginning in the second year, contingent upon their normal academic progress.
17. What is the timeline of the funding award process?
Our admissions committee evaluates application files between November 30 and early January. Next, we nominate a small handful of prospective students for a highly selective University Fellowship competition in mid-January. Once the results of that competition are announced in late February, we begin considering initial-round allocations of Department and College fellowships. From then until April 15, we offer funding packages on a rolling basis. Given the nature of the process, it is rarely possible to estimate when/if a fellowship will be offered with much advance notice.
Don’t see your question above? Contact Rick Tobin, tobin.71@osu.edu with more questions.