Department of Economics PhD Handbook

Table of Contents

Academic Advisement & Registration • Program Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Economics • GPA Requirements

Before the First Year Begins

• Math Camp • Passport Verification for International Students • Glacier Paperwork for International Students • Prior Degree Verification

The First Year in the PhD Program

• First Year Course Sequence • PhD Core Theory Examination

The Second Year in the PhD Program

• Choosing Second Year Course-work • Forming a PhD Qualifying Examination Committee • Teaching Assistant Requirements & Regulations • Second Year Paper

The Third Year in the PhD Program

• Third Year Paper & Presentation • Preparation for the Qualifying Examination

The Fourth Year in the PhD Program

• Qualifying Examination • Academic/Professional Website Preparation

The Fifth Year in the PhD Program

• Registering for Dissertation Courses • Submitting Dissertation Committee Form

PhD Job Market Program Financial Support outside the Department

Summer Funding

Academic Advisement & Registration Before your first year in the program and in every semester you are required to have academic advisement before you will be able to register. Each student must meet with the Director of Graduate Studies in determining what courses you will be taking the following semester. Students must sign a form in accordance with the DGS and submit it to the graduate advisor. Some entering students may also have “Holds” on their files which may prevent them from registering for courses. Below are some of the most typically common hold code names and what they mean:

Program Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Economics Program Unit Total: 70 Total Course Work Units: 60 Seminar Units: 6 Dissertation Units: 4 In addition to the first year course sequence, there is also a breadth requirement, which may be satisfied by taking either ECON 523 Economic History and Development or ECON 527 Theory of Value: Classical Origins and Neoclassical Critique or ECON 538 Values and Social Analysis. After passing the core theory examination, the student should consult the director of graduate studies on the appointment of a PhD qualifying exam committee.

The student should complete two advanced fields of study with the approval of the qualifying exam committee and the director of graduate studies. The requirements for completing each advanced field of study consist of (1) at least two courses numbered 600 or higher in that field with a minimum grade of A- in each, (2) satisfactory completion of one of the seminars related to the field and (3) presentation of a research paper in a class or seminar. In addition, the student should complete a minor field, which consists of a course numbered 600 or higher with a minimum grade of B. The signing of the student's Permission to Take the Qualifying Examination form will signify the satisfactory completion of the field requirements. The remainder of the courses to total 60 units must be preapproved by the qualifying exam committee. However, not more than four units of ECON 590 and/or ECON 790 can be taken in each semester. Courses taken outside the department or USC cannot count toward the completion of a field and are not allowed before at least one advanced field is completed. Waivers to the course requirements based on equivalent work at another university may be made upon petition to the director of graduate studies up to a maximum of 12 units. Waivers for any other reason require the approval of the department graduate committee. GPA Requirements Students are expected to maintain a 3.0 GPA every semester. Failing to meet the minimum GPA requirement may jeopardize your graduate assistantship, research assistantship, fellowship and/or status in the program. In addition to the Graduate School requirements, a minimum GPA of 3.0 on all course work taken toward the 60 units requirement must be achieved. ECON 615 or a higher-level course in econometrics must be completed with a grade of B or better.

Before the First Year Begins Math Camp The department holds a “math camp” prior to the beginning of the semester for first year incoming PhD students. The math camp typically begins the first week of August and last for about two and a half weeks. No books are required and classes are typically offered in the late afternoon or early evening. The math camp is not an officially enrolled course however you will be graded. The purpose of this course is to evaluate and assess everyone’s individual math skills upon beginning their doctoral studies and to prepare math skills needed for the core courses. Passport Verification for International Students All new international students are required to complete Passport Verification (PPV) with the Office of International Services (OIS) upon arrival to the US. PPV is a procedure that verifies a student’s immigration status to ensure that the student is eligible to start an academic program at USC for the upcoming academic semester. Immigration regulations allow students to enter the US 30 days prior to the start date on the SEVIS I-20 (for F-1 students) or DS-2019 (for J-1 students). If students plan on entering the US within this 30-day time frame, they can complete Passport Verification (PPV) at one of our PPV sessions. Please call the Office of International Services at (213) 740-2666 for detailed information. Their website is: https://ois.usc.edu/. Graduate students must first complete Passport Verification (PPV) with OIS in order to register for courses and receive their USCard. Glacier Paperwork for International Students GLACIER is a comprehensive tax compliance system used by USC University Payroll Services for international students and scholars working for USC or receiving certain scholarships and fellowships. Its purpose is to monitor and manage information regarding internationals’ tax liability at the federal and state level as well as tax treaty benefits. GLACIER is used when students and scholars either have jobs through USC or are receiving scholarships and fellowships. Here is the link to the Glacier website: https://www.online-tax.net/. Prior Degree Verification All graduate students must verify that they have been awarded a bachelor’s-level degree from an accredited institution in the United States or an equivalent degree from an institution outside the United States.

If you received a degree from an institution outside the United States and are required to complete degree verification, please follow these instructions:

• Students whose admission is conditional on having their previous degrees verified will have an "Activity Restriction Warning," identified as an ADM40 or RNR40, placed on their records. Failure to complete the verification process in the allotted time may result in delayed or cancelled registration, and late fees. Your previous degrees must be verified before your graduate degree can be awarded.

• This requirement is separate from, and in addition to, the credential review conducted for admission. Therefore, you may be required to submit another set of credentials in addition to the materials submitted with your application for admission.

• Most students will have to satisfy this requirement before the end of their first term at USC.

• Verification of prior international degrees requires a "Certification of Studies for USC" from the International Education Research Foundation. This service is not offered on campus. Please visit the IERF website for more information about required documents and fees. Their website is: http://www.ierf.org/.

• Address Updates: Domestic students can update their current addresses in OASIS and international students can update it through USC Workday. The USC Workday address is https://employees.usc.edu/.

The First Year in the PhD Program During the first year, all incoming PhD students will be taking the required first year sequence. This comes out to three courses each semester, equaling 24 units total. Below is the first year sequence: ECON 601 - Microeconomic Theory I (Fall) ECON 602 - Macroeconomic Theory I (Fall) ECON 611 - Probability and Statistics for Economists (Spring) ECON 609 - Econometric Methods (Fall) ECON 603 - Microeconomic Theory II (Spring) ECON 605 - Macroeconomic Theory II (Spring) PhD Core Theory Examination The student must pass both Micro and Macro exams to pass the Core Theory Examination. The student must re-take and pass both Micro and Macro examinations in order to continue in the program. If a student fails one of the two exams, the student is required to re-take both Micro and Macro examinations. The students who failed the first examination in June are required to re-take the examinations in August in the same year. The first Core Theory Examination is given during the second week of June: Micro: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Monday Macro: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Wednesday The second Core Theory Examination is given during the second week of August: Micro: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Monday Macro: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Wednesday

Each student will be assigned an examination ID number in order to be anonymous to the faculty who are grading. Each faculty on the Core Examination Committee grades independently and discusses the results afterwards. Students remain anonymous to the committee members until after the results are announced. Students who pass the core exam will be instructed to begin forming a PhD Qualifying Examination Committee.

The Second Year in the PhD Program Choosing Second Year Course-work Prior to beginning the second year of the program, students will be required to meet with the Director of Graduate Studies to discuss students’ performance over the previous year and expectations for the second year. Students can begin taking field courses and seminars. Field courses taken will be chosen in consultation with the DGS and your Qualifying Examination committee should you have one already formed. Forming a PhD Qualifying Examination Committee The qualifying exam committee is normally composed of five members, although additional members may be included at the student’s and committee chair’s discretion. The committee chair and at least two additional members must be affiliated with the student’s program. Faculty eligible to serve as committee chairs and members include tenured and tenure track faculty, and non-tenure track faculty of outstanding stature who have a documented record of exceptional expertise and superior achievement in their field, and whose appointment has been approved by the dean of the student’s school. At least three members of the committee must be tenured or tenure track. Visiting faculty may not serve on qualifying exam committees. Schools and programs may have additional requirements. Students should consult with their programs prior to forming a committee. By the end of the second year, students should have their qualifying examination committee form signed and turned into the department or at least have an idea of who will be on the committee. Committee forms can be found on the USC Graduate School website at: http://graduateschool.usc.edu/current-students/guidelines-forms-requests/. Teaching Assistant Requirements & Regulations As a Teaching Assistant your duties will include a number of activities pertinent to the instruction and management of the course. These responsibilities will be determined by the supervising departmental faculty member and may include the following: Reading course texts and materials, attending lectures, assisting during lectures, leading discussion sections or lab meetings, guiding and monitoring lab exercises, and grading course assignments and exams. Teaching Assistants are expected to hold regular office hours, to respond to student concerns in a responsible manner, and to act as a liaison between the instructor and the students. In addition, the instructor may also ask the Teaching Assistant to prepare or photocopy course

materials, organize and maintain audio/visual materials, procure and operate audio/visual equipment, and proctor quizzes and exams. Teaching Assistant Workload The standard assistantship award (50%) stipulates that teaching responsibilities occupy 50% of a graduate student’s total effort, allowing for the remaining 50% to be dedicated to the student’s individual academic pursuits. The duties of a Teaching Assistant should not exceed, on average, 20 hours per week. The time devoted to the assistantship may vary from day to day and week to week, given the fluctuation of demands during the various periods of the semester, but the total workload for the semester should not exceed the cumulative average. Furthermore, a Teaching Assistant should never work more than 8 hours a day or more than 40 hours a week, and deviations to the 20-hour standard should be kept to a minimum. If you find that you are consistently working more than 20 hours a week, consult with the instructor or seek advice from your department on how to manage your TA commitments more effectively or, if appropriate, to adjust your workload. Additional employment is not allowed for Teaching Assistants, given the demands of full-time study, unless that work is directly related to a student’s academic development. Exceptions can be made with approval of the department chair, deans, graduate school and Provost. In general, whether from outside employment or assistantship duties, the workload should be kept to 50% of the graduate student’s total effort. In summer, however, there is no restriction on employment. Teaching Assistant Compensation Compensation for Teaching Assistants consists of a stipend, tuition remission, health insurance, and dental insurance. In addition, Teaching Assistants are entitled to bookstore and pharmacy discounts. At the beginning of each semester, ask your home department for a TA sticker for your student identification card to receive these discounts. Faculty Responsibilities to Teaching Assistants At the beginning of each semester, the supervising faculty member must outline for the Teaching Assistant the scope and nature of his or her responsibilities. Included in this exchange should also be a discussion of the overall objectives of the course and section or lab, methods and standards for assessing student performance, and the protocol for addressing any problems or issues (such as cheating or grade conflicts) that might arise during the semester. Though faculty may offer additional professional opportunities for their Teaching Assistants (e.g., an occasional lecture), such opportunities should be regarded as optional, not obligatory.

Note that the responsibilities of the Teaching Assistant do not include tasks typically assigned to the instructor, such as creating course syllabi, lecturing the primary course material, providing grading standards, or bearing ultimate responsibility for the content and grading of examinations. If a Teaching Assistant is asked to give a lecture, the primary instructor should also be present. Before the semester begins the instructor must also specify the criteria that will be used for the evaluation of the Teaching Assistant’s performance in the course. Following the completion of the course, the supervising faculty member will evaluate the Teaching Assistant, and his or her evaluation will become a permanent part of the Teaching Assistant’s file in the department. Teaching Assistant Training and Support All departments must facilitate training for new Teaching Assistants that will prepare them for their teaching responsibilities. Dornsife offers a two-day training session in August every year for incoming Teaching Assistants. During Dornsife’s training session, Teaching Assistants are introduced to outstanding faculty and experienced Teaching Assistants who offer advice on how best to confront the many challenges of teaching at USC. Hands-on workshops and lab sessions on relevant technology provide the new Teaching Assistants with tangible tools for meeting these challenges. New Teaching Assistants must also enroll in ECON-593: Practicum in Teaching the Liberal Arts in the fall semester of their second year. This is a 2 unit course that will not be deducted from the 12 units per semester you afforded by Dornsife. Second Year Paper (Empirical Research Paper) During the summer after the fourth semester of study, the student must submit a single-authored empirical paper using quantitative methods to the examination committee. The paper may use field, experimental or simulated data. In this paper, the student should demonstrate competence in using a computer programming language and software. The paper is due on the first day of fall semester to the department. An “Outstanding Second Year Paper” winner will receive summer research fund in the following summer.

The Third Year in the PhD Program

Third Year Paper & Presentation During the summer after the sixth semester of study, the student must submit a single-authored research paper to a committee of faculty. The paper must be of publishable quality. The paper is due on the first day of fall semester to the department. The student may submit the paper electronically or submit a hard copy. Each student is required to present the paper to the Research Paper Committee members, other faculty, and graduate students at a scheduled time at the beginning of fall semester. An “Outstanding Third Year Paper” winner will receive research funding in the following summer. Preparation for the Qualifying Examination At the end of the sixth semester, students should have their qualifying examination committee form sign and submitted to the department for approval. Students will not be able to take their qualifying exams if this form is not submitted. Students should begin discussing the expectations with their chairs of the qualifying examination. The qualifying exam is a major milestone in the PhD process as it helps demonstrate your ability to pursue your dissertation and register for dissertation courses. There is no single format and guidelines on how the exam is supposed to be administered. This process is highly individualized and is between you and your qualifying examination chair and committee. The exam could be organized in PowerPoint or any other method that your committee seems acceptable. There is no set length of time for the exam either but it is typically between 45 minutes to an hour.

• Please note that if a student has completed all required courses and seminars and is still not ready to take the qualifying examination, then the student will register for GRSC-800 with the Graduate School. The class is for zero units, and although there is a one unit tuition charge, it keeps your status as a full time student until you are ready to take your qualifying exam. Students can only take GRSC-800 three times.

During the day of the Exam Before the exam takes place, the student will make an appointment with the staff graduate advisor who will upload the committee form to the Graduate School website to access the “Report” form. After the exam, the committee will sign the report form and the student will return the form to the staff graduate advisor. The form will then be signed by the chair of the department, dean of graduate programs and then uploaded into your STARS report. Once you have passed your qualifying examination, you will be considered a doctoral candidate and you can then register for dissertation courses. The following page is the PhD Appointment of Qualifying Exam or Dissertation Committee Form:

Appointment or Change of Qualifying Exam or Dissertation Committee

Please indicate the type of committee:

Qualifying Exam Committee: The qualifying exam committee is normally composed of five members, although additional members may be included at the student’s and committee chair’s discretion. The committee chair and at least two additional members must be affiliated with the student’s program. Faculty eligible to serve as committee chairs and members include tenured and tenure track faculty, and non-tenure track faculty of outstanding stature who have a documented record of exceptional expertise and superior achievement in their field, and whose appointment has been approved by the dean of the student’s school. At least three members of the committee must be tenured or tenure track. Visiting faculty may not serve on qualifying exam committees. Schools and programs may have additional requirements. Students should consult with their programs prior to forming a committee.

Dissertation Committee: The dissertation committee must consist of at least three members. Two committee members must be from the home program, at least one of whom must be tenured. Faculty eligible to serve as committee chairs and members include tenured and tenure track faculty, and non-tenure track faculty of outstanding stature who have a documented record of exceptional expertise and superior achievement in their field, and whose appointment has been approved by the dean of the student’s school. Schools and programs may have additional requirements. Students should consult with their programs prior to forming a committee.

The original form is to be kept by the program and a signed copy provided to the student.

Student Name: _____________________________________________________________ Student I.D.#__________________________ Last First

Phone: ___________________ E-mail:__________________________ POST Code:________ Major: _____________________ School: ______________________

The program verifies that the student has satisfactorily completed all pre-examination requirements: GPA: ______(minimum of 3.0) Units: _______ (minimum of 24 units in residence)

Committee Members Printed names

Rank Appointment Type Tenured/ Tenure track/

Non-tenure track

Home Dept. Signature Date

______________________ Chair

________________ ________________ ________________ _________________________ _____________

______________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _________________________ _____________

______________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _________________________ _____________

______________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _________________________ _____________

,

If the student is changing the committee chair, the signature of the previous chair is required here: _____________________________________ For all changes of committee, please list the names of all committee members. Only the new member(s) and committee chair are required to sign.

Rank Appointment Type Tenured/ Tenure track/

Non-tenure track

Home Dept. Signature Date

______________________ _________________ _________________ ________________ _________________________ _____________

Printed Name Signature Date

Student _____________________ _____________________ ________________

Department Chair or Program Director _____________________ _____________________ ________________

Dean ____________________ _____________________ ________________

Revised July 2014

Please complete the section below for all appointments and changes of committees.

Committee Members Printed names

The Fourth Year in the PhD Program The fourth year of the PhD program is dedicated to taking and passing your qualifying examination. The exam should be taken no later than your seventh semester. As stated above, if you’ve completed all course work and you still are not ready to take your qualifying exam, then you will register for GRSC-800. Once you’ve taken your qualifying exam, you will be able to register for ECON-794a. Academic/Professional Website Preparation As students complete their qualifying examinations and begin research, they should also be actively working on creating an online professional presence. When you enter the job market program in your final year, you will be expected to create a professional website where you will showcase your research interests and field specializations. You will also have your CV accessible on the website and detailed information about your job market paper.

The Fifth Year in the PhD Program The fifth and sixth year in the program is typically when a student will be finishing his or her dissertation and preparing to go on the job market. Our department has a resourceful job placement program and every year we help to place students in both academic and private sector jobs. The following three pages outline the guidelines for job market preparation and mock interview process. Specifically, the guidelines highlight the placement program timeline, required letters of recommendation, job market application packages and practice (mock) interviews. Every year we launch our job market website on October 15th. Students will apply to jobs throughout the fall semester and then participate in the mock interviews which are typically at the end of November/early December. Students will then attend the American Economic Association conference in early January where they will interview for positions. Please take a look at the following three pages.

Guidelines  for  job  market  preparation      Placement  director:  Isabelle  Brocas    It  is  crucial  that  you  follow  the  guidelines  described  below.  It  is  also  your  responsibility  to  make  sure  that  you  supply  all  documents  as  requested,  attend  all  meetings  as  scheduled  and  prepare  interviews  as  recommended.      Universities  post  job  openings  on  JOE  at  https://www.aeaweb.org/joe/  Most  jobs  are  posted  in  October,  but  some  are  already  posted  in  September  and  some  places  wait  until  November.  Deadlines  for  applications  vary  greatly  and  it  is  important  that  you  check  carefully  when  you  should  send  your  package.  It  is  very  unlikely  that  your  application  will  be  considered  if  it  is  late.    The  key  elements  of  your  job  markets  (letters,  where  to  apply)  must  be  discussed  with  your  main  advisor.      Timeline    September  15:  Your  advisor  should  approve  your  decision  to  be  on  the  job  market  this  year.  Have  him/her  send  an  email  to  me  and  to  Morgan.  Students  who  are  not  cleared  by  their  advisors  will  not  be  able  to  complete  the  process  described  below.      September  31:  Three  reference  letters  must  have  been  requested  by  that  date  from  your  main  advisor  and  two  faculty  who  know  about  your  research  and  can  comment  on  it.  The  three  letter  writers  must  have  agreed  to  write  those  letters.  Please  have  your  letter  writers  send  their  letters  directly  to  Morgan  if  they  do  not  want  to  send  or  upload  them  themselves.  It  is  your  responsibility  to  chase  your  letter  writers  up  and  to  make  sure  that  they  send  their  letters  on  time.    September  31:  Schedule  a  1:30  hour  seminar  in  the  regular  fall  seminar  series  related  to  your  field.  Your  advisor  may  help  you.      October  15:  Set  up  your  website.  Morgan  will  help  you  through  that  process.    October  15:  Determine  with  your  main  advisor  which  institutions  you  can  apply  to.    October  15:  Your  package  should  be  ready.  It  is  composed  of    

-­‐ Your  job  market  paper,  which  should  be  labeled  as  such  on  the  title  page.  -­‐ Other  working  papers  (do  not  include  preliminary  notes)  -­‐ Your  CV.  A  template  will  be  given  to  you  and  you  should  follow  it  closely.  

Include  only  the  most  relevant  professional  information;  do  not  adjust  margins  or  character  sizes  to  get  more  space.  CVs  are  the  most  visible  documents  and  they  will  be  browsed  first  by  your  potential  employers.  

-­‐ Letters  of  recommendation  (they  will  be  sent  directly  by  faculty)  

-­‐ Teaching  evaluations  and  other  documents  requested  by  the  institution  you  are  applying  to.  

 Most  universities  require  that  you  submit  your  package  online.  Make  sure  that  you  submit  it  before  the  deadline.    End  of  November/  Early  December:  Two  practice  interviews  will  be  scheduled  with  a  group  of  faculty.  No  make-­‐up  session  will  be  scheduled  if  you  fail  to  show  up.  These  are  rehearsals  and  you  should  wear  appropriate  clothes  and  behave  as  you  would  in  front  of  interviewers.    Practice  interview  I:  An  interview  consists  of  (1)  the  short  presentation  of  your  job  market  paper  (10  minutes)  and  (2)  questions  and  answers  about  your  research,  potential  teaching  and  other  matters  related  to  your  application.  For  this  first  practice  interview,  you  must  prepare    

-­‐ 10  minute  talk  about  your  job  market  paper.  Train  and  train  again  to  get  that  part  as  polished  as  possible  for  the  first  interview.    

-­‐ A  list  of  courses  you  think  you  should  be  able  to  teach,  with  references  to  books  and  topics.    

You  will  be  debriefed  at  the  end  of  the  interview  about  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  of  your  talk  and  your  answers  to  the  questions.    Practice  interview  II:  it  gives  you  the  opportunity  to  improve  your  performance  and  to  get  a  last  feedback.    December:  universities  that  are  interested  by  your  application  will  contact  you  directly  to  set  up  a  meeting  at  the  ASSA  meeting  in  January.    January:  ASSA  Annual  Meeting  in  Chicago,  January  6-­‐8,  2017.    After  the  meetings,  universities  that  are  still  interested  in  your  application  will  contact  you  for  a  fly-­‐out  and  you  will  be  asked  to  make  a  seminar  presentation  of  your  job  market  paper.  Fly-­‐outs  start  in  January  and  continue  until  the  market  clears.  You  may  be  called  as  early  as  a  few  days  after  the  meetings  or  as  late  as  March.        Good  luck!      

Overview  of  academic  job  interviews      Placement  director:  Isabelle  Brocas    Part  1:  Job  market  paper    

• 2-­‐minute  presentation  of  your  job  market  paper:  state  the  main  contributions  of  your  paper.  This  is  the  introduction  of  your  talk,  when  you  should  get  the  attention  of  the  committee.    

• 8-­‐10  minute  presentation  of  your  paper  in  more  details.    o This  section  should  not  be  too  technical.  It  should  explain  why  you  

claim  that  the  contributions  are  in  fact  contributions.    o Be  logical  in  your  arguments.    o Assume  that  the  committee  does  not  know  about  your  research  area.  

Do  not  use  much  jargon,  and  if  needed,  explain  what  you  refer  to.    o Be  prepared  to  have  questions  and  be  concise  in  your  answers.  A  

question  that  is  not  properly  addressed  decreases  dramatically  your  chances.  

 Part  2:  Q  and  A    

• Teaching:  be  prepared  to  provide  some  details  about  what  you  could  teach  at  all  levels  that  apply  in  the  institution.    

o Have  references,  ideas  of  topics  to  put  in  a  syllabus.  o Be  broad  but  credible  (do  not  offer  to  teach  macro  if  your  field  is  

applied  micro)  • Research  agenda:  be  prepared  to  explain  how  you  see  yourself  in  the  future.  

You  can  give  examples  taken  from  your  current  work  in  progress  and  ideas.  Make  sure  this  sounds  a  long-­‐term  research  agenda,  not  a  six-­‐month  extension  of  your  job  market  paper.  

• Personal  questions:  the  committee  will  avoid  asking  direct  questions  but  you  can  give  them  some  information  that  you  want  them  to  have  (e.g.  if  this  is  a  place  you  are  very  likely  to  accept  because  of  a  personal  interest).  

• Questions  to  the  committee:  you  will  be  asked  to  ask  questions.    o Do  not  ask  the  wrong  question  (salary,  research  money,  teaching  

load)!    o You  can  show  interest  (Do  you  share  seminars  with  other  

departments?  How  big  is  your  PhD  program).  Pick  questions  such  that  answers  are  not  trivially  found  on  the  web.  You  are  supposed  to  have  visited  the  webpage  of  the  department.  

o It  is  OK  (and  safe)  to  say  that  at  this  stage  you  do  not  have  any  specific  question  to  ask.  

 

Financial Support outside the Department There are many avenues of financial support located outside the department in CESR (Center for Economic and Social Research), USC Shaeffer Center and INET (Institute for New Economic Thinking). Students are encourages to seek out financial opportunities within these centers as they may offer Research Assistantships.

Summer Funding There are also opportunities for students to receive funding during the summer term. Ever year the department awards a student an “Outstanding Teaching Assistant” award that comes with a stipend. We also provide financial incentives for “Outstanding Second Year Paper,” “Outstanding Third Year Paper,” and “Summer Research Award.” In addition to department opportunities, there are also additional summer and final year fellowships available to apply through The USC Graduate School.