Prospective Ph.D. students must hold, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree. Some programs permit students to apply to a Ph.D. program and first earn a master's degree and then continue to the doctoral program. Other programs require both the bachelor's and master's degrees prior to enrollment in the Ph.D. in economics.
When choosing potential Ph.D. candidates, universities look for coursework in the following academic subjects: calculus, matrix algebra, calculus-based statistics and intermediate macro- and micro-economics. Some universities prefer graduate-level economics coursework and real analysis, in addition to the previously-mentioned courses.
GRE scores form an important prerequisite to admission for Ph.D. programs in economics. Universities consider both the verbal and quantitative scores. Check the websites of the universities for the average scores of successful applicants.
Students who have studied in non-English language countries must also demonstrate proficiency in English in order to enter into a U.S. Ph.D. program for economics. You must arrange for the TOEFL score to be reported to the university.
Each prospective candidate must submit an application. Check the website of the universities to which you plan to apply for application deadlines and for a list of the materials that must be submitted with the application. Generally, universities will require submission of references, official transcripts and a completed application form as part of the application process.