Should we combine the economics and finance forums?

[GymShorts]

I'm not sure I completely agree with that suggestion, but I thought I would put it on the table anyway. Instead of having an economics PhD forum and a business PhD forum, perhaps we should just make an economics and finance PhD forum. Here's my reasoning:

1.) The necessary preparation for a finance PhD and an economics PhD is almost identical: Take as much math, statistics, econometrics, and econometric theory as possible.

2.) The preparation needed for a PhD in marketing or business management systematically differs from the preparation needed to pursue a finance PhD.

3.) The people who post answers to questions about finance PhDs are the same people who post in the economics PhD forum.

[Ancalagon The Black]

How about the people who are NOT applying to a finance program but are still applying to a business PhD program?

Doesn't the name of this forum say "PhD in Business" ??

[GymShorts]

How about the people who are NOT applying to a finance program but are still applying to a business PhD program?

Doesn't the name of this forum say "PhD in Business" ??

I thought about this myself. One thing is that there are so few of them (which is not sufficient reason by itself), and because there are so few of them, I don't think this has become a useful resource for them (which may be sufficient reason by itself) -- at least in the same way that the forums have become a very useful resource for econ/finance PhD applicants.

Here's some evidence that it has become just finance forum: the sticky results thread says that this thread is for finance applicants only--no general business applicants. I recently posted against this idea, since that thread isn't very active, and the finance applicants can just ignore those applying in marketing or accounting. However, that doesn't change the fact that this has mainly become a finance forum.

Furthermore, if you haven't noticed, the change is starting to happen on its own. People are frequently posting questions about pure finance (not just financial economics) programs in the econ forum.

Again, I'm not suggesting that the administrators do this without seeking the opinion of the other posters. But I think the idea is a worthy of discussion.

[Bayern]

It is true that the necessary preparation for economics and finance phd is similar... but the admission process and type of schools are different. Only people in finance phd programs or with a lot of knowledge about that can help with that. Also, if we join the two forums, that forum might be a mess... as different sort of advices will be asked by different types of applicants. One of the reasons, I believe, econ phd forum is very active is because everyone have an interest to know what is being talked about in the posts... because it is all about econ phds, this is something different then the business phd forum, where different people seek different advices. If finance is separated (if admin feels enough crowd is there in the finance forum), it should be made on its own, and not joined with some other forum. There can still be the business phd forums where can people can post general questions about different issues on business phds.These are just my opinion.

[shootermcgavin7]

It is true that the necessary preparation for economics and finance phd is similar... but the admission process and type of schools are different.

Bingo.

[Ancalagon The Black]

Good points all of you...

[desimba]

As an applicant to several Economics & Strategy programs at business schools, I feel that the economics and business forums serve somewhat different purposes and cater to somewhat different audiences. I can recall several instances where people have expressed in other areas such as organization, marketing and information systems and for them, it makes sense to have a separate PhD business forum. There is also another significant difference between the "average" applicant to an Econ PhD versus a Finance PhD. Usually, people applying to Econ PhD programs are fresh from undergrad, frequently in their senior year and applying directly from undergrad to grad school. Or even if he has joined graduate school, it is more than likely that the person is moving within the coocon of the academic world. On the other hand, the average entrant to a Business School PhD program frequently has a graduate degree and work experience for a couple of years, making for a somewhat older class profile. Given the differences in life experiences, I believe it adds weight to the fact that the forums should stay independent.

[chartreuse]

No - if there are separate applications for finance and economics, then there should be separate discussion forums. Although there is an overlap, some questions are still finance-specific and others are econ-specific.