Best PhD Programs in Political Economics or Development Economics

[PolEcon]

Hello

 

I am new to this forum so would like to introduce myself and say hi to all. :) I skimmed through this forum and based on the useful advice found on many posts i also decided to participate though it will be a one way gain (for me).

 

Just to introduce myself i am actually an MBA who has worked for over 8 years in development research and consulting (a career which is quite weird for a MBA) I have been involved in research studies, surveys etc and have worked withe World Bank, ILO, EU, SDD, UNDP etc on issues of Gender, Microfinance, Environment, Labor Studies etc.

 

Based on the interest in the field of development i look forward to a PhD in Political Economics or Development Economics from a good US University. Currently i am an MSc in Development Studies student at LSE (UK) and hopefully by next year i would be applying to US for a PhD. I got the British Chevening Scholarship to fund my MSc at LSE and would be looking forward to Fullbright for funding my PhD in the US.

 

I am very strong on quantitative however my GRE Scores havent been that good somehow:(

 

Q - 770 (88 percentile)

V - 540 (68 percentile)

Analytical - 5.0 (73 Percentile)

 

TOEFL iBT - 116 / 120

IELTS = 8/9

 

I was running a high fever during my GREs (but this is not an excuse) and unfortunately i would not be able to give them again.:(

 

I have been going through most of the PhD economics program in various univs in the US and i strongly feel that despite being very strong in mathematics my academic transcripts would contain very basic mathematical courses. Due to this i fear that my application for a PhD in Economics would be rejected straightforward as i have no academic background in advance mathematics.

 

I therefore took the liberty of slightly finetuning my interests and ended up having Political Economy or Development Economics as my areas of interest. I just wanted to know if people could guide me to the best universities that would accept my profile.

 

At the moment i have shortlisted my univs as follows

 

PhD Economics - Yale, Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Cornell, UPenn, U Michigan, North Western, NYC

PhD In Political Economy - Princeton (Woodrow Wilson)

PhD In Political Economy - Stanford

PhD Sustainable Development - SIPA Columbia

 

I would like to know more about universities such as

 

Vanderbilt

John Hopkins

Brown

Boston

Wisconsin - Madison

Washington (not St. Louis)

 

I just want feedback on their economics program?

 

These are just first time guesses from the internet search and rankings.

 

Any ideas, suggestions and most importantly criticism are totally welcome.

 

Thank you.

[asianeconomist]

What's your UGrad background ? Which math and econ courses have you taken ? What were the grades in those courses ? How are your LORs ?

 

All of the aforementioned is often necessary for any substantial advise from TM members.

 

IMHO, PhD in Public Policy will be a good fit for you. Econ PhDs tend to have development economics as an area of specialization. For that reason, you firstly will need to get yourself admitted to an Econ PhD (which you admit to be a difficult proposition).

[PolEcon]

What's your UGrad background ? Which math and econ courses have you taken ? What were the grades in those courses ? How are your LORs ?

 

All of the aforementioned is often necessary for any substantial advise from TM members.

 

IMHO, PhD in Public Policy will be a good fit for you. Econ PhDs tend to have development economics as an area of specialization. For that reason, you firstly will need to get yourself admitted to an Econ PhD (which you admit to be a difficult proposition).

 

Undergad Background: BBA and MBA

Math: Math for Business (including calculus), Statistics, Statistical Inference

Econ: Macro, Micro, Dev Eco, Managerial Eco (not Mucht)

 

All As in Math and B in Stats and SI

Bs in All Ecos

 

I agree with your Public Policy Advice...was just wondering if i could edge myself into economics with this profile...with probably a PhD In Sustainable Development or Political Economy which has less Eco as compared to core econ phd

 

I would also like to know about prospects in the UK...??

 

Thanks for your input...

 

regards:)

[michaelmas]

I envy your professional background. In your shoes I would stick with development, or get an MPAID.

 

Not saying that's what you should do, though.

[TruDog]

At Wisconsin, development is included in the Agricultural and Applied Economics PhD. It's one of the top applied econ programs in the country, although it's probably ranked lower than the straight econ programs on your list. (As such, I would imagine that your likelihood of admission is higher at Wisconsin than at most schools you are considering.)

 

You would also have the ability to take courses through the top-notch La Follette School of Public Affairs, which is a plus if you're also interested in political economy.

[PolEcon]

I envy your professional background. In your shoes I would stick with development, or get an MPAID.

 

Not saying that's what you should do, though.

 

Thanks! But dont you think that after my MBA and MSc wouldnt another MPAId sound rather weird...three masters...i would prefer moving to PhD...

[michaelmas]

I know of a guy that has six Bachelor degrees. A lot of econ phd students have two prior stand alone masters degrees, say, in engineering and economics. Then, after a year or two in the program, they are awarded an MA in economics.

[asianeconomist]

This may sound a bit disappointing, but judging from the admits and more non-importantly from non-admits of the previous 2-3 years, I would say that it is extremely unlikely that you'll be able to hack a Top 25 Econ PhD with your profile (and most definitely not at the schools in your list). As TruDog mentions, it is usually easier to get into ARE departments where a lot of Applied Development is done. Apart from Wisc., you also might want to look into Maryland, Berkeley, Cornell AEM, OSU AEDE, UMN APEC, MSU, UC-Davis.....Nearly all of the aforementioned will allow you to take courses from other departments such as Economics/Public Policy. In fact, your best option would be to continue for a PhD at LSE/Oxbridge/SUUSEX IDS. The reputation of LSE and its professor's LORs is likely to have a larger impact in these programs.

[z109620]

Before I attempt to answer your question I would like to ask you why you want to PHD. I am asking only because it seems that you have a background similar to the one that I am striving for. Do you need the PHD to move farther in your job, or do you just want one? I really just want a little information about the policy world and the need for a PHD in it.

 

Now let me quality what I am going to say with that fact that I am an undergraduate right now, NOT A PHD STUDENT, so take what I say with a grain of salt. However, the way that I see it is that you really have no chance at getting in to any top econ school let alone any top 50 school with your current C.V.. While you have a very impressive background and very good degrees you are missing a lot of math. To have a shot at any of these programs you mentioned and really any top 50 US program you must at a minimum have Calculus I (differentiation) Calculus II (Integration), Calculus III(Muilt-Variable), Linear Algebra and a Calculus based statistics class (and you should have very good grades in all of them). Also know that even after all these math class most of the entering class at any top 30 school will have a whole lot more math (ODE, Real Analysis, more Stats) and some if not the majority with have undergrad degree in math.

 

 

 

Note that these classes are not just a signal of ability; without atleast having the minimums as mentioned above, even if you where accecpted to Harvard you would have to be a genius (or Steve Levitt) to even survive. Just go open a upper divisional Micro text say, Varian's book, look through it and notice how hard it is to understand any of the math in the book and then know that Varian is thought to be a little too soft and easy for a Phd student at any top school. Also don't think that you can just waltz into Wisconsin AAE program, it specifically states on there webpage that a semester in mathmatical analysis (Real Analysis) is requried for all applying to their PHD program. So my advice is that you would be wasting your time apply to econ, applied econ or political econ programs before you have at least these classes. However, after these classes you should have a fighting chance.

 

 

 

But if you do not want to climb the math mountain take asianeconomist's advice and go to IDE (Sussex) or SOAS (UCL) which have great econ development programs with little math and who would heavily weight you experience in the field.

 

 

 

(as a closing note the reason IDE and SOAS will accpect you and Harvard will not is because IDE and SOAS are training policy makers and Havard is training tenure track professors)

[asianeconomist]

Before I attempt to answer your question I would like to ask you why you want to PHD. I am asking only because it seems that you have a background similar to the one that I am striving for. Do you need the PHD to move farther in your job, or do you just want one? I really just want a little information about the policy world and the need for a PHD in it.

 

Now let me quality what I am going to say with that fact that I am an undergraduate right now, NOT A PHD STUDENT, so take what I say with a grain of salt. However, the way that I see it is that you really have no chance at getting in to any top econ school let alone any top 50 school with your current C.V.. While you have a very impressive background and very good degrees you are missing a lot of math. To have a shot at any of these programs you mentioned and really any top 50 US program you must at a minimum have Calculus I (differentiation) Calculus II (Integration), Calculus III(Muilt-Variable), Linear Algebra and a Calculus based statistics class (and you should have very good grades in all of them). Also know that even after all these math class most of the entering class at any top 30 school will have a whole lot more math (ODE, Real Analysis, more Stats) and some if not the majority with have undergrad degree in math.

 

 

 

Note that these classes are not just a signal of ability; without atleast having the minimums as mentioned above, even if you where accecpted to Harvard you would have to be a genius (or Steve Levitt) to even survive. Just go open a upper divisional Micro text say, Varian's book, look through it and notice how hard it is to understand any of the math in the book and then know that Varian is thought to be a little too soft and easy for a Phd student at any top school. Also don't think that you can just waltz into Wisconsin AAE program, it specifically states on there webpage that a semester in mathmatical analysis (Real Analysis) is requried for all applying to their PHD program. So my advice is that you would be wasting your time apply to econ, applied econ or political econ programs before you have at least these classes. However, after these classes you should have a fighting chance.

 

 

 

But if you do not want to climb the math mountain take asianeconomist's advice and go to IDE (Sussex) or SOAS (UCL) which have great econ development programs with little math and who would heavily weight you experience in the field.

 

 

 

(as a closing note the reason IDE and SOAS will accpect you and Harvard will not is because IDE and SOAS are training policy makers and Havard is training tenure track professors)

 

Top-notch advise. Just to avoid confusion for the OP:

 

IDS @ Sussex

 

www.ids.ac.uk/

 

SOAS @ University of London

 

www.soas.ac.uk/

[PolEcon]

At Wisconsin, development is included in the Agricultural and Applied Economics PhD. It's one of the top applied econ programs in the country, although it's probably ranked lower than the straight econ programs on your list. (As such, I would imagine that your likelihood of admission is higher at Wisconsin than at most schools you are considering.)

 

You would also have the ability to take courses through the top-notch La Follette School of Public Affairs, which is a plus if you're also interested in political economy.

 

Brother! I went through the website of Wisconsin for the PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics PhD however i found that I am unable to fulfill the mathematic requirements as mentioned on the website so it is not an option for me. Which means that i would have to look at other programmes that fit my profile. Thanks for your input.

[PolEcon]

This may sound a bit disappointing, but judging from the admits and more non-importantly from non-admits of the previous 2-3 years, I would say that it is extremely unlikely that you'll be able to hack a Top 25 Econ PhD with your profile (and most definitely not at the schools in your list). As TruDog mentions, it is usually easier to get into ARE departments where a lot of Applied Development is done. Apart from Wisc., you also might want to look into Maryland, Berkeley, Cornell AEM, OSU AEDE, UMN APEC, MSU, UC-Davis.....Nearly all of the aforementioned will allow you to take courses from other departments such as Economics/Public Policy. In fact, your best option would be to continue for a PhD at LSE/Oxbridge/SUUSEX IDS. The reputation of LSE and its professor's LORs is likely to have a larger impact in these programs.

 

Thanks! and it is certainly not disappointing...such things dont demotivate or disappoint me... they are more of a challenge which make me think in directions unexplored...and therefore i will strive as long as i can reach the goal...

 

I will certainly go over the ARE programs but i doubt that i will be able to fulfill their requirements with relation to math. One thing that i did not mention was that i was also short listed for Common Wealth Scholarship and had applied to economic MA programs in canadian universities like toronto, mcgill etc... however my application was rejected despite my GREs and other aspects fulfillings the requirements...it so happens that i now realize after going through this forum that most probably my rejection came about from the lack in desired level of mathematics, calculus, linear algebra etc. Therefore i now know where i lack and obviously will NOT repeat the same mistake by applying for econ programs at US universities where i am bound to be rejected for the same cause. To be honest, these universities receive all good applicants having more course work than required and considering my profile i would say that if i were on the adcom i would never have given a second thought to my application for econ. So econ is out of my league.

 

What comes next is something which i have been working on when i realized that econ was not my trade...since i am a Finance Major with a strong background in Finance and have worked with Government Departments i feel that maybe Public Policy or Public Finance would be somewhat more related to my field. The only problem with Public Policy is that it is too generic a degree and alsmot everybody is doing it and there is an over supply of Public Policy specialists in my country. However there are programs in which Public Policy can be mixed with economics and / or other subjects as interdisciplinary programs and needs further exploring.

 

Another way that i have approached this issue is worked my way backward from what i want to be 5-7 yrs from now. I look at WB, IMF, IFC, UN as my potential employer and have worked my way backward to see where i can fit in their departments and the requisite requirements. Public Policy, Political Economics, Public Finance and related subjects do help me to meet their criteria. Which is quite good for me...

 

The reason why i wanted to focus on Political Economics was because it is a good blend of economics and politics giving a person not only the opportunity to work for government organizations and donor agencies but also for corporate firms. I have worked with Ernst & Young and Arthur Anderson and have seen the demand for Political Economists at Investment Advisory Firms, Brokerage Houses, Investment Banking Divisions, Corporate Advisory services at organizations like McKinsey, DTT etc... so this Political economics gives me a lot of scope and leeway in terms of job prospects...

 

Honestly speaking teaching is not my type of job...i love to be on the field, and i have been conducting surveys for the past 5-6 years, writing research reports, articles and studies on varied topics...this is what i want...i simply dont have aptitude for teaching... so i would prefer universities that produce graduates that are employed in areas / sectors that i prefer...this is not to say that i detest teaching but my primary preference would be research, consulting and policy work...

 

As for UK Universities well i can say is that in terms of flexibility and inter disciplinary programs US is way far head with its dual degrees and optional courses...that is why i prefer US...

 

I also understand that Development related studies are more concentrated in UK with the univs mentioned by you including Birmingham and Manchester and Leeds... the Brookes World Poverty Institute is also good... but i need to get an idea of how these universities fare against their American counter parts...? that is a primary question... I was never admitted to Oxford or Cambridge or IDS for some reason.... at the same time i was given a 5 year full scholarship at Wageningen University (Netherlands) for a PhD in Development Economics which i did not accept considering that i had got admission at LSE... but having said that i will try out ARE field at the universities mentioned by you ... however Applied Economics also requires math courses... so asianeconomist do you have any idea if i stand a chance?

 

Plus.... what is the rating of doing a PhD in Development / Political Economics from LSE... i have found LSE to be rated very very low in terms of quality...in one of the rankings i saw it coming down to 49 (NRC) while it isnt in the world top 25 in US News...:hmm:

 

Anyways...i would surely love to receive help from you guys in the field of Applied Economics if i can get through....advising is what gives direction...

 

 

Regards

[PolEcon]

Before I attempt to answer your question I would like to ask you why you want to PHD. I am asking only because it seems that you have a background similar to the one that I am striving for. Do you need the PHD to move farther in your job, or do you just want one? I really just want a little information about the policy world and the need for a PHD in it.

 

Now let me quality what I am going to say with that fact that I am an undergraduate right now, NOT A PHD STUDENT, so take what I say with a grain of salt. However, the way that I see it is that you really have no chance at getting in to any top econ school let alone any top 50 school with your current C.V.. While you have a very impressive background and very good degrees you are missing a lot of math. To have a shot at any of these programs you mentioned and really any top 50 US program you must at a minimum have Calculus I (differentiation) Calculus II (Integration), Calculus III(Muilt-Variable), Linear Algebra and a Calculus based statistics class (and you should have very good grades in all of them). Also know that even after all these math class most of the entering class at any top 30 school will have a whole lot more math (ODE, Real Analysis, more Stats) and some if not the majority with have undergrad degree in math.

 

Note that these classes are not just a signal of ability; without atleast having the minimums as mentioned above, even if you where accecpted to Harvard you would have to be a genius (or Steve Levitt) to even survive. Just go open a upper divisional Micro text say, Varian's book, look through it and notice how hard it is to understand any of the math in the book and then know that Varian is thought to be a little too soft and easy for a Phd student at any top school. Also don't think that you can just waltz into Wisconsin AAE program, it specifically states on there webpage that a semester in mathmatical analysis (Real Analysis) is requried for all applying to their PHD program. So my advice is that you would be wasting your time apply to econ, applied econ or political econ programs before you have at least these classes. However, after these classes you should have a fighting chance.

 

But if you do not want to climb the math mountain take asianeconomist's advice and go to IDE (Sussex) or SOAS (UCL) which have great econ development programs with little math and who would heavily weight you experience in the field.

 

(as a closing note the reason IDE and SOAS will accpect you and Harvard will not is because IDE and SOAS are training policy makers and Havard is training tenure track professors)

 

Thank you for your advice z109620...

 

I need a PhD for two reason..first of all i am an MBA and not matter how much i have an impressive CV or work experience or publications i will still remain an Alien to the Development World if i dont have a qualification in related field hence my MSc in Development Studies @ LSE to at least stick my foot in the door... so this is just the start.... i need a PhD because i need a detailed understanding of how to conduct organized research in social sciences...because what i have learnt is through field and not text books...i need polishing related to theories, concepts and methodologies in development research...moving on i dont know if i mentioned i have had interactions with many people in the donor organizations and thing tanks and they have always recommended me a PhD to give me a push at the desired level...a Masters is a masters and some way down the road i feel that i would need a PhD to move up at a senior level and therefore whatever time i have i want to capitalize on it and obtain the maximum benefit...

 

You are right about the AAE program however i will arrive at a final decision once i go over the related websites and see the requirements in detail...however my first impression meets your observation that it would be difficult...i am surprised that at the counselling sessions that i had with USEF people i was never told that a business student would find difficulty going into economics....in fact they were encouraging me to apply for Cornell and Columbia and god knows what ivy league univs... :rolleyes:

 

I would prefer univs that produce policy makers who get employement in various organizations rather than becoming academicians...

 

I am not an expert...but from whatever experience that i have on the issue of development in terms of practicality and acceptability we can maybe guide each other in the process....

 

Btw...IDS Sussex according to many practitioners would surpass OXbridge, LSE or for that matter any school in development...this is the general perception for the coming 5-7 years...i believe that it already has considering the depth of research and the thematic focus areas...their clusters and research output is very strong...

 

So what thematic are you interested in?

 

Take Care

 

Regards

[PolEcon]

Top-notch advise. Just to avoid confusion for the OP:

 

IDS @ Sussex

 

www.ids.ac.uk/

 

SOAS @ University of London

 

www.soas.ac.uk/

 

Thanks... I will see what i can do...one thing that i wanted to discuss with you asianeconomist is that i was looking at the options that i would have for my MSc in Development Studies at LSE and i thought that apart from the core courses i would take the following optional course

 

Global Political Economy of Development 1

Global Political Economy of Development II

 

and any one from the following

 

Development Economics

Development & Growth

Economic Development Policy

 

The worst part is that the best and most famous course Poverty has been suspended for this year...it was my main preference...

 

I just want to ask that with this above courses would i stand a chance to at least strenghthen my application for Political Economy? You can view the courses at

 

MSc Development Studies

 

I have gone through Woodrow Wilson's Website as they offer PhD in Public Affairs with a concentration in 4 clusters i might choose the Political Economy Cluster. The details of this program are on:

 

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs | Ph.D. Requirements

 

In continuation of the above through the WWC i can also apply to the Doctoral Program in Public Policy at Princeton Program in Political Economy

 

There are three streams Economics, Political Science and WWC. I would be taking the WWC. However i believe that i would be needing a couple of publications to strengthen my application before i apply.

 

What do you think of this?

 

Regards

[rohan5271]

I personally believe that since you are interested in political economy and would like to pursue a Phd in economics of development,SOAS would be a great option.The department at SOAS has excellent profs like Mushtaq Khan,Harrigan etc.

 

The primary focus of the department is Political economy for development with regional specializations in Africa,Asia and Middle east.

 

Moreover the department in the past has accepted a lot of matured students with backgrounds similar to yours for its Phd program.SOAS has a great reputation for opening doors in the UN,World Bank and Public organizations for its Phd students

[PolEcon]

I personally believe that since you are interested in political economy and would like to pursue a Phd in economics of development,SOAS would be a great option.The department at SOAS has excellent profs like Mushtaq Khan,Harrigan etc.

 

The primary focus of the department is Political economy for development with regional specializations in Africa,Asia and Middle east.

 

Moreover the department in the past has accepted a lot of matured students with backgrounds similar to yours for its Phd program.SOAS has a great reputation for opening doors in the UN,World Bank and Public organizations for its Phd students

 

Rohan! Thanks for your reply...yes SOAS is a good place....and i would be exploring opportunities further within LSE...

 

Regards

[OneMoreEcon]

i need a PhD because i need a detailed understanding of how to conduct organized research in social sciences...because what i have learnt is through field and not text books...i need polishing related to theories, concepts and methodologies in development research...

 

First off, you're not describing a typical PhD program. Textbooks won't teach you how to do research. As for theory, concepts, methodology... yes, you can learn those in the coursework portion of a PhD or in a masters program.

 

Given your interests, a US PhD is not really a good goal unless it's in a public policy program. The purpose of US PhD programs in economics (and I strongly suspect applied/agricultural economics, government, Harvard KSG, Princeton WW, etc) is to train academics. The masters programs are for practitioners.

 

UK PhD programs in development are much more focused on producing practitioners, and you should focus on them if you're set on a PhD. LSE, Oxford, Cambridge, Sussex, etc.

 

Last time I looked at the Columbia (SIPA) Sustainable Development program, it was geared towards people in the hard sciences and engineering... not policy practitioners.

 

You really should take a look at the MPA/ID at Harvard KSG. They're willing to take people with relatively little math (and perhaps much more likely when you have real-world experience). The main purpose in the MPA/ID is provide the theory/skills from the coursework portion of an econ PhD (though with more of an applied focus instead of pushing proofs of theory on you). Their goal is to provide rigorous training for practitioners who don't really need to write a dissertation but still need to understand academic research. The placement history is very good, including several placements into IMF/WB economist positions.

 

As for a third masters degree instead of a PhD... who cares? If the third masters opens the doors you're looking to open, then it's what you should do. MPA/ID is meant for people who need something more rigorous than a typical masters but don't need to do the academic research of a PhD, and they seem to have created a good niche for themselves.

 

I really recommend that you read Chris Blattman's excellent blog post on the general topic being discussed here. If you're unfamiliar with Blattman, he did the MPA/ID before a PhD in economics at Berkeley. Chris Blattman's Blog: Which is for you: MPA, MPA/ID, or PhD? And be sure to read Dani Rodrik's response (a link is in the bottom of the original blog post).

[PolEcon]

First off, you're not describing a typical PhD program. Textbooks won't teach you how to do research. As for theory, concepts, methodology... yes, you can learn those in the coursework portion of a PhD or in a masters program.

 

Thanks for the reply...well i am doing a Masters degree which has got quite an ample amount of research theories and teaches students to carryout research in social sciences...

 

Given your interests, a US PhD is not really a good goal unless it's in a public policy program. The purpose of US PhD programs in economics (and I strongly suspect applied/agricultural economics, government, Harvard KSG, Princeton WW, etc) is to train academics. The masters programs are for practitioners.

 

Ok..one thing is for sure... i an NOT doing a PhD in economics because i dont expect to get through the minimum criteria... there is certain leeway in Applied and Agriculture Economics... but let me make things clear that i have been working with a research organization and we pitch in for projects announced by various donor agencies.... if your team is full of PhDs (including those in academia) you get more marks as compared to practitioners who have done masters only.... there is a rating gap which masters cannot simply fill... and this is where the PhD comes... so whether it is a PhD in Public Policy or maybe ID or Sustainable Dev or Political Economics...what counts is that it is a PhD as it will give you an edge of 5-7 points for each team member...

 

Most of the responses that i have received are quite good however having some field experience and the political gameplaying in development area (which is a lot in donor agencies) PhD does matter in terms of giving you the required boost...

 

UK PhD programs in development are much more focused on producing practitioners, and you should focus on them if you're set on a PhD. LSE, Oxford, Cambridge, Sussex, etc.

 

That is quite true however i cannot take my chances and only focus on them... there might be a chance that i am not able to make through to these universities for a Phd...i need a back up plan....

 

Last time I looked at the Columbia (SIPA) Sustainable Development program, it was geared towards people in the hard sciences and engineering... not policy practitioners.

 

This may sound extremely silly but in my country there is no such difference of Programs being geared towards academia or practitioners...no one looks deeply into what it is all about...as long as you have a good school name behind your back every body will be giving you a thumbs up for a job, research position or academic vacancy... i have worked with Kenndey Graduates who are teaching, working as practioners, working in government departments, working in IMF, WB and at the same time heading think tanks...one of the Kennedy graduates is an information advisor and the other security advisor though their MPA has got nothing to do with these field... only because they are from Harvard...this might be difficult for people to understand who live in developed economies and where people look in detail at the school strengths before hiring...since i hope to come back to my country i need a PhD and a good school name...it should be in a related field and that is all it matters...

 

You really should take a look at the MPA/ID at Harvard KSG. They're willing to take people with relatively little math (and perhaps much more likely when you have real-world experience). The main purpose in the MPA/ID is provide the theory/skills from the coursework portion of an econ PhD (though with more of an applied focus instead of pushing proofs of theory on you). Their goal is to provide rigorous training for practitioners who don't really need to write a dissertation but still need to understand academic research. The placement history is very good, including several placements into IMF/WB economist positions.

 

I have already gone through the MPA ID Program and find it quite useful but i am 31 at the moment will be completing my MSC when i get 32 and i dont expect to enrol myself for a third masters and come out again as a Masters at 35... it doesnt work like this... over here things are looked differently, the maximum number of degrees and higher level of degrees in the shortest possible time...

 

As for the 2nd part regarding placements i doubt that it is that good... even on the blogs it says that placements are not that much in WB / IMF...

 

As for a third masters degree instead of a PhD... who cares? If the third masters opens the doors you're looking to open, then it's what you should do. MPA/ID is meant for people who need something more rigorous than a typical masters but don't need to do the academic research of a PhD, and they seem to have created a good niche for themselves.

 

I do care! I dont have time on my side...i need to get this PhD as soon as possible...it is very difficult to do PhD in later stages of life when you have a family to raise and all other related matters to take care of...

 

I really recommend that you read Chris Blattman's excellent blog post on the general topic being discussed here. If you're unfamiliar with Blattman, he did the MPA/ID before a PhD in economics at Berkeley. Chris Blattman's Blog: Which is for you: MPA, MPA/ID, or PhD? And be sure to read Dani Rodrik's response (a link is in the bottom of the original blog post).

 

Got it thanks...will go over it to see what it is all about..

[PolEcon]

Btw Asian Economist? Is it really true about the Atkinson Faternity at work? I have heard many stories about the lobbying that Atkinson Students enjoy... all they need is an Atkinson Recommendation instead of a cover letter? because the one responsible for hiring is also an atkinson graduate?

 

Any ideas???

[Karina 07]

I don't know where to begin (I think you have a lot of things to consider) but I'll just make a couple of quick notes.

 

That is quite true however i cannot take my chances and only focus on them... there might be a chance that i am not able to make through to these universities for a Phd...i need a back up plan....

 

If you find it difficult to get into Sussex, LSE, Oxbridge, after doing an LSE master's, you will find it hard to get into a U.S. Ph.D. program with a "name" as you seem to desire, regardless of the field.

 

Re:

I have already gone through the MPA ID Program and find it quite useful but i am 31 at the moment will be completing my MSC when i get 32 and i dont expect to enrol myself for a third masters and come out again as a Masters at 35... it doesnt work like this... over here things are looked differently, the maximum number of degrees and higher level of degrees in the shortest possible time...

 

and

 

I do care! I dont have time on my side...i need to get this PhD as soon as possible...it is very difficult to do PhD in later stages of life when you have a family to raise and all other related matters to take care of...

 

Then stay in the UK because that is where it'll be quickest to get a Ph.D., especially after a UK master's (you'd typically only have 3 years left).

 

I would agree with a previous poster that Sussex has a great, practical IDS program, and SOAS is good, too.

 

If you were determined to get an *econ* Ph.D. for the sake of doing good *research*, *and* were willing and able to heavily train up in math, I'd suggest training up in that and eventually applying for an econ Ph.D. But that's not your end goal, so I don't think this board is going to be able to help you much. Talk with people in your MSc program more.

[Gecko]

 

I have gone through Woodrow Wilson's Website as they offer PhD in Public Affairs with a concentration in 4 clusters i might choose the Political Economy Cluster. The details of this program are on:

 

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs | Ph.D. Requirements

 

In continuation of the above through the WWC i can also apply to the Doctoral Program in Public Policy at Princeton Program in Political Economy

 

There are three streams Economics, Political Science and WWC. I would be taking the WWC. However i believe that i would be needing a couple of publications to strengthen my application before i apply.

 

What do you think of this?

 

Regards

 

Hi Polecon, I was reading through the website, and it seems that linear algebra was needed (for the PhD in public policy), which seems to be lacking from your profile. maybe you could consider taking some courses in the summer at a university? courses in analysis and linear algebra will strengthen your profile. The PhD in political economy likely requires both.

[asianeconomist]

Thanks... I will see what i can do...one thing that i wanted to discuss with you asianeconomist is that i was looking at the options that i would have for my MSc in Development Studies at LSE and i thought that apart from the core courses i would take the following optional course

 

Global Political Economy of Development 1

Global Political Economy of Development II

 

and any one from the following

 

Development Economics

Development & Growth

Economic Development Policy

 

The worst part is that the best and most famous course Poverty has been suspended for this year...it was my main preference...

 

I just want to ask that with this above courses would i stand a chance to at least strenghthen my application for Political Economy? You can view the courses at

 

MSc Development Studies

 

I have gone through Woodrow Wilson's Website as they offer PhD in Public Affairs with a concentration in 4 clusters i might choose the Political Economy Cluster. The details of this program are on:

 

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs | Ph.D. Requirements

 

In continuation of the above through the WWC i can also apply to the Doctoral Program in Public Policy at Princeton Program in Political Economy

 

There are three streams Economics, Political Science and WWC. I would be taking the WWC. However i believe that i would be needing a couple of publications to strengthen my application before i apply.

 

What do you think of this?

 

Regards

 

First off, I fully agree with Karina07's advice. I really do think that a 3-year PhD in UK will suit you much better than a 5-year US PhD. Also, if you can't get into a good UK university with a LSE degree, then the probability of getting into a good US program with the same profile will be even slimmer.

 

The 3 optional courses all cover Development from a pretty non-technical perspective. Therefore, although this will give you an overview of the models and theories in the field, I do not think that you'll become proficient enough to become comfortable in using them in an Econ PhD. IMHO, the program at Princeton is known to have more of a quantitative focus among the PP schools and with your quantitative background it might be quite difficult to manage an admit. I don't think 1/2 publications can help you to turn the tide around (unless it's in a blue-ribbon journal), actually Princeton only asks for a writing sample to determine your ability in research.

 

I also come from a developing country (and worked in the Donor sector) and can completely empathize with the predilection of people/practitioner's towards 'big-name' schools. Under these circumstances, your best bet should be moving on to a PhD @ LSE. Don't worry about the rankings too much. Overall, LSE is among the Top 5 universities in UK/Europe. Since your focus is more on brand-repute, LSE shall fantastically suffice.

 

Good Luck. :tup:

[asianeconomist]

Btw Asian Economist? Is it really true about the Atkinson Faternity at work? I have heard many stories about the lobbying that Atkinson Students enjoy... all they need is an Atkinson Recommendation instead of a cover letter? because the one responsible for hiring is also an atkinson graduate?

 

Any ideas???

 

I am not entirely sure. But my sister is in LSE too. I might ask her for more information regarding this.

[asianeconomist]

Sister! I went through the website of Wisconsin for the PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics PhD however i found that I am unable to fulfill the mathematic requirements as mentioned on the website so it is not an option for me. Which means that i would have to look at other programmes that fit my profile. Thanks for your input.

 

Just to be gender-wise correct, I made a small correction.

[PolEcon]

First off, I fully agree with Karina07's advice. I really do think that a 3-year PhD in UK will suit you much better than a 5-year US PhD. Also, if you can't get into a good UK university with a LSE degree, then the probability of getting into a good US program with the same profile will be even slimmer.

 

Thanks...well first of all i would be a little optimistic...its not that bad with an LSE degree and probably a good US program can take me in... i give you an example of the civil services in our country from which everyone goes to harvard kennedy school just for a masters in PA... their mathematic skills are zilch and they are going there just because the government is paying harvard the full fee....after the completion they come back and join the government department and serve for 5 years! that is about it...

 

 

The 3 optional courses all cover Development from a pretty non-technical perspective. Therefore, although this will give you an overview of the models and theories in the field, I do not think that you'll become proficient enough to become comfortable in using them in an Econ PhD. IMHO, the program at Princeton is known to have more of a quantitative focus among the PP schools and with your quantitative background it might be quite difficult to manage an admit. I don't think 1/2 publications can help you to turn the tide around (unless it's in a blue-ribbon journal), actually Princeton only asks for a writing sample to determine your ability in research.

 

Yes i know that the optional courses are more of theory and concepts and there is nothing applicative in this...however i have decided not to pursue an econ phd....i think that the best way is to wait :sleepy: and ask the professors at LSE about what they think of future possibilities

 

I also come from a developing country (and worked in the Donor sector) and can completely empathize with the predilection of people/practitioner's towards 'big-name' schools. Under these circumstances, your best bet should be moving on to a PhD @ LSE. Don't worry about the rankings too much. Overall, LSE is among the Top 5 universities in UK/Europe. Since your focus is more on brand-repute, LSE shall fantastically suffice.

 

Yes to an extent you are right but i will continue exploring other opportunities...there is no harm in that... LSE's ranking is okay...nothing much but still it is manageable...

 

Good Luck. :tup:

 

Thanks