Castial Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Need some advice, I'll try to be as clear as possible. I expect to graduate next year from a Top 3 Canadian school and I'm wondering If I should apply for a PhD in my final year or not. Here are the Facts : Math Courses taken till date : Calculus 2/3/4, Real Analysis 1/2, Abstract Algebra, Linear Algebra, ODE's, Numerical Analysis Math Courses Expected to take next year : Graduate Probability, PDE's, Real Analysis 3/4, Complex Analysis Econ Courses taken till date : Micro 1/2, Macro 1/2, Econ Stats 1/2, Econometrics 1 I've done well in all the courses I've taken till date, Solid A's in all of them. However I'm not particularly close to any Professor and I dont think that I would be able to get a great reference. Here are my options : Option 1 : Apply directly for the PhD with possibly "decent" but not great recommendation letters. Option 2 : Stay on at my current school for a masters in math and take some graduate economics courses as well. Also, get to know my Econ Professors better. I have no doubt that I would be able to get better recommendation letters if given time. Other Relevant Facts : The masters is fully funded so I dont lose anything financially. Also I could possibly see a masters helping me in the long run in fields like econometrics. Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Econhead Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I'm not exactly being helpful, but I do have a question: Are any of these courses in quarters rather than semester's? If these are semester long courses, what is Real Analysis 1, 2, 3, and 4? Also, you might benefit greatly from posting a full profile so that members have more complete information on which to make recommendations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castial Posted January 31, 2015 Author Share Posted January 31, 2015 I'm not exactly being helpful, but I do have a question: Are any of these courses in quarters rather than semester's? If these are semester long courses, what is Real Analysis 1, 2, 3, and 4? Also, you might benefit greatly from posting a full profile so that members have more complete information on which to make recommendations. These are regular semester courses, Fall/Winter Real Analysis 1 - The Real Numbers, Sequences, Limits, Continuity, Differentiation Real Analysis 2 - Metric Spaces and Multivariable Analysis, Numerical Series, The Riemann Integral and Lebesque Theorem, Sequence of Functions, Power Series, Analysis of the Elementary Functions. Real Analysis 3 - Review of point-set and Metric Space topology, topological space, dense sets, completeness, compactness, connectedness and path-connectedness, separability. Arzela-Ascoli, Stone-Weierstrass, Baire category theorems. Measure theory: σ-algebras, Lebesgue measure. Real Analysis 4 - Continuation of measure theory. Abstract integration. Functional analysis: Lp spaces, linear functionals and dual spaces, Hahn-Banach theorem, Riesz representation theorem. Hilbert spaces, weak convergence. Spectral theory of compact operator. Fourier analysis, Fourier transforms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZYX Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 I would recommend doing a masters in economics at your school, but not a masters in maths. It looks like you have more than enough maths for entry into any economics PhD program. However, you only have one metrics course, and you haven't taken any advanced courses in micro or macro. Game theory is also a useful signal for applying for doctoral programs (which you haven't done). A masters in economics will allow you to improve your relationship with professors so that you can get better LoRs, and taking some economics field courses may also be beneficial in deciding your research interests. If you would prefer to do a masters in maths than economics, are you sure you wish to do a PhD in economics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhDPlease Posted January 31, 2015 Share Posted January 31, 2015 Can you apply to PhD programs and stay for the masters if you don't get an acceptance, or do you have to commit to the masters before you'd hear back from the PhD programs? If you can apply to the PhD programs and keep the masters as a fallback, maybe apply to places you'd be enthusiastic about entering directly, with the fallback of staying at the masters if not admitted. Also have you ruled out being able to get to know professors in your undergrad? For example, go to the office hours to discuss your interest (or email the professor and ask to schedule an appointment if there is no regular office hour), see if any professor could use an RA for spring/summer/fall. Do you have the option to write a senior thesis? If so, you might be a little pressed for time to get to know the professor before application deadlines if you start it in the fall, but maybe you could look into starting over the summer to allow more time to make sure you've gotten to know the professor/adviser in time for a letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castial Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 I would recommend doing a masters in economics at your school, but not a masters in maths. It looks like you have more than enough maths for entry into any economics PhD program. However, you only have one metrics course, and you haven't taken any advanced courses in micro or macro. Game theory is also a useful signal for applying for doctoral programs (which you haven't done). A masters in economics will allow you to improve your relationship with professors so that you can get better LoRs, and taking some economics field courses may also be beneficial in deciding your research interests. If you would prefer to do a masters in maths than economics, are you sure you wish to do a PhD in economics? I should have been more clear. When I mentioned Micro 1/2 and Macro 1/2, I essentially ment Honours Intermediete Micro/Macro 1/2. There is no higher level at my school. As for Econometrics 1, it was an honours joint senior undergrad/grad course. We did the first 9 chapters of Davidsons Book which I believe is considered a graduate book by several universities. I prefer to do a masters in math because it would also allow me to take some graduate econ courses alongside the math and the converse is not possible because of some faculty regulations. Also, the econ professors that I know pretty much told me to do the math as well since the grad econ program here isnt particularly good while the math is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeehouse Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I graduated with a BSc. from a top Canadian school and I am currently at a Top 5 right now. Feel free to private message me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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