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Political Economics
Requirements 2007-2008
I. Preparation in Economics, Political Science, and Quantitative Methods
Economics and Political Science. Admitted students are assumed to have some significant background in economics and/or political science.
Quantitative Methods. All students are required to have, or to obtain in the first year, skill in the use of the following mathematical methods.
| Topic | Course Level | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Calculus | MATH 41, 42, 51, 52 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry |
| Linear Algebra | MATH 113 | Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory |
| Analysis | MATH 115 | Fundamental Concepts of Analysis |
| Probability | ECON 270 MS&E 220 or STATS 116 |
Intermediate Econometrics I Probabilistic Analysis Theory of Probability |
| Optimization | ENGR 62 or MS&E 211 |
Introduction to Optimization or Linear programming |
| Statistics | STATS 200 | Introduction to Sttistical Inference |
Note: Econ 180-181 covers a substantial portion of calculus, linear algebra, and optimization.
Students are expected to have adequate computer programming skills. Knowledge of a computer language such as FORTRAN, C, or APL is sufficient. If students do not have adequate computer programming skills, they may learn this material on their own or take Stanford Computer Science course 106 "Introduction to Software Engineering'' (C) by the summer following the first academic year, at the latest.
II. General Program Requirement (GPR)1
All students must complete at least two courses of the general program requirement during their first year of study. All three must be completed by the end of the second year. Each course must be passed with a grade of P or B- or better. Interpretation of the LP grade will be determined on a case by case basis.
Note: Any changes to the General Program Requirement (GPR) or Field Course Requirement (FCR) will be "grandfathered" Students are responsible for fulfilling the requirements in place at the time they entered the Program.
| Course No. | Course Title |
|---|---|
| MGTECON 600
ECON 202N |
Microeconomic Analysis 1 or Core Economics: Modules ! and 2 (for Non-Economic Ph.D.s) (Updated 3/21/07) |
| GSBGEN 698 | Practicum in Teaching |
| GSBGEN 699 | Practicum in Research |
| Possible Substitutes2 | |
| Course No. | Course Title |
MGTECON 601 ECON 203N |
Microeconomic Analysis II or Core Economics: Modules 5 and 6 (for Non-Economic Ph.D.s) (Updated 3/21/07) |
MGTECON 603 ECON 270 | Econometric Methods or Intermediate Econometrics I |
MGTECON 604 ECON 271 | Econometric Methods II /or
|
MGTECON 605 ECON 272 | Econometric Methods III /or
|
| Plus one of: | |
| Course No. | Course Title |
| GSBGEN 646 | Behavioral Decision Making or (added Jan 01-02)> |
| OB 671 | Social Psychology of Organizations or |
| OB 686 | Behavioral Organization Theory or (added Feb 00-01) |
| PSYCH 212 | Social Psychology or |
| PSYCH 256 | Decisions and Judgment |
1 In rare cases, the director of the PhD Program may waive a general program requirement for a student based on similar PhD-level coursework completed elsewhere.
2 Substitutions as shown can be arranged through the doctoral liaison, in some cases, for students with prior background in the indicated topic.
III. Field Course Requirement and Field Exams
The following courses are required of each student. Each course must be passed with a grade of P or B- or better. Interpretation of the LP grade will be determined on a case by case basis.1
| Topics | Courses |
|---|---|
| Political Economics | POLECON 680 / POLISCI 351A: Foundations of Political Economy POLECON 681 / POLISCI 351B: Economic Analysis of Political Institutions POLECON 682 / POLISCI 351C: Applied Formal Models: Governmental Decision Making |
| Econometrics | MGTECON 604: Econometric Methods II or both MGTECON 609: Applied Econometrics and Economic Research and ECON 271: Intermediate Econometrics II |
| Economics | Take either: Take either: Take one of: |
| Political Science | Two of: POLISCI 364: Politics and Organization POLISCI 362: New Economics of Organization POLISCI 420A: Approaches to the Study of American Politics POLISCI 420B: Topics in American Political Behavior POLISCI 420C: American Political Institutions POLISCI 424: Introduction to Political Psychology |
1 In some cases, substitutions can be arranged through the doctoral liaison for students with prior background in the indicated topic.
IV. Distribution Requirement
Each student must complete one of the following nine courses:
| Field | Courses (examples) |
|---|---|
| Accounting | ACCT 610, 611, 612 |
| Finance | FINANCE 620, 621, 622 |
| Marketing | MKTG 642, 643, 645 |
Other topics and courses may be proposed by the student.
V. Second Year Field Examination
This is a comprehensive written examination on the theory and applications of political economics and its supporting fields of economics and political science. This examination covers approximately the same subject matter as Econ 202, Econ 203, E604, P680, P681, and P682. The examination is usually given in June. It is normally taken at the end of the student's second year in residence. A student will pass or fail. No conditional pass is allowed. Failure on the examination is cause for review of the student's record. The faculty may vote to give a student who failed the exam an opportunity to take it again, if sufficient progress and potential is evident.
VI. Summer Research Papers
Each student is required to write a research paper each summer following the first and second year of study, and to present these papers to the faculty in a weekly seminar during autumn quarter of the second and third years, respectively. Both papers are required for admission to candidacy.
VII. Candidacy
Students who have completed the general program requirement, the major field requirement, the field examination and both research papers, are considered for admission to candidacy.
VIII. Dissertation Research
All students must pass an oral examination on their proposed thesis topic.
IX. Supplementary Requirements
At the end of the summers after the first and second years of residence, each student is required to submit a research paper, and to present it orally in the Political Economics Workshop. Summer papers will be scheduled at fixed dates during the late fall. Each student will receive a specific date and time when the summer paper is to be presented. This applies to first and second year papers. During the first and second years of residence, each student is required to complete a reading course or a research assistantship during each quarter. Normally this activity will be the precursor of the student's summer research paper. Each student is expected to participate in research seminars organized by the field faculty and is urged to attend relevant seminars given in the Department of Economics and the Department of Political Science.
X. Timetable
A student entering without prior graduate studies is expected to complete the general program requirement, the major field requirement, and the field examination in two years. The courses in the distribution requirement are usually taken in the second year. The field examination is normally completed at the end of the second year, but may be deferred one year by students doing substantial remedial work. The candidacy course requirements are fulfilled in the third year while the student is exploring avenues of research and developing the thesis proposal. The oral examination should be taken before the end of the third year so that major progress on the dissertation can be expected by December of the fourth year, with completion of all requirements for the degree at the end of the fourth year. Students entering with prior graduate studies may be able to complete the program in a shorter time.
XI. Example of a Course Schedule
The following program is an example of a possible course schedule; university scheduling of these courses may fluctuate across quarters.
First Year:
| Autumn | |
|---|---|
| ECON 202
or MGTECON 600 |
Core Economics I or Microeconomic Analysis I |
| ECON 270 or MGTECON 603 |
Intermediate Econometrics or Econometric Methods |
| GSBGEN 646 | Behavioral Decision Making |
| POLECON 680 | Foundations of Political Economics |
| Winter | |
| ECON 203 or MGTECON 601 |
Core Economics III or Microeconomic Analysis II |
| ECON 271 or MGTECON 604 |
Intermediate Econometrics II or Econometric Methods II |
| POLECON 681 | Economic Analysis of Political Institutions |
| Elective | |
| Spring | |
| POLECON 682 | Applied Models: Congressional Decision Making |
| MGTECON 602 | Auctions Bargaining Pricing |
| Elective | |
| Elective | |
Secong Year:
| Autumn | |
|---|---|
| FINANCE 620 | Introduction to Financial Economics |
| ECON 257 | Economics of Industry, Regulation and Firm Organization |
| POLISCI 292A | American Political Institutions |
| Elective | |
| Winter | |
| ACCT 610 | Seminar in Accounting Research |
| FINANCE 623 | Microeconomic Analysis of Financial Markets |
| ECON 258 | ECON 257 (cont.) |
| POLISCI 292B | Introduction to Political Behavior |
| Spring | |
| POLISCI 206W | Political Economy of Institutions |
| Elective | |
| Elective | |
| Elective | |
During the first and second years in residence, a student normally takes four courses in autumn, winter, and spring quarters, and one or two in the summer quarter. Students will also write a research paper in the summers after the first and second years, as previously outlined.
There are many other courses taken by PhD Students that are offered in departments outside the GSB, such as Computer Science, Economics, Management Science and Engineering, Mathematics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Statistics. Descriptions of these course offerings can be found in the Stanford Bulletin, published by the Registrar's Office (650-725-1879).
