The CARE experience

The Ph.D. is the most advanced degree in the field of economics and is generally considered a research degree. Many candidates are often unprepared for the rigor and highly quantitative nature of graduate studies in economics. The CARE program can help improve your odds of being admitted to Ph.D. top programs by bridging the gap between the undergraduate major and core courses in graduate studies.

This assistance happens in four ways:

  1. To prepare for the highly mathematical nature of the Ph.D. in economics, members are automatically admitted into the honors courses in intermediate microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics.  These are courses taught by our tenured faculty at a much higher level of rigor than our regular course offerings. 
  2. Every CARE student is matched with a faculty mentor to help navigate the process of preparing for graduate school in economics. Students develop a strong one-on-one relationship with their mentor who can be helpful, not only in an ongoing advisory role, but also as a potential letter writer.
  3. CARE holds monthly research seminars where our faculty from diverse fields in economics share their research agenda and address student questions relating to how research is conducted by successful academics. These seminars help provide exposure to research that is not otherwise possible in the undergraduate major.
  4. CARE works to encourage more women and underrepresented students to pursue and succeed in graduate school. Students meet on a regular basis to discuss issues that pertain to women and minorities and promote increased awareness of the challenges unique to women’s careers.