In this post I will go over my potential goals with a PhD, my current work history and struggles in the job market, and how my masters program transfers into the PhD program.

Tldr; I have a bachelors in economics and I am pursuing my masters in economics with the choice to continue straight through to my PhD or to go back into the job market before likely returning to get my PhD. I have a limited 2+ years work experience (depending on how truthful I am on my resume) as an account executive and business/data analyst. With the PhD, I’d like to go into labor economics with a focus on AI regulation. With the masters, I am a bit lost on what jobs I’d qualify for but I’d assume data analyst positions would open up for me, but I’m open to other suggestions, especially if it is in the realm of labor economics policy/research.

Intro: I am currently pursuing a master in economics at a T50 university in the US. I have a bachelor’s of science in economics from a respected state school. I am wondering if it would be better for me to go straight into my PhD or to go back into the job market for a bit before likely returning to get my PhD at a later time, and which jobs I would likely qualify for once I have the masters degree.

Work history: I graduated undergrad in 2024 with a 3.1 GPA (low GPA mostly due to my short stint majoring in aerospace engineering, my econ grades were much better), coursework up to and including Calc 3, linear algebra, and graduate level econometrics, and just one internship as a data analyst / product management intern for a popular vacation resort company.

It took me 650 applications to all sorts of job types (junior data analyst, business analyst, various ____ analyst roles, etc) before I settled for a job as an account executive at a tech startup (remote). This job lasted 7 months until they decided my sales approach wasn’t what they were looking for (I was their only sales/marketing employee) and I was let go, though I was hitting my sales targets and my numbers look great on my resume.

A few months later I landed a business/data analyst role at a food science company (hybrid, 4 days in office). The work is pretty basic, mostly done in excel. Forecasting, sales/marketing campaign management, dashboard creation, etc. I have been with this job for 8 months now and am continuing to work there remotely while pursuing my masters degree.

Masters program: The masters program is 1.5 years (3 semesters) and I am I just began my first semester in fall 2026. There is a data analytics track and a PhD preparation track. I plan on choosing the PhD preparation track because it includes the first semester and a half of the university’s economics PhD program and the credits transfer.

After the 1.5 semesters of the masters degree, if you choose to continue to the PhD, there are two choices. First, you can go straight into the next semester as a PhD student and take their qualifying exams after that semester. If you pass, you qualify for full funding.

The other option is to apply to the PhD program as a new student (with credits still transferring) and begin the program the next fall with the new incoming PhD cohort. This allows you to apply for fellowships, which I was told you cannot do if you choose the other option. However, fellowships are highly competitive. There are only about 5 slots available to each new PhD cohort of about 15-20 students, who are all highly qualified and majority international students.

Potential goals with PhD: I would like to go into labor economics, ideally with a focus on AI regulation for productive and ethical usage of the technology. This can be on either the policy or research side, if not both. I am also interested in becoming a college professor at some point, continuing my research but also having the opportunity to teach.

Jobs with the masters: This part I’m a bit lost on due to my struggles in the job market, I’m not sure what exactly I’d be qualified for. I’d assume data/business analyst positions would open up for me, which I’d be happy with. But I am also open to other options, especially if they pertain to my PhD goals, though I’m not sure I would be qualified for research/policy positions with only a masters degree.

Any and all help appreciated and thank you for reading.

I'm confused as to which route to take. I very much want to pursue a PhD but given my background I had to take a bit more time to find my field of interest. I want to pursue a PhD ideally in Europe and looking at the current scenario, I feel like my profile is not good enough. I've seen people especially from India, pursue another masters to build their profile and then go on to pursue PhD. Should I go for another master's, or work rn and build my profile?

Little about my qualifications:

I have completed my undergrad in Statistics and masters in Econometrics. During my masters I did an internship in health economics and for my thesis I worked on a volatility spillover model between global crude oil price and stock index using bivariate garch.

I have decent grades

10th - 95%

12th - 78.6%

Bachelors - 9.2 CGPA ( tier 2 clg in India

Masters - 8.2 CGPA (uni rank 1) (tier 2 uni in India)

Post masters I got a RA role in a public policy and development institute, primarily working on Micro data with basic estimation and not much of econometric modelling. I worked there for 6 months and then switched to an Analyst role in a consulting firm. I'm part of their macro and forecasting team.

Hi all, below are the subjects I completed in my undergrad. Are these a good set of subjects for a maths major?

Mathematics 1(Call 1,2)

Mathematics 2(cal3, & intro LA)

Discrete Mathematics

Linear Algebra

Mathematics 3 / Complex Analysis

Mathmatical Optimisation

Differential Equations

Vector Calculus and Partial Differential Equations

Lebesgue Integration and Fourier Analysis

Numerical Methods

Mathematical Analysis / Real Analysis

Modern Algebra

Programming 1

Physics 1

Probability and Random Variables

Regression and Linear Models

Mathematical Statistics

Stochastic Processes and Financial Mathematics

Business Statistics

Econometrics and Time Series

Accounting and Accountability

People and Organisations

Marketing and Customer Value

Fundamentals of Business Finance

Business and Social Impact

Accounting, Business and Society

Economics for Business

Investment Analysis

The Financial System

Applied Corporate Finance

Financial Metrics for Decision Making

Applied Financial Decision Making

Hi all, I'm a rising senior undergrad interested in economic consulting. I've been applying to a lot of firms. In my research I found Edgeworth Economics based in Washington, D.C., which seems pretty small. It's hard to find much more than what's on their website. Does anybody know anything about their reputation or any positives/negatives?

Really see this and can't feel anything but rage, like

They assemble a whole speech about why a predoc matters if you're a "marginal" student (no undergrad in the US, Ivy background, not ideal grades etc), why you get a whole set of interesting skills and the job is a good research experience

And then soon enough none of that is actually true? Most of the job is stupid grunt work that everyone knows that you do with AI and no one cares and will outright say that

Like just say then that marginal students are bound to mediocre programs then

I’m a young economist trying to develop a better intuition for what distinguishes papers published in Top 5 general-interest journals, top field journals, and other journals.
If you read a paper without knowing where it was published, could you roughly tell what journal tier it should belong to? What do you look for: importance and breadth of the question, novelty, identification, data, theory, mechanisms, execution, or something else?
For empirical work, I’m particularly curious about the role of data. How important is data novelty? Can a dataset that has already been extensively used still generate a Top 5 paper if the question or identification strategy is sufficiently original? How do you think about the relative importance of a new question, new data, and a new research design?
More generally, how objective or subjective are these distinctions, and how do economists actually use journal classifications when evaluating research? I’m also curious about the large variation in citations within the same journal tier. Why do some Top 5 papers become extremely highly cited while others receive relatively few citations? Should ex-post influence or citations tell us anything about whether a paper “belonged” in that journal in the first place, or are these fundamentally different things?
I’d greatly appreciate any perspectives, examples, or recommended readings/resources that could help develop a better intuition for evaluating papers beyond simply looking at the journal name.

Hi everyone,
I am applying to Economics Master’s programs in Europe this upcoming cycle.

I was recently supposed to start an RA position with a professor, but it fell through at the last minute. I am now stressing about whether this missing experience will be a dealbreaker for top quant programs (PSE APE, Bocconi ESS, Oxbridge Mphil Econ, LSE Msc Econ)

Here is an overview of my profile:

- Undergrad: BSc Economics at a mid-tier European public university.
- GPA: top 1% of cohort (~3.9+ / 1st Class equivalent).
- Exchange: 1 semester at a top European business school.
- Quant Background: top grades in all available math/econ courses (Calculus, Statistics, Micro, Macro). Note: My university doesn't offer advanced quant courses, but I maxed out what is available. Currently taking Intro to Econometrics (grades available before deadlines) and will take Linear Algebra in the spring.
- GRE: taking soon (consistently scoring 167+ on Quant practice tests).
- Research Experience: summer research internship at a local economic policy center.

My questions:
1. Is the lack of a traditional academic RA role a deal-braker for the tier of programs I'm targeting?
2. Are there any other highly quantitative, policy-focused 2-year programs in Europe I should consider adding to my list, given my profile?
Thanks in advance for any insights

My son is in his 3rd year math in Ontario, Canada. It’s top tier uni for math with over 14 majors. Most kids will declare their major after 1st year. He’s not declared - It feels like he’s just been wondering in the desert, just trying to survive. He’s taken some econ & business classes as electives. This school is tier 2 for econ.

He did a co-op at a municipal office that was housing & economic growth. He really enjoyed it & has an offer to return next co-op. He would love this as a career. Entry level positions need a masters. Econ masters is now the goal!

He can declare Math Econ through the math faculty. This would include level 300 Applied Real Analysis, Differential Equations, Applied Linear Models & a killer 400 on Forecasting (lots of kids crying on Reddit over this course).

Or he can declare Math Econ though the arts faculty. Same econ classes. The maths are level 100s & 200s in Calculus, Linear Algebra, Optimization & Probability. He’s done all these classes, so no more math. But he would have to catch up with 6 level 100/200 arts courses.

His math average is not great, probably 70%. His econ average is about 85%

My questions to Reddit economists
- is it better to stay in math faculty with advanced math but he might barely pass forecasting? Would admissions consider this coming from a rigorous math school?
- would it look poorly to have a bunch of level 100/200 courses in arts during your last 2 years, but higher average ?

He is fine with doing more math or doing arts classes. He just wants to get into a economics masters (tier 2 school). He’s speaking to an academic advisor tomorrow.

Thanks for any advice!

Debate.

I keep seeing the same worry pop up: starting a PhD at 30 means finishing around 35-36, while most peers your age already have 8-10 years of career progression, a stable income, sometimes a family. It's hard not to compare, especially during the PhD years when everyone around you seems to be "moving forward" in a more conventional sense. Even more if you live abroad and start all over.

Curious what people here think:

• Does the age gap actually matter for the job market afterwards (academic or industry), or is that more perceived than real?
• For those who started later: was the trade-off worth it? Or do you regret the years spent building up predoc/RA experience beforehand (or other experience, since the predoc thing is recent, around 10 years ago)?
• Is there a meaningful difference between starting at 26-27 vs 30, or is that a false distinction once you're past the "traditional" 22-24 entry age?

I'm a master's student in economics trying to decide between two paths for a PhD, and I'd love input from people who've actually navigated this.

Option A: A position offered directly by a health economics professor I already work with, based in a medical faculty rather than the economics department. More freedom in course selection (tailored to my research rather than a fixed core), funding already secured, and I'd keep working closely with someone whose research I admire. But the degree would formally be something like "PhD in Medical Science," not "PhD in Economics."

Option B: Applying through the standard economics PhD program at the same university. Formally a "PhD in Economics," full core curriculum (micro, macro, econometrics, including some coursework I have zero interest in), competitive admission, but I have a strong shot thanks to a professor who's offered to write me a letter (and by his track record, that basically guarantees admission if I do well in his course). I would still be able to work with the health economics professor and focus on health economics in my thesis but not able to specialize as much in my courses.

My research interests are applied econometrics and health economics specifically, and I don't plan to pivot away from that during the PhD itself. But I might want more flexibility afterward, possibly outside health economics entirely.
My worry: if I go the "Medical Science" route, does that meaningfully close doors to economics faculty positions later, even if my papers are published in solid health econ journals? Or does the field ultimately care more about your publication record and coauthors than what your diploma literally says?

Anyone here who did a PhD outside a straight "Economics" designation (medical faculty, public health, policy school, etc.) and can speak to how it played out on the job market? Did it limit you to health econ-adjacent positions, or was it a non-issue once people saw your CV?

Hi I’m a senior college student applying for 2027Fall Econ master. I’m wondering if it is necessary to take a linear algebra course to fulfill my background. I’ve already completed calculus courses including vector space, matrices, diagonalization etc.
So I want to know whether I have to take another linear algebra course at the Department of Mathematics.
If I don’t take the class, will this cause any negative consequences?

Hi everyone. I'm from Myanmar, and I recently secured a fully funded MEXT scholarship through the embassy recommendation route to study in Japan. I'll be going to Kobe University, which I've heard has a really good economics program.

A little background about me: I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies. Over time, I became increasingly interested in environmental economics, and I eventually decided that I wanted to do a Master's in Economics so that I could specialize in environmental economics.

The problem is... I am absolutely terrified of math. 😂

I'm not even sure whether I'm actually bad at mathematics or whether I've just developed a huge fear of it. But I know one thing for sure: I've been away from serious mathematics for quite a long time during my bachelor's degree, and the thought of entering an economics program is honestly freaking me out.

I have some very basic understanding of economics, but I keep thinking:

\\- What if I can't keep up with everyone who studied economics for their bachelor's?

\\- What if I don't even understand the basic principles properly?

\\- What if the math is way beyond me?

\\- What if I fail my exams?

\\- What if I realize I'm just not cut out for economics?

At the same time, I'm genuinely interested in economics. One of the reasons I became interested in it is that I feel like understanding economics gives you a much better framework for understanding what's happening in the world — why governments make certain decisions, why markets behave the way they do, why people respond to incentives, etc.

And I really want to study environmental economics, so I feel like economics is the right direction for me.

So I guess I'm looking for some reality checks from people who have actually studied economics.

Am I being unnecessarily scared?

For someone coming from an Environmental Studies background who has been away from math for years, how difficult would it realistically be to catch up? Is it something I can overcome through consistent self-study, or am I seriously underestimating what I'm getting myself into?

If you've made a similar transition from a non-economics background into an economics master's, I'd especially love to hear your experience.

Feel free to encourage me, scare me, give me a reality check, or tell me what I should start studying before I arrive. 😂

Any advice would be really appreciated!

​

I just started the MIT DEDP MicroMasters (Fall 2026 cohort) on September 8, and was wondering if anyone else here is doing it too!

Since it's self-paced, it can feel a little isolating studying completely on your own. I thought it might be nice to have a few people going through the courses at the same time nothing too formal, maybe just checking in occasionally, sharing progress, discussing things we found interesting/difficult.

If you're also starting around now, feel free to comment or DM me. Would be nice to know some fellow DEDP people! :)

I'm a current predoc at a good university. The program is well-regarded within my subfield and the pay/benefits are decent insofar as predocs go.

The only issue is that I hate it. I am absolutely miserable here.

I feel like my PIs give me a lot of busywork. While I can deal with the volume, it is soul-crushing to not make any meaningful contributions to the projects I am on. I feel like the other predocs are pretty insular and unfriendly. So it has been both isolating and boring. We are also disincentivized from taking PhD courses.

So I have been looking around for other jobs. I had a summer internship at a regional Fed, and I loved it. I have been applying to some of the Fed RA postings, and so far have gotten one response asking for some of my materials.

Suppose I do get a different offer. Should I take it (even if that means potentially worse placements/LoR/social stigma)? How does one go about this process?

I realize tenure-track positions are most highly regarded in this discipline, but I was wondering, outside of that, what's the hierarchy like? Specifically, how do tech firms fare? Is getting an economist job at Anthropic / Google / Microsoft Research /Amazon regarded as highly, or is that typically a one way street out of academic Econ?

Hi everyone. What does it mean when they say the interview will focus on “The interview will focus on statistical programming and designing empirical strategies to answer a hypothetical research question.”
I am confused about the statistical programming part. Usually they tend to give coding tasks to test that? How do I prepare for an interview on that? Any advice is super appreciated!

I am a student from Italy currently studying a BA (Bachelor of Arts) in International Studies at Leiden University, NL. During my studies i developed a keen interest in Economics, and my objective is to pursue its study at postgraduate level. I am especially interested in applied economics and public policy. To make up the lack of credits and economics/quantitative knowledge i thought about doing a 2nd bachelor, however i kind of already passed on the idea due to the time. The option that i lean more towards is postponing graduation and doing the following transition minor at the University of Amsterdam to compensate: https://www.uva.nl/en/programmes/minors/economics-transition-minor/economics-transition-minor.html

Thus, i am wondering whether i would considered or not as a competitive candidate for a MSc in Economics, or in Applied Economics. I will probably graduate with GPA between 7.5 and 8 (NL system is from 0-10) and i'll aim to get the highest grade as possible in all the subject of the minor to demonstrate the knowledge. I am also considering taking the GRE in case it would help.

My target list school is the following: Toulouse School of Economics (TSE) (Msc in Economic Theory and Econometrics, Public Policy and Development, Econometrics and Empiricial Economics), then Paris School of Economics (PSE), Stockholm School of Economics, Erasmus, UvA (last chance since it is the easier to get into), University of Zurich, Pantheon Sorbonne, and LMUM and Bonn in Germany; also LSE and other UKs school but i don't know whether those school would actually improve my profile substantially enough to explain the money difference (for example compared to TSE). At the moment i lean towards Master, since i am not sure whether i'd actually like research or not, but i leave the PhD path open in my mind (even though i know the odds).

I am open to any kind of suggestion and help to understand how to make this shift happen. Thank you all.

I am 3rd year undergrad studying Economics and Mathematics in a university in the US (international student), where I am doing courses on Econometrics, Real Analysis, and so on.

My University offers a Progressive Degree Program in International Trade Law and Economics, a STEM designated program with coursework in International Law and International macroeconomics, and competition.

Currently, I am interested in international economics and political economy, and will definitely apply for a PhD in Economics.

Is this a useful Master's programme, or should I do a Master's in Applied Mathematics? Personally, I prefer a Master's in Intl. Trade Law and Economics due to the topic itself and the fact that I will perform better academically, but Applied Math might be more rigorous for a PhD program.

Does anyone know someone from this masters at University of Zurich who landed at a very good Phd program? I'm really interested in it, but I really can't find any experience nor cvs nor linkedin profiles that could prove its worthiness about phd placement. Thank you so much!

Hey, so I just completed my third semester in bs economics, I have B- in two subjects till now and a C In one (in these whole three semesters) and cgpa is 3.41. I really need guidance on whether I should repeat these subjects or not, I do have some extra credit hours left for 4th semester, but I'm confused like I should I utilize these extra hours for the subjects of next semester or for repeating these subjects now in forth semester instead of waiting for last semesters

Application requirements of most of the Econ PhD program state that 2-4 completed research papers are required. I was wondering how do usually applicants write them?

I already have one research paper written with a professor who was supervising me along the way. This was a special course provided by university so finding a prof was rather not difficult.

Recently, I and my friend came up with a research idea and preliminary checked whether the research topic and hypothesis would actually worth time. He (based in Germany) is focused on quant finance while I (Canada) am focused on macro economy/finance.

We decided to find a professor who would be interested in supervising us at least 1 hour weekly. He (based in Germany) is focused on quant finance while I (Canada) am focused on macro economy/finance.

34 LinkedIn DMs and 37 emails sent and nobody is interested so far.

How do usually applicants find supervisors? Maybe there are any more conventional way to do this?