An economics major is not necessarily a prerequisite for economics graduate school, but a general understanding of economic theory is important. Students bound for graduate school in economics or a closely related field may wish to pursue a double major in economics and mathematics. This is not difficult at Drake because some requirements overlap. Econ 107 and 176 have in the past counted toward the mathematics major. Getting information Every graduate program offers a printed brochure describing its program.
Many programs have information on the internet as well.
What to look for in a graduate program Ask for a list of recent faculty publications. If you have an interest in specific subfields, find out if the department has depth in those subfields and whether those faculty members seem likely to stay around long enough for you to finish your degree. Ask what fraction of the entering class finishes their Ph.D. in 5 or 6 years or less. Slow progress by many students may indicate poor advising or a poorly structured program. Ask where students are being placed after graduation.