Humboldt University and Free University, Berlin

Ph.D. Program "Applied Microeconomics"

downCourse requirementsdown and
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

How many students participate in the program?
About 8 students get scholarships. More /further students are accepted without financial support. In total there are about 12 students in every year.
Does the program accept beginning Ph.D. students in every year?
No, unfortunately not. A new round begins in October 99 (application deadline has expired). No students are accepted for fall 2000, but we expect to accept new students for fall 2001.
I missed the application deadline. May I still send my CV?
The deadline is absolutely mandatory for those applying for DFG scholarships. However, if you don't need financial support, you may apply even after the deadline has expired.
I have just passed graduate record examination (GRE). Shall I send the results of this exam with my application materials?
Yes.
Should all the recommendations be written by professors or one of them might be written by employer? I'm working at the department for quite a long time and I think that the head of my department knows me much better as a person and employee.
If your employer is an academic, then he/she may write a recommendation for you.
May foreigners apply for participation and scholarships?
Yes. Citizenship or residence is unimportant. What is important is your academic background (master in economics or mathematics or a comparable degree). You don't even need to speak German although you are recommended to learn some once you are here.
How well should an applicant speak English?
You must have a good working knowledge of English. Courses and seminars are in English if one participant requests it.
I already have one year worth of course work for advanced economic students. Will I also be required for the Ph.D. to still do course work?
You may substitute courses if you convince the professors that you already know what is going to be taught. But be careful: The same name of a lecture can stand for very a different content. Please notice: It's not possible to have no courses at all.
How many courses will I have to take?
Two semesters. For details see the downcourse descriptiondown.
How much is the scholarship? What about tuition?
The scholarship is DM 1750 per month; it is granted for up to 3 years. Most people will find that sufficient to sustain an acceptable (german) lifestyle. For comparison: For an average single apartment you will have to pay DM 400-600, food is around DM 300, health insurance DM 100, beer (pubs) around DM 5. Ph.D. students pay no tuition fee. In addition, there are limited funds to support participation in conferences, and a Ph.D. student enjoys the usual facilities offered to other members of the staff.

Course requirements:

First semester:

Advanced Microeconomics I
topics: - some very formal remarks on consumer theory and the theory of the firm
- choice under uncertainty
- game theory: introduction into all commonly applied equilibrium concepts
- applications of game theory: externalities, public goods, price discrimination and duopoly
textbook: Mas-Colell; Whinston; Green: Microeconomic Theory. Oxford University Press 1995
requirements: The lecture is 1.5 hours per week. You'll generally read related chapters in the textbook in advance. Every week there is an exercise set to be solved. Solutions are discussed in a tutorial. Written exam in the end of the semester.
Probability With Martingales
topics: Get familiar with some ideas of measurement theory, apply the definition of a martingale to economic questions.
requirements: The lecture is 1.5 hours per week. Solve exercise sets every week.
Econometrics
topics: All the concepts described in standard textbooks.
textbook: Judge; Hill; Griffith; Luetkepohl; Lee: Introduction to The Theory and Practice of Econometrics. 2nd ed., Wiley & Sons 1988.
requirements: The lecture is 1.5 hours per week. Every week there is an exercise set to be solved. Solutions are discussed in a tutorial. Written exam in the end of the semester.
remark: Many students have taken similar courses before. Those will substitute this course by something else.

Second semester:

Advanced Microeconomics II
topics: - the economics of information: adverse selection, principal-agent problem
- general equilibrium
- incentives and mechanism design
textbook: Mas-Colell; Whinston; Green: Microeconomic Theory. Oxford University Press 1995
requirements: The lecture is 1.5 hours per week. You'll generally read related chapters in the textbook in advance. Every week there is an exercise set to be solved. Solutions are discussed in a tutorial. Written exam in the end of the semester.
Empirical Industrial Organization
topics: This course links your knowledge in economic Theory and econometrics. For further information see Homepage EIO
requirements: The lecture is 1.5 hours per week. There are problem sets on real data to be solved. Exam in the end of the semester.
Quantitative Methods
topics: Professors present some of their recent work emphasizing methodological issues.
requirements: Write a comment on a paper which is randomly allocated among students.

After the first year of study there aren't any further mandatory courses. Throughout the program you are strongly recommended to weekly attend research seminars.


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