Doctoral program in Economics
The GSEM PhD program in Economics usually lasts five years, of which two years are devoted to courses. In the first year, students are required to apply to attend the Swiss Program for Beginning Doctoral Students in Economics offered by the Gerzensee Center. In addition, elective courses comprising the equivalent of 12 ECTS can be chosen from a wide array of options and must be completed by the end of the second year.
At the end of the first year, students choose their supervisors and start working on their dissertations, which normally comprise three academic articles.
From year two onward, students are required to regularly attend two department seminar series. These are the Research Seminar in Economics and Econometrics, which mostly offers invited external speakers, and the Brown Bag Seminar, during which PhD students present their ongoing work and receive feedback.
Please consult the official curriculum for further information.
Financial support: The GSEM offers PhD students financial support, usually in the form of teaching assistant contracts. The number of assistantships is limited and is allocated on the basis of academic merit. Research funds may provide additional financial support.