Department of Economics - Second Year PhD Paper
The second year paper should contain a well-defined piece of research. The paper should be written solely by the student and presented as independent research. Co-authors can be added to any revised versions of the paper, however, the second year paper should be the sole responsibility of the student.
Ideally, the paper could be incorporated into the dissertation, even as a chapter unrelated to the main thesis. However, sometimes topics do not pan out as either theoretically or empirically interesting. In those cases, students should be encouraged to finish the paper and move on to more fruitful work.
It is likely that there will be variation among faculty as to what constitutes a completed product. While the final decision depends on the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies on advice from the supervisor, one role of the presentation in the department seminar is to make sure that standards do not vary too widely. Most importantly, students and their supervisors need to make their expectations clear to each other. Please fill out the form for choosing a supervisor, presenting your paper in a seminar and submitting your final paper.
Three requirements:
- Year 2 - February 1
Choose a supervisor. This is a formal commitment that requires the signature of the student and the supervisor on an agreement form to be filed with the student dossier.
- Year 3 - October 15
Completed paper is presented in a department seminar.
- Year 3 - November 15
Incorporation of suggestions/comments received from the department seminar into a final paper. The final paper is approved by the supervisor (who then makes the appropriate recommendation to the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies).
What if the deadline is missed?
Students who miss the November deadline are automatically referred to the Associate Chair, Graduate Studies, as they are deemed to be making unsatisfactory progress. At this point the student and supervisor must provide an explanation and a credible game plan to get back on track. They must rectify the situation by completing the requirements by January 31 of Year 3. Missing the January 31 deadline is akin to failing a comprehensive exam, and the student will be asked to withdraw from the program.