PhD in Economics and Econometrics Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University (FSV UK)

Description of verification and evaluation criteria

The entrance examination is in English and has two parts.

First Part: Candidates are evaluated on the basis of the submitted required documents (see below). The maximum number of points in the first round is 40. Evaluated are: the applicant's previous study results (20 points), his / her motivation to study and carry out economic research (10 points), and his / her recommendations (10 points). The evaluation takes into account whether the candidate's professional interest and study results are in accordance with the research orientation of the institute.

• Candidates who get full points in the 1st part of the entrance examination are exempt from the 2nd part of the entrance examination and are admitted directly to the 1st year of study.
• Applicants above the borderline for admission, but not admitted directly to the 1st year continue on to the 2nd part of the entrance examination. The borderline of admission is determined by the Dean.

Second Part: Candidates who were recommended for the 2nd part of the entrance examination are invited to an optional, free-of-charge summer Preparatory module to attend courses in macroeconomics, microeconomics, and mathematics. After the Preparatory module, the second round of the entrance examination takes the form of the distance written test consisting of three parts: macroeconomics, microeconomics, and mathematics. In the 2nd round of the entrance examination, a maximum of 100 points can be obtained. The applicant can gain a maximum of 50 points from the mathematical part, a maximum of 25 points from microeconomics, and a maximum of 25 from macroeconomics from the final evaluation. Applicants with the highest score will be accepted. The borderline of admission is determined by the Dean.

Application requirements:

• up-to-date CV
• Statement of Motivation
• verified copies of BA and MA diplomas and transcripts
• 2 letters of recommendation, ideally from academia

All submitted documents need to be in English (with the exception of the diploma, which can be in Czech) or accompanied by a notarized translation.

Conditions for admission

Admission to Doctoral studies is conditioned by successful completion of a Master's study program.

Recommended literature, sample questions

Microeconomics

Mas-Collel, Andrew, Michael Whinston, and Jerry Green (MWG): Microeconomic Theory, Oxford University Press, 1995.

Chiang, Alpha, Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics, McGraw Hill, 1988.

Dixit, Avinash, Optimization in Economic Theory, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, 1990.

Jehle, Geoffrey and Philip Reny, Advanced Microeconomic Theory, 3rd edition, Addison-Wesley, 2011.

Kreps, David, A Course in Microeconomic Theory, Princeton University Press, 1990.

Varian, Hal, Microeconomic Analysis, W. W. Norton and Company, 3rd edition, 1992.

Varian, Hal, Intermediate Microeconomics: A Modern Approach, 6th edition. Addison Wesley, 2003.

Macroeconomics

D. Bertsekas: Dynamic Programming and Optimal Control, Athena Scientific, 2005.

Blanchard, O. and S. Fisher: Lectures on Macroeconomics. MIT Press, 1989.

Ljungquist, Lars, and Thomas J. Sargent: Recursive Macroeconomic Theory. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2000.

George McCandles: The ABCs of RBCs: An Introduction to Dynamic Macroeconomic Models. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2008.

Stokey, Nancy L., Robert E. Lucas, Jr., and Edward C. Prescott: Recursive Methods in Economic Dynamics. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1989.

Statistics

Casella, G., and R.L.Berger (2002). Statistical Inference, Duxbury Press, Belmont, CA, 2nd edition.

Hogg, R.V., McKean J. and A. T. Craig (2012). Introduction to Mathematical Statistics, Prentice-Hall, 7th edition.

Mood, A.M., Graybill F.A. and D.C. Boes (1974) Introduction to the Theory of Statistics, Mcgraw Hill Higher Education, 3rd edition.

Graduates find employment in academia, as well as in the public and private sectors in the Czech Republic and abroad. These job positions include (but are not limited to) scientists and lecturers, government advisors and experts, economists at central banks, and senior economists of other financial institutions.