The graduate program is geared towards providing rigorous technical education and intense research experience, so that our students can fully acquire an academic background which is a pre-requisite to a solid education, be it one of a future researcher or in the labor market.

On average, it takes two years and three months to complete the Master’s Program. The course covers all the main aspects of macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics. In addition to this, the course provides students with the opportunity to get involved with subjects that interest them, and also fosters the opportunity for our students to begin academic research. 

The table below summarizes the framework of the Master’s Program 

In January and February of the first year of the Master’s Program, students take leveling courses in Mathematics and Statistics that cover the basics to enable them to understand course material that will be taught further on in the course. During the first and second semesters of the first year, students are exposed to the most up-to-date theories in Econometrics, Macroeconomics and Microeconomics, which today constitute the basis of research in Economics. In the second semester of the first year, they also begin to choose their elective modules. In the second year of the Master’s Program, students finish their course related work, and begin to focus on their thesis. As part of this process, during the summer of their second year, they write a short article exploring potential research topics. They begin to effectively work on their dissertation in the first semester, and in the second semester, they present preliminary results at weekly Departmental workshops. The Master’s Program thesis defense normally takes place in March of the third year.

From the second semester of the first year onwards, the elective modules offered are Macroeconomics II, Econometrics II and all of the subject fields offered by the Department. The fields which have recurrently been offered include: Economic Development, Econometrics, Public Sector Economics, Labor Economics, Finance, Economic History, Macroeconomics, Industrial Organization and Economic Theory. Usually, two courses are offered on an annual basis in each one of these areas.

The Department of Economics at PUC-Rio enables students from the Master’s Program to transition directly to a PhD Program. Subject to a satisfactory academic record, and the Departments’ own criteria, these transitions may occur without defending the Master’s thesis, at the end of the second or third year of the Program.

On average it takes four years and three months to complete the PhD Program. The course covers all the central aspects of Macro and Microeconomic theory and also Econometrics theory and practice. In addition to this, students study two PhD fields that focus on active research areas of the Department which are typically associated to dissertation topics chosen by the students. The structure and quality level of the PhD Program are equivalent to high-level programs offered abroad.

The table below summarizes the framework of the PhD Program
Year

 
In January and February of the first year of the PhD Program, the students take leveling courses in Mathematics and Statistics that cover the basics to enable them to understand course material that will be taught further on in the course. During the first and second semesters of the first year, students are exposed to the most up-to-date theories in Econometrics, Macroeconomics and Microeconomics, which today constitute the basis of research in Economics (compulsory courses). In the second year of their PhD Program, students take a class in Economic History and classes related to their principal and secondary fields (two courses for each field). In addition to this, at the end of the first year, PhD students take qualification exams in Macroeconomics and Microeconomics, and at the end of the second year, they take the field examination related to their main field of study.

As of the third year of the PhD Program, it is expected that students be able to commit exclusively to their dissertation. As part of this process, in the third and fourth years of the program, students present preliminary results of their work at weekly Departmental workshops. PhD dissertation defense normally takes place in March of the fifth year.

Concentration fields recurrently offered by the graduate program in recent years have been as follows: Economic Development, Econometrics, Economics of the Public Sector, Labor Economics, Finance, Economic History, Macroeconomics, Industrial Organization and Economics Theory. The main field should be comprised of two courses in one of these areas. The secondary field on the other hand, may be comprised of two courses in correlated areas.

For students who excel during their PhD Program, there is the possibility of doing a “Sandwich PhD Program” (PhD Program with an Internship Abroad), where the student spends one year of his/her course at a university abroad, developing research in collaboration with international researchers. In the past years, PhD students from the Department of Economics at PUC-Rio have spent their internships abroad at institutions such as Columbia University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and University of Chicago.

Economics students from PUC-Rio are recognized by Brazilian academia, and both private and public sectors as highly qualified professional individuals. They are highly employable, and it is very common for entire graduate classes to receive job offers even before they have completed their course (or acceptance offers for PhD Programs in the case of Master’s students).

A substantial number of Master’s students continue their studies, following on to do a PhD abroad or at PUC-Rio. Between 2017 and 2021, the University sent an average of seven students per year to pursue PhD Programs abroad in institutions such as: Columbia University, Harvard University, London School of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, Northwestern University, Princeton University, Stanford University, Tinbergen Institute, University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Maryland, University of Michigan and Yale University. Almost all of them were awarded fellowships by the foreign universities based upon academic merit. In addition to this, between 2 and 3 Master’s Program students join the PhD Program at PUC-Rio every year.

Click here to view the list of Master’s Program students accepted for PhD Programs abroad.

For students who seek to enter the job market immediately after completing their Master’s Program, the Department of Economics at PUC-Rio provides access to consultancy firms, the financial market, research centers, and public services. Former Master’s Program students are highly employable and have not encountered issues in seeking good placements in these markets.

In the case of PhD students, almost all of them join one of the following three sectors:

i) Universities and research centers, including public and private universities, private research centers, the World Bank and others;
ii) Public service, almost exclusively the Central Bank, the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), and the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA);
iii) Private sector (almost exclusively the financial market).

For the past few years, the Department has offered full scholarships to all students, for the duration of the conventional period of the course, financed by CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development), and CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Personal Higher Education) and FAPERJ (Rio de Janeiro Research Support Foundation).

Through partnerships with a few private institutions, scholarships and financial assistance are awarded to selected students during the course.

Vinci Program
Partial scholarship awarded to students selected from the Master’s Program.

BOCOM BBM Incentive Awards
Awards granted for publications and financial assistance provided to students from the program to participate in national and international seminars.

» Coordinator

Prof. Leonardo Rezende

coor@econ.puc-rio.br

» Assistant

Bianca Belotti

bianca@econ.puc-rio.br

To be admitted to the Master’s Program in Economics at PUC-Rio, candidates must take the National Economics Exam, organized by ANPEC (National Association of Graduate Centers in Economics).

Information can be obtained at Edital de Convocação on the following site ANPEC.

To be admitted to the PhD Program in Economics at PUC-Rio, candidates must submit their CV, research project and letters of recommendation. Information can be obtained at Edital de Convocação.

Registration must be done via the site.

For answers to different questions, view our FAQ.