Volkswirtschaftliches Institut

PhD Program

The Department of Economics runs a small but high-quality PhD program. PhD students can attend first-year courses at the Study Center Gerzensee, together with PhD students from other Swiss universities.

Many of our previous PhD students have spent one or two semester of their graduate studies abroad, at universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Brown University, etc.

The Department of Economics has an excellent track record of placing graduates in research-oriented positions in government agencies and the private sector. Graduates that seek to pursue an academic career often get very good placements as well. List of Recent Placements.

Structure

During the coursework stage, doctoral students shall attend courses in the amount of at least 24 ECTS. The students must successfully complete a sequence of first-year PhD courses offered by the Swiss Program for Beginning Doctoral Students in Economics at Gerzensee or by another program recognized as equivalent by the PhD program committee.

In addition, the students are required to obtain at least 6 ECTS from advanced PhD courses offered by the department of economics. Each year, the department offers at least one advanced PhD course in each of thefollowing areas of research: macroeconomics, microeconomics and quantitative methods.

Doctoral Thesis

The doctoral thesis is evaluated and graded by the dissertation committee, which consists of the main advisor and at least a second reviewer who is not a member of the department.

The PhD program at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences leads, after successful completion, to the title Doctor rerum oeconomicarum, Dr. rer. oec.

Further information on the struture of the PhD program and the doctoral thesis can be found in the  Guidelines for PhD Students.

Admission requirements

The admission requirements are given by the Reglement über das Doktoratsstudium (german only).

  • The applicant must find a main advisor in the Department of Economics who is willing to supervise her/his dissertation.
  • The applicant must have obtained a Master's degree in Economics (or a similar degree) from a recognized university. Furthermore, a minimum overall grade of the Master's degree must have been achieved. For applicants with a Master's degree from the University of Bern the minimum grade is 4.75. Students with a Master's degree in another field can be admitted if they have completed at least 60 ECTS in Economics, or if they complete the missing credits from the Master program in Economics. In the latter case, the PhD program committee decides on the coursework that needs to be completed.

     

PhD Macro-Finance:

Overview

The PhD Program in Macro-finance at the University of Bern equips students to analyze and address the intricate feedback between financial markets and the real economy. Participants engage in high-quality research at the frontier of the field with the goal of making meaningful contributions to both academic research and policy formulation. Graduates are prepared for roles in academia, research institutions, and policy-making bodies, equipped to contribute valuable insights into macroeconomic and financial stability. The program also supports students in enhancing the quality of their dissertations and positioning themselves competitively for placement in academia and policy institutions.

 

Program

The PhD Programme spans four years, with a carefully structured curriculum designed to provide comprehensive training in both theoretical and empirical Macro-Finance.                 Key components of the program include:

  • Core Courses

           Ph.D Workshop in Macro-Finance I and II (Prof. Benigno)
           These courses cover advanced macro-finance topics, focusing on the intersection of            financial markets and macroeconomics including financial frictions, monetary                        economics, asset pricing, and the effects of monetary policy on financial stability.

           Ph.D Workshop in Macroeconomics I and II (Prof. Niepelt)
           The workshops are designed for Ph.D. students in macroeconomics and finance,                    providing a platform to exchange ideas, discuss recent real-world developments                  and modelling approaches, and present early-stage research for constructive                          feedback.

  • External Lecturers

           Renowned international scholars deliver intensive courses, giving students access to            the latest research in the field. Each external lecturer course spans five days,                            totaling 30 hours per week, and offers a concentrated deep dive into specialized                  topics.

Application Requirements

Ph.D. students at the University of Bern can enrol in the  Ph.D. Programme in Macro-Finance and must meet the following requirements:

  1. Research Proposal: A detailed proposal outlining the candidate's research interests in macroeconomics and/or finance.
  2. Educational Background: Admission to the Swiss Program for Beginning Doctoral Students at the Study Center Gerzensee or a similar background, supported by a recommendation from the PhD supervisor.
  3. Application Deadlines: Applications are accepted twice per year, with deadlines in May and November.

Upon submission, the Program Director will oversee the selection process, ensuring that the highest-quality candidates are admitted.

Steering Committee

The PhD Programme in Macro-finance is overseen by a dedicated Steering Committee composed of the following members:

  • Prof. Dr. Pierpaolo Benigno – Department of Economics, University of Bern
  • Prof. Dr. Julien Cujean – Institute for Financial Management, University of Bern
  • Prof. Dr. Anastasia Burya – Department of Economics, University of Bern
  • Gianluca Benigno – Department of Economics, University of Lausanne
  • Samuel Jaeger – Institute for Financial Management, University of Bern

The Steering Committee ensures that the program is aligned with current research trends and maintains high academic standards. It meets biannually to assess the program’s progress, review student performance, and approve course offerings.