This program prepares students for teaching at the college level and applied research in the public and private sectors. Students come from a variety of disciplines. Candidates without a strong economics background usually take four remedial courses in microeconomics theory and econometrics. The additional effort gives them breadth and additional skills not usually found in graduates from a doctoral program in an applied economics field. In cooperation with the Department of Economics, the program offers a sequence of econometrics courses that include spatial econometrics and time series analysis as advanced topics.

The Ph.D. program requires at least one year of residency, completion of a comprehensive examination in the core materials, written examinations in two fields of study, and a dissertation. Doctoral students work on faculty research projects and conduct their own research for their dissertation. The majority of students in the program receive financial support. The program offers a limited number of graduate research assistantships. Awards are based on academic merit.

Division of Resource Management
The Program in Natural Resource Economics is part of the Division of Resource Management, an interdisciplinary academic unit. Division faculty members combine expertise in agricultural and environmental education, agricultural, natural resource, and environmental economics, agribusiness, rural, regional, and international development, and land use policy. The Division of Resource Management offers MS degrees in Agricultural and Resource Economics, Agriculture and Environmental Education, and the PhD in Natural Resource Economics.

Admission
Applicants must possess a Master’s degree and hold a grade-point average of 3.5 or above in postgraduate courses. To be admitted an applicant must also submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination or a TOEFL score of 550 or better for students whose native language is not English. Three letters of recommendation are required, along with a letter of purpose describing research interests and professional aspirations.

Research
The doctoral program offers three fields of study: Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, Commodity Market Analysis Modeling and Forecasting, and Economic Development. After admission, the program coordinator will appoint a major professor to direct the student’s research. Doctoral students will conduct research in support of approved projects, and will work with the members of their committee to formulate a plan of study. Candidates must select two fields of study subject to approval by the major professor and Graduate Committee (a prior M.S. degree may count towards one field.

Core Courses
Doctoral students must satisfactorily complete a set of core cour4ses in economic theory, quantitative methods, and resource analysis before they will be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. All core courses will be at the 600-level or higher. Certain course requirements may be waived if the student has received equivalent training in prior coursework. Additional required coursework pertaining to the student’s area of specialization will be determined by the student’s major professor and Graduate Committee.

Degree Completion
For a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Economics the student must complete:

• A minimum of two years in residence
• Successful completion of qualifying exams and examinations in two fields of study
• A dissertation
• Successful oral defense of dissertation
• Presentation of research results at a meeting of a professional society and submission of material for publication is encouraged, although are not

For information contact:
Dr. Tim Phipps
http://www.cafcs.wvu.edu/resm/are/degrees.html
(304)293-4832 ext. 4474
u55be@wvnvm.wvnet.edu