Northwestern University

The PhD program in Managerial Economics & Strategy (MECS), a program offered jointly by the Departments of Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences (MEDS) and Strategy, emphasizes the use of rigorous theoretical and empirical models to solve problems in both theoretical and applied economics.  A distinctive feature of the program is its focus on rigorous methods and insights drawn from microeconomics.  The program should appeal to students who wish to investigate economic questions in scenarios where the actions of individual decision makers (such as individual people, firms, or countries) play a key role in determining outcomes.  The program is appropriate for students with an aptitude for analytical thinking, mathematical modeling, and formal analysis.
 

The MECS program produces research scholars who obtain academic positions at top economics departments and business schools throughout the world.  This objective is achieved by restricting class sizes (averaging 5-6 students entering per year), accelerating students’ exposure to the development of research ideas, and by providing access to courses taught in the MEDS and Strategy Departments along with Northwestern’s Economics Department.