New York University is ranked fourth among world universities in financial economics: http://www.econphd.net/rank/rfinec.htm.

In the last few years there has been increasing in interest in Financial Economics among graduate students and faculty and we now regularly offer three courses in financial economics. These courses attract a significant number of students from the department, from the Stern School, and from other universities in New York City. The Department of Economics began offering Financial Economics as a field of specialization in the academic year 2002.

Financial Economics can be taken as a primary field, but it is also a natural secondary field for students specializing in Macroeconomics, International Economics, Economic Theory or Econometrics. Students who wish to take Financial Economics as a primary field are strongly advised to take additional courses offered by the Department of Finance in the Stern School. In any case, students intending to take Financial Economics as a primary field should meet with faculty NO LATER THAN the beginning of their second year to discuss their background, their proposed course of study, and their career plans.

A summary of the requirements for all economics fields can be found here

Field Committee

Requirements for Financial Economics Field

Students are required to take three courses, at least two of which must be chosen from (i) – (iii):

(i) Financial Economics I

(ii) Financial Economics II 

(iii) Empirical Asset Pricing  (Financial Economics III)

(iv) With the approval of the DGS, an appropriate finance course from the Stern School or Courant Institute may be substituted for one of the above courses.

At the end of the academic year students taking financial economics as their primary field must complete the field examination. Each student will be asked to identify an area of interest or a topic for future research and will put together a reading list with the help of the faculty. During the summer, the student will read the literature critically and with an eye to identifying research topics. An oral examination at the end of the summer will determine the student's readiness to begin research.

Students are expected to attend the Financial Economics Workshop (not for credit) beginning in their second year.

Attending seminars is a critical part of a graduate student's education. As soon practicable, students should start attending one or more of the seminars offered in the Department of Economics in FAS or by the Department of Finance in the Stern School.

The requirements are the same for students taking financial economics as a secondary field, except that there is NO field examination.

Important Notice for 2007-08 Academic Year

Courses offered in the Stern School

B40. 2331 Finance I (Asset Pricing A) 

B40. 2332 Finance II (Empirical Finance)

B40. 2333 Finance III (Corporate Finance) 

B40. 2334 Finance IV (Asset Pricing B) 

Link to Stern Finance PhD homepage

Link to Courant Institute Mathematics in Finance Program