Brandeis International Business School

My experience in the PhD in International Economics and Finance program

It’s a diverse, welcoming community of scholars with a wide range of interests and expertise

Candidates for the PhD in International Economics and Finance at Brandeis International Business School come from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Both my peers at Brandeis and those in earlier PhD cohorts have different skills, interests, nationalities and cultural backgrounds. This creates an environment where someone always knows a pertinent expert who may be willing to help you, no matter your specific area of research or where you call home.

This especially benefits PhD candidates during their first-year coursework, since each PhD class is challenging in different ways. As you move through the program, you will also have no shortage of great discussions with more senior peers. These classmates are always willing to offer high-quality feedback on your research ideas.

Like the PhD candidates themselves, the professors at the International Business School are also highly diverse. The renowned faculty and the interdisciplinary nature of the program played a pivotal role in attracted me to the program.

The support, encouragement, guidance and trust I have received from the faculty has made my experience at Brandeis very enjoyable and productive. I’m so grateful to be exposed to an extremely wide range of ideas, through discussions both inside and outside of the classroom. This has contributed to my growth both personally and professionally in ways I never anticipated. There are also many unique opportunities for networking and one-on-one discussions through seminars with both internal and external speakers.

The PhD program’s relatively small cohort size is also very advantageous, since each candidate receives a great deal of personalized attention from the faculty. This promotes cooperation rather than competition, yielding an extremely friendly and welcoming environment. The faculty at the International Business School are highly invested in our success, regardless of where our ambitions may lead us. 

Student Insights features blog posts and videos produced by current students and recent graduates of Brandeis International Business School. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author.

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