Graduate Program

Graduate Program

The Designated Emphasis (DE) in Political Economy gives Ph.D. students at UC Berkeley the opportunity to strengthen their training in interdisciplinary political economy, to join a vibrant intellectual community that cuts across academic units on campus, and to earn an extra credential along with their doctoral degree. We believe that this program will have multiple benefits for faculty and graduate students and for the campus community more broadly, positioning Berkeley at the cutting edge of the study of interdisciplinary political economy, nationally and internationally.

Students who are accepted into the program in 2022-23 and complete one core course by May 2023 will be eligible to receive a $1000 stipend in summer 2023 so long as they are on campus and participate actively in DE programs. They will also be eligible to apply for small conference travel grants (application here) on a rolling basis and to apply for small research grants in May 2023. Continuing DE students will also be eligible to apply for the travel and research grants. We expect to have ample funding for the stipends, the travel grants, and the research grants, but in the unlikely event that demand exceeds the available funds we will approve funding on a first-come, first-served basis.

Note: Only UC Berkeley Ph.D. students who have not yet taken their Qualifying Exam are eligible to apply for the Designated Emphasis. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Apply for the Designated Emphasis in Political Economy here.

Political Economy Major Map

How to Declare a Major

The Berkeley Economy & Society Initiative (BESI)