Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)

What you'll study

The programme emphasises core doctoral training in microeconomic and macroeconomic theory, advanced econometrics, and specialised coursework in environmental and resource economics. Typical study modules include:

• Advanced Microeconomic Theory: consumer and producer theory, general equilibrium, game theory as applied to environmental problems.
• Advanced Econometrics: time series, panel data, causal inference methods and programme evaluation techniques used in policy analysis.
• Environmental and Resource Economics: valuation of non-market goods, benefit–cost analysis, renewable and non-renewable resource modelling.
• Energy and Climate Policy: economics of energy markets, emissions trading, carbon pricing and regulatory design.
• Applied Topics and Seminars: land-use change, ecosystem services, environmental justice, and sectoral studies (agriculture, forestry, fisheries).
• Research Methods and Data Analysis: spatial econometrics, GIS applications for environmental data, large-scale data handling and reproducible research practices.
• Teaching and Professional Development: pedagogy for teaching economics, communication of research to policy audiences, grant writing and publication strategies.

Students are expected to complete comprehensive examinations and produce an original doctoral dissertation that contributes to environmental economics and policy. The programme combines coursework, seminars, collaborative projects and independent research supervised by faculty advisers.

Entry requirements

Applicants should normally hold a relevant postgraduate degree (master’s in economics, environmental economics, agricultural & resource economics, applied economics or a closely related discipline) or a strong bachelor’s with substantial quantitative preparation. Typical requirements include:

• Academic record: demonstrated excellence in previous university work, particularly in economics, mathematics and statistics courses.
• Quantitative background: coursework in calculus, linear algebra, probability & statistics, and econometrics; programming experience (e.g. R, Stata, Python) is strongly recommended.
• Research potential: a statement of purpose outlining research interests in environmental economics and policy, and, where available, samples of prior research or publications.
• References: strong letters of recommendation from academic referees who can speak to research skills and quantitative ability.
• Additional materials: a CV and transcripts; some applicants may be invited for interview with potential faculty advisers.

Admission is competitive and based on the overall strength of the application. Where applicable, applicants whose preparation is strong but incomplete may be admitted with expectations to complete prerequisite coursework.

Career prospects

Graduates with a PhD focused on environmental economics and policy pursue a range of research and leadership roles, including:

• Academic positions in economics, environmental economics, agricultural economics and public policy departments.
• Research economist or policy analyst roles in national and state government agencies dealing with environment, natural resources, energy and climate.
• Positions in international organisations and NGOs focused on environmental policy, conservation and sustainable development.
• Consulting roles in environmental and energy economics, regulatory analysis, natural resource management and impact evaluation.
• Research or data-science positions in think tanks, independent research institutes and industry groups addressing environmental risk, valuation and market design.

The programme prepares graduates to produce policy-relevant research, to teach at university level, and to engage with stakeholders across public, private and non-profit sectors.

Why study at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)

MTSU’s academic environment combines personalised doctoral mentorship with opportunities for applied, regionally relevant research. The Department of Economics and Finance within the Jennings A. Jones College of Business supports interdisciplinary collaboration across fields such as political science, geography and agribusiness, which is valuable for environmental policy research.

Students benefit from close faculty supervision, access to applied research projects with local and state agencies, and the opportunity to work with datasets relevant to Tennessee and the broader Southeastern US — including agricultural, land-use and energy data. Murfreesboro’s proximity to state government institutions and diverse ecosystems provides practical contexts for fieldwork and policy engagement. The university’s emphasis on professional development helps prepare graduates for academic publishing, grant applications and public-facing policy work.