Program for Time Series with Applications in Financial Economics (PTSAFE)

PTSAFE is a program for Ph.D. students who wish to specialize in the field of Financial Economics.  Students enrolled in the program are provided with a strong background in the fields of econometrics, financial economics, and related areas of monetary and macroeconomics, in order to build a strong foundation on which to do research in these areas.  In addition, students receive an effective education in quantitative econometric skills and work closely with faculty members as they perform research in the areas of financial economics and empirical macroeconomics.

Requirements

A.                Ph.D. students at TAMU economics may formally enter the program after they successfully finish their second year, and the admittance will be granted for each student by the co-directors of the program.

B.                Participating students are expected to finish their first paper (by themselves, or coauthored with faculty members) by the end of their second year.  This paper should be in the fields of financial economics or empirical macroeconomics. 

C.                Students must show evidence of a good research progress in their third year and forward, to continue in the program.  Evidence of good research progress will be determined case by case, but generally requires completion of additional papers and strong evidence of continued research progress.

D.                 Ideally students would complete one paper by the end of their second year, another by the end of their third year, and a final paper by the end of their fourth year. 

E.                  Students in the program are required to actively participate in the program research meetings and seminars.

Suggested Courses

Second Year

Fall Semester:  Minimum of two courses chosen from Time Series Econometrics, Financial Economics, Financial Econometrics, or Monetary Economics.

Spring Semester: Second course in the Financial Economics sequence; students may also complete field sequences in econometrics or monetary economics at this time.

·        Students should complete coursework satisfying the Department’s field requirements for Financial Economics.  Other recommended fields include Econometrics and Monetary Economics.  Students are encouraged to consider taking additional mathematics courses as required for their research.

·        Students may complete the three-field requirement in the third year if necessary.

Benefits for Participating Students

A.         Cash prize for best research paper.

B.         Summer stipends

C.         Opportunities to work on research projects with faculty and other students working in this area.

D.         Opportunities to present papers in the departmental seminars.

E.         Opportunities to attend conferences and present papers.

F.         Opportunities for research visits to other universities and research institutes.