Designated Emphasis in Political Economy

The Designated Emphasis (DE) in Political Economy gives PhD 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.

Students who are accepted into the program in 2024-25 and complete one core course by May 2025 will be eligible to receive a $1000 stipend in summer 2025 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 with deadlines November 1 and May 1. Continuing DE students will also be eligible to receive stipends for up to three years and to apply for the travel and research grants if they are on campus and active in DE programs. We expect to have ample funding for the stipends, the travel grants, and the research grants, but we may revise funding levels in future years as the program grows.

Visit this page to see a list of students in the Designated Emphasis in Political Economy PhD program.

Note: Only UC Berkeley PhD 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.

Are you an undergraduate interested in learning about the the Political Economy Major? Learn more.

Additional Resources