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Reforming economics graduate education
A loyal reader asked me how I would improve economics graduate education. I suggest the following ideas, only some of which are obviously unworkable:
1. Make everyone take a real class in history of economic thought and also in economic history. These are vanishing as prerequisites.
2. Make all U.S.-born students spend a month in a rural third world village, preferably one without a shower.
3. Make all third world-born students take two full classes of education in the Western tradition, most of all The Enlightenment. Make them read Adam Smith, The Federalist Papers, and if possible convert them into Freemasons.
4. Make sure everyone could pass a Chicago school-style oral exam from Aaron Director or a Turing-equivalent. It is amazing how many current Ph.d. candidates have not learned basic price theory.
My recipe for George Mason, my own school, is different. Most of the graduate students simply need to work harder.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on June 9, 2005 at 06:25 AM in Education | Permalink
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Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Reforming economics graduate education:
» Live in a third world village without a shower from Half Sigma
Tyler Cowen has the following recommendation for reforming economics graduate education: Make all U.S.-born students spend a month in a rural third world village, preferably one without a shower. This would sure help the average American better apprec... [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 9, 2005 11:31:22 PM
» Reforming Economics Education from Domo Econ
MR’s advice to grad students is: “My recipe for George Mason, my own school, is different. Most of the graduate students simply need to work harder.”
How much harder I say? Readings, readings, readings. Coding, coding, coding. I me... [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 10, 2005 3:03:24 AM
» Peculiar from Isaac Schrödinger
That's the kind of advice Tyler Cowen offers for improving graduate education in economics. I think the fourth option is [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 10, 2005 3:15:17 PM
