vanderbilt phd in law and economics

• Undergraduate
• Student information
• Econ info for students
• Education Opportunities

J.D./Ph.D. Program in Law and Economics at Vanderbilt

As a junior or senior undergraduate student who may be considering applying to graduate and/or professional school, we want you to know about a unique opportunity at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt Law School’s  Ph.D. Program in Law and Economics  is a dual-degree program in which students pursue a J.D. and a Ph.D. concurrently in a fully-integrated curriculum combining economic theory and methodology with the study of law. The program is designed so that students complete both degrees in just  six years .

Admitted students receive full tuition funding for both degrees and a competitive stipend package.

Program faculty guide students through an innovative law and economics curriculum where students pursue policy-relevant research within a wide range of fields, such as behavioral law and economics, labor markets and human resources, and risk and environmental regulation.

Program graduates have obtained prestigious judicial clerkships, faculty positions in law schools and economics departments, and jobs in government, consulting, and legal practice.

The Ph.D. Program is currently accepting applications for Fall 2022.

If you have not taken the LSAT, you may be eligible to apply with GRE scores only. Visit the Ph.D. Program  Prospective Students  page to learn more about our application process. Applications received by January 15, 2022 will receive priority consideration.

If you have questions, please contact the Ph.D. Program in Law and Economics at: (615) 343-6835 [email protected]

1022 International Affairs Building (IAB)

Mail Code 3308

420 West 118th Street

New York, NY 10027

Vanderbilt Law

Small school, big impact.

Collaborative

Learn in a collegial & friendly environment

Customizable

Tailor your education to your interests

Career-Focused

Secure top-tier legal employment across the nation

We are a collaborative and engaged community, offering a rigorous, highly personalized legal education and nationwide career placement. Vanderbilt Law combines the advantages of a stimulating university community, 
top-tier faculty, a small, carefully selected student body, and a vibrant, livable city.

Best quality of life, Princeton Review (2023)

Ranking of the Top 50 law schools based on employment outcomes, cost, and student debt, Above the Law (2024)

Ranking of Law Faculties by Academic Influence (2023)

Academic Programs

Branstetter litigation and dispute resolution program, criminal justice program, energy, environment, and land use program, george barrett social justice program, intellectual property program, international legal studies program, law & business certificate program, program in law & government, program on law & innovation, weaver program in law, brain sciences, and behavior.

• View All Academic Programs

Public Interest

We are committed to cultivating a culture of public service and facilitating opportunities for students in the public interest through clinics, practicums, externships, and student-led pro bono projects. 

Experiential Learning

Eight dynamic legal clinics, enriching experiential learning programs, externships, and scholarly student-run publications create an immersive learning environment where theory meets practice.

J.D. Program

Our J.D. program combines a thorough grounding in the law, practical skills development, substantive experiential learning opportunities, and a highly customizable curriculum. Develop knowledge and expertise in specialty areas of legal practice, and earn a Law and Business Certificate or J.D./MS Finance dual degree in three years. Our J.D. graduates enjoy national geographic mobility, supported by the school’s longstanding relationship with legal employers coast to coast.

LL.M. Program

Our one-year Master of Laws (LL.M.) program admits a select group of attorneys who come to Vanderbilt Law from around the globe to learn the fundamentals of the American legal system and study alongside J.D. students. Our expansive curriculum allows you to choose courses each semester that advance your career goals. LL.M. students may earn a Law and Business Certificate, focus on intellectual property, international, environmental or criminal law, or gain exposure to many other areas of legal practice.

Ph.D. Program

Our 6-year Ph.D. program in Law and Economics is unlike any other. Dual-degree students pursue a law degree and a Ph.D. concurrently in a fully-integrated curriculum where students conduct policy-relevant research within a wide variety of fields. Graduates have obtained prestigious judicial clerkships, faculty positions in law schools and economics departments, and jobs in government, consulting, and legal practice.

Our online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program provides non-lawyers with a deeper understanding of American law and legal systems. Students expand their professional skillsets and learn legal fundamentals from the same world-class faculty of scholars and educators who teach our J.D. students. Created from the ground up by our top-ranked law school faculty, the MLS curriculum emphasizes both foundational legal principles and insights into areas of law that are most relevant to working professionals.

The Student Perspective

Students talk about why they chose to attend Vanderbilt Law and discuss their law school experience here.

Recent News

The administrative conference of the united states appoints kevin stack as a senior fellow.

Administrative law expert Stack joins group of renowned experts working to improve the administrative process

While Marijuana Will Soon be Rescheduled, the Federal Government’s Drug Scheduling System Remains Tyrannical

Lisa bressman promoted to vice dean of vanderbilt law school, stanton foundation first amendment clinic introduces clinical legal fellow, how do corporations assess and report their physical risks from climate change.

Vanderbilt plans groundbreaking Ph.D. in law and economics; Brings in Harvard professors Viscusi and Hersch to lead the program

Media inquiries.

• 615-322-6397 Email

Latest Stories

• VALIANT collaborates on research using machine learning, AI to better identify brain injuries
• Vanderbilt students accompany Retired General Paul Nakasone to attend renowned ‘hackers’ conference in Las Vegas
• Michelle Young: Modeling ethical practices in Peruvian archaeology

Share this Story

Jan 24, 2006, 1:25 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – W. Kip Viscusi and Joni Hersch , law and economics scholars at Harvard Law School , will join the Vanderbilt University faculty later this year as the law school launches the first program of its kind – a Ph.D. in law and economics.

By successfully recruiting two of the nation’s premier scholars in law and applied economics, Vanderbilt Law School has embarked on the next generation of law and economics education: a combination of professional and academic degrees that will train scholars not only for academic positions, but also for legal practice, policy-making and public interest work. “Kip and Joni do foundational work in law, economics and social science,” said Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Nicholas S. Zeppos . “These are two spectacular appointments for the law school and whole university. They will also be wonderful university colleagues and citizens.”

“I am honored to have Kip Viscusi and Joni Hersch join our faculty,” said Vanderbilt Law School Dean Edward Rubin. “Both have had distinguished careers as leaders in the application of economics to law.

“They join us not only as individual scholars but also to create a truly innovative program that will combine two degrees within a single institution and represents the next stage in interdisciplinary education for American law schools,” Rubin said.

Viscusi is the John F. Cogan Jr. Professor of Law and Economics and director of the Program on Empirical Legal Studies at Harvard Law School, where he has taught since 1996.

Pending Board of Trust approval next month, Viscusi will become University Distinguished Professor of Law and Economics, with primary appointments in law, business and economics. He is one of only five people at Vanderbilt with the University Professor designation, and the only University Distinguished Professor.

A University Professor is a faculty member whose work extends beyond traditional academic fields and disciplinary lines and who brings together diverse segments of the university in both research and teaching. A University Professor holds tenured, primary appointments in at least two schools of the university and has full-status appointments in each, participating in the teaching, research and service missions of each school.

Viscusi earned his undergraduate degree in economics, master’s degrees in economics and public policy and doctorate in economics, all from Harvard. He is the award-winning author of more than 20 books and 250 articles, most of which are concerned with different aspects of health and safety risk. His research focuses on individual and societal responses to risk and uncertainty, and he is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading authorities on cost-benefit analysis.

Viscusi’s estimates of the value of risks to life and health have become the standard used throughout the federal government. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget , the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration , the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Justice on issues pertaining to the valuation of life and health. He was deputy director of the Council of Wage and Price Stability in the Carter administration. He served on the Science Advisory Board of the EPA for seven years and currently serves on the agency’s Homeland Security Committee.

Viscusi is the founding editor of the Journal of Risk and Uncertainty and has served on the editorial boards of a dozen other journals. He is co-author of Economics of Regulation and Antitrust and wrote Smoke-Filled Rooms: A Postmortem on the Tobacco Deal.

“Kip has been a pioneer in the application of cost-benefit analysis to the administrative state. This has become the dominant form of regulatory analysis by the country’s executive branch,” Rubin said. “In a field that is often distinguished by overheated ideology, he has distinguished himself as a balanced and objective analyst whose work commands respect from all sides of the political spectrum,” he added.

Hersch is adjunct professor of law at Harvard Law School , where she has taught since 1999. Prior to that, she was professor of economics at the University of Wyoming . She has published numerous articles on the gender differences in labor market outcomes, the economics of home production, job risks and product safety. Her recent research examines gender differences in the labor market for lawyers, smoking regulations, health disparities, judge and jury behavior and breast implant litigation.

Hersch is co-editor of Emerging Labor Market Institutions for the Twenty-First Century. In a field long dominated by men, she is renowned as one of the top female economists in the world.

Pending Board of Trust approval next month, Hersch will have a tenured appointment at the law school and secondary appointments at the Owen Graduate School of Management and in the economics department in the College of Arts and Science .

“Joni brings to the law school not only a distinguished academic career in economics, but also a path-breaking ability to teach empirical methods to lawyers and a focus on feminist issues that will greatly benefit our students,” Rubin said. “Although top law schools typically have faculty with economics degrees, they do not offer the sophisticated approach to law and economics that Vanderbilt will as it bridges between law, economics and business.”

While details of the curriculum will be finalized after Viscusi and Hersch arrive at Vanderbilt, it is expected that courses in the program will be open to students in law, economics and business and taught primarily by law school, economics department and Owen School faculty. The degree will be administered by the Graduate School . Rubin said he also anticipates there will be post-doctoral fellows associated with the program.

Viscusi and Hersch expressed excitement over starting a unique program at Vanderbilt. “The law and economics movement is the most important innovation in legal scholarship in the past half century,” they said. “ Vanderbilt Law School will be launching the first J.D./Ph.D. program in the country focusing on law and economics. We are delighted to be an integral part of this exciting new venture along with our new colleagues in the law school, economics department and business school, and we are confident that the program will be a success given the strong support we have received from Chancellor Gee, Provost Zeppos and Dean Rubin, who are true academic visionaries.”

“This unique Ph.D. in law and economics addresses the growing need to explore the areas where law and applied economics intersect, and it represents a major commitment on the part of Vanderbilt to build an interdisciplinary faculty,” Rubin said. “It’s exciting to do what no other law school has done, and to take the lead in what we believe is the wave of the future in law and economics education.”

Viscusi and Hersch were recruited to Vanderbilt by a team including Chancellor Gordon Gee, Zeppos, Rubin, Owen School Dean James W. Bradford and College of Arts and Science Dean Richard C. McCarty.

Media contact: Susanne Hicks, (615) 322-NEWS [email protected]

Explore Story Topics

Vanderbilt Plans Groundbreaking Ph.D. in Law and Economics

Newswise — W. Kip Viscusi and Joni Hersch, law and economics scholars at Harvard Law School, will join the Vanderbilt University faculty later this year as the law school launches the first program of its kind " a Ph.D. in law and economics.

By successfully recruiting two of the nation's premier scholars in law and applied economics, Vanderbilt Law School has embarked on the next generation of law and economics education: a combination of professional and academic degrees that will train scholars not only for academic positions, but also for legal practice, policy-making and public interest work.

"Kip and Joni do foundational work in law, economics and social science," said Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Nicholas S. Zeppos. "These are two spectacular appointments for the law school and whole university. They will also be wonderful university colleagues and citizens."

"I am honored to have Kip Viscusi and Joni Hersch join our faculty," said Vanderbilt Law School Dean Edward Rubin. "Both have had distinguished careers as leaders in the application of economics to law.

"They join us not only as individual scholars but also to create a truly innovative program that will combine two degrees within a single institution and represents the next stage in interdisciplinary education for American law schools," Rubin said.Viscusi is the John F. Cogan Jr. Professor of Law and Economics and director of the Program on Empirical Legal Studies at Harvard Law School, where he has taught since 1996.

Pending Board of Trust approval next month, Viscusi will become University Distinguished Professor of Law and Economics, with primary appointments in law, business and economics. He is one of only five people at Vanderbilt with the University Professor designation, and the only University Distinguished Professor.

A University Professor is a faculty member whose work extends beyond traditional academic fields and disciplinary lines and who brings together diverse segments of the university in both research and teaching. A University Professor holds tenured, primary appointments in at least two schools of the university and has full-status appointments in each, participating in the teaching, research and service missions of each school.

Viscusi earned his undergraduate degree in economics, master's degrees in economics and public policy and doctorate in economics, all from Harvard. He is the award-winning author of more than 20 books and 250 articles, most of which are concerned with different aspects of health and safety risk. His research focuses on individual and societal responses to risk and uncertainty, and he is widely regarded as one of the world's leading authorities on cost-benefit analysis.

Viscusi's estimates of the value of risks to life and health have become the standard used throughout the federal government. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Justice on issues pertaining to the valuation of life and health. He was deputy director of the Council of Wage and Price Stability in the Carter administration. He served on the Science Advisory Board of the EPA for seven years and currently serves on the agency's Homeland Security Committee.

Viscusi is the founding editor of the Journal of Risk and Uncertainty and has served on the editorial boards of a dozen other journals. He is co-author of Economics of Regulation and Antitrust and wrote Smoke-Filled Rooms: A Postmortem on the Tobacco Deal.

"Kip has been a pioneer in the application of cost-benefit analysis to the administrative state. This has become the dominant form of regulatory analysis by the country's executive branch," Rubin said. "In a field that is often distinguished by overheated ideology, he has distinguished himself as a balanced and objective analyst whose work commands respect from all sides of the political spectrum," he added.

Hersch is adjunct professor of law at Harvard Law School, where she has taught since 1999. Prior to that, she was professor of economics at the University of Wyoming. She has published numerous articles on the gender differences in labor market outcomes, the economics of home production, job risks and product safety. Her recent research examines gender differences in the labor market for lawyers, smoking regulations, health disparities, judge and jury behavior and breast implant litigation.

Hersch is co-editor of Emerging Labor Market Institutions for the Twenty-First Century. In a field long dominated by men, she is renowned as one of the top female economists in the world.

Pending Board of Trust approval next month, Hersch will have a tenured appointment at the law school and secondary appointments at the Owen Graduate School of Management and in the economics department in the College of Arts and Science.

"Joni brings to the law school not only a distinguished academic career in economics, but also a path-breaking ability to teach empirical methods to lawyers and a focus on feminist issues that will greatly benefit our students," Rubin said. "Although top law schools typically have faculty with economics degrees, they do not offer the sophisticated approach to law and economics that Vanderbilt will as it bridges between law, economics and business."

While details of the curriculum will be finalized after Viscusi and Hersch arrive at Vanderbilt, it is expected that courses in the program will be open to students in law, economics and business and taught primarily by law school, economics department and Owen School faculty. The degree will be administered by the Graduate School. Rubin said he also anticipates there will be post-doctoral fellows associated with the program.

Viscusi and Hersch expressed excitement over starting a unique program at Vanderbilt. "The law and economics movement is the most important innovation in legal scholarship in the past half century," they said. "Vanderbilt Law School will be launching the first J.D./Ph.D. program in the country focusing on law and economics. We are delighted to be an integral part of this exciting new venture along with our new colleagues in the law school, economics department and business school, and we are confident that the program will be a success given the strong support we have received from Chancellor Gee, Provost Zeppos and Dean Rubin, who are true academic visionaries."

"This unique Ph.D. in law and economics addresses the growing need to explore the areas where law and applied economics intersect, and it represents a major commitment on the part of Vanderbilt to build an interdisciplinary faculty," Rubin said. "It's exciting to do what no other law school has done, and to take the lead in what we believe is the wave of the future in law and economics education."

Viscusi and Hersch were recruited to Vanderbilt by a team including Chancellor Gordon Gee, Zeppos, Rubin, Owen School Dean James W. Bradford and College of Arts and Science Dean Richard C. McCarty.

MEDIA CONTACT

Type of article.

• Experts keyboard_arrow_right Expert Pitch Expert Query Expert Directory
• Journalists
• About keyboard_arrow_right Member Services Accessibility Statement Newswise Live Invoice Lookup Services for Journalists Archived Wires Participating Institutions Media Subscribers Sample Effectiveness Reports Terms of Service Privacy Policy Our Staff Contact Newswise
• Blog FAQ Help

Vanderbilt Law School

The information on this page was provided by the law school.

Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs

The jd program.

A Balanced Approach

Among the nation’s leading law schools, Vanderbilt Law School stands out as a forward-thinking community of professionals committed to providing tomorrow’s lawyers with the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to tackle difficult problems locally, nationally, and globally in law, public service, business, government, or other areas where law and legal reasoning promote positive outcomes for individuals and society. Scholarship, professional development, and commitment to service for the greater good are integral components of a Vanderbilt legal education.

With about 155 students in each entering JD class, our smaller size allows greater access to an elite faculty in an unusually collegial and rigorous school culture. Drawn from across the nation and abroad, VLS students have remarkably varied backgrounds, experiences, and professional goals, while sharing a common commitment to challenge themselves and each other to excel.

With state-of-the-art facilities situated on a beautiful and vibrant university campus in a sophisticated and livable city, Vanderbilt offers a balanced approach to a productive and rewarding legal education.

Accessible Faculty, Collegial Culture

The central experience of a Vanderbilt legal education is working closely with our faculty of leading experts who approach teaching with the same careful preparation, skill, and enthusiasm they seek to foster in students embarking on professional careers. Lawyers must be team players in difficult circumstances, and Vanderbilt’s well-established active-learning culture promotes collegiality, collaboration, mutual support, and respect for others’ views as integral components of professional practice. Widely respected for their scholarly impact, professors draw on their cutting-edge scholarship to create engaging classroom courses connected to experiential learning opportunities that strengthen core and content legal expertise. Faculty members take an open-door approach, extending their availability to students well beyond class times.

An outstanding classroom curriculum reinforced by experiential and interdisciplinary approaches to advanced training in the second and third years are the hallmarks of a Vanderbilt legal education. Entering students begin their studies with Life of the Law, a course designed to distill the core ideas of legal education and provide tools and information that help beginning law students become productive and effective as quickly as possible. First-year sections of 55 to 60 students study torts, contracts, criminal law, civil procedure, property, and the regulatory state. Legal writing and a spring semester elective course round out the first-year curriculum.

Upper-level courses are nearly all elective, allowing each student to tailor a legal education to individual interests and professional goals. Broad curricular offerings and academic programs allow extensive flexibility to delve into one or more areas of compelling interest and to prepare for a career in any area of law:

• Law and Business
• Criminal Justice
• Energy, Environment, and Land Use
• Intellectual Property
• International Legal Studies
• Law and Government
• Law and Innovation
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Social Justice

Dual-degree Programs

Dual-degree programs make it possible to combine the JD with an MSF, MBA, MD, MDiv, MTS, MPP, MA, or PhD in conjunction with the university’s various graduate and professional schools. The JD/MS in Finance leads to both degrees in six semesters and provides unmatched training for graduating students entering transactional law practice.

Experience Counts: Connect Theory to Practice

Traditional course offerings connect to real-world practice through an array of structured experiential learning opportunities in which students learn both the theory and practice of law in context. Guided by law faculty and experienced practitioners, our students learn how the legal system works and how its participants interact by using their classroom training in both real-world and simulated practice settings including clinical courses, practicums, simulation courses, and externships for academic credit.

Students serve the public in real practice settings through the law school’s clinical offerings that include

• Civil Practice
• Community Enterprise (small business/nonprofits)
• Criminal Practice
• Geriatric Clinic Medical Legal Partnership Practicum
• Immigration Practice
• Intellectual Property and the Arts
• International Law Practice Lab

Public Interest Law

Vanderbilt is committed to cultivating a culture of public service and to facilitating opportunities for students to use their legal training in service of the greater good. The Assistant Dean for Public Interest provides comprehensive resources and support for students interested in pursuing public interest and public service opportunities during and after law school.

Each year, law students receive stipend awards for summer pro bono work serving as interns in judicial chambers, US Attorney offices, governmental agencies, NGOs, nonprofit legal aid organizations, and federal public defender offices. Other financial support for students pursuing public interest careers include Garrison social justice scholarships and public interest fellowships for second- and third-year students. Vanderbilt’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program provides financial support to graduates who choose low-paying public service jobs, VLS Public Service Pathways stipends support new lawyers pursuing public interest employment, and the Barrett Social Justice Fellowship enables VLS graduates to carry out one-year public interest projects under the supervision and sponsorship of a host organization.

International Study and Special Programs

Vanderbilt-in-Venice allows students to study abroad in the rich cultural center of Venice, Italy. Taught by Vanderbilt Law faculty, courses cover topics in international law with intensive classwork augmented by outside experiences; the four-week program concludes in mid-June. Students also can gain academic credit along with valuable international experience in nonprofits, government agencies, and other organizations abroad through our robust individualized externship program.

Vanderbilt’s PhD in Law and Economics trains scholars for academic positions, law practice, policy-making, and public interest work. The JD/PhD in Neuroscience is associated with the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Law and Neuroscience at Vanderbilt University, which addresses a focused set of problems in criminal justice. The law school also offers an LLM program for foreign-trained lawyers.

Law School Building and Library

The Law School facilities are among the best designed in the nation, featuring a central open courtyard with adjacent café, comfortable lounges, and abundant natural light. Situated on Vanderbilt University’s parklike campus that is designated a national arboretum, the building is designed for 21st century legal studies and research with wireless connectivity, state-of-the-art classrooms and a trial courtroom, and on-site and remote access to a host of electronic resources. The law library provides a variety of study spaces, including two reading rooms and nearly 200 carrels. The service-oriented library staff oversees a collection of over 605,000 volumes and more than 250 electronic databases, and all other Vanderbilt libraries, containing more than 3.3 million volumes, are also available to law students

Student Life

Student Life, Journals, and Law School Environs

A main reason that students choose Vanderbilt is the congenial, collaborative school culture. Spirited competition in an atmosphere of mutual respect creates a rare combination of intellectual vibrancy with a strong sense of community. The activities of more than 40 student organizations augment a busy schedule of visiting speakers, symposia, and conferences. Four student publications provide opportunities to strengthen legal research and writing skills— Vanderbilt Law Review ,  Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law ,  Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law , and  Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review  (in conjunction with the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, DC).

Vanderbilt is a world-class university with strong partnerships among its 10 schools, neighboring institutions, and the Nashville community. In the natural beauty of Tennessee, Vanderbilt’s hometown has emerged as a vibrant city that offers numerous professional opportunities, wide-ranging cultural and recreational options, and a great quality of life. Among the nation’s most livable cities, Nashville is the state capital with a metropolitan area population of 1.7 million, and Vanderbilt is ideally situated in this major center for legal activity, allowing students an array of opportunities to gain experience in law firms, state and federal courts, and government, public agencies, nonprofits, and corporations.

Career Placement and Bar Passage

Career Services: National Reach

Vanderbilt graduates consistently secure top-tier legal employment across the nation. With more than three-quarters of each graduating class taking employment out-of-state, Vanderbilt graduates enjoy remarkable geographic mobility supported by the school’s long-standing relationships with legal employers coast to coast and by its global alumni network that covers 50 states; Washington, DC; four US territories; and 37 nations.

Most popular employment destinations for the JD classes of 2016 through 2020:

• New York, 16%
• Tennessee, 16%
• Washington, DC, 9%
• Georgia, 7%
• California, 5%
• Florida, 4%
• Illinois, 3%
• The remaining 27% took employment across 34 other states and internationally
• About 10% of graduating students obtain federal judicial clerkships each year

Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers

Admission to Vanderbilt is competitive, and the selection process reflects our belief that the quality of the educational environment at the Law School benefits from considering a range of information about each prospective student that is far broader than GPA and LSAT score. We strongly encourage every applicant to interview with a Vanderbilt alum or admission officer. We review each file in its entirety for indicators of academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, interest in others’ welfare, perseverance, professionalism, and other characteristics of successful law students. We believe that talented students with a mix of backgrounds, perspectives, and goals promote a vibrant and beneficial educational environment and that full-file review in the admission process is central to that objective. We do not provide a two-factor applicant profile grid to describe a multifactor selection process in which we base decisions on experienced judgment applied to individual cases.

Admitted Applicant Profile

25-75% ugpa range at vanderbilt:.

3.65 to 3.96

25-75% LSAT Score Range at Vanderbilt:

Contact Information

Department of Economics

Ph.D. Placements

Your Success Story Is Waiting. Our graduates work in a variety of academic institutions, government, international organizations, and private sector firms.

Quicklink to 2022-23 Job Market Candidates

Alumni spotlight, ebehireme iyoha , phd ’21.

Harvard School of Business and the U.S. Fed (Boston)

Ebehi Iyoha’s research applies network theory to the study of firm-to-firm interactions within and across countries’ borders. In her dissertation, she explores how US publicly-listed companies are affected by the efficiency of their customers and suppliers.  Her research finds that central firms in the production network—such as General Motors, AT&T and Walmart—can have large impacts on the productivity of the US economy through their buyer-supplier relationships. Her work also assesses the influence of US multinationals on the performance of US domestic firms, and examines the impact of the US-China trade war on importer-exporter relationships in Latin America.

Upon graduation, Ebehi will spend a year as a Research Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. In 2022, she will join the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at Harvard Business School as an Assistant Professor where she will teach a section of a first-year MBA course, “The Entrepreneurial Manager.” 

Harold Chiang , PhD’20

Assistant Professor of Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

As an econometrician, Harold works on bridging the division between cutting-edge econometric theory and the frontiers of empirical economic research. The tools developed in Harold’s research can be applied to different empirical economic questions in education, labor economics, international trade, and industrial organization, among others.

Previous Placements

Class of 2024.

Luis Cavajal-Osorio

Inter-American Development Bank

Korea Insurance Research Institute

Sam Crowell

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Kaitlyn Elgart

Analysis Group

Yuan (Phil) Huang

Freddie Mac

Rowan Isaaks

California Legislative Analyst's Office

Tucker Smith

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

Assistant Professor at University of Rochester

Class of 2023

Lillian R. Gaeto Assistant Professor Wofford College

Jihye Heo Assistant Professor Oberlin College

Kayleigh J. McCrary Assistant Professor University of Richmond

Martin B. Schmitz Postdoctoral Research Associate Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy Chapman University

Colin Q. Sharpe Associate Cornerstone Research

Class of 2022

Patrick Flynn Associate Cornerstone Research

Cameron R. Friday Research Economist Integra FEC

Hanjo (Terry) Kim Financial Economist U.S. Department of the Treasury

Matthew T. Knowles Health Economics Senior Analyst Abt Associates

Oscar O'Flaherty Associate Data Scientist Carvana

Matthew Pesner Postdoctoral Fellow Population Studies Center University of Michigan

Craig Sylvera Research Economist Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Thu Tran Quantitative Analytics Senior Freddie Mac

Class of 2021

Matthew L. Chambers Research Economist U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis

Brandyn F. Churchill Assistant Professor Department of Resource Economics University of Massachusetts Amherst

Trang Hoang Economist Division of International Finance Federal Reserve Board

Nicholas Holtkamp Economist Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Ebehi Iyoha Assistant Professor Entrepreneurial Management Unit Harvard Business School

Kristine Koutout Research Director Golup Capital Social Impact Lab Stanford University 

Zeeshan Samad Research Consultant Finance, Competitiveness & Innovation Unit The World Bank 

Christopher Sichko Research Agricultural Economist Economic Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture

Bing Yang Tan Research Fellow Global Asia Institute National University of Singapore

Katherine G. Yewell Assistant Professor Department of Health Management and System Sciences University of Louisville

Jun Zhao Assistant Professor Department of Economics, Finance, and Legal Studies University of Alabama

Class of 2020

Caroline Abraham Visiting Assistant Professor Department of Economics Union College  

Tam Bui Data Scientist Happy Elements

Harold D. Chiang Assistant Professor of Economics Department of Economics University of Wisconsin-Madison

Frank Ciarliero Assistant Professor of Economics Department of Economics Texas Tech University 

Mathew Knudson Transfer Pricing Economist, US Tax Pricewaterhouse Coopers

Nicolas A. Mäder Assistant Professor of Economics Department of Economics, Business School University of San Diego

Daniel Mangrum Research Economist, Research and Statistics Group Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Class of 2019

Samuel T. Eppink Prevention Effectiveness Postdoctoral Fellow Centers for Disease Control

Gracie (Hui) Hao Data Scientist The Vanguard Group

Paul S. Niekamp Assistant Professor of Economics Ball State University

Francis R. Ratsimbazafy Data Scientist, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Class of 2018

Hayri Alper Arslan Postdoctoral Researcher Department of Economics Queen’s University

Jason A. Campbell Assistant Professor Department of Economics, Business School University of San Diego

Dong (Carl) Cheng Visiting Assistant Professor Department of Economics Union College

Salama S. Freed Postdoctoral Researcher Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics University of Pennsylvania

James M. Harrison Assistant Professor Department of Economics United States Naval Academy

Emily C. Lawler Assistant Professor Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs University of Georgia

Benjamin C. Ward Lecturer Department of Economics, Terry College of Business University of Georgia

Jonah Yuen Visiting Assistant Professor Department of Economics Hamilton College

Ying (Martin) Zheng Assistant Professor Department of Economics Renmin University of China

Class of 2017

Matthew D. French Economist Amazon

Aaron M. Gamino Assistant Professor Department of Economics Middle Tennessee State University

Martin Van der Linden Visiting Assistant Professor Department of Economics and Finance Utah State University

Class of 2016

Siraj G. Bawa Economist, Economic Research Service United States Department of Agriculture

Brantly M. Callaway Assistant Professor of Economics Temple University

Christopher Cotter Assistant Professor of Economics Oberlin College

Difei Geng Assistant Professor of Economics University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Carlos Manzanares Economist Amazon

Michael Q. Moody Visiting Professor of Economics Miami University of Ohio

D. Sebastian Tello-Trillo Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Economics, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy University of Virginia

Li Zhao Assistant Professor of Economics Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Class of 2015

Craig Benedict Assistant Professor of Economics State University of New York, Oswego

Kate Fritzdixon Financial Economist Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Yuanzhi Gao Core Modeling Associate J. P. Morgan Chase & Company

Zhongzhong Hu Assistant Professor of Economics University of International Business and Economics

Michael Mathes Assistant Professor of Economics Providence College

Nam Tuan Vu Assistant Professor of Economics Miami University

Your Vanderbilt

• Current Students
• Faculty & Staff
• International Students
• Parents & Family
• Prospective Students
• Researchers
• Sports Fans
• Visitors & Neighbors

Quick Links

• PeopleFinder

Get the Reddit app

Unofficial discord: https://discord.gg/4qEc2yp

JD/PhD Q&A

Hi all, I just went through the admissions gauntlet and will be starting a JD/PhD in econ/business aiming at placing in law academia. As part of the admissions process I went very deep into the online resources about JD/PhDs vs PhDs and feel like I have a good grasp of the admissions, programs, and placements process. If anyone is interested in this, happy to answer questions and provide links.

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

Vanderbilt University Fully funded JD-PhD in Law and Economics 

Vanderbilt university.

Vanderbilt University based in Nashville, Tennessee offers a fully funded JD-PhD in Law and Economics. Dual-degree students pursue a law degree and a Ph.D. concurrently in a fully-integrated curriculum combining economic theory and methodology with the study of law. The program is designed so that students complete both degrees in just six years. The Ph.D. Program in Law and Economics is unique.  Law and economics students are fully funded by a competitive package of fellowship support covering both tuition and stipend.

• Deadline: Jan 15, 2025 (Confirmed)*
• Work Experience: Any
• Location: North America
• Citizenship: Any
• Residency: United States

Create an Account / Log In

Please create a free ProFellow account or log in to view listings in our database.

Fellowship Resources

• Calls for Applications
• Upcoming Fellowship Deadlines
• Fellowships Database
• Interviews with Fellows
• International Fellows Network
• Graduate Funding Directory

Fellowship Tips

• What is a Fellowship?
• Fully Funded Course
• Graduate School Funding
• Fellowship Application Tips
• Fulbright Application Tips
• Fellowship Application Guide
• Our Mission, History & Values
• ProFellow Winner Testimonials
• Fully Funded Course Testimonials
• Fellowship Industry Report
• Advertise With Us
• Terms & Privacy

ProFellow is the go-to source for information on professional and academic fellowships, created by fellows for aspiring fellows.

©2011-2024 ProFellow, LLC. All rights reserved.

Ph.D. Programs

Join what is arguably the nation’s most highly qualified cadre of graduate students exploring issues in K-12 education, special education, higher education, leadership and policy, the psychological sciences, educational neuroscience, and applied community studies.

Quick Links

• Admissions Checklist
• Request More Information
• Explore programs

Peabody's doctor of philosophy programs follow the master-apprentice model of scholarly training and are designed to prepare the next generation of researchers and scholars studying education and human development.

Program Model Overview

The Ph.D. is geared toward scholars who seek careers as faculty, researchers, or policy analysts. You will engage in research projects designed by academic advisers and study with leading researchers in the nation examining pressing questions in education and human development. As a student, you will develop a comprehensive set of methodological skills and will spend considerable effort crafting and shaping a program of research to launch your academic career. 

Entry into Peabody's Ph.D. programs is highly competitive. Candidates must present an academic record of distinction and a mature and insightful statement of purpose. 

Discover your program

Filter by degree type.

Showing 0 programs

Sorry, no programs were found.

Application Deadline: December 1

FellowshipBard

Fully Funded PhD Program in Law & Economics at Vanderbilt University

Join our telegram channel, never miss an opportunity.

Nestled in the vibrant city of Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University presents an exceptional opportunity through its comprehensive and fully funded PhD program in Law & Economics. This distinctive program seamlessly integrates rigorous analytical training in economic theory and methodology with a profound exploration of legal principles. Successful candidates emerge from the program with both a PhD in Law and Economics and a Juris Doctor (J.D.), positioning them at the intersection of law and economic analysis.

The program’s principal fields of study encompass a wide array of impactful areas, including law and economics, risk and environmental regulation, labor markets and human resources, and behavioral law and economics.

PhD Program Requirements

Prospective candidates for Vanderbilt University’s PhD Program in Law and Economics are encouraged to possess an advanced understanding of mathematics and economic principles. While a background in these areas is recommended, a major or master’s degree in economics is not mandatory. The program seeks individuals with a passion for the interdisciplinary study of law and economics, fostering a diverse and intellectually stimulating environment.

PhD Funding Coverage

Recognizing the importance of fostering a conducive learning environment, Vanderbilt University provides unparalleled financial support to all students admitted to the Ph.D. Program in Law and Economics. Successful candidates receive 100% tuition support, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder their pursuit of academic excellence. Additionally, students are awarded a stipend to cover living expenses, further enabling them to fully engage in their studies and research.

Application Requirement

Aspiring scholars interested in joining the PhD Program in Law and Economics at Vanderbilt University should submit a comprehensive admission application package. This typically includes academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, a personal statement outlining research interests and career goals, and standardized test scores.

Application Deadline

January 15, 2025

Application Fee

This might interest you

Recently Viewed

Similar programs.

Professors Not Responding? Your CV May Be the Reason.

Try Our Ready-to-Use CV Templates Land You in Harvard, MIT, Oxford, and Beyond!

• Research Guides
• Vanderbilt University Libraries
• Central Library

Political Science Graduate Student Orientation: Fall 2024

• Finding Articles and Journals
• Interlibrary Loan
• Your Library Account
• Where Do I Start?
• Map to Locate Central Library
• Google Scholar (with VU Settings)
• Finding Books
• Government Information
• Think Tanks and Other Gray Literature
• Social and Demographic Data
• Key Vanderbilt Political Science Journal Subscriptions

Key Resources

• Worldwide Political Science Abstracts (WPSA) This link opens in a new window Citations, abstracts, and indexing of the international serials literature in political science international relations, law, and public administration / policy. Includes merged backfiles of Political Science Abstracts and ABC POL SCI. more... less... Coverage: 1975 to present.

Public Affairs Information Service: journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference papers, web content, etc. covering issues in the public debate.   

Coverage: PAIS International is the current file covering 1972 to present, and PAIS Archive includes the content from printed volumes published 1915-1976. 

Covers most business areas: management, marketing, economics, finance, accounting, & international business. Includes company reports, SWOT analyses, working papers, country reports, industry reports, case studies, etc.

Comprehensive, indexed bibliography with selected abstracts of the world's economic literature, produced by the American Economic Association. Includes working papers which have been licensed from the Cambridge University Press.

Coverage: 1969 to present. 

Books, journal articles, and working papers on social and economic development. World Bank flagship and annual publications, data, regional and thematic series, training manuals and handbooks, etc.

Coverage: 1990s to present.

• World Bank Documents & Reports This link opens in a new window Board documents, country focus, economic & sector work, project documents, publications & research.

Digital humanities and social science scholarly journals from university presses and scholarly societies.

Comprehensive Llst of Poli Sci Databases

The full set of political science databases is available in the Database A-Z llst at:

https://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/az.php?s=9013&p=1

• << Previous: Google Scholar (with VU Settings)
• Next: Finding Books >>
• Last Updated: Aug 20, 2024 10:42 AM
• URL: https://researchguides.library.vanderbilt.edu/c.php?g=1418541

Inside ‘Dores STUDENT BLOG

‘law and economics’, vanderbilt 2017.

Mar. 25, 2011— This Wednesday I formally accepted the Vanderbilt Law and Economics PhD/JD Program offer.  This program is 6 years, so I’ll be a Vanderbilt 2017 graduate!  I think it’s appropriate now to post some snippets from my personal statement (for law) and economics (statements of purpose).  (You may not recall but I applied to law schools...

Applications, Applications, Applications

Dec. 3, 2010— For the past two weeks, I’ve been doing applications for law schools and economics schools.  My dream is to be able to do both and end up as a professor, whose specialty is economics and law; with these degrees, I’d also be a very powerful public policy consultant.  I just finished my batch of law...

Your Vanderbilt

• Current Students
• Faculty & Staff
• International Students
• Parents & Family
• Prospective Students
• Researchers
• Sports Fans
• Visitors & Neighbors

Quick Links

• PeopleFinder