Admitted Students
Graduate Program -- Department of Economics
University of North Carolina -- Chapel Hill
Fall Semester 2013

We are very pleased that you will be attending the University of North Carolina and would like again to welcome you to our program. Information about the department, the university and the community is provided below. Please contact Ms. Merritt (kenlyn@email.unc.edu) or Prof. Tauchen (econdgs@unc.edu) if you have additional questions.

Getting Connected Before Arriving in Chapel Hill

• Please set up your UNC‑CH email account as soon as possible. Instructions are available at the ONYEN web site.
• Once you have your e-mail, please send the address to Kenlyn Merritt (kenlyn@email.unc.edu) so that she can enroll you in the department's graduate student listserve. We will then use the UNC e-mail address to contact you.

Introduction to the Department

• When you arrive in Chapel Hill, please come to the Economics Department office in Gardner 107 and introduce yourself.
• Shortly before the fall semester begins, the departmental staff (Gardner 107) will issue keys to your office in Gardner Hall and the combination to your mailbox.
• As soon as you have a local address, local phone number, and email address, please give this information to the departmental receptionist.
• Before the semester begins, the Economics Graduate Student Association will have a short orientation session for graduate student computer lab.
• See the Economics Department and the Economics Graduate Student Association websites for information about the department and the graduate program

Introduction to the University

• Very shortly after arriving in Chapel Hill, you will want to get your UNC‑One Card, which is your student ID. Consult the UNC One Card Web Page for information about where the office is located, the hours of operation, and the required documentation.
• The University Graduate and Professional Student Federation webpage provides information of interest about the University and the community.
• Graduate students are now required to have health insurance. Students whose insurance is not furnished by the university may purchase if from Pearce and Pearce. Students who are already covered by a creditable insurance policy can easily waive out of the Pearce and Pearce plan. To waive visit Campus Health Services.

Introduction to the Community

• The Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce maintains a web page designed especially for people relocating to the area. There is information on school districts, housing, and recreation, as well as maps.
• The Economics Graduate Student Association has prepared information about housing in Chapel Hill and the surrounding community.

Registration for Courses

• In the fall semester, most of you will register for the standard first year PhD courses: Econ. 700, 710, 720, 770 and for Econ. 890, which is a quantitative method course that follows Econ. 700. If you have had advanced training in economics or statistics, then some of the courses may not be necessary and you will be able to proceed to second year courses in the Economics Department or to courses in the Statistics Department. Once you are in Chapel Hill, we can discuss the specifics. We want to be sure that your first-year courses are challenging and not a repetition of previous material. There is no advantage to accumulating high grades in material that you have seen previously. Once you have your ONYEN, you can use ConnectCarolina to check the courses offered in the fall. To find the course offerings from the ConnectCarolina site, click on “Self Service” in the column at the top left and then Class Search in the top center part of the page. You can then search for fall economics courses; the graduate courses are numbered above 700.
• Econ. 700 meets during the three weeks before classes begin with the first session on Monday, July 29. The lecture sessions will meet every weekday from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm and the recitations will meet every weekday from 1:30 to 2:30 pm in Gardner Hall. You will receive credit for Econ. 700 as a fall semester course.
• The texts for the standard first year courses will be posted when faculty make their choices:
  • Econ. 700 (Quantitative Methods with Prof. Tauchen):
  • Econ. 710 (Micro with Prof. Li):
  • Econ. 720 (Macro with Prof. Hendricks): Introduction to Modern Growth by D. Acemoglu
  • Econ. 770 (Stats with Prof. Hill): Introduction to the Mathematical and Statistical Foundations of Econometrics by Herman J. Bierens.
  • Econ. 890 (Quant. Methods with Prof. Li):

Orientation for the University and the International Center

• The schedule for the Graduate School Orientation has not yet been announced; the sessions are usually the Thursday before fall semester classes begin. If necessary, Econ. 700 (Math Camp) will have an abbreviated session on that day.
• International students should consult with International Services for information on maintaining student visas, obtaining a social security number and other regulations, as well as information on international student orientation. Kenlyn Merritt is working with the International Center to prepare your I-20 forms.
• The time of the International Services Orientation and the English Proficiency Exam for international students will be announced shortly. In the past, both have been on the Friday before fall classes. Check the guidelines for whether or not you are required to take the exam. Econ. 700 will be scheduled so that it does not conflict with the exam or orientation.

Edited: April 19, 2013