The doctoral program lasts three years.
First year
In the first year, teaching and seminar activities aim at deepening and completing the doctoral student's scientific knowledge through teachings specifically planned for the course and through cycles of seminars organized by the Ph.D. Board. The purpose of these teaching activities is to enable the strengthening of skills in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Mathematics, Statistics, Econometrics and Business Theory. Ph.D. students are also expected to perfect their English language skills so as to be able to fully participate in the research activities of the international scientific community. To this end, courses are specially organized for doctoral students by the University Language Center.
At the beginning of the first year, a Supervisor belonging to the faculty is assigned to each doctoral student.
The transition to the second year is determined by the Ph.D. Board on the basis of performance in the examinations provided for each compulsory teaching and on the other activities carried out by the doctoral student.
Second year
During the second year, flexible study and research paths are possible, capable of encouraging doctoral students' participation in highly specialized courses of study both in Italy and abroad and participation in applied research activities also within companies and other institutions, public or private. Subject to approval by the Ph.D. Board, study in Italy or abroad may replace the participation in the educational activities carried out at the University of Calabria during the second year. During the second year, the doctoral student is also required to prepare a research report in the form of a scientific paper, which may constitute a chapter or part of a chapter of the Final Ph.D. Thesis.
The research report must be presented and discussed at the end of the second year at the Ph.D. Board for admission to the third year.
Third year
In the third year, the Ph.D. student's activities are largely devoted to the preparation and writing of the Ph.D. Thesis. To this end, the presentation of intermediate results through seminars and workshops is encouraged. The Ph.D. Board may provide that part of the period aimed at writing the final thesis be spent abroad at institutions that represent centers of excellence for the scientific topic under consideration.
During the Ph.D., solid skills are acquired by doctoral students in programming languages specific to research work (R, Stata, Python) as well as in the use of statistical and econometric tools for analysis in economics and finance (Stata, R, SPSS, Anaconda, etc.).
