Foreign Students in U.S. Doctoral Programs

In 1996, foreigners represented over half of the doctoral student population in economics, up from 20 percent in 1972. This article presents a profile of foreign students in economics Ph.D. programs in the United States based on survey and interview data collected in 1996. In addition to exploring students' assessment of their education, interests and career plans, the authors offer explanations for the rising proportion of foreign students, explore the implications of this phenomenon, and suggest the need for further research on the teaching of economics and the practice of the profession, both in the United States and abroad.