<p>Looking into the field of economics, I am trying to gage what characteristics are neccesary for success in the field. Economics does seem related to mathematics, but indirectly–there seems alot of room for theoretical studies as opposed to stricly quantitative studies. There seems to be a need for some imagination, but also the ability to think logically and analytically. What skills/qualities/talents/characterstics/personality traits do you feel are best suited for the study of economics?</p>
<p>Only a person with a PhD in economics can call themselves an economist.</p>
<p>You will need a strong math background (beyond calculus) and do extremely well in your upper-level economics courses to be successful in a econ PhD program. There is a lot of reading and problem sets.</p>