Abstract Interest in graduate education in ecological economics is increasing. However, no formal plan of study for a PhD in ecological economics has been disseminated. The lack of a formal plan is problematic as the field of ecological economics matures, interest grows and new programs are being developed. This paper attempts to fill a void by creating a program of study addressing the proficiencies a graduate student in ecological economics should have upon completion of his/her PhD based on the US educational system. The plan of study presented in this paper has been developed to make the graduate of an ecological economics program as competitive on the labor market as students awarded traditional economics degrees. The plan I describe is created to meet the requirements necessary for a PhD in ecological economics. Further, fields of specialization are suggested to complement the core of an ecological economics program, to enhance the education process and to give the student with an ecological economics degree a higher level of marketability.