People are arguing about whether macro is needed in the graduate econ core. But really, the macro and micro cores both have a lot of general equilibrium in them, when GE is becoming less common as a tool for thinking about the economy (because the models never work).
Instead of taking out macro, I think the grad core should probably just shift emphasis from general equilibrium to game theory, search theory, decision theory, etc. Plus teach more econometrics. That seems like the way the field is going.
Yeah you have to learn *some* general equilibrium to do macro, but too much of intro macro is just "here's an RBC model with investment costs!", or whatever. Instead, just teach the basic New Keynesian model and then go right into search theory, I say.
My real red-hot take is that the grad core should ONLY be math and metrics, and that this should take up half of the first year, and that students should launch right into field classes in their first year.
