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PhD in Economics

Advanced Diploma in Economics
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This is the most advanced programme of graduate studies in Economics at Cambridge. Upon its completion, candidates are awarded a PhD degree for producing a thesis of high-quality, original, and publishable research over a period of four years (full-time) and seven years (part-time).

A good number of our PhD students receive full or partial funding for their studies, from a variety of funding bodies, such as the ESRC and the Gates Foundation .

Our PhD students receive high quality training on a variety of research methods and are exposed to cutting edge research conducted by our own Faculty members, as well visitors to the Faculty (via the Cambridge-INET Institute , seminars, PhD workshops, locally organised conferences, etc.). Faculty members can supervise a wide range of topics from six broadly defined research areas: microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, econometrics, applied microeconomics, economic history and alternative approaches to economics.

PhD students in Cambridge benefit from a high faculty-to-student ratio and therefore form close relationships with many Faculty members. They also forge strong links with our post-doctoral researchers, and they actively participate in the Faculty’s vibrant research life. They have access to a wide range of facilities, such as their own desk/office space in the same building as regular Faculty members, computing equipment, a variety of software and access to a wide range of databases.

PhD students are encouraged to attend academic conferences and showcase their research work in a variety of ways. Upon completions of their studies, many of our PhD students become academics, or researchers at international or government research institutions (see recent job market placements here ).

Explore here the profiles of our current PhD students.

To obtain the degree of PhD in Economics, students need to:

1. Obtain the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) . If accepted for the PhD degree, you will be registered initially for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) in Economics. Students registered for the CPGS are required to:

Attend the 'How to do Economics' lecture course. Other postgraduate courses in research methods are organised by the Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Physical Sciences, and are available to all PhD students.
Undertake a minimum of four courses from PhD or MPhil Modules from at least two subject areas. You must achieve a pass mark (60%) on each component of the coursework. Students who fail any examinations will be called for a viva on the coursework.

Write a research proposal (maximum length 10,000 words) that should include a review of the relevant literature, a research question, and outline of a research design and methods. The expectation is that this proposal will be for a piece of research that could form the basis of one chapter of a PhD dissertation. You will be given an oral examination on this piece of work and must perform to a satisfactory standard.
Attend (a) one of the three research workshops (on microeconomics, macroeconomics or econometrics) at which research students present both their own work and recent papers in the literature - assessment of workshops will be arranged by course organisers; (b) attend at least one of the Faculty's general seminars in which papers are given both by outside speakers and Faculty members;
To be registered for the PhD submit an acceptable piece of research (first year chapter) of not more than 20,000 words. The piece of research submitted must be of a standard that would enable it to form the basis of one-third of your eventual PhD thesis. This means that it must contain research that could be expanded upon to constitute one-third of the PhD thesis.

2. Once upgraded to PhD status, a student concentrates on her or his PhD dissertation. In general the thesis format is either in the form of a book divided into chapters, or of three or more connected articles; in either case, the Faculty has a strict limit of 60,000 words. As research progresses, there will be opportunities to present work in progress at research workshops attended by Faculty members and research students. PhD students will also be required to attend research seminars given by outside speakers and Faculty members.

Upon completion and submission of the PhD thesis, students do an oral examination (viva) with two examiners, one internal to the University of Cambridge (not the supervisor or research advisor), and one external (from any other University in the UK or the rest of the world).

After a successful thesis defence, the examiners recommend awarding the degree of PhD.

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n/a 76% 78% 83% 80% 74% 76% 75% 75% 73% 74% 74% 72% 76% 74% 79% 74% 74% 74% 81% 75% 77% 81% 81% 69% 82% 73% 79% 75% 72% 84% 81% 77% 72% 76% 74% 75% 83% 80% 78% 73% 75% 78% 74% 72% 78% 69% 84% 71% 77% 77% 78% 84% 84% 76% 91% 74% 85% 71% 75% 73% n/a 70% 74% 72% 69% 76% 77% 76% 81% 68% 78% 70% 76% 75% 82% 69% 76% 72%
89% 93% 87% 74% 92% 90% 83% 87% 72% 86% 86% 88% 82% 80% 85% 85% 83% 84% 82% 81% 86% 81% 84% 85% 83% 75% 77% 82% 80% 77% 82% 77% 81% 76% 74% 70% 84% 70% 76% 72% 84% 69% 86% 80% 70% 76% 79% 65% 75% 69% 69% 64% 68% 59% 77% 70% 70% 66% 56% 61% 69% 58% 65% 72% 76% 74% 67% 70% 59% 79% 63% n/a n/a n/a 30% 65% n/a n/a n/a
94% 94% 94% 95% 93% 92% 89% 97% 96% 91% 90% 87% 92% 92% 91% 88% 90% 88% 89% 83% 87% 86% 87% 81% 88% n/a 92% 85% 85% 87% 86% 86% 80% 82% 76% 80% 78% 77% 80% 77% 77% 80% 70% 84% 78% 72% 77% n/a 70% 77% 73% 78% 87% n/a 71% 57% 86% 61% 82% n/a 68% 60% 76% 72% 44% 61% 60% 66% 53% 71% 55% 79% n/a 86% n/a n/a 70% 74% n/a

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Discover more about Economics at Manchester

PhD Economics / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

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Streams : The 1+3 stream consists one year of PhD level teaching followed by 3 years of research. The 1+1+3 stream consists of one year of MSc teaching followed by the 1+3 stream.

High level of performance: Achieving an average of 65% in coursework with no unit marks below 55% for both UG and PG degrees as well as 65% mark for dissertation. Typically, offer holders tend to achieve much higher standards than this.

Degree Requirement : Economics degree training should be equivalent to the training given at the University of Manchester. Applicants with degree in quantitative fields other than economics will be considered on a case by case basis. We will not normally consider applicants whose previous studies have been in non-quantitative fields. Our criteria are:

1+1+3 Stream: High level performance in degree equivalent to BSc or MA in Economics from the University of Manchester.
1+3 Stream: High level performance in degree equivalent to the training in the MSc phase of our PhD programme.

Full entry requirements

Apply online

Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.

Application Deadlines

Admission to the PhD programme is highly competitive, so please allow as much time as possible to prepare your application, browse our research pages and academics' profiles, and familiarise yourself with the application process and any important deadlines.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, but you must submit your application before the deadline below to be considered. You will not be able to apply after this deadline has passed.

For September 2024 entry: 30 June 2024

It should be noted that the deadlines for funding competitions will often be earlier than the deadline shown above. For internal studentships from the School of Social Sciences, the application deadline is the same as the programme deadline above. However, we reserve the right to close the competition at any stage if all awards have been allocated, so we recommend that you apply as early as possible. If you intend to apply for external funding sources (e.g. ESRC NWSSDTP), you must submit your programme application far enough in advance of the relevant external funding deadlines, which are usually much earlier than the programme deadline listed above.

Programme options

	Full-time	Part-time	Full-time distance learning	Part-time distance learning
	N	N	N	N

Programme overview

Join a vibrant and active research hub, with weekly seminars in macroeconomics, economic theory and applied economics.
Benefit from staff with expertise across all areas of economics.
We host prestigious events such as the Annual Conferences of the Royal Economic Society and the Summer Meeting of the European Economic Society and the Econometric Society.

Please enable JavaScript to watch this video.

We will be conducting our Humanities PGR virtual open week in October 2024. Find out more about future events and postgraduate research sessions by signing up for our email alerts.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards available to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered .

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting your funding application and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
School of Social Sciences Economics PhD Studentships 2024 Entry
China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
PhD Studentship with the Stuart Hall Foundation (Social Sciences) - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry

Contact details

See: School Subjects

Programmes in related subject areas

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Social Sciences

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PhD Economics

During your PhD programme, you’ll be guided by leading research-active academics with expertise in various fields, including macroeconomics, microeconomic theory, econometrics and applied Microeconomics. These experts will help you delve into comprehensive research and advanced study within these key areas.

Key course information

October 2024 - full-time, october 2024 - part-time, why choose this programme.

We have a reputation as a leading research-intensive department in the UK. In  the 2021 Research Excellence Framework , Economics ranked in the top 10 in the UK for world-leading research. We achieved an overall ranking of 6th for real-world impact and 8th for research environment in REF 2021.

Our doctoral programme starts with the  MRes Economics programme  in the first year, followed by the three-year PhD programme (with the possibility of a one-year extension).

During your PhD programme, you’ll learn from leading research-active academics with expertise in a wide range of areas, including:

Macroeconomics
Microeconomic theory
Econometrics
Applied microeconomics.

We belong to the South East Doctoral Training Arc (SEDarc), a consortium of six leading UK universities promoting inventive and inclusive social science research training and collaboration, as well as the possibility of funding for your studies.

When you apply to the MRes/PhD course, if you require funding, you will automatically be considered for one of our scholarships. See also  other available scholarships .

We offer generous studentships for the duration of the MRes/PhD course for outstanding candidates.

Programme details Open

What you will study.

Our PhD programme produces graduates who are sought-after by leading economics departments, business schools and research institutions around the world.

Your first year will be spent studying core modules in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, while working on your research. The final two years of your PhD will be entirely dedicated to independent research, leading to a PhD dissertation.

You’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to the teaching and research activity.

Your first year will be spent studying the core modules below whilst simultaneously working on your research.

Topics in Empirical Microeconomics
Topics in Macroeconomics Modelling 1
Topics in Macroeconometrics .
Topics in Microeconomic Theory
Topics in Applied Theory
Topics in Macroeconomics Modelling 2 .

These modules are correct as of August 2023.

Personal and professional development

We have a package of development opportunities that will boost your research and teaching skills and put you in the best position to secure employment at the end of your course.

In addition to our  Researcher Development Programme , which is provided to all PhD students at the University, we also offer a number of other learning opportunities.

Research assistant opportunities

During your PhD, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside your research supervisor and other academic colleagues as a paid research assistant. You will be involved in activities such as conducting literature reviews, helping with data analysis and interpretation for current research projects, and you will play an active role in the research community. These activities will typically be more intensive during the summer months.

Graduate Certificate of Higher Education

In the first year of your PhD, you will have the opportunity to enrol on the  PG Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education  programme offered at Surrey, by our own highly regarded Department of Higher Education. You will learn about pedagogy, practise your teaching skills and receive an internationally-recognised teaching qualification that will allow you to become a member of the Higher Education Academy.

Teaching opportunities

During your PhD, and on successful completion of your teacher training, you will be offered the opportunity to take on a range of paid teaching activities, fully supported by your academic colleagues. These teaching opportunities will further reinforce your personal and academic skills and help to enhance your understanding of your subject area as well as adding significantly to your CV.

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught.

Research areas Open

Research themes.

Behavioural economics
Big data and resampling techniques
Choice under uncertainty
Development economics
Duration models
Econometric identification
Economics of crime
Education economics
Empirical revealed preference
Financial economics
Games theory
Health economics
Heterogeneous agents in macroeconomics
Labour economics
Learning and imperfect information in macroeconomics
Mechanism design
Models of household decision making
Network and spatial econometrics
Optimal taxation
Quantile regression
Quasi-experimental methods
Rational choice theory
Strategic experimentation
Strategic voting
Structural modelling
The consumer choice model
The econometrics of auctions.

Research centres and groups

Applied Microeconomics Group
Centre for International Macroeconomic Studies
Econometrics Group
Surrey Energy Economics Centre
Theory Group

Academic staff Open

See a full list of all our economics academic staff .

Support and facilities Open

Research support.

The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College , which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.

Hear from our students Open

Stefano Cellini

Student - Economics PhD

"As soon as I decided to apply and began to talk with possible supervisors, I understood that faculty members and PhD students thrive in such a stimulating environment."

Vedanta Dhamija

"Both of my supervisors have been very supportive in my PhD journey. Their expertise in the subject has provided me with valuable insights and I really look up to them as people and as researchers. They have always been around to guide, despite their busy schedules, and at the same time have encouraged me to work independently."

Career opportunities Open

Our PhD students have gone on to academic positions as lecturers and postdoctoral researchers in the UK and overseas, including institutions such as:

University of Cambridge
University of Sussex
University of East Anglia
European University Institute
University of Glasgow
London School of Economics
University of Texas at Austin.

Our past students have also gone on to take leading positions in international institutions including:

International Monetary Fund
European Central Bank
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
Financial Conduct Authority
Bank of Canada
European Investment fund
Leading think tanks and economic consultancy firms.

Entry requirements Open

Uk qualifications.

Students enrolled in the MRes in Economics at the University of Surrey will automatically receive a conditional offer on application to the PhD during their MRes studies. The condition to progress into the PhD will be to pass the MRes at least with merit (60%).

Applicants from other institutions are expected to hold an MRes degree in a relevant discipline, normally with a first-class honour (or equivalent). A minimum of two referees should be provided with your application. Applicants are also requested to submit a cover letter specifying their motivation to pursue a PhD in Economics at the University of Surrey and highlighting their broad research interests.

GRE criteria

Applicants should also take the GRE exam, unless they have completed a University of Surrey degree or are currently studying with us. Only the Quantitative Reasoning part of the GRE test is compulsory. Applications without evidence of GRE (Quantitative Reasoning) will not be considered.

Please note your GRE exam statement should be less than five years old at the start of the course.

You should arrange for an official certificate of your score to be sent to Admissions of the University from the Educational Testing Service (ETS), as well as entering your scores in the relevant section of the application form.

Please also select the University of Surrey as an official score recipient. You can also find instructions on how to have your scores sent to an institution. The Surrey institution code for the GRE is 3495; no department code is required as the scores are processed centrally.

For more information about the test please see the GRE website or the ETS website.

English language requirements

IELTS Academic: 6.5 or above with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).

These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept.

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses , designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.

Selection process

Selection is based on applicants:

Meeting the expected entry requirements
Being shortlisted through the application screening process
Completing a successful interview
Providing suitable references.

Fees and funding Open

Fees per year.

Explore UKCISA’s website for more information if you are unsure whether you are a UK or overseas student. View the list of fees for all postgraduate research courses.

Annual fees will increase by 4% for each year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100 (subject to legal requirements).
Any start date other than September will attract a pro-rata fee for that year of entry (75 per cent for January, 50 per cent for April and 25 per cent for July).

Additional costs

There are additional costs that you can expect to incur when studying at Surrey.

When you apply, if you require funding, you will automatically be considered for one of our studentships.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.

How to apply

The standard entry route to this PhD programme is through the MRes Economics programme .

Application process

Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before they submit an application via the website. Please refer to section two of our application guidance .

After registration

Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, subsequently confirmed as having PhD status.

Apply online

To apply online first select the course you'd like to apply for then log in.

Select your course

Choose the course option you wish to apply for.

Create an account and sign into our application portal.

Economics PhD

Full-time, October 2024

Part-time, October 2024

About the University of Surrey

Accommodation

We have a range of housing to suit all requirements and budgets. There are more than 6,000 rooms available (en-suite, single-sex, studio flat, shared or single).

Student life

At Surrey we offer a friendly university campus set in beautiful countryside, with the convenience and social life of bustling Guildford on your doorstep.

Need more information?

Contact our Admissions team or talk to a current University of Surrey student online.

Code of practice for research degrees

Surrey’s postgraduate research code of practice sets out the University's policy and procedural framework relating to research degrees. The code defines a set of standard procedures and specific responsibilities covering the academic supervision, administration and assessment of research degrees for all faculties within the University.

Download the code of practice for research degrees (PDF) .

Terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures , student regulations , and terms and conditions .

We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:

First when we make an offer.
Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).

View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.

This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.

Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.

It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer .

Department of Economics and Related Studies

iPhD in Economics

Join an internationally-recognised and vibrant community, and develop key skills for your future career in economics research.

	Length	Start dates ( )
iPhD	4 years full-time	September

Length

Start dates ( )

iPhD

4 years full-time

September

Take an integrated research degree in Economics and make your mark on the field through original research, supported by taught modules and training.

Your research

This is a four-year postgraduate programme that combines taught modules in Year 1 with an independent research project from Year 2. Your research project includes a written dissertation with original work adding new knowledge.

Postgraduate research provides opportunities to develop your academic, creative and practical skills. You'll work independently, supported by a vibrant department that balances innovation and scholarship.

As part of your application, you'll be interviewed by one or two academic staff members, including your prospective supervisor(s) . The interview will last around 30 minutes to an hour, with plenty of time for you to ask questions and find out what York has to offer.

You’ll receive support from leading academics in the discipline, ensuring you feel part of our community from the start.

[email protected]

We're joint 14th in the UK

for research in the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

Committed to equality

We hold an Athena Swan Bronze Award, in recognition of our continued commitment to gender equality.

Pioneering academics

making groundbreaking contributions in areas including economic theory, econometrics, finance and macroeconomics.

Taught modules

In your first year, you’ll take a range of assessed modules. Taught modules will challenge you to use advanced knowledge of economic theory within and across specialist fields. You’ll learn how to develop and apply research methods, and engage critically with research literature. You must pass these taught modules in order to progress to the second year of your PhD.

You'll study a range of core and optional modules:

Core modules

Microeconomics for Research
Econometrics for Research
Mathematical Research Methods
Quantitative Research Methods
Macroeconomics for Research

Option modules

Health Economics for Research
Asset Pricing

You'll also have the opportunity to study other option modules from our MSc programmes .

From Year 2, you will begin to pursue your research project, culminating in the submission of a doctoral thesis. This course includes an additional, optional ‘write up’ year following the end of the formal registration period.

Advanced Macroeconomics 1
Advanced Microeconomics
Applied Microeconometrics
Clinical Decision Analysis
Continuous Time Finance & Derivative Assets
Corporate Finance
Dissertation
Econometrics 1
Emerging Markets Macroeconomics
Evaluation of Health Care
Financial Engineering
Financial Markets
Financial Risk Management
Health & Development
Health Economics
Advanced Macroeconomics 2: International Finance and Trade
Management Decision Analysis
Development Economics: Theory & Evidence
Investment & Portfolio Management
Public Sector Economics: Microeconomic Applications
Statistics & Econometrics
Public Policy Analysis
Theory of Finance
Time Series
Topics in Financial Econometrics
Econometric Methods of Research
Applied Microeconomics 1
Econometrics 1 & 2
Design & Analysis of Mechanisms & Institutions
Fixed Income Securities
Applied Microeconomics 2
Evaluation of Health Policy
Applied Quantitative Research Methods
Money & Banking

Please note these modules may be subject to change at any time.

iPhD Health Economics Pathway

We offer a Health Economics variant of the iPhD in Economics.

The programme runs in the same way, but in Year 1 you'll take Health Economics for Research as a core module. Macroeconomics for Research will be available as an option module rather than core module for students on this pathway.

If you are interested in the Health Economics variant, please state this within your application.

Explore funding for postgraduate researchers and wider postgraduate support.

Supervision

We'll help match your research interests to our supervisory expertise. You'll have regular meetings with your supervisor(s) during each semester.

Training and support

When you study with us, you’ll be asked to join at least one of our research clusters and become a student associate. You’ll play an active role in the meetings, seminars and workshops, developing transferable skills for your future career. You’ll be assigned either one or two personal supervisors throughout your research degree, with support from a Thesis Advisory Panel (TAP).

We provide training which will equip you with the skills to support your growing expertise. You’ll have access to department-run training workshops, previous examples of which have included:

Academic Writing (Professor Cheti Nicoletti)
Conferences (Professor Andrew Jones)
PhD Exams/Viva (Professor Peter Smith)
Presentations (Dr Jorgen Kratz)
Publishing in Economics Journals (Professor Zaifu Yang)
The PhD Job Market (Dr Peter Wagner)

Teaching opportunities

We offer our PhD students the chance to become paid graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). The role can provide you with financial support towards the completion of your degree and develop your communication and teaching skills.

All offer holders and current students are invited to apply for GTA positions via email each July.

Course location

This course is run by the Department of Economics and Related Studies.

You’ll be based in the Department of Economics and Related Studies on Campus West. You'll need to be on campus regularly during your first year to attend taught assessments.

Your PhD can be studied through distance learning from Year 2 onwards, subject to supervisory approval. If you would like to be considered for distance learning, please inform your prospective supervisor(s) during your online interview, and our Postgraduate Research Administrator, Maigen Savory ( [email protected] ).

Entry requirements

Applicants to the iPhD in Economics are usually required to hold a Bachelors degree in Economics with a 2:1 or 1st class honours (or overseas equivalent), and an MSc in Economics or a closely related discipline, with a high average mark (60% or above, including at least 60% in the dissertation component).

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must provide evidence of your ability.

Check your English language requirements

Apply for the iPhD

Take a look at the supporting documents you may need for your application.

Find out more about how to apply .

Research proposal

You’ll submit a research proposal alongside your application. Your research proposal should be no longer than 2,000 words, and provide details on:

Your main research question
The relevant literature and your planned contribution to the current research in the area
The econometric and/or theoretical modelling methods you plan to use
Your data source(s) if you plan on conducting empirical research

Before submitting your proposal, we advise you to check that your research fits the Department’s research interests. As part of your application, please nominate at least one preferred supervisor.

Visit our research page

Discover York

We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to deluxe.

Discover more about our researchers, facilities and why York is the perfect choice for your research degree.

Graduate Research School

Connect with researchers across all disciplines to get the most out of your research project.

Meet us online or on campus

Find out all you need to know about applying to York

Scholarships

Find scholarships to support your studies

Postgraduate Research

Economics PhD

Part time available: yes

Studying in:

Management School
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Our Economics PhD aims to develop world-class researchers, capable or contributing to academic and policy questions at the highest level.

Why study with us?

of our School's research classified as 'world leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*) in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

International experts shape world-class academic thought.

of our research environment classified 'world leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*) in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

The University of Liverpool Management School’s (ULMS) Economics PhD programme has a long tradition of developing economists for the next generation, with unique research skills in modelling economic issues, conducting empirical analyses, and developing economic guidance for businesses and public institutions, at both micro and macro level.

The training offered is tailored, with specific modules aimed at facilitating the development of your individual research project:

Advanced topics in Macroeconomics
Advanced topics in Microeconomics
Advanced topics in Macroeconometrics
Advanced topics in Microeconometrics.

To ensure you receive the most relevant support during the thesis development stage, you will work with a primary supervisor, who is a leading expert in their field.

Additionally, you will be supported by a secondary supervisor, who is typically promising early career researcher, specialising in your specific area of study.

Research themes

The University of Liverpool Management School is a UK triple accredited ( AACSB , AMBA , and EQUIS ) leading and internationally recognised research institution, with outstanding REF 2021 results against 108 ranked Business and Management Schools across the country:

12th for submissions judged as World Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*)
16th for research outputs classified as World Leading (4*)
9th place for Research Power (17 places higher than in 2014)
100% of research supported by a World Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*) environment.

The School’s Economics group produces world-class theoretical and applied research, with a strong focus on the real-world impact of this work, and with members regularly publishing in a range of top scholarly journals.

The School also has five research centres and one cluster , specialised in contemporary issues in business and society, and aimed at bringing together expertise across the School and University.

As a PhD student you are welcome to join any of these centres, as they present excellent opportunities to access internal and external research networks around cutting-edge themes.

Research interests

We welcome research proposals including, but not limited to:

Micro theory (mechanism design, matching)
Applied micro (discrimination, labour, health)
Macroeconomics (macro policy, macro-finance, international trade)
Econometrics and financial econometrics
Political economy
Industrial organisation
Sports economics.

When evaluating your application, we will consider:

Academic achievements
Quality of the research proposal and fit with the Economics group’s profile
Teaching potential.

Please, make sure your application adheres to the following structure (maximum 3,000 words):

Title of the proposal
Introduction and expected contribution and its significance
Literature review
Proposed research questions
Proposed methodology (fit with research/experience/need for training)
Gantt chart
References.

As an Economics PhD student, you will work in the dedicated graduate student offices situated at Mulberry Court, allowing for plenty of interaction with other students and lecturers.

You will have full access to several important databases and subscriptions provided by the Library , and the School's Computing Cluster and dedicated servers for computation-intensive research.

Research groups

Research by subject groups

We have six groups which form homes for both research and teaching, providing the management and infrastructure to ensure vitality and sustainability of our research environment.

Accounting and Finance
Operations and Supply Chain Management
Strategy, International Business and Entrepreneurship
Work, Organisation and Management

Research centres and clusters

Research centres develop the School's contribution to established themes with a strong focus on applying ideas through funding and impact-related work.

Research clusters are grass-roots driven and interdisciplinary, focussing on the development of new theoretical and empirical work, typically at the early stages of the knowledge production/impact cycle.

The Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship
Centre for Supply Chain Research
Centre for Sports Business
Centre for Sustainable Business
Centre for Organisational and Employee Wellbeing
Liverpool Advanced Methods for Big Data Analytics (LAMBDA) Research Cluster

Study options and fees

The fees below reflect one year of study during the 2024/25 academic year

PhD	Duration	UK students	International Students
Full time	2-4 years	£4,786
Part time	4-6 years	£2,393

The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.

^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.

Entry requirements

Applications are welcomed and will be considered in our highly competitive programme from well qualified graduates who would typically hold a UK first degree or equivalent in the first or 2:1 class, in a relevant subject.

English language requirements

IELTS Academic requirement - SELT and non-SELT	Overall 7.0 no band below 6.5
TOEFL iBT requirement	Minimum 100 overall with L 21 R 21 W 21 and S 23
C1 Advanced CAE requirement	Overall 185 with no less than 176 in any paper
PTE Academic requirement	69 with minimum scores of 61 in each component
Trinity College London, Integrated Skills in English (ISE II)	ISE II with an overall pass with merit in components
Cambridge IGCSE as a First Language	Grade C
Cambridge IGCSE as a Second Language	Grade B
Cambridge English Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (Proficiency)	Overall 185 with 176 in components
Cambridge English Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced)	Overall 185 with 176 in components
Cambridge English Level 2 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced)	Overall 185 with 176 in components

Additional requirements

To apply for this research degree, you must have reached a minimum standard of English. You need to be able to provide evidence of this. See our English language requirements for international students for guidance on the different English language qualifications and evidence that you can provide.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from within the EU and from around the world. You should ensure that your qualifications are equivalent to those which are required to study for this research degree. See our guidance on international qualifications .

How to apply

Research degree applications can be made online. You'll also need to ensure that you have funding to cover all fees.

Applications are open all year round .

More about applying for research degrees

Apply online

Before you apply, we recommend that you identify a supervisor and develop a research proposal

Find a supervisor

View staff list

Need help finding a supervisor? Contact us

Dr Balazs Murakozy
Email: [email protected]

Related studentships: self-funded and funded PhD projects

Related doctoral training partnerships.

Doctoral Training Partnerships support future researchers with funding and a rewarding learning environment where you can collaborate with leading researchers.

ESRC - NW Social Science DTP

Find a scholarship

We offer a range of scholarships to help you meet the costs of studying a research degree.

See scholarships

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Economics PhD

Our PhD in Economics programme aims to develop rigorous scholars who can advance both academic knowledge and practice in the area of economics.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year:

Start date(s):

September 2024
January 2025

Our PhD in Economics is designed to:

give you greater depth to your professional life
equip you with the skills necessary to succeed in a knowledge-intensive economy

We are a research-intensive and generalist economics subject group. Our members have specialisation in all three foundational areas of economics. We use both theoretical and applied methods, including:

microeconomics
macroeconomics
econometrics

Our members of staff often publish on a wide range of topics in top generalist and field journals. This includes:

Economics Journal
International Economics Review
Review of Economics and Statistics
Journal of Economic Theory
Journal of Economic Growth
Journal of Development Economics
Journal of Money, Credit and Banking
Journal of Health Economics
Journal of International Money and Finance
Journal of Financial Stability

Members of the group are part of several funded research projects. These are awarded by research councils and international organisations.

We have a vibrant research community. They organise a rich and regular series of external and internal seminar presentations throughout the year.

As a PhD student, you'll have the opportunity to present your research to colleagues in an informal and encouraging setting.

The economics groups offer supervision across the broad range of:

We have many doctoral students in these areas.

We encourage you to examine the research interests of our Economics staff to find out more about our expertise. We welcome informal enquiries.

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page , which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information , which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Related courses

Qualifications explained.

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

How you'll learn

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

We offer a wide range of projects for the thesis. These will be provided by our academics. You can also propose your own topic.

Our mission is to help you:

stay healthy, positive and feeling well
overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

research and professional skills
careers support
health and safety
public engagement
academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Your development

Along with the training offered at a Faculty level (Humanities and Social Sciences), we offer a series of training and development modules to PhD students. These modules run across the two semesters and include:

NBS8565 Applied Time Series Econometrics (semester 1)
NBS8564 Research Practice in Economics and Finance (semester 2)
NBS8563 Causal Inference and Applied Microeconometrics (semester 2)

The exact mix of modules depends on the research area or topic that a PhD student is focused on as well as on your training needs. The modules should be decided in consultation with your supervisory team.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) researcher development programme

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

perform better as a researcher
boost your career prospects
broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

techniques for effective research
methods for better collaborative working
essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
they’re often interdisciplinary
your PhD may be funded

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership

Your future

Our careers service.

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information .

Newcastle University Business School is one of the largest Schools in the University. We have over 3,500 students representing over 80 nationalities. This valuable network extends beyond our current students to include:

regional, national and international leaders
over 34,000 alumni in our network, spanning over 150 countries
leading professionals and practitioners from industry

The Business School is the gateway to Newcastle Helix - an innovation hub and community that brings together industry leaders, businesses and top researchers.

Our facilities include:

flexible conference room with panoramic views across the city
Wi-Fi enabled connectivity throughout the building, including three computer clusters housing over 120 PCs
four large lecture theatres and over 25 seminar and teaching spaces, providing comfortable teaching and group study space
dedicated Student Hub and Quiet Space, providing a balanced mix of study space for group work or quiet, individual study
contemporary café
employability hub to support your career aspirations
Bloomberg Room to give you a real feel for the trading room floor
Experimental and Behavioural Economics Lab, a state-of-the-art research facility for conducting studies in experimental economics and economic psychology

The Frederick Douglass Centre at Newcastle Helix also offers further study and learning spaces. This includes a 750 seat auditorium – the largest in the University.

Find out more about Newcastle University Business School

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year), home fees for research degree students.

For 2024-25 entry, we have aligned our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) . The standard fee was confirmed in Spring 2024 by UKRI.

For 2025-26 entry, we will be aligning our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) . The standard fee will be confirmed in Spring 2025 by UKRI.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

matriculation
registration
tuition (or supervision)
library access
examination
re-examination

Find out more about:

living costs
tuition fees

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section .

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English language requirements, admissions policy.

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

Download our admissions policy (PDF: 201KB) Other policies related to admissions

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages .

Open days and events

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

Dr Martí Lopez Andreu - Degree Programme Director

Newcastle University Business School

Telephone: +44 (0)191 208 1709

Contact Newcastle University Business School

For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

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We regularly send email updates and extra information about the University.

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PhD in Economics

Applicants who wish to be considered for a department of economics scholarship need to apply before april 15th, 2023., structure of the phd programme.

In the first year of the Programme students are required to take Advanced Research Methods in Economics and strongly recommended to take Advanced Research Training in Microeconomics, Advanced Research Training in Macroeconomics and Advanced Research Training in Econometrics. Depending on their needs doctoral researchers could substitute one course (other than Advanced Research Methods in Economics) with another from the Department’s suite of MSc Programmes .

Students are required to achieve a high standard in the examinations held at the end of the first semester in order to proceed to the research phase of their PhD.

Economics PhD details

By the end of the second semester first year PhD students will have completed, as part of the course in Advanced Research Methods, a 10,000 word research proposal that they will present at a PhD workshop. This research proposal forms the basis for supervised research over the remaining two years of the Programme and ultimately, the production of the 80,000 word PhD thesis. Full time students must finish all substantive research within three years and submit their thesis within four years (the end of the ‘writing up’ year).

View Doctoral Researcher profiles for the Department of Economics, as well as other departments within the Business School.

Supervision

As a research student your key relationship will be with your supervisors. You will be allocated a main supervisor, a second supervisor and a mentor who can give you independent advice on a range of matters. You will meet with your supervisors regularly to discuss your PhD. Your supervisory team will provide timely oral and written feedback on your research. As a PhD student you can expect to meet with your supervisors at least once every four weeks and to meet your mentor whenever required.

How to apply

You are encouraged to apply online. You will be required to supply a covering letter, your academic transcript, evidence of English Language ability (if applicable), two academic references and a short research proposal 3 to 4 pages in length. The objective of the research proposal is to ensure that suitable PhD supervisors are available to supervise you in your chosen field and also to assist the selection committee in identifying candidates who are already able to structure a Programme of research and who can demonstrate an awareness of the key research papers. The PhD proposal should be your own work and is subject to checking.

The decision process can take up to four weeks if, for example, your PhD applications is thought to be promising but a particular supervisor is for whatever reason unable to accept you as a student and an alternative has to be found. In such instances the Department will write to you and explain the delay.

It is now the policy of the Department to interview all candidates before making them an offer of a place on the PhD Programme. In most cases this will take the form of a telephone interview or an email exchange intended to clarify aspects of the student’s application or explore further the student’s research interests and discuss sources of funding. The Department wishes to make sure that Birmingham is the appropriate choice for any students to whom it makes an offer.

The Department accepts PhD applications throughout the year. However, students who apply later than the middle of August may find that there is insufficient time for the Department to evaluate the application and, if we make an offer, for the student to complete all the necessary formalities (particularly if the student is from outside the EU). Late applicants are likely to be offered admission to the PhD Programme in the following year. Note that students must commence the PhD Programme at the beginning of the first semester i.e. at the end of September. PhD students are not permitted to start their studies at any other time of the year.

PhD students are expected to participate to the fullest possible extent in the life of the Department. This means taking part in the Department’s regular internal and external seminars, as well as miscellaneous events organised by the various research groups. All students are required to attend the weekly PhD workshop. Once a year students are required to present their work to the PhD workshop and can expect to receive lively feedback from members of staff not directly involved in the student’s supervision.

PhD students are expected to stay informed about the activities of professional bodies and societies. As a PhD student you should be prepared to take advantage of relevant workshops and conferences in other Universities since these provide an excellent opportunity to network and meet leading international researchers. Generous funding is available to all PhD students to promote participation in external activities.

If appropriate for their research PhD students have the opportunity to spend part of their studies in top Chinese and Korean University as part of a formal exchange agreement, as well as to participate with the Universitas 21 network of research led universities, of which Birmingham is a member.

Entry requirements

Admission to the PhD Programme requires an MSc degree in Economics, or some closely related discipline e.g. Finance, from a respected academic institution and with an average mark of at least 65 percent. In some instances the Department will make its offer of admission to the PhD Programme conditional on an applicant’s exam results. This offer is then made firm as soon as the terms of the offer have been met.

Fees and Scholarships

PhD students in Economics pay standard fees over the course of the 3 year Programme.

Scholarships

It is likely that the Department will have at least two fully funded ESRC scholarships. These offer the payment of fees and generous maintenance grants of circa £16,500 per annum. These are available to students from both inside and outside the EU. There are moreover no restrictions on the area of research. There are however strict deadlines regarding the application process. Applications must be received by 9 December 2013. Competition for these scholarships is intense and those hoping to obtain one of these awards will need to have an outstanding academic transcript.

At the time of writing it also appears likely that the Department will be in a position to offer a number of PhD scholarships tied to research in a particular area. These also offer the payment of fees and generous maintenance grants of circa £16,500 per annum. When these have been finalised they will be posted on the website (please keep checking – we anticipate that further information will be available by the middle of November).

The Business School also offers a number of student bursaries offering the payment of fees but without maintenance. The precise deadline for applications is yet to be announced but is likely to be in March (please keep checking the website).

You must explicitly state that you wish to be considered for scholarships otherwise we will assume that you have private means of support. The Department will automatically shortlist candidates on the basis of academic merit and submit these applications to a panel for further evaluation. We will inform you if you have been successful (no further action is required on your part). If in the meantime you decide to take up the offer of another institution it is important that you inform the Department at the earliest possible opportunity, otherwise you risk depriving another student of financial support.

Finally, the University of Birmingham itself also offers a number of scholarships to PhD students through the Graduate School. Competition for these scholarships is similarly intense. To obtain further information on these scholarships applicants should visit the Graduate School website.

Teaching opportunities

The Department relies heavily on its PhD students to serve as class teachers. PhD students are permitted to teach undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses up to an average of 6 hours per week. A student teaching up to the permitted maximum can expected to defray a considerable proportion of their annual fees. PhD students are however not normally permitted to teach in the first year of the PhD Programme. Furthermore class teachers are required to undergo training and are screened for suitability as class teachers. Although the majority of PhD students serve as class teachers the availability of teaching cannot therefore be guaranteed. For this reason applicants to the PhD Programmes must not rely on class teaching in order to cover their fees or maintenance.

Visiting students

Apart from admitting its own PhD students the Department occasionally accepts visits from PhD students enrolled at other Universities. Applications which are not targeted to specific members of staff and which are not supported by existing links between members of staff between Birmingham and the host institution are however unlikely to succeed. Applications for visitor status should send a detailed research proposal to the Director of the PhD Programme. Visitors are liable to pay a bench fee whose value is linked to the duration of the visit. .

Frequently asked questions

Does the Department offer part time PhDs or part time external PhDs?

Because of the existence of the taught component the first year of the PhD Programme is open only to full time students. It may however be possible to transfer to part time status for the second and third year of the PhD Programme. There are now strict requirements about part time external PhD students. Please contact the Director of the PhD Programme for details.

How should I structure my research proposal?

The research proposal should extend to no more than 3 or 4 pages. It should pinpoint a number of closely related research questions, identify the relevant literature and provide an explanation of the manner in which the research will contribute to the stock of knowledge (a fundamental requirement for a PhD). The research proposal should further explain what techniques and / or data you anticipate using and also provide a plan for completion within three years. The PhD proposal should be your own work and is subject to checking. It might be helpful to explain in a covering letter precisely why you feel that Birmingham is a suitable place for your proposed PhD e.g. you wish to study under the supervision of a particular member of staff.

Can I change my research or am I tied to studying what I said I would in my PhD research proposal?

Unless your source of funding specifically binds you it is possible to change your research topic at up to the end of the first semester subject to approval and being able to find suitable supervisors.

Can I defer admission?

Once you have been accepted onto the PhD Programme it is normally possible to defer admission to the next academic session. This is subject to the approval of both the Director of the PhD Programme and the two supervisors. .

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Mphil/phd in economics.

Jump to: Key information
Jump to: Course overview
Jump to: Structure
Jump to: Teaching and learning
Jump to: Fees and funding
Jump to: Employment

Key information

Home student fees (full-time) : £4,860 per year Home student fees (part-time) : £2,430 per year Overseas student fees (full-time) : £22,490 per year Overseas student fees (part-time) : £11,245 per year

Please note that fees go up each year. See research fees for further details.

Admission and thesis requirements. A good Masters degree in Economics plus one reference is usually required. Students are normally registered for the MPhil degree in the first instance. Once approval of the Research Student's Supervisory Committee has been received, the student's registration is upgraded to PhD status (and backdated to the commencement of the MPhil registration), usually at the end of the first year of study, for which the minimum registration period is double that of full-time study. Candidates are expected to present a thesis of not more than 55,000 words for the MPhil, while for the PhD the maximum length is 100,000 words. International applicants should also see Doctoral School English language requirements

Course overview

Students whose qualifications indicate that they are able to pursue independent research may be accepted to read for a research degree (MPhil/PhD) in Economics.

Normally a high level Masters degree in Economics or equivalent is a prerequisite. In general, such an MSc as precondition of entry is sufficient to satisfy admission conditions without need for further coursework requirements, especially as far as formal examinations are concerned.

Why study MPhil/PhD in Economics at SOAS?

We are ranked 27th in UK for economics (QS World University Rankings 2023)
We are top 20 in the UK for student satisfaction with teaching (Complete University Guide 2023)
We are top 40 in the UK for economics (Complete University Guide 2023)
The Department offers unique research training opportunities both through its dedicated research student seminar series and the wide-ranging set of courses taught on its MSc programmes. These range from economic theory to political economy of development and are oriented around a range of theoretical, empirical and policy issues. Its special subject options provide the highest level of expertise on a large number of topics.
First year research students benefit from a programme of research student training in political economy, different schools of thought, methods and methodologies, and receive formal training sessions on how to do fieldwork.
Training needs of each research students are individually assessed and provided through a combination of generally available courses and individual tuition.
Departmental staff have rich experience in supervising research degree students, matched by their success in bringing students' theses to timely completion. Whilst the Department has a strong commitment to students' early completion of their theses, it also considers it has a responsibility to see that all of its research students obtain a broader training than in their narrowly-defined topic and that they gain skills in theoretical, empirical and policy analysis, in the writing and communication of research results, and in evaluating the work of others.
Research students are expected to form part of the academic community of the Department, participating as appropriate in collaborative research with members of staff, with some opportunities for teaching
SOAS offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary and regional research, and the scope to learn or improve a language where appropriate.
The Departmental Empirical Support Committee (DESC) offers targeted advice to individual students undertaking empirical work.

The first year of training involves attendance at courses and/or seminars but not usually formal written examinations. Students are registered for an MPhil in their first (full-time equivalent) year but usually convert to a PhD after their upgrade viva rather than continuing to the MPhil qualification.

Research student tutors

An essential feature of the MPhil and PhD process is the close working relationship between research students and supervisors. Supervisors and students meet regularly and consult closely. All research students have a Supervisory Committee to cover theoretical, empirical and regionally-specific supervision, as appropriate.

There are Research Student Tutors with overall responsibility for research students, who are available for discussion of general problems. And the Departmental Empirical Support Committee (DESC) offers detailed and individual advice to students about fieldwork and empirical analysis as appropriate. As necessary, upon request, DESC will consider individual student needs and allocate one or more members of staff (not necessarily supervisor) to advise.

Students are required to participate in a workshop/seminar in which research topics and results are presented and discussed by staff and students. In addition, there is a regular Departmental Seminar, to which members of the Department and visiting speakers present papers. There is a strong interdisciplinary basis for research and teaching, and SOAS can claim to be the leading institution in the world researching and teaching in political economy, development economics and area or specific-country studies.

London, moreover, provides an unrivalled opportunity for students to hear papers being read by leading authorities in African and Asian studies, as well as in economics and development more generally. Research students may choose to participate in a wealth of seminars held in both the School and other Colleges and Institutes of the University.

Many SOAS research students spend some time doing fieldwork in the regions of their research. The Faculty of Law and Social Sciences and the School as a whole, through their various connections with individuals and institutions in the universities and governments of Asia and Africa, can usually facilitate this work with personal contacts and introductions.

Scholarships, funding and ESRC recognition

There are a number of scholarships available to research (and MSc) students at SOAS please see Scholarships and Bursaries for further information. But it is a condition of acceptance that students embarking upon a research degree have the capacity to fund the full duration of their studies. There may be some paid opportunities for teaching, normally not in the first year, but these cannot be relied upon and will not begin to cover fees and maintenance fully.

The research degree embodies a core of training in research methods combined with a clear structure of progression thereafter. The training components are explained in the tab Teaching and Learning. The duration and structure of the research degree is as follows

Full-time research degree: Thre years plus one writing up

Year 1- research training.

Research students will take the 'Research Student Seminar 1' course in the Economics Department.

Year 1: Upgrade

Students will normally be expected to pass an upgrade from MPhil to PhD status within 9 months of commencing the degree.

Year 2-3 - Research

Core research undertaken: primary and secondary data collection as appropriate, draft thesis chapters finalised.

Year 4 - Write up

If necessary a fourth year can be taken to write the final thesis. Examination of the thesis will take place after submission within the 4th year

Part-time research degree: Six years, plus one year writing up

The research degree can be undertaken over 6 years:

Research Student Seminar 1 course must be taken over the first two years.
Upgrade will take place within 21 months after initial registration.
Examination will take place after submission within the writing-up year (year 7) at the latest

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes. However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Teaching and learning

Research training in economics.

All research students are expected to attend a dedicated research student seminar. In addition, a separate programme of research training is offered for first-year students covering various topics including political economy, different schools of thought, method and methodologies, as well as guidance on how to do fieldwork.

to encourage and enable students to complete an original thesis in the expected time.
to provide training and experience in fieldwork and across a variety of schools of economics and in a variety of statistical techniques.
to allow flexibility in training to suit students with different backgrounds and subsequent research needs.
to make available and to monitor first class research supervision with the involvement of at least two members of staff through individual Research Student's Supervisory Committees.
to encourage knowledge of other relevant disciplines and the adoption of an interdisciplinary approach where appropriate.
to equip students with the ability to assess one another's work critically, whether in response to written or spoken presentation.
to obtain language skills as appropriate.
to ensure students experience a congenial and productive environment of the conduct of research through availability of a wide range of facilities and full participation in the intellectual life of the Department and School. Library facilities are outstanding and computing facilities are attuned to student needs.
to emphasise the relevance of research to theoretical, empirical and policy issues.
to draw upon the Department's particular strengths, especially its expertise in different approaches to economic problems and its experience in problems of development, specific regions, and comparative analysis.
to involve students in the specialised Centres of the School where appropriate.
to advise on publication and careers progression.

A broader student-tailored programme of training needs can also be established in the first weeks of study, with a range of courses available from the Department’s MSc programmes. To this end, all students should undertake a Training Needs Analysis with their supervisor in the first weeks of Term 1 .

Supervision

1. The role of the second and third members of the Supervisory Committee (SC) will be focused on the following two core tasks:

Participate in the upgrade process of the student, including the final decision relating to his/her transfer from MPhil to PhD.
Participate in other decisions relating to his/her eligibility for enrolment on Extension of Writing-up (Continuation) Status or, where necessary, termination of registration.

2. In addition to these core roles, the second and third members of the SC may be expected to:

Enhance or augment the supervision of the student by contributing additional guidance and expertise, if required/sought by the student and/or the supervisor throughout the time of active research.
To act on behalf of the supervisor during unforeseen periods of absence. This role will have to be agreed by consent of all parties (student, supervisor and the two members of SC) and one of the two members will be designated as cover in absence for the period in question.

3. Only rarely is joint supervision allowed, for which a strong case would need to be made. Whilst the primary responsibility for guiding student's research and to review written work and progress rests with the supervisor, once upgrade is successfully completed, other members of the supervisory committee must receive student’s thesis drafts at appropriate times, with support also available to students from the Departmental Empirical Support Committee (DESC).

Computing facilities

Full computing facilities are available to postgraduate students. Computers dedicated for the use of research students in the Economics Department are also available. Software available includes word-processing and specialised statistical, econometrics and spreadsheet packages. The School’s computing staff are on hand to assist with general computing problems.

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Scholarships

Title	Deadline date

Fees and funding

Fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year.

	Home students	Overseas students
Full-time	£4,860	£21,630
Part-time	£2,430	£10,815

lease note that fees go up each year.

See research fees for further details.

A postgraduate degree in Economics and Environment from SOAS equips students with a range of important skills to continue in the field of research as well as a portfolio of widely transferable employability skills valued by a wide range of employers. These include numeracy, analytical thinking and general skills such as organisation and effective communication skills. Graduates of this programme will develop a specialised understanding of the environmental and development concerns.

Graduates have gone on to work for a range of organisations including:

African Development Bank
Bain & Co
Bank of America
Cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister
Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)
Department For Communities And Local Government
Department for International Development
Department of Foreign Affairs
Ernst & Young
Emerging Markets Direct
European Commission
Federation of the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Ghana Education Service
Government of Pakistan
HM Treasury
Institute for Social and Economic Studies (IESE)
International Climate Change Economics
Ministry of East African Community Affairs
National Bank of Bahrain
Overseas Development Institute
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
The National Economics University
UK Civil Service
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
United Nations Development Programme

Find out about our Careers Service

Professor Costas Lapavitsas

Theory of banking and finance, History of economic thought, Japanese financial system.

Dr Sara Stevano

Social reproduction, Intersecting or co-constituted inequalities, work and employment, Food and nutrition, Development processes and hierarchies, Methodology for political economy.

SOAS Voices

Precarity on two wheels: Keep in motion to maintain the balance

The rise of ride-hailing apps in Indonesia has absorbed informal labour into the gig economy. Kafi Prasetya explores the labour conditions within this sector to assess their impact on the social welfare of the workers.

Will AI help us out of the productivity slump?

Economics PhD student Thabo Huntgeburth explores how AI may worsen the productivity slump, instead exacerbating wage inequality and economic stagnation.

When one thing leads to nothing: Cultivating industrial ecosystems in an era of GVCs

Postgraduate student Shiran Illanperuma reflects on the challenges of industrialization in an era of Global Value Chains. Using China and Sri Lanka as contrasting examples, he argues for the need for activist industrial policies to incentivize domestic value addition and the participation of local firms in the Global South.

Powering Production: A Developmental Energy Transition for Africa

The SOAS Centre for Sustainable Structural Transformation (CSST) held its first bi-annual conference, themed “Powering Production: A Developmental Energy Transition for Africa.”

Financial inclusion in Kenya: Why going beyond access is crucial

While mobile money revolutionised access to financial services, the rise of digital credit products presents new challenges. Dr Thereza Balliester Reis and Yaerin Yoon explore the progress made, the emerging risks and the path forward to ensure financial stability and resilience.

Why clientelistic politics matter for development prospects

New research by Dr Miguel Niño-Zarazúa explores the complex effects of clientelism on economic development, state capacity, and governance.

Climate Risk and Sustainable Finance Development in Thailand

Business models.

This research focuses on understanding the emerging business models and how innovation and venture capital investments, can promote sustainable structural transformation in Africa.

Industrial policy

This research focuses on how governments can reshape industries creating new markets and building productive coalitions, to direct the economy towards sustainable prosperity.

Infrastructure development

This research focuses on how government and private sector can cooperate in building the infrastructure for sustainable energy system and mobility system.

Restructuring of supply chains

This research focuses on how supply networks should be re-organised and developed for development of mobility- and energy-related industries in Africa.

Critical minerals

This research focuses on how African economies should manage the relationships with international mining companies promoting socio-economic development.

Energy transition

This research approaches the issue of energy transition in Africa, investigating the existence of feasible opportunities to realise green industrialisation in Africa.

Unlocking finance and managing climate risks for India’s transition to a resilient, Paris-aligned economy

This project, led by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), aims at engaging with and supporting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on climate-related issues.

Political Economy Analysis of Food Industry (PEAFI)

Debt relief for a green and inclusive recovery.

The Debt Relief for a Green and Inclusive Recovery Project is a collaboration between the SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance, the Boston University Global Development Policy Center and the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung. Utilizing rigorous research, the DRGR Project seeks to develop systemic approaches to both resolve the debt crisis and advance a just transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy in partnership with policymakers, thought leaders and civil society around the world.

Scaling Up Green Investment in the Global South: Strengthening Domestic Financial Resource Mobilisation and Attracting Patient International Capital

The research project will provide evidence-based analysis that will help to design policies that will support the scaling up of sustainable investment in the Global South.

INSPIRE Sustainable Central Banking Toolbox Policy Briefing Paper Series

Policy briefing paper series designed to support central bankers and financial supervisors in calibrating monetary, prudential and other instruments in accordance with sustainability goals.

Central banking and climate change: the case of Bangladesh

In this lecture, Former Governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr. Atiur Rahman will talk about the innovative initiatives that Bangladesh Bank took under his leadership in 2009-2016 to mainstream environmental and social concerns in central banking.

Department of Economics

The Department of Economics at SOAS University London.

Economics: Research Degrees (MPhil/PhD)

Economics: Research Degrees (MPhil/PhD) at SOAS University of London

MSc Economics

MSc Economics at SOAS University of London

Schools & departments

Economics PhD with Integrated Study

Awards: PhD with Integrated Study

Study modes: Full-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Economics

Introduction to Postgraduate Study at the University of Edinburgh

Join us online on 25 September to learn more about Scotland, the city of Edinburgh and postgraduate study at the University.

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Research profile

Our PhD programme enables you to pursue your academic interests, and learn the latest methods in research, while providing you with thorough training in modern economics.

Research rankings

We have an impressive history of high rankings for our research.

In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, 25% of our research was judged world-leading in its originality, significance and rigour. A further 45% was judged internationally excellent.

Academic staff profiles

There are 34 staff members and around 30 PhD students. Profiles of all our economics staff and students are available on the economics website:

Staff and students at the School of Economics

Programme structure

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses.

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Award	Title	Duration	Study mode
PhD with Integrated Study	Economics	4 Years	Full-time

Training and support

Academic support.

You will be supervised by two faculty members from the School, who will provide academic support and advice on the subject area, methodology and structure of your thesis.

What will I study?

The PhD programme is principally a research degree, but modern economics requires substantial training that exceeds the level of an MSc or other masters study.

In Year 1, you will take 120 credits of advanced research-oriented coursework, with the opportunity to take field courses at the frontier of areas relevant to your research.

Review and progression

Subject to passing an annual review at the end of Year 1, you will proceed to three further years of research, with the possibility of taking a fourth “writing-up” year.

As a postgraduate student at the School of Economics you will be immersed in a rich academic environment and supportive community of staff and students.

You with have all the practical facilities to ensure success in your chosen programme of learning or research.

Career opportunities

Employment opportunities.

While many of our PhD graduates choose to remain in academia as lecturers and researchers, some pursue careers in other sectors.

Recent PhD graduates have found employment as researchers and analysts with:

Behavioural Insights Team
Danmarks Nationalbank
Bank of England
other private and public organisations

Post-doctoral opportunities

Recent graduates have successfully attained post-doctoral positions at:

University of Oxford
King's College London
London School of Economics and Political Science
European University Institute

As well as faculty positions at:

Heriot-Watt University
Penn State University
University of St Andrews
Aarhus University
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

Practical careers support

Our PhD students benefit from the help of our Placement Director in looking for academic jobs.

As well as offering advice and running information sessions, the Placement Director organises practical preparation sessions tailored to the academic job market, such as practice interviews and job talks.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK masters degree with distinction, or its international equivalent, in analytical economics. This degree should be equivalent to that offered by the Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics .

If you do not hold a masters, or if your masters is in another subject, you will not normally be admitted directly to the PhD.

Our programme is designed to enable you to pursue your academic interests, and learn the latest methods in research, while providing thorough training in modern economics. As important as your topic is the ability to match your topic with our supervision team. We will not admit a student, where we cannot provide the very best supervision. Therefore, you should think carefully about whether your topic matches our research interests.

During the application process, you will be asked to provide a research summary that briefly outlines your research interests and why you feel they fit with those of the School.

The criteria we will use to decide upon admission will include:

the quality and rigour of your training in core economics areas.

your performance at undergraduate and postgraduate level

our ability to offer supervision in your chosen area of research

the quality of your research summary and the strength of the match to the research priorities of the School

our assessment of any previous independent work (such as your masters dissertation or extended project)

In exceptional cases, we may consider prior independent research experience as a positive factor for admission.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

Entry requirements by country
English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in reading and listening, and 6.0 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in reading and listening, and 20 in speaking and writing. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in reading and listening, and 169 in speaking and writing.
Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in reading and listening, and 59 in each other component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding, featured funding.

We offer funding for high quality applicants, although we would encourage you to try and obtained your own funding sources in the first instance.

School of Economics scholarships
University of Edinburgh Scholarship Search

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

Search for funding

Further information

Postgraduate Administrator
Phone: +44 (0)131 651 1795
Contact: [email protected]
School of Economics
30/31 Buccleuch Place
Central Campus
Programme: Economics
School: Economics
College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD with Integrated Study in Economics - 4 Years (Full-time)

Application deadlines.

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

See our supervisors and their areas of research:

Economics staff

Before applying for a PhD with us, please send us an enquiry email so we can assist you and give you the best advice.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

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Events and Seminars
The Beverage Report Podcast

Research - PhD Economics Programme

We take pride in the Department of Economics’ outstanding placement record and it’s our ambition to place our PhD students in the best institutions worldwide. Our placement record is comparable with the top economics departments in the world, as shown by some of our recent placements which include MIT, UC Berkeley, Columbia, Stanford and Northwestern.

Professor Robin Burgess

The LSE Department of Economics is committed to an individualised and contextual review of each application to the MRes/PhD Economics programme.

Each year the Department of Economics admits around 20 funded students to join our vibrant doctoral programme, consisting of over 100 students from many countries and backgrounds. Our PhD students pursue research in all economic fields, closely supervised by a variety of faculty . We have a Chair and committee for both PhD Admissions and PhD Recruitment, as well as a dedicated professional staff at School and Department level managing funding and admissions.

The LSE Economics PhD Programme is grounded in two years of rigorous coursework through the MRes component and by a strong research element. You can find information about the individual research courses offered through our programmes.

As is the norm with top economic departments in the US, students entering the LSE PhD Economics programme are typically offered five years financial support; for more information please visit our Cost and Financial Aid page.

Research Centres in the Department of Economics

The LSE Department of Economics is somewhat unique for its major Research Centres . PhD students benefit from these centres both in terms of getting access to research funds as well as other facilities which complement their doctoral research.

Suntory and Toyota International Centre for Economics and Related Disciplines (STICERD)

Centre for Economic Performance (CEP)

Financial Markets Group (FMG)

Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE)

International Growth Centre (IGC)

Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM)

Programme Requirements

Follow the link below to access information about the PhD routes and coursework.

Programme and School Regulations for research students

Find out more .

Further information

How to apply.

PhD Economics - Admissions FAQs

How to Apply

General Information for prospective research students

Guidelines for submitting Research Statement

An application for 2024 entry to the PhD Economics should include a Research Statement, along with other required information (Note: A separate sample of Written Work is not required as part of the PhD Economics application).

Your Research Statement should be submitted in place of the Outline Research Proposal, along with your application form and other required supporting documents, via the LSE online application system (see the PhD Economics Admissions FAQs ).

What should my Research Statement contain?

Please answer the following questions clearly and concisely. Max 200 words per question.

1. Why do you want to do research in economics?

2. Can you explain how your studies and experience make you suitable to do research in economics?

3. Which aspect of the PhD do you think you will like the most? Which will you dislike the most? Why?

4. Tell us about your favourite paper in economics. What do you like about it? How would you improve it?

5. Write a comment for a general audience on ONE of the following topics (i) Is inequality good for growth? (ii) Do immigrants take the jobs of native workers? (iii) Is CEO compensation excessive? (iv) Is universal minimum income a good idea? (v) Overall, has central banks' move to inflation targeting been a success? (vi) Is culture an important determinant of differences in income per capita across countries? (vii) Markets function well as information is aggregated efficiently through prices. (viii) Elections are effective at disciplining politicians who do not have the public interest as their main goal.

How can I demonstrate research potential?

If you have served as research assistant for an economist please ask that person to write a letter focussing on your research skills and describe your experience – reference point 2 (above) of the research statement.

If not, please list any evidence you think would be valuable. Examples include but are not restricted to: experience working autonomously under stress without any guidance, demonstration of creativity in any form, experience of writing original research.

Financial information

Costs and Financial Aid

Financial Support Office

Job opportunities

Class Teaching Opportunities

Class teaching opportunities are available during the course of research degrees. They represent useful professional training and can be a valuable and important experience. For more information, click here.

PhD Job Market

Towards the completion of a research degree the Department organises an orientation meeting for prospective job market candidates and offers advice as well as a platform for candidates to present their experience and research. Available soon: the page with our current job market candidates.

Current students

MRes/PhD Programme Director: Professor Maitreesh Ghatak
MRes/PhD Programme Manager: Emma Taverner
PhD Placement Officer: Matthias Doepke

You can find more information about the profiles of Faculty and Teaching Fellows or Graduate Teaching Assistants, in the People section.

Quick Links

Research Courses
Office Hours
LSE Calendar : Regulations for Research Students
PhD Academy
LSE for You (login and password required)
Moodle (Look for individual courses on the PhD Portal) (login and password required)

PhD Economics Admissions FAQs

PhD Offer Holders

PhD Economics Career Placement Job market placement record

LSE Economics Applicant Mentoring Programme

Research students

PhD student profiles

PhD Economics

The School of Economics carries out research into most of the major fields of economics. It has a distinctive focus and reputation, combining high-level advances in economic theory, structural modelling and econometrics with innovative research in public policy.

The quality of the department's research has been evident in the most recent research assessments. 97% of our Economics and Econometrics research is rated either 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' (REF 2021).

World-leading research

The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK ( Times Higher Education ).

94% of our research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Entry requirements

The standard entry route into the PhD is from the MRes Economics programme, dependent on academic results and the availability of supervision. We will also consider you for direct entry into the PhD programme if you have an MRes or MPhil Economics degree from another institution. If your master's-level studies took place outside Europe, the US or Canada, you are strongly recommended to provide GRE scores in your application.

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.

If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level B.

Further information about English language requirements and profile levels .

Fees and funding

Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.

More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support .

Alumni discount

University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.

Funding for 2024/25

The School of Economics has an allocation of 1+3 and +3 scholarships. Please visit the school website for more information.

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.

Career prospects

Many of our PhD graduates pursue careers in research, in academia or elsewhere. The programme also provides you with the skills for a career in finance, business management, public service or teaching.

Meet our supervisors

The following list shows potential supervisors for this programme. Visit their profiles for details of their research and expertise.

Research groups

Most research is carried out within five main research areas:

econometrics;
economic theory;
labour economics;
macroeconomics, growth and development;
public organisation and applied microeconomics.

Further details of the current research and supervision interests of individual members of staff are available on the School of Economics webpage.

How to apply

Apply via our online application system. For further information, please see the guidance for how to apply on our webpages.

We welcome applications for admission at any time of year, though early application is advised.

There may be deadlines related to particular sources of funding. For further information on funding opportunities and deadlines, visit the School of Economics website.

Graduate Studies PGR Team

Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

School of Economics

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PhD Programs in Economics in the United Kingdom

Study economics in the united kingdom.

If you are looking to do your PhD degree in economics abroad, the United Kingdom is a great international destination. The UK is home to many of the best universities for economics in the world, all engaged in cutting-edge economics research. A doctoral degree in economics in the UK only takes 3-4 years to complete making it a quick and affordable option. Graduates from UK economics colleges also have excellent career prospects, while teaching here encourages individual research alongside group discussions and assignments.

Pursue your research interests, be it economics theory, macroeconomics, econometrics, health economics, financial economics, behavioral economics, applied economics or development economics. Start your postgraduate training in the UK and enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of British Universities.

Key Information

• Academic year: September – May • Study length: 3-4 years • Type of degrees: Doctor of Philosopy (Ph.D or D.Phil.), Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert), Professional Doctorate, e.g. Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) • Fees: between £15,000 and £25,000/year (funding usually covers most or all costs) • Scholarships: The Chevening Scholarships , The Royal Society Grants , The Commonwealth Scholarhips , scholarships from UK universities • Living costs: £700 – £1300 (London most expensive) • Average starting salary: £52,000 for economists with a PhD degree ( INOMICS Salary Report )

Highlighted PhD courses in economics in the United Kingdom

PhD Program

Doctoral programme in Economics (MRes+PhD)

PhD Program, Master's Program

MRes and PhD research programme in Economics

PhD Program, Program, Postgraduate Scholarship

PhD Scholarships at Exeter Economics

Cardiff Business School - Wales Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) (ESRC DTP) FULLY FUNDED GENERAL STUDENTS

Best universities to study economics uk.

The University of Cambridge , Oxford , and The London School of Economics all rank in the Top 10 of the Times Higher Education World Rankings for Economics . Indeed, the United Kingdom is the only country to rank institutions in the Top 10 outside the United States. Other World Top 100 UK universities for PhD in economics include UCL , Warwick , Manchester , Edinburgh , Surrey , Leeds , Sussex and Lancaster .

Best Universities in London for Economics

A global financial centre and cultural giant, London boasts more highly rated economics schools than perhaps any other city in the world. Economics colleges in London include the London School of Economics , UCL and City, University of London . Pursuing an economics doctoral degree in London opens the door to one of the liveliest job markets for economists after graduation and the chance to live in the political and cultural hub of the UK.

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INOMICS advice articles for postgraduate research students

Why do a PhD?

10 Most Affordable Countries in Europe to Do Your Economics PhD

Top PhD Programs in Economics

Sample Motivation Letter For Your Economics PhD Application

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School of Economics
Postgraduate study
PhD Programme in Economics

PhD research topics

Applications are welcomed in all Economics topics. We particularly welcome applications from candidates with research interests in the following speciality areas of our research-active staff:

Behavioural Economics

Behavioural Health Economics and Policy
Behavioural Labour and Organisational Economics
Decisions under Risk and Uncertainty
Experimental and Behavioural analyses of markets
Charitable Behaviour
Analysis of Conflict and Conflict Resolution
Behavioural Welfare Economics (including subjective wellbeing)

Financial Economics and Household Finance

Banking and financial stability
Household portfolios
Household wealth inequality
Household saving
Household financial vulnerability and asset accumulation

Gender, Race and Inequality

Domestic violence
Discrimination and Wellbeing
Identity Economics (gender, ethnicity, inequality)
Wealth inequality and racial wealth gap
Affirmative Action Policies

Health Economics

Healthcare and demographics
Health, wellbeing and employment
Long-run impact of COVID
Aversion to inequality in multidimensional wellbeing
Health state valuation and stated preferences

Industrial Organization

Competition Policy
Innovation, industrial policy and mixed markets
Networks and Regulation
Firms Productivity
Tax compliance and administration

International Economics and Development

Empirical development economics
Foreign aid and development finance institutions
Foreign Direct Investment and Economic Growth
Trade models with heterogeneous firms, trade gravity and productivity growth
Trade policies and public economics

Labour and Education Economics

Empirical studies on the relationships between labour, health and wellbeing
Education Economics
Gender differences in human capital accumulation
Labour market transitions of (young) workers
Social mobility
Vocational education
Wages, employment and contract type

Macroeconomics

Open Economy Macroeconomics
Business Cycles
Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium Modelling
Labour Market Dynamics
Search and Matching

Political Economy

Elections, political ideology, institutions and economic policy
Immigration: causes and consequences
Terrorism, public attitudes and behavioural outcomes
Rent-seeking and other contests

Time Series Econometrics

Econometric detection of bubbles and crashes
Specification testing and forecasting in non-linear Econometric/Time-Series models
Theoretical econometrics and statistical inference

Urban and Environmental Economics

Environmental economics and environmental policy
Environmental reporting
Real estate economics
Local labour markets
Agglomeration externalities
Spatial distribution of economic activities and innovation
Transport economics
Local economic impacts and drivers of internal and external immigration
Local and regional determinants of social mobility and inequality
Levelling-up: drivers of local productivity and growth

Related information

How to apply for a PhD

Search for PhD opportunities at Sheffield and be part of our world-leading research.

We have 9 Economics (fully funded) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK

United Kingdom

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Economics (fully funded) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK

The economics of rail transport: cost-benefit assessment of innovation and econometric modelling of supply and demand side relationships, phd research project.

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

This research project has funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Renewables and the UK Energy Market

Funded phd project (students worldwide).

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

PhDs at Henley Business School

Funded phd programme (students worldwide).

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. Applications for this programme are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full programme details for further information.

Business Research Programme

Business Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

PhD in Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour at Henley Business School

Phd in finance at henley business school, accounting and financial management phd opportunities, economics phd studentships, warwick business school: phd programme, sustai cdt - the urki ai centre doctoral training in ai for sustainability is now recruiting for september 2024, ukri centre for doctoral training.

UKRI Centres for Doctoral Training conduct research and training in priority topics related to Artificial Intelligence. They are funded by the UK Government through UK Research and Innovation. Students may receive additional training and development opportunities as part of their programme.

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Prime Minister to drive UK growth on European visits as he launches major German partnership

The Prime Minister will drive forward UK economic growth in Berlin and Paris this week, as he puts delivering for the British people at the top of his international agenda.

Keir Starmer will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to launch negotiations on a new bilateral treaty, which is expected to boost business and trade, deepen defence and security cooperation, and increase joint action on illegal migration.

The Prime Minister is expected to tell Chancellor Scholz that he is focused on ensuring the UK moves beyond Brexit to rebuild relationships with key partners and improve the lives of hardworking people in both countries. He is also expected to meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

He will say that driving growth will be key to doing that. Germany is Europe’s largest economy and the UK’s second largest trading partner, accounting for 8.5% of all UK trade.

As part of the trip to Berlin, the Prime Minister is also expected to meet Dr. Christian Bruch, chief executive of Siemens Energy. Through its technology, Siemens supports one-sixth of global energy generation.

The company also employs nearly 100,000 people, including more than 6,000 in the UK. The stop is part of a string of visits planned by the Prime Minister to drive up investment in the UK and create more highly skilled jobs in every corner of the country.

German companies already support more than 330, 000 jobs in the UK, in places such as Derby, Manchester, Goole and Oxford while UK exports to Germany supported a further 500,000 jobs.

He will also meet Armin Theodor Papperger, the chief executive of Germany’s largest defence and security company, Rheinmetall. Rheinmetall is also vital to the modernisation of the British Army, supporting thousands of jobs at sites in the south west and Shropshire, and has recently made significant investments in its Telford Hub to deliver Boxer armoured fighting vehicles.

The two-day European visit comes after the Prime Minister hosted Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, at Downing Street on Tuesday, to progress inward investment from the Gulf.

The Prime Minister is expected to travel on to Paris for the Paralympics Opening Ceremony on Wednesday night, before meeting French business leaders, including major investors into the UK economy, for breakfast on Thursday morning including from Thales, Eutelsat, Mistral AI and Sanofi.

France is the UK’s fourth-largest trading partner, accounting for 6% of all UK trade. The Prime Minister will then go on to meet Paralympians as they prepare for competition, before meeting President Macron at the Elysée Palace.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will say:

“We have a once in a generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships that deliver for the British people.

“We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government. That work started at the European Political Community meeting last month, and I am determined to continue it, which is why I am visiting Germany and France this week.

“Strengthening our relationship with these countries is crucial, not only in tackling the global problem of illegal migration, but also in boosting economic growth across the continent and crucially in the UK – one of the key missions of my government.”

The new UK-Germany treaty will be a key pillar of the UK’s wider reset with Europe and build on the defence agreement, which is currently being negotiated between the two countries, and expected to be finalised in the autumn.

The Prime Minister’s negotiating team will spend the next six months agreeing the new treaty, with both sides wanting to agree the new partnership in early 2025. The ambitious agreement is expected to cover vital areas for increased collaboration, such as market access, critical science, innovation and tech, clean energy, trade across the North Sea, supply chain resilience, energy security and green transition education, biodiversity, and the environment.

A treaty of such magnitude has never been agreed between the UK and Germany. Alongside the longstanding Lancaster House Treaties that underpin the UK’s relationship with France, this new agreement will bring all E3 members in line as our governments work in lockstep on key geo-political issues, such as the conflict in the Middle East and war in Ukraine.

Germany is a central part of the Government’s push to recalibrate relations with Europe, given the close cultural ties and defence collaboration.

The leaders are also expected to discuss joint action to tackle illegal migration, including further intelligence sharing to intercept and shut down organised immigration crime rings.

The Prime Minister will also reiterate his personal condolences to the German people following the attack in Solingen on Friday, where three people died.

The European visit is the fifth time the Prime Minister has met Chancellor Scholz and the fourth time meeting President Macron, following the NATO Summit in Washington, the European Political Community hosted at Blenheim Palace, the UEFA Euro 2024 final, and the Olympic opening ceremony hosted last month.

The European business drive comes ahead of the Prime Minister hosting a major International Investment Summit in October to advance opportunities for investment and growth across the country and deliver for the British people.

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What Are The Top Online Colleges With The Best Ph.D. in Economics?
Best Universities For Economics Masters UK

COMMENTS

PhD in Economics
Study. To obtain the degree of PhD in Economics, students need to: 1. Obtain the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS). If accepted for the PhD degree, you will be registered initially for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) in Economics. Students registered for the CPGS are required to: Attend the 'How to do Economics' lecture course.
Economics in United Kingdom: 2024 PhD's Guide
Studying Economics in United Kingdom is a great choice, as there are 70 universities that offer PhD degrees on our portal. Over 551,000 international students choose United Kingdom for their studies, which suggests you'll enjoy a vibrant and culturally diverse learning experience and make friends from all over the world.
Economics Rankings 2025
SUBJECT LEAGUE TABLE 2025. Economists advise private businesses and government bodies on economic policies, through investigation and model-building. Studying economics will also teach you a wealth of transferable skills, such as IT literacy and strategic planning. Our Economics. rankings show the best universities for Economics in the UK ...
MRes/PhD Economics
Tuition fees 2024/25 for MRes/PhD Economics. Home students: £4,786 for the first year. Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year. The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with the level of fee that the Research Councils recommend.
78 PhD programmes in Economics in United Kingdom
PhD programmes in Economics in United Kingdom. Find the best PhD programmes in the field of Economics from top universities in United Kingdom. Check all 78 programmes.
PhD Economics (2024 entry)
Year of entry: 2024. Streams : The 1+3 stream consists one year of PhD level teaching followed by 3 years of research. The 1+1+3 stream consists of one year of MSc teaching followed by the 1+3 stream. High level of performance: Achieving an average of 65% in coursework with no unit marks below 55% for both UG and PG degrees as well as 65% mark ...
Economics PhD research course
On our Economics PhD programme you will learn from dedicated academics with expertise in a wide range of areas. ... We have a reputation as a leading research-intensive department in the UK. ... Economics ranked in the top 10 in the UK for world-leading research. We achieved an overall ranking of 6th for real-world impact and 8th for research ...
iPhD Economics (by research)
Course location. This course is run by the Department of Economics and Related Studies. You'll be based in the Department of Economics and Related Studies on Campus West. You'll need to be on campus regularly during your first year to attend taught assessments. Your PhD can be studied through distance learning from Year 2 onwards, subject to ...
Economics PhD
The University of Liverpool Management School's (ULMS) Economics PhD programme has a long tradition of developing economists for the next generation, with unique research skills in modelling economic issues, conducting empirical analyses, and developing economic guidance for businesses and public institutions, at both micro and macro level ...
Economics PhD
Our PhD in Economics programme aims to develop rigorous scholars who can advance both academic knowledge and practice in the area of economics. You are currently viewing course information for entry year: 2024-25. Start date (s): September 2024. January 2025. View course information for 2025-26. Fees and funding.
PhD Economics
The Economics PhD is designed to train you to conduct research of high academic merit and make original contributions to the subject. The Department enjoys an international reputation for research of the highest quality. ... Code 2258 - £4,778 (UK) PhD Full time; Code 2259 - £2,389 (UK) PhD Part time; Code 3758 - £4,778 (UK) MPhil Full time ...
PhD in Economics
Economics PhD details. By the end of the second semester first year PhD students will have completed, as part of the course in Advanced Research Methods, a 10,000 word research proposal that they will present at a PhD workshop. This research proposal forms the basis for supervised research over the remaining two years of the Programme and ...
MPhil/PhD in Economics
Key information. Home student fees (full-time): £4,860 per year Home student fees (part-time): £2,430 per year Overseas student fees (full-time): £22,490 per year Overseas student fees (part-time): £11,245 per year. Please note that fees go up each year. See research fees for further details.
MRes/PhD in Economics and Management
Tuition fees 2024/25 for MRes/PhD in Economics and Management. Home students: £4,786 for the first year. Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year. The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme.
Economics PhD with Integrated Study
The PhD programme is principally a research degree, but modern economics requires substantial training that exceeds the level of an MSc or other masters study. In Year 1, you will take 120 credits of advanced research-oriented coursework, with the opportunity to take field courses at the frontier of areas relevant to your research.
Economics
Economics. Our four-year PhD programme provides rigorous training for careers in professional and academic economics, and offers a stimulating, supportive, and structured environment in which highly-qualified graduates can develop economic research skills that will enable them to make an original contribution to economic knowledge. Apply now.
Research
The LSE Economics PhD Programme is grounded in two years of rigorous coursework through the MRes component and by a strong research element. You can find information about the individual research courses offered through our programmes. As is the norm with top economic departments in the US, students entering the LSE PhD Economics programme are ...
Economics PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK
The Economics of Frailty. University of Birmingham Institute of Applied Health Research. Opportunity for a self-funded PhD. 3-years full-time or up to 6-years part-time. Context. Life expectancy has increased in the UK and this trend is being repeated in other high- and middle-income countries (World Bank, 2019).
QS World University Rankings for Economics and Econometrics 2024
Discover which universities around the world are the best for economics & econometrics with the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. Partly thanks to a perfect score for both academic and employer reputation, Harvard University is once again the best university in the world for studying economics.
Economics
The School of Economics carries out research into most of the major fields of economics. It has a distinctive focus and reputation, combining high-level advances in economic theory, structural modelling and econometrics with innovative research in public policy. The quality of the department's research has been evident in the most recent ...
PhD Programs in Economics in the United Kingdom
The University of Cambridge, Oxford, and The London School of Economics all rank in the Top 10 of the Times Higher Education World Rankings for Economics. Indeed, the United Kingdom is the only country to rank institutions in the Top 10 outside the United States. Other World Top 100 UK universities for PhD in economics include UCL, Warwick ...
PhD research topics
Behavioural Economics. Behavioural Health Economics and Policy. Behavioural Labour and Organisational Economics. Decisions under Risk and Uncertainty. Experimental and Behavioural analyses of markets. Charitable Behaviour. Analysis of Conflict and Conflict Resolution. Behavioural Welfare Economics (including subjective wellbeing)
Economics (fully funded) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in the UK
Economics PhD studentships at a leading university. The School of Economics at UEA is one of the top-ranked economics departments in the UK, proudly combining an internationally-leading reputation for research with the highest standards in teaching and academic support for our students.
Prime Minister to drive UK growth on European visits as he launches
The Prime Minister will drive forward UK economic growth in Berlin and Paris this week, as he puts delivering for the British people at the top of his international agenda.

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