economic history phd

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DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

• Prospective Ph.D.s
• Fields of Study

Economic History

Center for economic history.

The Center for Economic History currently supports the research of a number of graduate students from the Departments of Economics and History, all working on Economic History for their dissertations. Specifically, we support such items as traveling to obtain data from various sources, attending conferences, data processing, and utilizing undergraduate research assistance. 

Economic history at Northwestern has a tradition that now dates back more than half a century, to the first years of the "cliometric revolution" that altered the field by combining conventional historical analyses of economic activity with both theoretical rigor and quantitative sophistication. For Ph.D. students interested in economic history as either their primary field or in combination with other fields, Northwestern's faculty, course offerings, and regular seminar series provide a unique preparation for research and teaching in this field. Only a small number of other elite economics departments have similar strength.

The economic history faculty at Northwestern includes a past president of the Economic History Association, and editor of the  Journal of Economic History . Other Northwestern economic history faculty members include present or recent members of the editorial boards of  all  the leading economic history journals, the leading book series in economic history and all of them keep up  high-visibility research profiles .

Northwestern currently has two full-time senior faculty members in the economics department specializing in economic history (both with joint appointments in Northwestern's History Department) and one full-time tenured faculty member in the History Department.

Northwestern offers a weekly  economic history seminar , heavily attended by faculty and graduate students. In fact, the economic history seminar is the department's longest continuously-operating seminar, having been a staple of the department's diverse workshop schedule since the 1960s. The seminar meets 23 times each year, exposing faculty and students to the current research of scholars from throughout the world and providing students an opportunity to present their own research. The number of meetings and level of student and faculty involvement in the seminar are unequaled.

The  placement record  of Northwestern economic history students, which includes students who have gone on to tenured or tenure-track positions at top-five economics departments, demonstrates the value that the economics discipline has placed on the experience enjoyed by our students, many of whom came to Northwestern specifically to study economic history.

Yale Economic Growth Center

Program in Economic History

The Program in Economic History exists within the Economic Growth Center to foster research in the field of economic history.

Economic history is the study of the long-term development of economies. The field uses empirical evidence, the tools of economics and econometrics, and appreciation of institutional context to understand how economies functioned in different times and places, and how present-day economic problems reflect earlier development.

The Program in Economic History exists within the Economic Growth Center to foster research in the field of economic history. The links at the top of this page will take you to information on weekly events, mini-conferences, and other program activities. 

The Director of the Program is Gerald Jaynes ([email protected]).

Yale does not offer graduate programs in economic history  per se . Students who participate in the activities of the Program in Economic History are working toward a PhD in economics, history, or another discipline. They fulfill the degree requirements for their respective department; there are no separate requirements for economic history. (For information on the economics PhD program, see  http://economics.yale.edu/graduate/requirements ; for the history PhD program,  http://history.yale.edu/academics/graduate-programs ; for other programs, consult the relevant departmental website, or the website for Yale Graduate school,  http://gsas.yale.edu ).

Admission to graduate programs at Yale is handled by the graduate school; interested prospective students should check the graduate school website for forms, deadlines, and other information.

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DPhil in History (Economic and Social History)

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil in History (Economic and Social History) is an advanced research degree, awarded on the basis of successful completion of an individual research thesis and an oral examination.

Economic and social history is the study of economic activities and social organization in the historical past. If you are thinking about applying for a DPhil researching economic and social history, you should consider whether your proposed topic falls within the remit of economic and social history or whether it would be more appropriate to apply for the DPhil in History.

If studying full-time, you will be expected to submit your dissertation three, or at most four, years from the date of admission. If studying part-time, you will be expected to submit your dissertation six, or at most eight, years from the date of admission. You will be expected to attend and to contribute to two weekly research seminars: the Tuesday Evening Research Seminar and the Wednesday Lunchtime Graduate Student Seminar. You will also be expected to attend the Annual Graduate Workshop in Economic and Social History in the first week of Trinity term, at which MSc and MPhil students present their dissertation projects. You are strongly encouraged to participate in the wide range of other research seminars, conferences and workshops organised by the faculty and the division. Your supervisor will advise you on which seminars will be most beneficial for your chosen research area. You will also have access to specialist training courses offered by the Bodleian Libraries and IT Services. You can attend any lectures, across the University, that you wish to (subject to any specific restrictions), and we encourage students to take advantage of this and explore areas outside their specific research topic.

Further information about studying part time

The faculty is able to offer the DPhil in full-time as well as part-time mode of attendance. Please note that any published statistics as regards acceptance rates are not an indication of applicants having a better chance of acceptance in part-time mode. All DPhil applications are assessed together and compared with each other, irrespective of the mode of study.

The faculty's research degrees are not available by distance learning. Although there will be no requirement to reside in Oxford, part-time research students must attend the University on a regular basis (particularly in term-time: October and November, mid-January to mid-March, and late April to mid-June) for supervision, study, research seminars and skills training. The dates of attendance will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor.

We cannot sponsor student visas for part-time study as the study patterns are not compatible with Home Office regulations on attendance monitoring. However, other options may be available and you should contact the  admissions  office to discuss.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of History and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available.

It is usual practice that DPhil students have one supervisor, but a co-supervisor will be appointed if additional specialist knowledge is required. For the DPhil in Economic and Social History, a sole supervisor outside the Faculty of History (eg the Department of Economics) may be nominated. In exceptional circumstances, a co-supervisor from outside the university may be appointed. 

Your supervisor(s) is there to provide advice, guidance, and support throughout your DPhil. You should meet your supervisor(s) early in your first term to establish a clear framework for your research and writing, and identify any skills training needed to undertake your research. It is up to you and your supervisor to decide on the frequency of future meetings. In the first year, you should meet your supervisor at least twice a term, and keep in frequent contact. As you become more engaged with your research, you may meet your supervisor less frequently, but you should maintain regular contact with them.

Your supervisor or supervisors will help you develop a programme of research and writing. You will also benefit from the advice and support of other members of the faculty who will be involved in your progression through the transfer and confirmation stages of the degree, and you will be able to draw on the expertise of scholars and colleagues throughout the faculty and University.

Please note that if you have contacted a potential supervisor prior to submitting your application, any indication made by an academic that they may be willing to supervise a potential project, is not a guarantee that you will be offered a place, or that the supervisor in question has capacity to supervise you in that particular year.

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student, or eight terms as a part-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made by the second term for full-time students and by the fifth term for part-time students.

A successful transfer of status from PRS to DPhil status will require the submission of a thesis outline and a piece of written work. Students who are successful at transfer will also be expected to apply for and gain confirmation of DPhil status to show that your work continues to be on track. This will need to done within nine terms of admission for full-time students and eighteen terms of admission for part-time students.

Both milestones normally involve an interview with one or two assessors (other than your supervisor) and therefore provide and important experience for the final oral examination.

Full-time students will be expected to submit a substantial thesis of not more than 100,000 words after three or, at most, four years from the date of admission. If you are studying part-time, you will be required to submit your thesis after six or, at most, eight years from the date of admission. To be successfully awarded a DPhil in History (Economic and Social History) you will need to defend your thesis orally ( viva voce ) in front of two appointed examiners.

Graduate destinations

Approximately half of students who complete their doctoral thesis go on to further academic posts worldwide. Some work as freelance historians, others are in professional administrative positions in areas such as finance, the civil service, university administration, banking, and publishing. Approximately half of students who complete their doctoral thesis go on to further academic posts worldwide. Some work as freelance historians, others are in professional administrative positions in areas such as finance, the civil service, university administration, banking, and publishing.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Other courses you may wish to consider

If you're thinking about applying for this course, you may also wish to consider the courses listed below. These courses may have been suggested due to their similarity with this course, or because they are offered by the same department or faculty.

All graduate courses offered by the Faculty of History

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25, proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a master's degree with distinction or a high pass (a minimum of 68% overall and 68% for the dissertation);   and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours  (a minimum of 68% overall and 68% for the dissertation) in history or cognate disciplines.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or equivalent.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.75 out of 4.0. However, most successful applicants have a cumulative GPA of 3.8.

Applicants without a prior degree in history, economic history or economics should be aware that competition for a place on the DPhil is extremely tough and that even some of Oxford's own master's students are not able to secure a place on the DPhil. You should consider that most of your competitors will have a solid background in the discipline and the appropriate training for academic research in a historical context, with a first class or distinction grade. If you decide to apply without a prior master's degree in history, please ensure that you link your proposed thesis topic with your previous expertise when you present it in your application. You should also show that you have already done a considerable amount of background research into the topic. Your submitted written work should show your writing and research skills in their best light as it will be important to show that you have the necessary skills for historical research and writing.

Professional experience in research, such as holding a research assistantship with an individual researcher or on a research project, may be an appropriate substitute for a master's degree.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• In the case of mature students/intended career changes, professional experience in cognate areas may compensate for shortcomings in the formal academic record. 
• Publications are not required.

Further guidance

When assessors judge that a formally qualified and otherwise promising applicant requires strictly limited further training to embark on a doctoral programme, a doctoral place may be offered but only on the stipulation that the student successfully complete relevant elements of one of the faculty's master's courses before attempting 'transfer' to full doctoral status, meaning that the student may be asked to attend seminars or classes intended for master’s students.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

Assessors may get in touch with an applicant by email in case of any queries, but this is very rare.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Initiatives to improve access to graduate study

This course is taking part in  the 'Close the Gap' project  which aims to improve access to doctoral study.

For this course, socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.  Further information about how we use your socio-economic data  can be found in our page about initiatives to improve access to graduate study.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Intellectual life and community

The explicitly interdisciplinary nature of this DPhil means that the History Faculty collaborates with other divisions and departments within the University, predominantly with the Departments of Economics, Politics and International Relations, Sociology and Management Studies within the Social Sciences Division.

More generally, working as an Oxford graduate student is an exhilarating experience. History in Oxford stretches from around c. 300 to the present, and embraces an exceptionally broad geographical range. It comprises an active research community of up to 800 academics and graduate students. The faculty’s research is organised around  historical periods, research centres, or in collaborative and individual research projects , and graduates are key participants in the wide range of seminars, workshops and conferences run by the History Faculty. Further opportunities for exchange are provided by the interdisciplinary communities fostered within individual colleges, which also offer dedicated support for graduates by means of personal advisors. The Oxford Centre for Research in the Humanities (TORCH) offers a stimulating range of interdisciplinary activities, as does the Oxford Martin School and the new Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities. History graduates are also encouraged to join the Oxford History Graduate Network (OHGN) , which fosters friendships, conversations and collaboration.

The Oxford environment provides a unique opportunity to develop intellectual curiosity whilst remaining focused on your own work without becoming blinkered - an integral part of a successful graduate career.

Libraries and Archives

Graduates in Oxford are fortunate in having access to over a hundred libraries. The University's core research resource in the Humanities are the Bodleian Libraries, whose combined collections contain more than eleven million printed items, in addition to more than 50,000 e-journals and a vast quantity of manuscripts, maps, music and other materials.

The  Bodleian  has been a library of legal deposit for 400 years. The Bodleian Libraries’  Special Collections Department attracts scholars from all over the world.  Further strengths include the countless databases and digital resources currently offered by the Bodleian and being developed through Oxford’s  Digital Humanities programme .

You are also able to draw on the specialist resources offered by the Bodleian  History Faculty Library which provides dedicated  support and training courses for all graduates. You also have access to the many college libraries and to college archives which can house significant collections of personal papers as well as institutional records dating back to the middle ages.

History in Oxford stretches from c 300 to the present, and embraces in addition to its British and European heritage an exceptionally broad range of World history. It comprises an active research community of up to 800 senior academics and graduate students, all contributing to a range of research seminars, lectures, academic societies, and personal contacts.

Research in the faculty is organised around historical periods and research centres, or in collaborative and individual research projects, and you will always be welcome at seminars, workshops and conferences across all periods and themes.

You will be encouraged to make use of these opportunities as widely as possible without endangering your own degree work. Striking the right balance between intellectual curiosity and temptation and intellectual discipline, and remaining focused without becoming blinkered, should be an integral part of a successful graduate career. The Oxford environment provides all the ingredients for this.

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The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

IMPORTANT : Please note that while most of the content of these pages relates to the course starting in 2024-25, this information about course fees and the additional information section on this page relate to entry in 2025-26 . The remaining content will be updated for 2025-26 entry later in September.

Part-time study

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Green Templeton College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Mansfield College
• Merton College
• New College
• Nuffield College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to contact anyone in the faculty before you apply. You are not responsible for finding your own supervisor. However, you are strongly encouraged to familiarise yourself with the  research expertise within the faculty  when preparing your research proposal, to make sure that there is a supervisor available in the same area as your proposed project. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available. The faculty determines supervision arrangements, taking due account of the workload and commitments of its academics. If you are made an offer, a supervisor will be assigned to you, and identified in the offer letter.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

It is not necessary for you to identify a potential supervisor in your application.

However, please check that a supervisor with expertise in your proposed area of research is available before applying. Details can be found on the faculty website. You are free to consult a specialist in your field for advice on your project, if you think that would be helpful.

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

References should generally be academic, though if you are returning to study after extended periods of non-academic employment then you are welcome to nominate professional referees where it would be impractical to call on your previous university tutors.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in both a group environment and sustained individual and self-motivated investigation.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Research proposal: A minimum of 500 words to a maximum of 1,000 words

Your research proposal must be written in English. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count, though any footnotes should be included.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This should be a developed proposal of your individual research project. It will provide crucial evidence of your readiness for doctoral research. Your proposal should cover all of the following:

• a research question: the central issue or problem with which you intend to grapple, and a working title;
• historiography: some account of the current state of scholarship in this area. You may want to explain why you are dissatisfied with existing scholarship: is it limited, dated or unconvincing? What kind of contribution will your work make?
• sources: an indication of the sources you expect to use, where these can be found, how they will contribute to your research, what if any technical skills you will need to work with them (eg language, quantitative, use of specialist software), and whether you already have, or will need to acquire, those skills; and
• method: some discussion of your approach to dealing with sources and constructing your thesis. Some of the following considerations may apply. At what level is your inquiry: micro or local, regional or national, comparative or transnational? Will you be using qualitative or quantitative techniques? Samples or case studies? Will your research draw on a body of theory? Does your approach draw on the agenda or methods of related disciplines such as anthropology, or literary studies?

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying
• the coherence of the proposal
• the originality of the project
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• the ability to present a reasoned case in English
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project within three years
• preliminary knowledge of research techniques
• capacity for sustained and intense work
• the ability to contextualise, and analyse the evidence.

It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Written work: An academic writing sample of no more than 4,000 words in total length

Written work should be from your most recent completed qualification, but does not need to relate closely to your proposed area of study. Extracts from a longer piece of work are welcome, but please include a preface which puts the work in context.

The work will be assessed for your:

• understanding of problems in the area
• ability to construct and defend an argument
• powers of analysis
• powers of expression.

It must be submitted in English (if this work has been translated, you must indicate if the translations are your own, or what assistance you had in producing the English text).

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document. Any footnotes should be included in the word count. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice .

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*One-year of applications (2023-24)

This course has replaced the DPhil in History (History of Science and Economic and Social History)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of History

• Course page on the faculty's website
• Funding information from the faculty
• Academic and research staff
• Faculty research
• Humanities Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0) 1865 615000

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Doctoral Program

The Ph.D. program is a full time program leading to a Doctoral Degree in Economics.  Students specialize in various fields within Economics by enrolling in field courses and attending field specific lunches and seminars.  Students gain economic breadth by taking additional distribution courses outside of their selected fields of interest.

General requirements

Students  are required to complete 1 quarter of teaching experience. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships within the Economics department or another department .

University's residency requirement

135 units of full-tuition residency are required for PhD students. After that, a student should have completed all course work and must request Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status.

Department degree requirements and student checklist

1. core course requirement.

Required: Core Microeconomics (202-203-204) Core Macroeconomics (210-211-212) Econometrics (270-271-272).  The Business School graduate microeconomics class series may be substituted for the Econ Micro Core.  Students wishing to waive out of any of the first year core, based on previous coverage of at least 90% of the material,  must submit a waiver request to the DGS at least two weeks prior to the start of the quarter.  A separate waiver request must be submitted for each course you are requesting to waive.  The waiver request must include a transcript and a syllabus from the prior course(s) taken.  

2.  Field Requirements

Required:  Two of the Following Fields Chosen as Major Fields (click on link for specific field requirements).  Field sequences must be passed with an overall grade average of B or better.  Individual courses require a letter grade of B- or better to pass unless otherwise noted.

Research fields and field requirements :

• Behavioral & Experimental
• Development Economics
• Econometric Methods with Causal Inference
• Econometrics
• Economic History
• Environmental, Resource and Energy Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International Trade & Finance
• Labor Economics
• Market Design
• Microeconomic Theory
• Macroeconomics
• Political Economy
• Public Economics

3.  Distribution

Required:  Four other graduate-level courses must be completed. One of these must be from the area of economic history (unless that field has already been selected above). These courses must be distributed in such a way that at least two fields not selected above are represented.  Distribution courses must be passed with a grade of B or better.

4.  Field Seminars/Workshops

Required:  Three quarters of two different field seminars or six quarters of the same field seminar from the list below.   

[email protected]

Graduate Programs in Economic History

The following colleges and universities offer graduate degrees in the field of Economic History. For additional information on a specific program, please contact that school directly. If you have information about a graduate program which does not appear on our list, please contact the EH.Net Administrator, [email protected]

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MRes/PhD Quantitative Economic History

• Graduate research
• Department of Economic History
• Application code V3UG
• Starting 2021
• Home full-time: Closed
• Overseas full-time: Closed
• Location: Houghton Street, London

The MRes/PhD is an advanced research degree. You will begin on the MRes, and will need to meet certain requirements to be upgraded to PhD status. The main objective of this programme is the elaboration of a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to the field of quantitative economic history.

The Department is home to by far the largest group of researchers in economic history in the UK and one of the largest in the world. This is a pluralistic Department which encourages different approaches to the discipline: quantitative economic history; global history; history of economic thought; historical demography; historical economic geography; international economic history; business history; financial and monetary history; and social history. We also offer a wide chronological and geographical coverage of economic history, with specialists in almost every continent and any historical period from the medieval age onwards. For this reason, the Department is able to supervise a wide range of topics, in line with the research interests of the teaching staff.

We particularly value a comparative outlook on research, and the fruits of our research have been used by international agencies, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, government departments and local communities. Our faculty have included among their research commitments the editorship of The European Review of Economic History and Economic History of Developing Regions .

Teaching and learning in 2021  

LSE is committed to offering you the best possible teaching and learning experience within the constraints of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  Our expectation for the 2021-22 academic year is that all LSE students will be in London and studying on campus, where we will provide flexible teaching and learning which blends both in-person and online elements. This flexible approach has been informed by our student and academic community and builds upon the innovations and improvements we have put in place over the past year. If, due to events outside of our reasonable control, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to make any changes to the delivery of the programme in the 2021/22 academic year, we will provide as much notice as is reasonably practicable by updating this page and sending an email to all offer holders/students.  

For more information about  LSE's teaching plans for 2021   and our  Coronavirus FAQs for prospective students  please visit our website.

Programme details

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements for mres/phd quantitative economic history.

Merit in the MSc Quantitative Economic History, and at least 65 per cent in the dissertation. Direct entry for candidates with a Distinction in an MSc in Economics will be considered.

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet our minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission.

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our  Information for International Students  to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

GRE/GMAT requirement

GRE is required for applicants without a UK undergraduate degree in economics. This must be no more than five years old on 1 October 2021, and must include full and percentile test scores for all three sections with their application. Please see Admissions Enquiries for more information.

We do not require a specific mark but the test gives us an indication of aptitude for economics. Typically we expect candidates to score at least 161/770 in the quantitative section of the test. A higher score will count in your favour, but other information, such as examination results and references will also matter in the overall evaluation. We recognise that if your first language is not English, the verbal test will be more demanding and we view your score on that basis.

Find out more about GRE/GMAT  

Student support and resources

We’re here to help and support you throughout your time at LSE, whether you need help with your academic studies, support with your welfare and wellbeing or simply to develop on a personal and professional level.

Whatever your query, big or small there are a range of people you can speak to and who will be happy to help.  

Department librarians   – they will be able to help you navigate the library and maximise its resources during your studies. 

Accommodation service  - they can offer advice on living in halls and offer guidance on private accommodation related queries. 

Class teachers and seminar leaders – they will be able to assist with queries relating to a specific course you are taking. 

Disability and Wellbeing Service – the staff are experts in long term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential and free services such as student counselling, a peer support scheme, arranging exam adjustments and run groups and workshops.  

IT help – support available 24 hours a day to assist with all of your technology queries.  

LSE Faith Centre – home to LSE's diverse religious activities and transformational interfaith leadership programmes, as well as a space for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a main space for worship. It is also a space for wellbeing classes on campus and is open to all students and staff from all faiths and none.   

Language Centre – the centre specialises in offering language courses targeted to the needs of students and practitioners in the social sciences. We offer pre-course English for Academic Purposes programmes; English language support during your studies; modern language courses in 9 languages; proofreading, translation and document authentication and language learning community activities.

LSE Careers ­ - with the help of LSE Careers, you can make the most of the opportunities that London has to offer. Whatever your future career plans, LSE Careers will work with you, connecting you to opportunities and experiences from internships and volunteering to networking events and employer and alumni insights. 

LSE Library     Founded in 1896, the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and it’s a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide. 

LSE LIFE – this is where you should go to develop skills you’ll use as a student and beyond. The centre runs talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom, offer one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision, and provide drop-in sessions for academic and personal support.(See ‘Teaching and assessment). 

LSE Students’ Union (LSESU) – they offer academic, personal and financial advice and funding.  

PhD Academy - is available for PhD students, wherever they are, to take part in interdisciplinary events and other professional development activities and access all the services related to their registration. 

Sardinia House Dental Practice - offers discounted private dental services to LSE students.  

St Philips Medical Centre - based in Pethwick-Lawrence House the centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients.  

Student Services Centre – our staff here can answer general queries and can point you in the direction of other LSE services.  

Student advocates and advisers – we have a School Senior Advocate for Students and an Adviser to Women Students who can help with academic and pastoral matters.  

Assessing your application

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of members of staff at the School, and we recommend that you investigate  staff research interests  before applying.

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form, including your:

- academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications) - personal statement - references - CV - GMAT/GRE - outline research proposal - sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency. You do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE, but we recommend that you do.  See our English language requirements .

When to apply

The application deadline for this programme is 29 April 2021. However to be considered for any LSE funding opportunity, you must have submitted your application and all supporting documents by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section for more details.

Fees and funding

Every research student is charged a fee in line with the fee structure for their programme. The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2021/22 for MRes/PhD Quantitative Economic History

Home students: £4,500 for the first year (provisional) Overseas students: £20,136 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. The fees for overseas students are likely to rise in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, 4 per cent per annum).

The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.

Further information about fee status classification.

Scholarships, studentships and other funding

The School recognises that the cost of living in London  may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to our graduate students from the UK, the EU and outside the EU.

This programme is eligible for  LSE PhD Studentships , and  Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding . Selection for the PhD Studentships and ESRC funding is based on receipt of an application for a place – including all ancillary documents, before the funding deadline. 

Funding deadline for first round of LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding:  14 January 2021 .  The deadline for the second round of LSE PhD Studentships:  29 April 2021 . 

In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas. 

External funding

There may be other funding opportunities available through other organisations or governments and we recommend you investigate these options as well.

Further information

Fees and funding opportunities

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.  

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students . 

1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page. 

2) Go to the International Students section of our website. 

3) Select your country. 

4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page 

Programme structure and courses

Pre-sessional (mres).

You will begin the programme with the Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics, which begins in late August, before the start of the academic year.

First year (MRes)

Study for the MRes includes substantive courses in economics and economic history and the production of research paper in quantitative economic history, as well as a research prospectus. 

Either Microeconomics Develops the basic tools for analysing problems of resource allocation used by economists working in research, government and business. Or Macroeconomics Gives a wide-ranging overview of modern macroeconomics 

Research Paper in Quantitative Economic History Builds on the research training provided through the core courses of the MSc Quantitative Economic History and the MRes Quantitative Economic History, augmented by the optional economic history courses taken during the MRes. 

Research Prospectus A detailed outline "map" of the prospective PhD thesis, of around 5,000 words.

Courses to the value of two units from a range of economic history options  

After meeting the progression requirements, you will be upgraded to PhD registration. The PhD is the final stage of the programme where you will be expected to produce a PhD thesis comprised of three publishable research papers. During this period you will build on the formal training provided through the MRes and develop your research skills and scholarly abilities. Throughout your PhD degree, you will gain professional experience in how to present your findings in the Thesis Workshop in Economic History, taken each year of the programme. 

Thesis Workshop in Economic History

For the most up-to-date list of optional courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page .

You must note however that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.  

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s  Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the  updated graduate course and programme information page.

Supervision, progression and assessment

Supervision.

You will be assigned a lead supervisor (and a second supervisor/adviser) who is a specialist in your chosen research field, though not necessarily in your topic. Lead supervisors guide you through your studies.

Progression and assessment

You will need to meet certain criteria to progress to PhD registration.

Please refer to the PhD Handbook  (pp. 13-16) for full details of progression requirements.

Your final award will be determined by the completion of an original research thesis and a viva oral examination.

More about progression requirements

Student life

As a student at LSE you’ll be based at our central London campus. Find out what our campus and London have to offer you on academic, social and career perspective. 

Student societies and activities

Your time at LSE is not just about studying, there are plenty of ways to get involved in  extracurricular activities . From joining one of over 200 societies, or starting your own society, to volunteering for a local charity, or attending a public lecture by a world-leading figure, there is a lot to choose from. 

The campus 

LSE is based on one  campus  in the centre of London. Despite the busy feel of the surrounding area, many of the streets around campus are pedestrianised, meaning the campus feels like a real community. 

Life in London 

London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city. It's also an academic city, with more than 400,000 university students. Whatever your interests or appetite you will find something to suit your palate and pocket in this truly international capital. Make the most of career opportunities and social activities, theatre, museums, music and more. 

Want to find out more? Read why we think  London is a fantastic student city , find out about  key sights, places and experiences for new Londoners . Don't fear, London doesn't have to be super expensive: hear about  London on a budget . 

Preliminary reading

Acemoglu, D. and Robinson, J. (2012), Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty . London: Profile.

Allen, R.C. (2009), The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Austin, Gareth M . Markets, Slaves and States in West African History, c.1450 to the present . (Cambridge: CUP 2013)

Austin, Gareth M. & Kaoru Sugihara (eds.) Labour-intensive industrialisation in Global History. (London: Routledge 2013).

Baten, Joerg (2016), A History of the Global Economy . Cambridge.

Broadberry, S. and O’Rourke, K. (eds.) (2010), The Cambridge Economic History of Modern Europe . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Clark, G. (2007), A Farewell to Alms: A Brief Economic History of the World . Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Crafts, N.F.R. and Fearon, P. (2013), The Great Depression of the 1930s: Lessons for Today . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Darwin, J. (2007), After Tamerlane: The Rise and Fall of Global Empires, 1400-2000 . London: Allen Lane.

Engerman, Stanley L. & Kenneth L. Sokoloff, Economic Development in the Americas since 1500: endowments and institutions. (Cambridge: CUP/NBER 2012).

Findlay, R. and O’Rourke, K. (2009), Power and Plenty: Trade, War, and the World Economy in the Second Millennium , (Princeton Economic History of the Western World), Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Floud, Roderick, Fogel, Robert, Harris, Bernard, and Hong, Sok Chul (2011), The Changing Body: health, nutrition, and human development in the western world since 1700 . Cambridge.

Greif, A. (2006) Institutions and the Path to the Modern Economy: Lessons from Medieval Trade (Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions) . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hatcher, J. and Bailey, M (2001), Modelling the Middle Ages: The History and Theory of England’s Economic Development . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Herschman, Albert O. (2013), The Passions and the Interests: political arguments for capitalism before its triumph . Princeton.

King, Mervyn (2016), The End of Alchemy: money, banking and the future .  Little, Brown.

Livi-Bacci, Massimo (2012), A Concise History of World Population .  Wiley Blackwell.

Mackenzie, D (2006), An Engine, Not a Camera: How Financial Models Shape Markets . Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Morgan, Mary S. (2012), The World in the Model: How Economists Work and Think . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

North, D.C., Wallis, J.J. and Weingast, B. (2009), Violence and Social Orders: A Conceptual framework for Interpreting Recorded Human History . Cambridge; Cambridge University Press.

Parthasarathi, P. (2011), Why Europe Grew Rich and Asia Did Not: Global Divergence, 1600-1850. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Piketty, T. (2014) Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Harvard: Harvard University Press.

Pomeranz, K. (2000), The Great Divergence: China, Europe and the Making of the Modern World Economy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career. 

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Support for your career

Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the  support available to students through LSE Careers .

Find out more about LSE

Discover more about being an LSE student - meet us in a city near you, visit our campus or experience LSE from home. 

Experience LSE from home

Webinars, videos, student blogs and student video diaries will help you gain an insight into what it's like to study at LSE for those that aren't able to make it to our campus.  Experience LSE from home . 

Come on a guided campus tour, attend an undergraduate open day, drop into our office or go on a self-guided tour.  Find out about opportunities to visit LSE . 

LSE visits you

Student Marketing and Recruitment travels throughout the UK and around the world to meet with prospective students. We visit schools, attend education fairs and also hold Destination LSE events: pre-departure events for offer holders.  Find details on LSE's upcoming visits . 

How to apply

Virtual Graduate Open Day

Register your interest

Related programmes, mphil/phd economic history.

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• Working Papers

Research - PhD Programme

We offer our PhD students a vibrant and supportive environment in a world-class centre for economic history research.

Professor Tirthankar Roy

The Department of Economic History is committed to an individualised and contextual review of each application to the MPhil/PhD Economic History programme.

As one of the largest Economic History departments in the world we offer unusually broad teaching and research expertise to our doctoral students. We invite applications from those wishing to carry out research within the wide spectrum of economic history. Our faculty's own research interests range from the medieval period to the current century, from Latin America to China via Africa and Europe, from questions about social well-being to ones on technology and finance, and from the history of economic ideas to the measurement of past human development and explanations for global trade patterns.

The major academic goal of a research student in the department is, of course, the researching and writing of a thesis, but members of our doctoral programme achieve much more than this. During the programme students participate in departmental workshops and other seminars held within the University of London and later at conferences and seminars at other universities.

We expect our students to gain a broad knowledge of the subject from graduate level course-work in the first year which complements the deeper knowledge gained from intense thesis research. Many of our research students also take the opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience on undergraduate courses . Graduates go into a wide variety of careers, including university teaching and research posts, as well as jobs at international economic agencies such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.  

Methodological training

First year research students are required to take EH520 Approaches to Economic History , and are strongly advised to attend the induction programme provided by the Methodology Institute. Students are also required to take EH401 and EH402 , the core modules for MSc Economic History (Research) unless they have already taken this MSc. Supervisors may require students in their first or subsequent  years of study to take other relevant methodological courses (including quantitative methods) provided by the Methodology Institute , the Institute of Historical Research , or other skills training courses as required for their thesis topic.   

Research Clusters in the Department of Economic History

Members of the Economic History department pursue research in all areas of the discipline with particular strength in thems such as demography; labour and living standards; historical economic geography; and firms and finance.  You can explore these, and other, themes here .

The Department participates in the School's series of online sessions for prospective students.  Full information for students thinking of applying for entry in 2024 can be found here .

The presentation slides for the 2023 Open Day are available here , or you can watch the recording here .

Programme requirements

Entrants to our graduate research programme have usually completed a Master's degree in economic history, but we also accept applications from those with a background in a related subject, for example, history or one of the social sciences.

Students who did not follow the MSc Economic History (Research) in the Department will usually be required to take EH401 and EH402 , alongside any other Master's level course as recommended by their supervisor, in their first-year.

Students are initially registered for the MPhil, but in the second year, subject to successful completion of all target objectives, are upgraded to PhD status.  Full information on progression and upgrade requirements can be found in the PhD Handbook (pp. 12-14).

Full details of the MPhil/PhD programme regulations can be found here .

We also welcome applicants from other universities wishing to join us for from one term to one academic year.  See Visiting Research Student for more information, paying particular attention to deadlines.

Programme and School Regulations

 See the LSE Calendar for full information.

Further information

How to apply

MPhil/PhD FAQs  

General information for prospective students

Guidelines for submitting Research Proposal

An application for entry to the MPhil/PhD in Economic History should include a research proposal, along with other required information.  Please note: a separate sample of written work is also required.

Your research proposal should be submitted, along with your application form and other required supporting documents, via the LSE online application system .

Definition of a research proposal You should state your research topic as accurately as possible. Your research proposal should address the following questions:

i) what is your general topic? ii) what questions do you want to answer? iii) what is the key literature and its limitations? iv) what are the main hypotheses of the work? v) what methodology do you intend to use? vi) what are your case studies, if any, and what are your case selection criteria?

MPhil/PhD applications that are received without a research proposal that addresses these questions will not be considered.

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. More information can be found here .

PhD Job Market: Towards the completion of a research degree, the Department organises several workshops for prospective job market candidates, and offers advice as well as a platform for candidates to present their experience and research.  Please see  Job Market for our current job market candidates.

Contact Details

Staff: Deputy Head of Department (Research) - Professor Eric Schneider MPhil/PhD Programme Director/PhD Placement Officer - Professor Tirthankar Roy Deputy Head of Department (Teaching) - Professor Neil Cummins MPhil/PhD Programme Manager - Tracy Keefe

You can find more information about the profiles of faculty, teaching fellows and graduate teaching assistants in the People section of our webpages.

Quick Links

Research courses MSc courses Office hours (accessed through the People page) LSE Calendar : regulations for research students PhD Academy LSE For You (login and password required) Moodle (login and password required)

Virtual Graduate Open Events 2023

PhD Economic History Admissions FAQs

PhD Offer Holders Information for new students

PhD Job Market Meet our job-ready students

PhD Academy A hub for doctoral students at LSE

Professor Tirthankar Roy +44 (0)20 7955 6248

Ms Tracy Keefe +44 (0)20 7955 7860

Professor Tirthankar Roy, Doctoral Programme Director [email protected]

Tracy Keefe, PhD Programme Manager [email protected]

Department of Economic History, London School of Economics

About the Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. Program in Economics at UCLA prepares students for careers as economists in academia, business and government. The program combines rigorous work in economic theory and careful study of real-world problems and institutions. Graduates from this program work at major universities around the world, national and international government agencies, banks, research centers and in private businesses. Some of our graduates have achieved great prominence, such as William Sharpe , who earned both his B.A. and Ph.D. degrees at UCLA, and was co-recipient of the 1990 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on the capital asset pricing model.

The department includes internationally recognized scholars in economic theory, econometrics, and all the major applied fields. These outstanding scholars form one of the foremost departments of economics in the world.

The Economics Department is situated within one of the world’s most youthful and vibrant universities. Founded in 1919, UCLA first developed into a major university in the 1950’s. After so short a history, the university was ranked second in the United States among public research universities by the Conference Board of Associated Research Councils in 1982. Thirty-one of its Ph.D. programs are currently ranked in the top 20 in their field–third best in the nation.

The Ph.D. is the degree objective of the graduate program. This degree is awarded to students who demonstrate professional competence by passing written qualifying exams and by completing a major piece of individual research (the Ph.D. dissertation).

Preparation for the qualifying exams through coursework and independent study occupies most student time for the first two years. Thereafter the focus shifts to independent research and finally to the writing of a Ph.D. dissertation. Research in progress by our graduate students as well as our faculty is presented at workshops that meet weekly throughout the academic year. Currently, the Dept. has workshops in Theory and Mathematical Economics, International and Development Economics, Labor and Population Economics, Business Organization and Regulation Economics, Economic History, Econometrics, and Monetary Theory. In addition, many graduate students work as research or teaching assistants for faculty members. The normal time to degree is six years.

This degree program classifies as STEM (CIP Code 45.0603: Econometrics and Quantitative Economics).

UCLA Department of Economics

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Economic History Research

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• Social Sciences PhD Program

Researchers in economic history focus on the evolution and performance of political and economic institutions over the long term in order to better understand how economies function today. They are particularly interested in how economic performance is enhanced or constrained through policy making and institutions that create and enforce rules that determine who votes, and how capital and labor markets and fiscal institutions operate.

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We have 32 economic history PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

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economic history PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Study history, classics and archaeology at the university of edinburgh - funding opportunities available, 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.

Humanities Research Programme

Humanities 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 Program in Economic Analysis and Business Strategy

Awaiting funding decision/possible external funding.

This programme is waiting to confirm funding from a university or external source. This may depend on attracting suitable students and applications are welcome. Please see the programme details for more information.

Spain PhD Programme

A Spanish PhD takes 3 years (this is usually the maximum length of time students can enrol). You will focus on independent research towards your thesis, but some programmes may also require you to complete additional classes and courses. Your doctoral thesis will eventually be examined at a public defence. Most programmes are delivered in Spanish, but some universities offer English-language teaching.

PhD Economics

Self-funded phd students only.

The PhD opportunities on this programme do not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

PhD Research Programme

PhD 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.

Art History and World Art Studies at UEA

Plants in the wrong place weeds and weeding in britain c.1500-c.1950, 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.

PhD in International Business and Strategy at Henley Business School

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.

PhDs in Natural and Built Environment

Social sciences research programme.

Social Sciences 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.

Migration and Medical Climatology: the climatic pull upon those leaving Scotland in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Political, Social and International Studies at UEA

A morphotypological investigation of chinese "new towns" for harmonized remodelling. the case of "one city-nine towns" project, 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.

PhD in Sustainability

Development of a next-generation multimodal artificial intelligence platform for early breast cancer diagnosis, the decarbonisation divide: emergent socio-spatial inequalities on the path to a low-carbon future.

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Department of History

Economic historians at Princeton examine all areas of the globe, from the United States to the Mediterranean world, from Latin America to Europe and Asia. Faculty members are interested in the overlap between economic history and political, intellectual, social, environmental, and imperial history, as well as financial crises and the history of technology.

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• Doctoral Studies

PhD programme in Economic History

The PhD programme in Economic History aims to give the PhD students scientific schooling and a profound knowledge of economic history. The programme comprises four years of full-time studies and lead to a doctoral degree (240 higher education credits). Students may also obtain a licentiate degree (120 higher education credits) after two years of full-time studies.

The PhD students will, during the programme, take courses, participate in seminars and play an active part in the research environment, as well as in planning and implementing an individual research project. The knowledge and skills acquired by licentiates or doctors of economic history form a firm foundation for future activities in research and teaching, or in public administration, trade and industry, the mass media, archives and libraries, etc.

There are four different research fields in which groups of researchers cooperate.

• Business History
• Macroeconomic History
• Labour, migration and population
• The economic history of slavery and colonialism  

Requirements and admisson

The basis for selection: a) the applicant fulfills the general and specific entry requirements; b) there is funding ; c) the applicant is deemed capable of benefiting from such education.

General entry requirements

General entry requirements are fulfilled if the applicant has

• completed an academic degree at advanced level (second cycle courses and programmes),
• completed course requirements for a minimum of 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 at advanced level (second cycle), or
• in another way acquired essentially the equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad.

Specific entry requirements

The specific entry requirements for third-cycle education in Economic History are fulfilled if the applicant has completed at least 90 higher education credits within the subject, including a degree project corresponding to 15 higher education credits or equivalent knowledge acquired in some other way.

What should be submitted with your application?

The application should contain a letter of intent (ca. 3-4 pages), where the applicant describes his/her research interests and personal goals in relation to the research profile available at the Unit for Economic History in Gothenburg. A complete plan of action is not required, but if present it should be submitted.

The application must also be accompanied by references, CV, transcripts, Degree certificate as well as other documents of importance for the assessment. The documents shall clearly indicate the grades for both individual courses as for the degree. Theses (bachelor's, and master's theses) should be attached as well as other publications of relevance.

The announcements will contain specific information on what to submit with your application.

When can you apply?

Announcements of PhD positions usually take place during spring, with programme start in September. The job positions are announced, in English and Swedish, on the University of Gothenburg’s website.

Supervisor and individual study plan

Each PhD student will be appointed a principal supervisor and an assistant supervisor.

An individual study plan must be drawn up for each doctoral student. The individual study plan must be followed up and revised yearly.

Study plan for the PhD programme in Economic History

More information about phd education.

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Economic History

Workshops and Other Resources

Advising in Economic history (EcHist) within the history concentration prepares students to explore a variety of questions and approaches within economic history, the history of economic thought, the history of capitalism, financial history, labor history, business history, and the history of economic life.

Students may refer to the webpage on courses for courses in Economic History in the History Department and in other departments (concentrators may count one course that is neither listed nor cross-listed in History toward their concentration). The "People" page lists faculty and graduate students working in economic history broadly conceived to encourage students to consult with them on issues of mutual interest.

(Courses offered by History Department faculty automatically count for the History concentration)

• HIST 83A: Market and States: The History of Economic Thought Since 1750
• HIST 1028: Race, Capitalism, and the Coming of the Civil War
• HIST 1939: Economic History of Modern China
• HIST 2968: History and Economics: Proseminar
• HIST 2955A: History of Global Capitalism: Seminar

Spring 2021:

• GENED 1159: American Capitalism
• HIST 84G: Harvard and Slavery
• HIST 1602: Modern China
• HIST 2955B: History of Global Capitalism: Seminar

Past Course Offerings on Economic  History :

• HIST 13E: History of Modern Mexico
• HIST 13O: When the Bottom Falls Out: The History of Economic Crisis in America
• HIST 13T: Women in Economic Life
• HIST 13U: Asian Diasporas in Global History
• HIST 13Z: Liberty and Slavery: The British Empire and the American Revolution
• HIST 14A: The Medieval Mediterranean: Conflict and Unity, Tradition and Innovation
• HIST 14C: Tell Old Pharoah: Histories of “Contraband Camps” and Self-Emancipation in the Civil War Era
• HIST 14E: The Cold War in the Global South
• HIST 14I: American Food, A Global History: More Than Just a Meal
• HIST 14K: Oil and Empire
• HIST 74N: U.S. History: Major Themes in the Twentieth Century
• HIST 83A: Market and States: The History of Economic Thought Since 1750
• HIST 89A: British Colonial Violence in the 20th Century
• HIST 89J: The United States and China: Opium War to the Present
• HIST 97L: What is Atlantic History?
• HIST 1001: The War in Vietnam
• HIST 1006: Native American and Indigenous Studies: An Introduction
• HIST 1008: The State of Israel in Comparative Perspective
• HIST 1018: Coffee and the Nighttime: History and Politics, 1400–2020
• HIST 1028: Race, Capitalism, and the Coming of the Civil War
• HIST 1032: A History of Brazil, from Independence to the Present
• HIST 1034: Modern Latin America, 1800–present
• HIST 1035: Byzantine Civilization
• HIST 1038: Debating Capitalism: The History of American Economic Thought
• HIST 1050: Slavery and the Slave Trade in the Atlantic World
• HIST 1053: After Catastrophe: Europe since 1945
• HIST 1059: Deep History
• HIST 1155: Early Modern Europe, 1450–1789
• HIST 1206: Empire, Nation, and Immigration in France since 1870
• HIST 1265: German Empires, 1848–1948
• HIST 1270: Frontiers of Europe: Ukraine since 1500
• HIST 1281: The End of Communism
• HIST 1284: Revolutionary Eurasia, 1905–1949
• HIST 1290: The History of the Russian Empire
• HIST 1433: History of American Populisms
• HIST 1457: History of American Capitalism
• HIST 1623: Japan in the Modern World
• HIST 1701: West Africa from 1800 to the Present
• HIST 1908: Racial Capitalism and the Black Radical Tradition
• HIST 1910: The History of Energy
• HIST 1917: Are You Now or have You Ever Been an Android? The New Materialism
• HIST 1950: Beyond 'The End of History': Rethinking Europe's Long Twentieth Century, 1900–2018
• HIST 1959: The People's Republic of China and the World
• HIST 1960: The European Union: Achievements and Crises
• HIST 2055: Early Medieval History, Archaeology and Archaeoscience: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2056: Readings in Late Antique and Medieval History: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2059: Deep History: A Graduate Seminar in Undergraduate Education
• HIST 2260: Central Europe: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2400: Readings in Colonial and Revolutionary America: Graduate Proseminar
• HIST 2442: Readings in the History of the U.S. in the 19th Century: Graduate Proseminar
• HIST 2480A: The Political Economy of Modern Capitalism: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2480B: The Political Economy of Modern Capitalism: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2484A: Crime and Punishment in the History of the Americas: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2652: Topics in Japanese History: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2690: Asia in the Modern World: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2725: History and Anthropology: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2950A: Approaches to Global History: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2950B: Approaches to Global History: Graduate Seminar
• HIST 2955A: History of Global Capitalism: Seminar
• SOCWORLD 12: CHINA: Past, Present, FutureSOCWORLD36: Modern India and South Asia
• SOCWORLD 13: Japan in Asia and the World
• SOCWORLD 36: Modern India and South Asia
• SOCWORLD 41: Medieval Europe: History, Archaeology, and Archaeoscience
• SOCWORLD 42 The World Wars and Global Transformation, 1900–1950
• SOCWORLD 49: The Worlds of Business in Modern China
• US-WORLD 28: Racial Capitalism and Imperialism: The US between the Revolution and the Civil War
• US-WORLD 30: Tangible Things: Harvard Collections in World History
• US-WORLD 38: Forced to be Free: Americans as Occupiers and Nation-Builders

*Please be sure to check the Courses section of the History Website for more information on which of these courses count towards the History concentration and secondary field. Also, while we endeavor to keep this list current, it may not reflect all courses actually offered.*

• Sunil Amrith : Mehra Family Professor of South Asian Studies; Professor of History; Director, Center for History and Economics
• Sven Beckert : Laird Bell Professor of History
• Sugata Bose : Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs
• Vincent Brown : Charles Warren Professor of American History; Professor of African and African American Studies
• Joyce Chaplin : James Duncan Phillips Professor of Early American History
• Lizabeth Cohen : Dean, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study; Howard Mumford Jones Professor of American Studies
• Alejandro de la Fuente : Robert Woods Bliss Professor of Latin American History and Economics; Professor of African and African American Studies and of History; Director, Afro-Latin American Research Institute
• Arunabh Ghosh : Assistant Professor of History
• Andrew Gordon : Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Professor of History
• Tamar Herzog : Monroe Gutman Professor of Latin American Affairs; Radcliffe Alumnae Professor
• Elizabeth Hinton : Assistant Professor of History and of African and African American Studies
• Walter Johnson : Winthrop Professor of History; Professor of African and African American Studies; Director of the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History
• Alison Frank Johnson : Professor of History; Director of Graduate Studies
• William C. Kirby : Spangler Family Professor of Business Administration; T. M. Chang Professor of China Studies; Chairman, Harvard China Fund
• Mary Lewis : Robert Walton Goelet Professor of French History
• Kenneth W. Mack : Lawrence D. Biele Professor of Law
• Charles S. Maier : Leverett Saltonstall Professor of History
• Michael McCormick : Francis Goelet Professor of Medieval History; Chair, Science of the Human Past
• Kelly O’Neill : Associate Professor of History
• Emma Rothschild : Jeremy and Jane Knowles Professor of History; Director, Center for History and Economics
• Daniel Lord Smail : Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of History
• Eric Chaney : Associate Professor of Economics
• Martin Feldstein : George F. Baker Professor of Economics
• Benjamin Friedman : William Joseph Maier Professor of Political Economy
• Claudia Goldin : Henry Lee Professor of Economics
• Benjamin Golub : Assistant Professor of Economics
• Dale Jorgenson : Samuel W. Morris University Professor of Economics
• Lawrence Katz : Elisabeth Allison Professor of Economics
• Stephen Marglin : Walter S. Barker Professor of Economics
• Nathan Nunn : Professor of Economics
• Michèle Lamont : Professor of Sociology and African and African American Studies; Robert I. Goldman Professor of European Studies
• Ya-Wen Lei : Assistant Professor of Sociology
• Orlando Patterson : John Cowles Professor of Sociology
• Michael Sandel : Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government
• Richard Tuck : Frank G. Thomson Professor of Government
• Ajantha Subramanian : Professor; Direcgtor, Social Anthropology Program
• Nara Dillon : Lecturer on Social Studies
• Christine Desan : Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law
• Kenneth Mack : Lawrence D. Biele Professor of Law
• Roberto Mangabeira Unger : Roscoe Pound Professor of Law
• Adrian Vermeule : Ralph S. Tyler, Jr. Professor of Constitutional Law
• Walter A. Friedman : Lecturer of Business Administration; Director, Business History Initiative
• Geoffrey G. Jones : Isidor Straus Professor of Business History
• Nancy F. Koehn : James E. Robison Professor of Business Administration
• Sophus Reinert : Associate Professor of Business Administration
• Laura Phillips Sawyer : Assistant Professor of Business Administration
• Richard Parker : Lecturer in Public Policy
• Center for History and Economics Graduate Workshop  (Center for History and Economics)
• History and Economics Seminar  (Center for History and Economics)
• Political Economy of Capitalism Workshop  (Program on the Study of Capitalism)
• History of Capitalism Reading Group, Dissertation Workshop
• Law and History Workshop  (Law and History Program, HLS)
• History of Science Departmental Workshop
• Thinking about a History Concentration?
• Undergraduate Alumni Profiles
• Concentration Guidelines and Requirements
• Senior Thesis & Undergraduate Research
• Office Hours
• Research & Employment Opportunities
• Tempus: Undergraduate History Journal
• Graduate Program

• Schools & departments

Economic and Social History PhD

Awards: PhD

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Economic and Social History

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.

Find out more and register

Research profile

We host one of the largest economic and social history research groupings in the UK.

Staff research interests are wide-ranging, including the study of:

• economic development
• financial history
• energy policy
• globalisation
• urban history
• consumption
• material culture
• museums and collecting
• religious belief
• popular culture
• medicine and disease

The diversity of our research means we can support students’ economic and social history study in a vast range of time periods and geographical regions and from the early modern period to the present day.

Particular areas of expertise available for research are:

• Culture and society in early modern Britain
• slavery in the Atlantic world since 1700
• the material culture of gender in 18th-century Britain
• urban society and civil society in historical context
• clothing cultures in comparative historical contexts
• cinema and society in modern Britain
• gender, crime and deviancy: Britain 1860–1960; energy policy in Britain since 1920
• the economic history of China in the 20th century
• the history of health and medicine in Britain since 1750

The University’s economic and social historians host three research groups: material and visual cultures of the past; enlightenment and popular culture; and economic and social history.

Training and support

You will have at least two supervisors who will provide expert academic guidance on your chosen research topic. Please see the entry requirements below on how to identify and contact a supervisor at the School of History, Classics and Archaeology before applying.

You will meet regularly to discuss your progress and research plans, as well as drafts of your thesis/dissertation chapters, conference papers and potential articles.

In addition to individual supervision, all our PhD students pursue an individually tailored programme of research and professional skills training agreed with their supervisors.

Please note, the University of Edinburgh does not sponsor students to study part-time using a Tier 4 / Student visa.

For on-campus students our building offers you a range of facilities, resources and study spaces in a stunning location.

Our postgraduate students have access to:

• A dedicated study space with printing, copying and scanning facilities overlooking the Meadows, one of the city’s best-loved green spaces.
• Two research rooms, shared with undergraduates, housing some of our impressive book collections and a small selection of computing facilities.
• A large common room overlooking the Meadows, shared by graduate students and staff.
• Our PhD study room. Subject to available desk space, you may apply after your first year.
• A number of small-scale teaching rooms, well-equipped with facilities such as data projection and smart boards.
• Exhibition areas, filled with artefacts and artwork from our collections.

All of our facilities are in addition to the multiple libraries and computer labs provided across the University’s estate. Many of our rooms overlook the Meadows.

Our location, right in the heart of Edinburgh, means you will be based close to the city’s cultural attractions and facilities, including a wealth of libraries, archives, museums and galleries, which provide uniquely rich support for the disciplines we teach.

Career opportunities

Our PhD students develop a highly valued set of research and professional skills which enable them to go on to a wide variety of careers.

Many of our PhD students wish to pursue an academic career, and we have an excellent record of helping our students obtain research and teaching posts in universities in the UK and overseas.

PhD students also develop a portfolio of skills which are highly desirable across a wide range of sectors, from museums and heritage to the civil service, banking and the law.

PhD by Distance option

The PhD by Distance allows students who do not wish to commit to basing themselves in Edinburgh to study for a PhD in Economic and Social History. It is available to all suitably qualified applicants in the same areas as our on-campus programmes.

There is no expectation that students studying for a PhD in Economic and Social History by distance should visit Edinburgh during their period of study, though they are encouraged to visit and meet their supervisors in person if this is convenient.

An additional form needs to be submitted for PhD by Distance applications; for further information on the PhD by Distance and to access the form, please see the School of History, Classics and Archaeology website:

• School of History, Classics & Archaeology - PhD by Distance

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.

We require the following (with further details below):

• Provisional supervision agreement between you and a primary supervisor, in writing

Research proposal

• Qualifications at undergraduate and Masters level

Entry interview

• PhD by Distance - additional application form
• Evidence of English language competency

Provisional supervision agreement

You must name a member of staff who has provisionally agreed, in writing, to supervise you in order for your application to be taken forward. Please ensure that the relevant correspondence is uploaded to your admissions application. This statement of support is provisional, pending assessment of your application and your performance at an interview. If you haven’t approached a member of our academic staff yet, please use the following staff list to help you find a supervisor in the subject area of your interest.

• About our staff

You must submit a research proposal (in a Word or PDF document) demonstrating your knowledge of your field of research. This will be closely scrutinised as part of the decision making process. Guidance on writing a research proposal can be found online:

• Guidance on writing a research proposal

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree in a relevant discipline and a relevant Masters degree with an overall mark of at least 65%, or international equivalents.

We may also consider your application if you have relevant professional experience; please check with your potential supervisor before you apply.

You will need to submit both your undergraduate and postgraduate degree certificates and transcripts in order to be considered for PhD admission. For instructions on how to upload any additional documents after you have submitted your application, please follow the support guidance:

• Guidance on document uploading

You must submit two references with your application.

If you meet all of the entry requirements, you will need to attend an online interview with potential supervisors. The interview should last 20-30 minutes. Please note that an offer to study is subject to a successful interview.

PhD by Distance

For PhD by Distance students please see the ""PhD by Distance option"" section for further requirements, including an additional application form.

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

Read our general information on tuition fees and studying costs:

Scholarships and funding

Featured funding.

• UK students: School of History, Classics & Archaeology funding opportunities
• International students: School of History, Classics & Archaeology funding schemes

Please note that the funding applications have their own separate timelines and you will need to be conscious of this when applying for funding.

When you submit your PhD study application in the application portal a deadline is generated automatically. This deadline will differ from any funding deadlines. Scholarship application deadlines should be followed if applying for funding.

Please also note that not all of the scholarships listed will be open to the PhD by Distance option of study.

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Graduate School Office,
• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 3772
• Contact: [email protected]
• Programme Director, Dr Meha Priyadarshini
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of History, Classics & Archaeology
• William Robertson Wing
• Teviot Place
• Central Campus
• Programme: Economic and Social History
• School: History, Classics & Archaeology
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This programme is not currently accepting applications. Applications for the next intake usually open in October.

Start date: September

Application deadlines

If you are applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

• How to apply

You must submit a research proposal demonstrating your knowledge of your field of research as outlined under the entry requirements.

Two supervisors (sometimes more) will be appointed to work with you on the project. You must contact a prospective primary supervisor before applying: they will be required to provide a brief statement of provisional support, which should be included with your documents.

Start dates outwith September and January might be available but only in exceptional circumstances. Please begin your application using the closest date and contact the Graduate School to discuss the matter.

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

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Doctoral studies at the Department of Economic History

The PhD programme in economic history offers stimulating studies with excellent career prospects both within and outside academia. The programme has a strong international orientation where both teaching and research are done in English. The PhD candidates participate in international networks and work towards international publication of their results.

Much of the research is conducted in close connection to the many research projects at the Department of Economic History or at the research centers connected to the department.

Programme structure

The programme corresponds to 240 credit points (four years of full-time study), and consists of one course component (75 credit points) and a doctoral dissertation (165 credit points). Normally the mandatory courses are taken during the first year.

• How to apply 
• Doctoral projects 

Graduated Doctoral students 

Mandatory courses (52.5 credit points)

Designing a phd dissertation, 7.5 credit points.

In consultation with the supervisors, the doctoral student is to identify a research problem and formulate a research issue that is to be examined in the doctoral thesis, and plan his or her research with regard to theory, data and methodology. Major emphasis is placed on the research design, i. e. how to address the research issue of the thesis by means of theoretical discussion, previous research and empirical material. The planning of the research is to be based on the current guidelines for doctoral theses at the Department of Economic History, and the final stage of the course is a written and oral presentation of the thesis plan.

Designing a PhD dissertation - Download syllabus (pdf)

Course code: EHEH001

Foundations of Economic History, 15 credit points

The course consists of reading and analysing a number of standard works in economic history, divided into three components: pre-industrial society, the process of industrialisation, and modern society. In addition to the required reading determined by the group of instructors, the doctoral student shall, in consultation with the course instructor, select works (monographs and/or collections of articles) to be addressed. The doctoral student is subsequently assigned the task to write an independent analytical essay for each component, based on the choice of texts and within a predetermined time frame. The components will be addressed in chronological order, and the final assessment for each component will be based on an oral exam on the written assignments.

Foundations of Economic History - Download syllabus (pdf)

Course code: EHEH002

Philosophy of Science/Theory of Science, 7.5 credit points

The degree must include a minimum of 7,5 credits.

The recommended courses offered at the department are Philosophy of science/Theory of science (course code EHFE013), History of Economic Thought ( course code EHEH006 ), or a course at the faculty of Social Science Philosophy of science for the social sciences.

You may choose freely amongst courses offered at Lund or other universities, although the course must be approved by the Director of doctoral studies. 

Research Ethics, 3 credit points

Basic normative ethics, the history of research ethics, the utility of research, the risks of research subjects and others concerned, protection of personal integrity and personal data, informed consent and research on subjects unable to give consent, relevant legislation, ethical vetting, good research practice, research misconduct, publication ethics, the researcher as an authority and ethical aspects of external engagement.

Our recommended course is given by the faculty of Medicine.

Research Seminars, 7.5 credit points

Active and regular attendance at the department’s seminars along with completed midway and final seminars.

Research Seminars - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH002F

Quantitative course, 7.5 credit points

The degree must include a minimum of 7,5 credits quantitative methods.

The recommended courses offered at the department are EEH006F Econometrics I or EEH007F Econometrics II. However, there are several additional options, for example, courses in Economics or GIS training. You may choose freely amongst courses offered at Lund or other universities, although the course must be approved by the Director of doctoral studies. 

Read more about the department courses under the headline quantitative courses.

Qualitative course, 4.5 credit points

The degree must include a minimum of 4,5 credits qualitative methods.

You may choose amongst courses offered at Lund or other universities, although it must be approved by the Director of doctoral studies. The recommended courses are “Sources and Source Criticism” given by Stockholm University and Archives Primary Sourses, Datasets ( course code EEH033F ).

Optional courses (22.5 credit points)

The selection of optional courses is regulated in accordance with the specialization of the candidate. The Department of Economic History offers numerous optional courses, but it is also possible to study elsewhere. Advanced level course credits are transferred to the PhD programme studies after individual assessment and consultation with the supervisor and the director of the PhD programme.

The global economy and long term economic growth, 7.5 credit points

This course studies historical processes of growth, convergence and divergence in the global economy over the past two centuries. Two major approaches are applied. One takes its point of departure in theories of economic growth, basically on the role of capital and labour and the level of technology. The first generation of formal models, in the 1950s, predicted a convergence in income levels in the world. Recent generations of growth models allows however for income divergence among countries. The other approach takes its point of departure in theories about the international economy. Determinants as well as effects of international trade, migration, and movements of capital are studied. The impact of open economy forces on factor prices, that is, on the earnings of labour and the cost of capital, and its relation to growth is analyzed. With the application of these two approaches the course studies historical processes of growth, convergence and divergence in the global economy.

The global economy and long term economic growth - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH001F 

Development of Emerging Economies, 7.5 credit points

Over the last decades, global growth dynamics have shifted towards the economies of the non-Western world. The world is no longer divided between the West and the Rest. Nor is the Rest to the same extent marked by stagnation. In the course, growth dynamics of the developing world during the last decades are explored in a comparative and historical perspective. The question of why some developing economies have been able to set in motion catching-up processes, while others remain stagnant, will be discussed aided by historical-theoretical perspectives with the main focus on countries in Pacific Asia, Africa South of the Sahara and Latin America. It will be theoretically and empirically assessed to what extent the growth of the so-called global South might be sustained. The course is divided into two parts. The first puts heavy emphasis on readings and lectures on analytical perspectives of development and catching up from the viewpoint of classical, although current, questions such as: the role of agricultural transformation, growth-inequality, market integration, possibilities for and experiences of industrial policy, technology transfer, social capabilities, market-state relationship, governance and domestic resource mobilization, poverty/human development. The second part of the course is more student-driven and is devoted to seminar assignments where highly topical themes are discussed on the basis of available empirical data. Examples of questions to be addressed might be: south-to-south investments flows, the impact of China, the extent to which growth is commodity-driven, issues of improving competitiveness and productivity, forces behind poverty reduction. The content of the course is delimited of both teaching and literature

Development of Emerging Economies - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH004F 

Quantifying economic growth over time, 7.5 credit points

Innovation and technical change is central to long term economic growth but it is treated very differently in economic theories. In a comparative manner this course presents technical change within major theoretical approaches: neoclassical growth models, endogenous growth models and evolutionary structural models. Particular attention is given to an economic historical model combined with a spatial theoretical framework of regional trajectories of growth. The model is based upon complementarities around innovations forming development blocks that are driving processes of structural change. Thus, the interplay between innovations, economic transformation and economic growth is studied with an emphasis on major carrier branches both historically and in contemporary times. Innovations are analysed in relation to variations over time in, e.g., relative prices, entrepreneurial activity, investments, labour demand and employment. It is shown how this, at an aggregate level, shows up in phases of spatial convergence and divergence, respectively.

Quantifying economic growth over time - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH??? 

China and the Asia Pacific economy, 7.5 credit points

This course explores and explains the processes of rapid industrialisation and socio-economic modernisation in China and the Asia Pacific drawing on a historically -comparative institutional approach. Fundamental factors and forces behind the economic transformation are analysed against the background of leading theories of economic development and social change. The course is divided into two parts. The first part uses institutional theory to analyse the emergence of the so called East Asian model and its relevance for China. The institutional underpinnings of China's transformation to market economy are analysed in comparison with previous and contemporary development experiences in the Asia Pacific, from Japan to the ASEAN countries. Themes dealt with include agricultural modernisation and industrial policy and concepts such as developmental state, export-led growth, and growth with equity are applied and critically analysed. The second part deals with current trends and forces of globalisation in the Asia Pacific region and China's role as a leading regional economy. Trade policies, the impact of foreign investments and patterns of regional integration are explored and analysed.

China and the Asia Pacific economy - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH008F 

Economics of innovation, 7.5 credit points

This course covers several areas of innovation economics, such as their characteristics, their driving forces of innovation and how innovation affects economic growth. It covers several sub-themes, such as: Market structures and innovation - describes how competitive structures and imperfect competition may induce innovation in different industries. Institutions and innovation - drawing on the systems of innovation literature, this theme addresses how the institutional framework affects innovation. Some of these aspects are related to national innovation systems (NIS), a concept for comparative analysis of innovative performance. Innovation processes and interdependencies within a more local or regional context are further analysed focusing on regional innovation systems (RIS). In addition to governing structures we address the role of different instruments such as standards, prizes and intellectual property rights such as patents for promoting innovation. Diffusion - implications of why innovation spreads and how it spreads into the economic environment form different perspectives. Concepts discussed include adoption, imitation and spillovers. We consider the relatively new field of network economics as well. The role of innovation in economic growth - examines the role of innovation in economic growth through processes related to radical innovations, general purpose technologies, competence blocks and development blocks.

Economics of innovation - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH009F 

Population and living standards, 7.5 credit points

The first part of the course is an overview of the population debate over the past 50 years and its intellectual roots. This part includes theories explaining both the influence of population growth on economic, social, and environmental development and vice-versa. Examples are given, showing how the theories have been used to explain the historical development of population and living standards since the Middle Ages up to modern times. The concept of living standard is extended also to include how short-term economic changes influence population behaviour. Divergence in living standards between different socio-economic groups and institutional arrangements for transfers are studied. The second part introduces ways to model the complex interrelationship between population and living standards which are appropriate for empirical testing. The students then make use of their knowledge in theory and econometrics to analyze data for a specific country or region using information available at various data bases.

Population and living standards - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH010F  

Consequences of demographic change, 7.5 credit points

The course examines the impact of demographic change on the social and economic fabric of society, with a focus on issues of importance to today's policymakers. The impact of population aging will be examined in detail, as will the possible benefits / pitfalls of migration as a potential solution to population aging. The course will also examine the impacts of demographic change on individuals, through a discussion of the effects of cohort size on economic outcomes. The changing prospects for women in today's economy will also be analyzed within the framework of changing family structures. Governmental transfers dependent upon age structure, such as pension systems, will be studied, as will other aspects of intergenerational transfers.

Consequences of demographic change - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH013F 

Human capital in a historical perspective, 7.5 credit points

Human capital is, in short, the stock of skills that a country’s population or labor force possesses. It is an important determinant to economic growth and a strategic factor with respect to productivity. It also affects individuals’ lives in many ways through the promotion of personal well-being and economic equality. This course explores a range of topics relating to human capital formation by using historical, comparative, and current policy perspectives. Theory, methodological approaches, and empirical evidence on a range of topics are reviewed. Topics include the role of education in economic growth and distribution, the role of education and training for wage growth and career, and group differences in labor market outcomes, health and well-being. Lectures, seminars, and exams deal with human capital formation, the role of human capital during the first, second, and third industrial revolutions, and with the relation between human capital and income inequality across time and space.

Human capital in a historical perspective - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH014F 

Institutions, economic growth and equity, 7.5 credit points

Historical evidence suggests that the quality and efficiency of a country's institutions, such as law enforcement, property rights, and civil rights, are significant determinants of its growth performance. Furthermore, the extent of inequality in a society is highly related to both the quality of institutions and economic growth. This course is focused on the relations between institutions, modern economic growth, and equality. Problems in the world of today are taken as a point of departure for an historical analysis that covers countries and regions in different parts of the world. The course builds on the four themes. The first theme deals with the emergence of institutions such as property rights and markets, and their role for economic growth. The second theme concerns the importance of the distribution of resources for institutional development and economic growth. The third theme is about the interrelationship between institutions, knowledge and equality of opportunity. The fourth theme deals with the emergence of the modern welfare state as an institutional response to inequality.

Institutions, economic growth and equity - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH016F 

Advanced analysis of economic change, 7.5 credit points

This course analyses the major debates in development economics from a long-term perspective. Economists and economic historians are increasingly aware that the process of economic growth is complex and often characterized by path dependency. There is also increasing attention for variation in institutional settings and their consequences, like differences in economic behaviour and economic outcomes. This course reflects these developments by focusing on economic evolution in the long run and on variations between societies. Questions central to the course are: ‘can we determine historical roots of why some countries are rich and others poor, and if so, how do we approach this?’; ‘what is the role of the different factors of production in long run economic development?’; ‘what role do critical historical junctures play in long run development?’, and why is income so much more unequally divided in some countries than in others?’. During the course, students will learn about the different methods used in modern research through an in depth study of the literature and hands on econometric exercises. Explorative methodologies versus hypothesis testing are discussed. Exercises are performed with the help of econometric software whereby students are trained in the use of statistical tools but also in understanding and interpreting quantitative results in an historical context.

Advanced analysis of economic change - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH031F 

Causes of demographic change, 7.5 credit points

The course gives an introduction to demographic data, measurement and description of demographic phenomena. The course consists of two parts: • Demographic methods. Basic demographic measures and concepts are discussed, such as rates, the lexis diagram, life tables, fertility, nuptiality, mortality and migration measures. • Theories and evidence on global demographic change in an historical perspective. The long term demographic development in the world is discussed and related to different theoretical explanations.

Causes of demographic change - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH003F

Quantitative courses

Econometrics i, 7.5 credit points.

The course is divided up into two parts. The first part consists of basic theory and methods relating to multivariate linear regression, limited dependent variable regression and time series analysis. It also considers how to apply these methods through examples of how such methods are used in economic history. This part also introduces computer software (e.g. Stata) for quantitative analysis. In the second part of the course, students analyse a quantitative problem using actual data from economic history, and report results in individual papers.

Econometrics I - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH006F 

Econometrics II, 7.5 credit points

The course consists of two parts. The first part consists of more advanced theory and methods relating to causal approaches surpassing the multivariate linear regression, limited dependent variable regression and time series analysis covered by Econometrics I. It also considers how to apply these methods through examples of how such methods are used in economic history. It discusses issues like selection bias, the bad control problem, and unobserved heterogeneity and the pitfalls associated with them as well as the possibilities to deal with these issues. This part advances the knowledge of empirical analysis making use of computer software (e.g. Stata). In the second part of the course, students independently analyse a more advanced quantitative problem using actual data from economic history, and report results in individual papers, showing awareness of the pros and cons of various causal approaches in econometrics.

Econometrics II - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH007F 

Data management, 7.5 credit points

To carry out a research project, raw datasets need to be selected and manipulated to create variables that are appropriate to the research question, and the data needs to be formatted in the way that is required for the statistical analysis to be used. The aim of this course is to provide students with advanced knowledge on the use and management of micro-level demographic data. The course will be primarily hands-on and different types of datasets will be employed. The appropriate selection of datasets and variables to answer a research question will be discussed, as well as issues of data quality, data cleaning and the handling of missing data. During each meeting, the necessary steps to create different types of variables will be shown. The course is designed as a tutorial where the student attends meetings and conducts independent work, which will be discussed with the instructor and other students in the group.

Data management - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH028F 

Basic econometrics, 7.5 credit points

The course will cover basic theory and methods relating to multivariate linear regression and time series analysis. It considers how to apply these methods through examples of such methods used in economic history research. The course also introduces computer software for quantitative analysis. The course introduces students to methods for how to analyze a quantitative problem using econometric analysis, and how to report and discuss the results in a research paper.

Basic econometrics - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH037F

Advanced Topics, tutorial courses

Agricultural transformation in the development process, 7.5 credit points.

The significant role of agriculture in the development process for both long-term economic growth and poverty reduction is a classic theme in both Economic History and Development Economics. The relative decline of agriculture and simultaneous rise of the industrial and service sectors rests on the productivity of, and resource transfer from, the former. This tutorial provides the tools to go into depth on the dynamics and variation of these processes. In this course, we will review the theoretical debates on the role of agriculture both in terms of its mechanisms of change and its interaction with other sectors. Empirically, the course will have a broad geographical scope including cases from Asia, Latin America and Africa. This will allow a study and further understanding not only of the successful and completed cases of transformation but also those that are still in the midst of the process.

Agricultural transformation in the development process - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH024F

Explaining growth and inequality, 7.5 credit points

Investigating and theoretically explain why inequality is so much higher in some countries than in others and what drives changes over the long run are questions that have been central in economic history and economics. Despite the continued scholarly attention, which has included theoretical development as well as the adding of increasing empirical evidence, clear answers are still lacking. Until recently, most studies were concerned with inequality trends in the developed world, albeit there is now a slowly growing literature on the developing South including Asia, Latin America and Africa.

The aim of the tutorial is threefold:

1) To provide an in-depth discussion of theoretical perspectives of the long run causal relationships between economic growth and inequality, emanating from structural, political-economy and macro-sociological traditions

2) To enable students to analytically and methodologically identify the strengths and weaknesses of the theories

3) To teach students how to apply theory to empirical cases

Explaining growth and inequality - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH025F 

Aid in historical perspective, 7.5 credit points

The role of aid in the development process for long-termeconomic growth, poverty reduction and improving quality of life is a classic theme inboth Economic History and Development Economics.The aim of this course is to analyze the theoretical and ideological underpinnings,practical implementation and long-term effects of aid directed towards thedeveloping countries from 1950s onwards.It takes as a point of departure the contemporary, and animated, debate on the fruitfulness of aid to assess success or failure of different types of both bilateral andmultilateral aid initiatives in a historical perspective. It also considers the implications of the rapidly changing aid landscape in terms of new aid actors and alternatives toaid during the changes taking place in the global economy. The real-world practiceand allocation in terms of aid flows and donor preferences will be related to thedevelopment needs of recipient countries. Empirically, the course will have a broad geographical scope including experiencesfrom Asia, Latin America and Africa. This will allow for a deeper understanding of notonly cases where development aid has played a prominently conducive role fordevelopment but also cases where it has impeded economic and social progress.

Aid in historical perspective - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH032F 

Archives, primary sources, dataset, 7.5 credit points

Economic historians make use of primary sources to study economic development inthe past. To this end we reassess original sources or collect data that were collected inthe past, by compilers who often had their own, specific purposes. To be able to useprimary sources therefore requires the application of thorough source critique.This course introduces the student to primary sources. Where does one find primary sources? How should one interpret them and evaluate their validity and reliability? How can one deal with scarcity, and excess, of data, respectively? And how should one process data retrieved from primary sources? The course prepares the student for using primary sources in the context of a researchproject, and to thus make a novel contribution to the field of economic history.

Archives, primary sources, dataset - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH033F 

The history of economic inequality, 7.5 credit points

This course discusses the history of economic and social inequality, focusing on the Western world since the Middle Ages. The aim is to bring students up to speed withthe research frontier in research on historical inequality. While some attention is paid to classic studies, the emphasis is on newer research.The core issues are these:

First, what is defined as inequality and what is measured? Concepts of income and wealth are introduced and discussed, and we discuss alternative empirical approaches to the overall theme of “inequality”. The disciplinary divides and boundaries between economics, economic history, history, sociology andother relevant disciplines are discussed. We discuss the connections between economic, social, and political inequality in history. We also go through the main types of sources used in historical studies of inequality: tax data, probate inventories and wills, and social tables.

Second, we go through recent empirical research on economic inequality through history. We discuss strengths and limitations of the literature and what we know a lotabout and what is omitted from the literature. We discuss where the research field isgoing and what kind of research is needed going forward. The course gives students a deeper understanding of economic inequality, its history and its development.

The history of economic inequality - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH034F 

The state in the development process, 7.5 credit points

The significant but elusive role of the state in the development process for long-termeconomic growth, poverty reduction and improving quality of life is a classic theme inboth Economic History and Development Economics. The balance between the State and the Market or the State and Society has been, and still is, subject to vivid andsometimes animated debates. For instance, the state as a guarantor of functioninginstitutional arrangements, provider of public goods and orchestrator of developmentinitiatives are central items of these debates. So are the different qualities andcompetences that are required to handle rapid change of exogenous factors such asliberalization, globalization and technological changes.

This tutorial provides the tools to go into depth on the dynamics and variation ofthese processes in the developing world. In this course we will review the theoreticaldebates on the role of the state both in terms of its mechanisms of change and itsinteraction with other sectors. Empirically, the course will have a broad geographicalscope including experiences from Asia, Latin America and Africa. This will allow for adeeper understanding of not only cases where the state has played a prominentlyconducive role for development but also cases where the state has impeded economicand social progress.

The state in the development process - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH035F 

History of economic thought, 7.5 credit points

In this course, the aim is to study the development of economic thinking since the 18th century and the methodology of economics. The course is made up of two parts. The first part consists of an overview of the development of the economics discipline during the last 250 years, along with its relationship to economic history. The course initially deals with the so-called classical political economy represented by thinkers like Smith, Ricardo, Malthus and Say. Furthermore, developments of Marx, as well as historical and institutional schools, which evolved alongside the marginalist revolution with Jevons, Menger, Walras, during the last part of the 19th century. The 20th century begins with Marshall and foundation of neoclassical economics and is followed by the breakthrough of modern macroeconomics with the Keynesian analysis and its successors such as Hicks and Arrow/Debreu and, furthermore, the monetarist and neoclassical challenge in the second half of the century. Finally, the multi-faceted development alongside the neoclassical mainstream towards and into the 21st century is examined. Some attention is devoted to the quantification and mathematising of economics and economic history during the 20th and 21st centuries, as well as the development of economic history as an independent discipline in Sweden. The second part deals with the methodology of economics in a scientific and social science context. How has the academic discipline economics developed in relation to trends in social science such as positivism and postmodernism? Moreover, theories and schools in economics are also analyzed from epistemological and sociology of science perspectives based on the theories and work of Popper, Kuhn and Lakatos.

History of economic thought - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EHEH006 

Geographic information systems, 7.5 credit points

This course provides the student with basic practical and theoretical knowledge and skills in spatial data, spatial analysis and visualization, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), with a particular focus on applications in economic demography. Understanding of analysis and visualization of spatial elements is emphasized. The course also provides preparatory insights into how spatiotemporal demographic microdata can be managed, analyzed and visualized. The course provides a theoretical and practical basis for further work and studies related to geographic concepts and data.

Geographic information systems - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH046F  

Family and health, 7.5 credit points

In this course, there is attention for health outcomes between individuals from different social groups, their family networks, and social status in adulthood. The course takes a multifaceted approach to social differences in health and mortality. There is attention not only for factors underlying person’s social and health outcomes in adulthood that can be traced back to their social origin, but also the role of the social (family) network in childhood and adulthood. Interdisciplinary theories about social factors in health will be comprehensively discussed.

Family and health - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH045F

Human rights and economic development, 7.5 credit points

The course accounts for the historical emergence and establishment of the overarching international frameworks for a just and prosperous society such as the UN system of human rights and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. These encompassing visions have to account for several challenging aspects of contemporary global development, such as poverty issues, inequalities, environmental concerns, transformations of international trade brought by the supply chain revolution, and governance complexities presented by for example the rise of China and its state-capitalist authoritarian model of development. In this regard, attention will be given to discussing the role of the private sector and the emergence of multistakeholder partnerships and corporate social responsibilities and the shift from voluntarism to novel public regulations of supply chains, especially in the EU. The course will examine how the economy of today is shaped by the imperatives linked to climate change and post-covid reconstruction and discuss the extent to how these transformations relate to new spaces and challenges for inclusive and rights-based development. The conduct of both private and public actors, as well as their interdependencies in what some call the ‘state-business nexus’, will be analysed.

Human rights and economic development - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH039F 

Based on demand

A few courses are provided with irregular intervals. For these courses to be offered there needs to be a demand amongst PhDs and the department must have the necessary teaching capacity, or there may be some other outstanding circumstance.

Principle debates in African economic history, 7.5 credit points

This course presents and discusses some of the fundamental debates in African economic history. Emphasis is placed on research in recent years.   The course consists of four themes: (i) a broader overview of the research field, (ii) long-term economic and agrarian change, (iii) state formation and capacity, (iv) inequality, welfare and poverty.   Within each theme we discuss and compare central perspectives and debates that students are expected to be able to contrast and critically examine. The first part of the course consists of literature seminars where selected mandatory reading is discussed. During the second half of the course, each student is free to identify an individual in-depth study area that fits into the overall framework of the course.

Principle debates in African economic history - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EHEH005 

Applied time series analysis, 7.5 credit points

The course gives an introduction to basic concepts within time series analysis. The univariate analysis of time series in this course is based upon ARMA/ARIMA models. Multivariate time series analysis is based on VAR models. Non-stationary time series are analysed using unit root tests, co-integration methods and VEC models. Students have the choice of specialising in the analysis of volatility models or non-stationary panel data models. Theoretical studies are interwoven with practical applications in financial economics and macroeconomics.

Applied time series analysis - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH017F 

Family demography, 7.5 credit points

The aim of this tutorial is to provide students with advanced knowledge of central aspects of family demography, including fertility, family formation, divorce, and cohabitation. The course will examine the family as a dynamic institution, incorporating a historical and comparative perspective, focusing on late 20th century developments in economically-developed countries. Students will gain competence in both theoretical and empirical analyses, which include critical assessments and understanding of current analytical approaches in family research. The interconnectedness of fertility, paid work, and policy will be contrasted across Nordic countries, as well as those adhering to other welfare regimes. The consequences and implications of changes in the family for individuals and society at large will be explored, with an emphasis on the changing roles of women.

The course is designed as a tutorial where the student independently reads the designated literature and discusses it with the instructor, and possibly with other students in the group. In addition, the student works with written assignments given by the instructor. The course is divided into three parts. The first part places an emphasis on basic theories of the family and on related developments including but not limited to marriage, cohabitation, and divorce. Part two of the course will focus on three inter-related topics: fertility; the effects of parenthood on work, time use and gender equality; and fertility, work and policy in a comparative perspective. The final part of the course will be devoted to a final paper, which students will present in a final seminar presentation.

Family demography - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH020F 

Network analysis for economic historians, 7.5 credit points

This course introduces the subject of network analysis and statistical methods for analyzing historical and contemporary large networks. The course contains four themes: i) a broader introduction to the field of network analysis and complex systems, ii) basic concepts, including centrality and degree distribution, iii) cluster analysis (community detection analysis), and iv) network dynamics (evolution, diffusion, link prediction).

Network analysis for economic historians - download syllabus (pdf)

Course code EEH044F 

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Economic and social history has always formed an important part of the teaching and research within the University of Cambridge's History Faculty. It is widely regarded as one of the best in the world with much pioneering work in social history, demographic history, financial history and the history of economic thought being done here. The MPhil in Economic and Social History provides extremely thorough training in statistical and social science methodology while building on other strengths such as an emphasis on researching economic relations and institutions as cultural phenomena.

The MPhil in Economic and Social History combines taught and research elements over an 11-month full-time programme which includes taught modules, training in social science research methods encompassing quantitative and qualitative analytical tools, and a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words).

Throughout the course, students will be supervised by a dedicated member of staff, who will guide their research towards the completion of an original historical subject chosen and developed by them. In addition, students will benefit from Cambridge’s vibrant research environment, attending and participating in seminars, workshops and other events throughout the year.

The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which history is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of economic and social history. It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere, but it is also well-suited for those who seek simply to explore economic and social history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for the PhD degree in Economic and Social History at Cambridge.

Learning Outcomes

Students on the MPhil in Economic and Social History will be provided with an in-depth study of some of the key areas of research in economic and social history and all students will have a supervisor who will guide them through the requirements of the course and, most crucially, the dissertation.

In this manner, all students are provided with the historiographical knowledge and analytical skills necessary to understand and evaluate existing research and to pursue research in their own fields of intellectual interest. Through individual supervisions and group classes, students are introduced to the more specialised and intensive nature of research required at a postgraduate level.

By the end of the course, students will have developed:

• a deeper understanding of their chosen area of social and economic history and the critical debates within it;
• a conceptual and technical understanding that enables the evaluation of current research and methodologies; and
• the ability to situate their own research within current and past methodological and interpretative developments in the field.

The Faculty’s MPhil programmes provide excellent preparation for doctoral study and many of our MPhil students choose to stay at Cambridge to pursue a PhD.

Students wishing to continue to the PhD are normally expected to achieve an overall mark of 70 in their MPhil with a mark of at least 70 in their dissertation.

Admission to the PhD is always subject to the availability of a suitable supervisor.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

11 months full-time, study mode : taught, master of philosophy, faculty of history, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2025.

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2025, Lent 2026 and Easter 2026.

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• Administration

The Beginnings

From the early 1900s to the First World War, Harvard had arguably the strongest economics program in the country.  Though consisting of only about 10 faculty members and instructors, the Department had strengths in applied work, theory, and history.  The key faculty members during this period include Thomas Carver, Frank Taussig, Edwin Gay, Charles Bullock, and William Ripley. 

The First World War took a toll on the Department when several faculty left for positions in Washington and other institutions.  These vacancies, however, led to strong, new hires, including Allyn Young, John H. Williams, and Seymour Harris, in whose honor the Department still has undergraduate awards. Additionally, Harold Hitchings Burbank, Edward Chamberlin, Overton Taylor, and Mason himself joined in the 1920s and were part of the Department’s “changing of the guard” in the 1930s, according to Mason (p. 419).

Of the several new faculty who joined the Department in the 1930s, one was Alvin Hansen, whose name along with Mason’s currently graces the Department’s largest gathering space, the Hansen-Mason Room.  The 1930s also brought new faculty from Europe, including Wassily Leontief, Gottfried Haberler, and the legendary Joseph Schumpeter.  Mason credits them and their colleagues as having “again brought the Department of Economics to a position of eminence” (p. 430).

Looking Back

Professor Emeritus Henry Rosovsky’s knowledge of the Department stretches back to 1949, when he joined the PhD program after serving in the army during World War II. “The war had a big impact on the field,” he says, recalling the role of economists in the war, such as Edward Mason, who served in military intelligence, Kenneth Arrow, who served as a weather officer, and James Dusenberry, who served as a statistician. The war also influenced the composition of Rosovsky’s graduate student peers,who were generally older, American veterans - in contrast to the younger, more international cohorts of today. Rosovsky joined the Department faculty in 1965; he went on to become Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and twice served as Acting  President of Harvard.

Among the Department’s current faculty, Professor Stephen Marglin is the longest-serving member, joining the faculty in 1965. But he first set foot in Littauer in 1955 as a Harvard undergraduate and enjoyed the Department’s frequent, rich debates on the economy. As Marglin neared his graduation in 1959, he could see the growing emphasis on mathematical rigor in the Department—a goal of the late Schumpeter, who died in 1950.

The 1960s hiring of Marglin, Martin Feldstein (1967), Dale Jorgenson (1969), and others kicked off Harvard’s big push to become a top economics program.  While Harvard’s program was strong, the field was dominated by MIT, Chicago, Berkeley, Yale, and Minnesota.  “We were very strong in economic history at that time, but not econometrics or theory,” says Jorgenson.  He, along with Professor Zvi Griliches and others, developed econometrics at Harvard, which was a new area of inquiry at the time.  When Professor Gary Chamberlain joined the faculty in 1975, he was part of the core of building up the econometrics program.

Alongside econometrics, the Department developed enormous strength in economic theory, which impacted the field more broadly. Kenneth Arrow’s appointment in 1968 was so pivotal that “many of the next generation of economists were attracted to Harvard solely by the prospect of working with him,” says Professor Jerry Green, who joined the Department in 1970.  Green cites 1968-79 as the period when Arrow’s presence at Harvard - and the many young economists who came to work with him - inspired much of modern economic theory.

Chamberlain and Green along with two other current faculty members who joined in the 1970s -  Benjamin Friedman (1972) and Richard Freeman (1973) - all fondly recall those electric years.  “There were so many new, young, incredible economists coming to Harvard that were excited to work on new things,” says Green. Jorgenson agrees, labeling the 1960s and 1970s as a booming period for Harvard Economics. Indeed, three of the first five Nobel Prizes in Economics went to Harvard professors: Simon Kuznets (1971) was the first Nobel recipient in the Department, immediately followed by Kenneth Arrow (1972), and Wassily Leontief (1973), a testament to the transformational research happening at Harvard.  Three Nobel Laureates currently roam Littauer’s wings: Amartya Sen (1998), Eric Maskin (2007), Oliver Hart (2016).

With all the growth in the 1970s, the Department needed additional space and acquired the building at 1737 Cambridge Street for some faculty and staff. Several current faculty members reflect on those days in what is affectionately referred to as “1737.”  When the Harvard Kennedy School moved to Harvard Square in 1978, the Economics faculty in 1737 moved into Littauer.  While some faculty missed 1737 and its exciting, collaborative atmosphere, having the Department united in Littauer kicked off a new era. “It was an exciting moment,” recalls Friedman.  “The whole idea that all of us were going to be sitting together in Littauer was a very special thing.”

In 1977, Professor Martin Feldstein became president of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), then headquartered in New York City.  Many view his decision to move the NBER to Cambridge as a game changer for economics in Boston broadly and at Harvard specifically.  “Having the NBER in Cambridge - and the way it developed into a major research organization - made Cambridge a very attractive place for economics faculty. That helped both Harvard and MIT,” says Feldstein.  Professor Richard Freeman agrees, citing the NBER’s move to Cambridge as bringing about a change in economics research - particularly empirical research.

After building up strength in theory and econometrics in the 1960s and 1970s, Jorgenson describes the Department’s next endeavor as strengthening its applied work in international economics, labor economics, policy, and finance.  This pursuit dominated the 1980s and 1990s and was part of the Department’s allure for Professor Alberto Alesina. After completing his PhD at Harvard in 1986, Alesina became Assistant  Professor of Economics in 1988. He recognized the Department’s upward trend in the 1980s, marked by a series of strong hires such as Professors Lawrence Summers, Lawrence Katz, Robert Barro, Eric Maskin and N. Gregory Mankiw.  “I was lucky to join the Economics Department at the beginning of a phenomenal positive trend of hiring incredible young faculty.”

Professor John Campbell shares this sentiment.  Campbell heeded the call of Littauer in 1994, joining the Department during a period when Harvard decided to challenge MIT for the best economics PhD program. Senior faculty - such as Martin Weitzman and Oliver Hart - were poached from MIT and other top institutions. Campbell himself left Princeton to join Harvard, feeling that “Harvard was going places.”  He joined Andrei Shleifer in helping the Department develop the field of finance and fondly recalls the excitement of expanding the finance faculty and being part of this new endeavor.

Department staff members recall the 1980s and 1990s as a period of major technological change. Jane Trahan—now retired after 33 years as a faculty assistant - remembers her days formatting equations for research papers in Littauer’s basement computer room.  Faculty recall the IBM mainframe on Cambridge Street, where they ran their punch cards for econometric analyses.  Leontief worked with human computers and graduate students for  his pioneering work in input-output analysis.  But by the late 1980s, personal computers were introduced to all faculty assistants and soon found their way into professors’ offices as well.  This ushered in a changing relationship between faculty and their assistants, allowing faculty to do some administrative and technical work on their own.  Computing advances aside, the days were still dominated by paper, with Littauer’s corridors full of filing cabinets.

Along with the technological advances and faculty boom during this period, a major turning point came in 1990, when Professor Claudia Goldin became the Department’s first woman to be granted tenure.  She would kick off a slow, but growing, march of women into the Department’s tenured ranks.  With a specialty in history, Goldin was excited to join the giants of economic history at Harvard.  She was also interested in exploring other avenues - such as labor, education, and gender issues - and was drawn to the variety of research possibilities at Harvard.

The Department continued its momentum into the turn of the millennium.  Moving from Chicago to Harvard in 2005 was not too difficult a decision for Professor Gita Gopinath, who is now the Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund.  “I came here because it was - without a doubt - the best international economics program in the world,” she says.  It was not, however, the most diverse department: Gopinath’s tenure in 2010 made her only the fourth woman ever among the Department’s senior faculty.  The continued change in this area is one of the most exciting developments for Gopinath, as she cites the recent promotion of three women to the rank of Professor of Economics.  “I want students to see that they’re taking classes with a diverse set of faculty and that you don’t have to look a particular way to become an economist.”

The 2000s have also brought a stronger undergraduate program to the Department.  In 2005, the economics undergraduate advising offices moved from Garden Street to the first floor of Littauer.  Many faculty credit Jeffrey Miron, the Department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies, who in 2010 began revamping undergraduate advising in economics and strengthening the undergraduate economics program more broadly. Professor Melissa Dell, an economics concentrator from 2001-05, was a happy undergraduate but says the consistent quality of mentorship and support now available to economics students is one of the biggest and best changes she has seen in the Department.