phd economics university of london

Economics MRes + MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

UCL Economics is a world-class academic department with a commitment to research excellence. The Economics MRes and MPhil/PhD programmes attract, educate and develop students of the highest academic calibre. Our graduates are employed by the world's foremost academic, international and governmental institutions.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications closed

• Entry requirements

Applicants must have a Master’s degree in Economics or closely related subject with distinction-level performance. Applicants must demonstrate that they are qualified to proceed to research work. The GRE General Test is a required part of the application, except for applicants with an Economics MSc from UCL or those currently enrolled on the UCL Economics MSc programme.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The MRes programme is designed to train and prepare you to conduct research in pursuit of a PhD degree. In joining this programme, you are embarking on a career as a research-focused academic. 

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for applicants with a master’s degree in economics or related subject who wish to undertake independent research.

What this course will give you

UCL Economics has an outstanding international reputation in key areas of current research. The research excellence demonstrated in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) result is matched by the department's provision of a stimulating, intellectual and supportive research environment.

The department will provide all new MRes students with the opportunity to attend a Maths Camp course to help you prepare for the programme.

Our doctoral students often take up visiting research posts in leading economics departments worldwide, participate in the European Network for Training in Economic Research (ENTER) exchange programme and gain valuable teaching experience as departmental teaching assistants.  

The foundation of your career

In recent years, our PhD students have been appointed to posts in leading universities and research centres including University of Oxford, Princeton University, Stanford University, UCLA, University of Chicago, Carlos III University of Madrid, Pompeu Fabra University, Stockholm University and Sogang University. Graduate destinations also include policy institutions including the Bank of England, EBRD, IFS, McKinsey, RAND Corporation and the World Bank.

Employability

The community of postgraduate and academic economists is well connected and close. Many of our PhD students continue to work with their supervisors and academic faculty on collaborative research projects and visit the department for research meetings and events.

UCL Economics has several active research seminar series in which leading scholars from around the world present their research. Our graduate students attend and participate in seminars, workshops and conferences in the department and interdisciplinary research centres across UCL, providing opportunities to network with leading academics across a variety of research fields. We encourage PhD students to visit and study at prominent research institutions on a temporary basis (for up to one year) to experience different research environments and form new research partnerships. UCL Economics has several active research seminar series in which leading scholars from around the world present their research. Our graduate students attend and participate in seminars, workshops and conferences in the department and interdisciplinary research centres across UCL, providing opportunities to network with leading academics across a variety of research fields. We encourage PhD students to visit and study at prominent research institutions on a temporary basis (for up to one year) to experience different research environments and form new research partnerships.

Teaching and learning

Through Terms 1 and 2, the main teaching methods are conventional lectures and classes in Macro, Micro theory, Econometrics and Real Analysis.

The dissertation encourages students to consider the topic they plan to write a PhD thesis on by surveying the literature and forming a research plan.

Students benefit by being taught by faculty staff actively researching in the areas they will write a thesis on.  

Term 1 modules are assessed by the submission of coursework for microeconomics and mid-term written examinations for Real Analysis, Macroeconomics and Econometrics.

Term 2 modules are assessed by written examinations.

Term 3 is assessed by the dissertation.

Module Credits 15 UCL credits = 7.5 ECTS and 150 learning hours

Research areas and structure

UCL Economics is host to, and affiliated with, numerous research centres conducting cutting-edge research of national and international importance. These include:

• Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration (CReAM)
• Centre for Finance (CfF )
• Centre for Macroeconomics (CfM)
• The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)
• Centre for Microdata, Methods and Practice (Cemmap, Institute for Fiscal Studies)
• Centre for Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy (CPP, Institute for Fiscal Studies)
• Centre for the Evaluation of Development Policies (EDePo, Institute for Fiscal Studies)
• New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe (NORFACE)

Research environment

The Department of Economics placed #1 for research environment and outputs in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) and ranked #3 overall. UCL Economics was first for 4* world-leading research outputs and research environments, with scores of 72% and 100% respectively. The doctoral programme at UCL aims to teach economists to conduct research of high academic merit and make original contributions to the subject. The department has a lively and active research environment, with a strong emphasis on team research, based around a number of major research groups and centres. With close ties to several research centres, students are surrounded by some of the best researchers in their field.

The MRes programme is one year of full-time study.

The MRes programme will provide you with training in research methods in Real Analysis and Probability, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics.

You will be required to write a dissertation. The dissertation is an individual research project, supervised by a faculty member, to assess your self-reliance and capacity for independent research in preparation for the subsequent MPhil/PhD years.

The subsequent years (for students who are admitted to the MPhil/PhD programme) will focus on the skills you will need to conduct your own research projects and present research findings to specialised audiences. Teaching skills will also be developed.

MPhil/PhD The MPhil/PhD programme is normally three years of full time study; however, students typically take four years to complete it.

MPhil Year One: On successful completion of the MRes year, you will start working on your thesis and undertaking research as an MPhil student. You will continue taking advanced training and methodology courses.

You can find a list of field courses here.

At the end of this year, you will present your research at an Upgrade Seminar and a panel of faculty members will determine your progression to PhD status.

PhD Year Two: You will continue to work on your research and thesis. 

PhD Year Three: You will work on your Econ Job Market paper. By the end of this year, you will be expected to take up Completing Research Status (CRS).  

Students wishing to study the MRes programme on a part-time basis will be required to register for two core modules in the first year, one of which must be the Real Analysis module. In your second year, you will complete the remaining compulsory modules and write your dissertation.

Several of our PhD students undertaking research in applied fields have successfully applied for funds to conduct their own fieldwork, while many others have done so through collaborations and research assistance work with their supervisors.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS)

Deadline: 12 January 2024 Value: UK rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

The GRE General Test is a required part of the application, except for applicants with an Economics MSc from UCL or those currently enrolled on the UCL Economics MSc programme.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

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Duration: 4 years full time

Institution code: R72

Campus: Egham

UK fees * : £4,786

International/EU fees ** : £19,700

The Department of Economics at Royal Holloway is one of the top economics departments in the country with a wide range of expertise, including labour economics, development economics, microeconomic theory, and experimental economics. In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF2014), we were ranked 9th in the UK in terms of world-leading and internationally excellent research.

The Department is home to about 30 research active staff and 30 PhD students from over 20 countries. We offer a stimulating research environment and a vibrant  PhD programme  with advanced economics training in the first year and a great placement record.

The PhD student community is relatively small, thereby ensuring a consistently high level of interaction between the students and academics. Our students benefit from advanced economics training in their first year and have an opportunity to present their ongoing research and receive feedback in our PhD seminar series.

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Research facilities and environment

Our activities are organised around the department’s research centres which cover the main research areas in economics and multidisciplinary research that is conducted together with the departments of Computer Science and Psychology.

We organise weekly seminars with external speakers and advanced PhD students are encouraged to meet with our visitors. During the academic year we hold a PhD seminar and every spring we organise our Annual PhD conference where PhD students from other universities are invited to present and keynotes are given by prominent academics.

You will begin on the MPhil degree for the first two years and will need to meet certain requirements to progress – to upgrade - to PhD student status.

In your first year, you will have to take advanced economics training that provides skills and knowledge necessary to proceed to the independent research work (see  PhD Training Programme  for details). The PhD courses are taught by our own faculty, as well as by external experts. Additional training opportunities (such as external summer schools or workshops) can be funded by the Department according to individual students’ specific research needs. Finally,  generic research skills training  is provided at the College level. The remaining years of the programme are fully devoted to research.

Part of the training throughout the programme is attending internal and external seminar series. In addition, we run a PhD seminar series where students present their on-going research and receive feedback from their peers and the faculty.

The community is relatively small with about 30 students enrolled, thereby ensuring a consistently high level of interaction between the students and academics.

Entry requirements

Candidates for a place on the MPhil/PhD programme should have completed an undergraduate degree and a taught Masters in Economics, with a distinction or a high pass, in a relevant subject.

The department actively supports the placement of PhD graduates in positions at universities, research institutes, government agencies, and private corporations. Examples of recent placements include:

• Bristol University
• London School of Economics
• University of Stirling
• Cardiff Metropolitan University
• Max Planck Institute, Germany
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
• Institute for Employment Studies.

For more information about placements see the  PhD Job Market .

Fees & funding

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £4,786

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £19,700

Other essential costs***: There are no additonal costs greater than £50 per item.

…How do I pay for it? Find out more about   funding options,   including loans, grants,   scholarships   and bursaries. 

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2024/25.

* Please note that for research courses, we adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home   tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry.   For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the   UKRI website.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25.   

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually, based on the UK’s Retail Price Index (RPI). Please therefore be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. For further information, please see our  terms and conditions .

***   These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included. 

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MPhil/PhD Economics

Content navigation menu, why study mphil/phd economics at goldsmiths.

Training future economists who combine imaginative approaches with rigorous analysis.

• Goldsmiths offers a unique and exciting environment for in-depth research in economics. The Institute of Management Studies (IMS) has scholars working on frontier topics in economics, and a strong tradition of boundary-breaking, imaginative research in topics related to all aspects of the economy and society.
• MPhil/PhD Economics is a distinctive, pluralist programme with an interdisciplinary approach.
• We're committed to training skilled researchers who can conduct rigorous and imaginative research in economics.
• You'll be encouraged to conduct research that employs non-mainstream approaches to address economic problems.
• You'll engage in conceptual, empirical and methodological exploration throughout the programme.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Rachel Doern .

2–4 years full-time, 4–8 years part-time

Entry requirements

Taught masters in a relevant subject area (Merit or above)

Institute of Management Studies

You'll research

• You will attend and contribute to research seminars, and through departmental and Goldsmiths-wide modules you will also be encouraged to develop practical skills such as public speaking, poster preparation, scientific writing, and how to interact with the media. 
• You will meet regularly with your supervisor, and develop a structured approach to designing, executing, analysing and writing up your research. 
• You will have access to the IMS staff who have expertise in a wide range of areas at the interface with economics (management, innovation, entrepreneurship, marketing, occupational psychology).  
• You will also have an annual allowance to contribute towards your research expenses and/or conference attendance.

Types of research you could do

Supervision can be offered in any of the areas of research  actively pursued in the department. The Institute of Management Studies department has a particular concentration of economics expertise in four areas:

• Algorithms and society
• History and methodology of economic thought
• Structural economic analysis
• Sustainable futures

Students are often attracted by the research interests of our staff and may decide to undertake a project that relates to their ongoing research. To explore these or other research ideas, you can start by emailing the member of staff whose research interests you and arrange to discuss research ideas.

We are also open to students who have already formulated specific research ideas before they apply and we can support them in finding a supervisor in the department who is able to help them develop these into a doctoral research programme if suitable.

Applicants should normally possess the following qualifications:

• A first degree in a relevant subject area (normally of upper second-class honours standard or above), or an equivalent qualification.
• A taught masters in a relevant subject area (normally at the Merit standard or above).

Applications may still be considered where an applicant possesses non-standard qualifications or equivalent experience.

In all cases, final decisions about admissions will be made on the basis of a written proposal and interview to determine the applicant's preparedness for their proposed research and the availability of appropriate supervision.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about  the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or  equivalent English language qualification ) of  7.0   with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.0  to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of  courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees.

These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Funding opportunities

Find out more about  postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities . If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our  study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.  Please check the programme specification  for more information.

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• Find a course
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How to apply

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Application options include:

Course Overview

The MPhil/PhD in Economics will train you to conduct research of a high academic standard and to make original contributions to the subject. The degree involves both coursework and research training, but its major component is the preparation of a substantial research thesis. The thesis should demonstrate a sound understanding of the main issues in the area and add to existing knowledge.

An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research. Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck .

Economics at Birkbeck has acquired an excellent reputation, not only for the quality of its research but also for the quality of its training. The Treasury, the Bank of England and many other employers hire us to train their staff. We take students who are determined to succeed and are prepared to undergo the rigours of first-class training, whether they are studying full-time or part-time.

Key information

Economics mphil/phd: 7 years part-time, on campus, starting 2024-25.

• October 2024
• January 2025

Economics MPhil/PhD: 4 years full-time, on campus, starting 2024-25

Find another course:

• Birkbeck’s research excellence was  confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework , with 83% of research rated world-leading or internationally excellent overall. We were also ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for our Economics and Econometrics research.
• We are home to the Commodities and Finance Centre , a forum for academics and practitioners working in the field of commodities modelling.
• The Birkbeck Centre for Applied Macroeconomics is a research centre which aims to consolidate and publicise research in macroeconomics and monetary economics. The centre hosts regular seminars and workshops and prestigious visiting scholars.
• The London Mathematical Finance Group , a consortium of the mathematical finance groups at Birkbeck, Brunel University, Imperial College, King's College, LSE and UCL, provides advanced courses in mathematical finance, primarily for first-year PhD students. It also organises PhD Seminar Days, in which students have the opportunity to present their work.
• Read about  Birkbeck research offering insights and expertise to inform business, contribute to economic success and develop ground-breaking technologies .

Entry Requirements

An MSc in economics/finance or a related quantitative subject, with Distinction or a good pass.

Applicants should also submit a research proposal which is in line with the research interests of our academic staff in this area.

Qualities such as good time management and the ability to cope under pressure are vital.

A strong background in quantitative methods is required.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement,  we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services  to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our  English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country .

Visa and funding requirements

If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

• Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
• Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

For full information, read our visa information for international students page .

Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country .

Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

Economics MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25

Academic year 2024–25, starting october 2024, january 2025, april 2025.

Part-time home students: £2,539 per year Full-time home students: £4,786 per year Part-time international students : £7,525 per year Full-time international students: £14,885 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy .

If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

Fees and finance

PhD students resident in England can apply for government loans of over £26,000 to cover the cost of tuition fees, maintenance and other study-related costs.

Flexible finance: pay your fees in monthly instalments at no extra cost . Enrol early to spread your costs and reduce your monthly payments.

We offer a range of studentships and funding options to support your research.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

International scholarships

We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship .

Our research culture

New full-time MPhil/PhD students are required to attend a series of lectures and research workshops, covering topics that are at the cutting edge of recent developments in economic theory and methodology. You also select option classes from the MSc Economics, MSc Financial Economics or MSc Finance at Birkbeck or UCL. After completing coursework, you proceed to write a PhD dissertation.

Coursework is not normally compulsory for part-time MPhil/PhD students. However, if deficiencies in previous training are identified, you may be required to undertake suitable coursework.

Read more about  our vibrant research culture .

Follow these steps to apply to an MPhil/PhD research degree at Birkbeck:

1. Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements, as described on this page.

2. Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research. You can look at the Find a Supervisor area on this page for an overview, or  search our Experts’ Database  or  browse our staff pages for more in-depth information . 

3. Contact the academic member of staff - or the department they teach in - for an informal discussion about your research interests and to establish if they are willing and able to supervise your research. (Please note: finding a potential supervisor does not guarantee admission to the research degree, as this decision is made using your whole application.)  Find out more about the supervisory relationship and how your supervisor will support your research .

4. Draft a research proposal. This needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the field, the specific research questions you wish to pursue, and how your ideas will lead to the creation of new knowledge and understanding.  Find out more about writing a research proposal .

5. Apply directly to Birkbeck, using the online application link on this page. All research students are initially registered on an MPhil and then upgrade to a PhD after making sufficient progress.

Find out more about the application process, writing a research proposal and the timeframe . 

Application deadlines and interviews

You can apply at any time for study starting in January, April or October. We need to receive your supporting documents (i.e. your transcript, two academic references and research proposal) before we can proceed with your application.

If you wish to apply for funding, you will need to apply by certain deadlines. Consult the websites of relevant bodies for details.

Apply for your course

Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section .

Finding a supervisor

A crucial factor when applying for postgraduate study in economics is the correlation between the applicant’s intellectual and research interests and those of one or more potential supervisors.

Find out more about the research interests of our academic staff:

• Professor Yunus Aksoy, BA, PhD : monetary economics; international macroeconomics.
• Alastair Ball, PhD : health and labour economics.
• Brad Baxter, MA, PhD : approximation theory; numerical analysis; mathematical finance; theory and algorithms of radial basis functions.
• Walter Beckert, MSc, PhD : theoretical and applied econometrics; theoretical and empirical industrial organisation.
• Arupratan Daripa, BA, MA, PhD : auction theory; mechanism design; applications to financial markets; bank regulation and informal credit design.
• Professor Hélyette Geman, MSc, PhD : derivatives; commodities; hedge funds management; complex and exotic options; interest rates and stock price modelling.
• Pedro Gomes, PhD : macroeconomics of fiscal policy; macroeconomics of labour markets; public sector employment; macroeconomics and finance and sovereign ratings.
• Kenjiro Hori, MA, PhD : search theory; labour economics; contract theory; microeconomics.
• Professor Sandeep Kapur, BA, PhD : financial intermediation; applied economic theory.
• Professor Zacharias Psaradakis, BA, MA, PhD : econometrics; time series analysis.
• David Schroeder, BSc, MSc, PhD : asset pricing; empirical finance; decision theory; stochastic finance.
• Emanuela Sciubba, MPhil, PhD : economic theory and finance; learning and evolution in financial markets; network formation models.
• Professor Anne Sibert, BA, MSc, PhD : open economy macroeconomics; international finance; monetary economics; political economy.
• Professor Emeritus Ron Smith, BA, PhD : defence economics; econometrics; industrial economics; political economy.
• Professor Stephen Wright, MA : macroeconomics; finance.

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Based on the doorstep of the City of London, you will develop skills and knowledge which are valued by a range of employers.

Studying Economics at City will help you develop the skills and knowledge to analyse the economic relationships between people, markets and governments.

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PhD in Economics

Royal holloway, university of london.

About the department

The Department of Economics at Royal Holloway, University of London is a centre of research and teaching excellence. The department consists of approximately 30 academic staff members whose research interests include theoretical and applied microeconomics, labour economics, development economics and experimental economics, as well as multidisciplinary topics in collaboration with colleagues from the Computer Science and Psychology departments (see here ). Over 98% of our research was rated as “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” in the most recent UK research assessment ( REF2021 ). Research activity is organised around the department’s research centres .

About the programme

The department has an active PhD programme which consists of approximately 25 PhD students. We offer a stimulating research environment where postgraduate research students become an integral part of our research community and enjoy a consistently high level of interaction with academic staff. During the four years of the programme, students take PhD courses that provide advanced economics training, attend research seminars from external speakers, present their work in the PhD seminar and PhD conference and, generally, participate in the academic life of the department.

The department has a great placement record for PhD students and our graduates have been successful in getting jobs in academia, research organisations, governments, international bodies, and the private sector. Furthermore, 97% of our PhD students were happy with their supervisor and 87% were satisfied their overall experience in their research programme according to the most recent Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (2022).

Applying for admission and choosing a research topic

We offer full-time (4 years) and part-time (8 years) PhD programmes, that can start in September, January, or April. Applicants should have an MSc in Economics or a related field. Applicants should consult the website of the PhD programme under “how to apply”. 

For a successful PhD experience, it is important to find a good match between your research interests and those of your supervisors. You can find a list of potential supervisors on our directory and potential topics of study on our website under “research topics” .  

Funding opportunities

Generous scholarships and graduate teaching assistantships are available on a competitive basis to cover tuition fees and stipends for 4 years for Home students.

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PhD Economics admissions FAQs

LSE has a well-established infrastructure for admitting and funding PhD students in the Department of Economics. We have a Chair and committee for both PhD Admissions and PhD Recruitment. In addition we have a dedicated professional staff at School and Department level dealing with funding and admissions. Applications are processed centrally through the  Graduate Admissions Office .

There is a strict application deadline for the PhD Economics 2024 entry. All applicants are advised to read the  MRes/PhD Economics 2024 prospectus page .

Admissions FAQs (2024 entry)

Below you will find various FAQS categorised by application , post application , funding and programme queries.

Application queries

1. when is the application deadline for the phd economics .

For direct entry to the PhD Economics programme there is an application deadline of  14 December 2023 . Complete applications must be received by the LSE Graduate Admissions Office by 23.59hrs (UK time) on 14 December 2023. We will not be able to accept any materials that arrive after the deadline; only complete applications supplied with all required supporting information by 14 December 2023 will be considered.

2. How should I apply?

Applications must be submitted via  LSE’s Online Application System  and are processed through LSE’s central  Graduate Admissions Office . All applicants are advised to read the  Department of Economics 2024 prospectus page  (for entry in 2024).

3. When should I apply?

The deadline to submit an application is 23.59hrs (UK time) 14 December 2023. Candidates are encouraged to apply early rather than wait until very close to the deadline to avoid unforeseen circumstances (eg. technical issues) preventing timely submission. Applicants who are considering re-taking the GRE test to improve their scores should do so in time to submit their new scores by the application deadline.  The Department cannot accept new GRE scores after the application deadline. 

4. What are the entry requirements? 

Entry requirements for the PhD Economics are stated on the departmental prospectus page . See also the LSE Minimum Entry Requirements including information for international students .

For details about the programme itself, see the Department of Economics Research Programmes  and the prospectus pages. See also details of the PhD Economics coursework requirements .

5. What should my application include?

Your application should include:

• An application form
• Application fee
• Statement of academic purpose
• Transcripts
• Two academic references
• Research statement (see guidance on the Research statement below)
• A separate list of all the courses you are currently taking and/or will be taking (if you are currently undertaking a degree programme)
• English language test scores (if applicable - see English language requirements )

For a full explanation of what you need to supply, please see Graduate Admissions advice on  How to Apply and guide to Supporting Documents .

6. How can I get help with the application process?

Questions about the mechanics of the application process should be submitted to LSE’s central Graduate Admissions Office . See how you can Contact the Graduate Admissions Office . A full range of Graduate Admissions guidance and information is available via their Graduate Knowledge Base  page. If you do not find the answer to your question there, please follow the “ I Need Help ” link which allows you to contact the Graduate Admissions Office by email or Live Chat.  

7. Do I need to submit a written sample? 

No, applicants to the PhD Economics are not required to submit a sample of their written work. We will, however, require a research statement.

8. Do I need to submit a Statement of academic purpose as well as a Research statement? 

Yes, the Statement of academic purpose is a school-wide requirement as it helps our academic selectors understand your personal motivation for undertaking the programme and gives you the opportunity to explain your academic strengths, relevant interests and tell us what you can bring to the programme. This Statement can be brief (ideally not exceeding 1000 words). 

9. What should my Research statement contain? 

Your Research statement should be submitted in place of the Outline research proposal, along with your application form and other required supporting documents, via the LSE online application system.

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

• Why do you want to do research in economics?
• Can you explain how your studies and experience make you suitable to do research in economics?
• Which aspect of the PhD do you think you will like the most? Which will you dislike the most? Why?
• Tell us about your favourite paper in economics. What do you like about it? How would you improve it?
• Write a comment for a general audience on ONE of the following topics (i) Is inequality good for growth?   (ii) Do immigrants take the jobs of native workers?   (iii) Is CEO compensation excessive? (iv) Is universal minimum income a good idea? (v) Overall, has central banks' move to inflation targeting been a success? (vi) Is culture an important determinant of differences in income per capita across countries? (vii) Markets function well as information is aggregated efficiently through prices. (viii) Elections are effective at disciplining politicians who do not have the public interest as their main goal.

10. How can I demonstrate research potential?

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

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

11. Should my application include a diversity statement?

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university, a vision the Department of Economics fully supports. We believe strongly in expanding the diversity of our graduate student body and invite you to share your experiences, values, perspectives, and/or activities that shape you as a PhD candidate and align with these commitments as part of your statement of academic purpose.

Should a candidate submit a diversity statement as part of their statement of academic purpose the information provided will help the selection committee to contextualise the application; however, it will not play a part in assessing a candidate’s suitability for the MREs/PhD Economics programme. 

12. Can I contact faculty in advance, with a request to be my PhD supervisor? 

This is neither necessary nor desirable. Applicants must submit a complete application by the published deadline. There is a formal review process whereby the Department will decide if we can offer candidates a place on the programme. The allocation of a supervisor is done after completion of Year 1 of the programme, based on each student's area of interest and availability of faculty. There is no presumption that a student will be allocated the supervisor of their own choice, or any member of faculty they may have contacted before/during the application process.

13. Do I need to submit a GRE (Graduate Record Examination) score? 

All applicants must have taken the GRE General Test  and must include the test score with their application. For details of how to take the test, see the ETS website. The GRE has three sections: Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical. High GRE scores, especially in the Quantitative section, will further strengthen a good application. Most successful PhD Economics applicants have scores of 166 or more in the quantitative section. Applicants must enter their full and percentile GRE scores for all three sections. The test scores should be less than five years old on 1 October 2024.

14. Can I request an exemption on the GRE score requirement? 

GRE is a compulsory requirement, irrespective of the MRes/PhD Economics applicant’s academic background. Normally, no GRE waiver is possible.  However, applicants faced with exceptional and  unavoidable  circumstances may submit a waiver request by email, with relevant supporting information, to the Department’s admissions team .  The Selection Committee will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis and the GRE waiver cannot be guaranteed. NB. Please note that booking a late GRE test date will normally not be considered sufficient grounds for a waiver.

15. Can I submit an application solely for the MRes?

No, the MRes is an integral stage of the PhD Economics programme, and may only be taken by students who are committed to completing a PhD, subject to satisfying progression requirements.

16. Can I transfer from a PhD programme at another University?  

Applicants who commence/are already undertaking a PhD programme in another institution will not normally be allowed to transfer directly into a later stage of our PhD Economics. Such applicants would be expected to submit a full application to the programme like any other candidate and, if offered a place, would be required to undertake all parts of the course from the start of the programme, i.e. they would be registered as MRes students and undertake both years of the taught MRes programme along with the rest of the cohort. Exemption from parts of the PhD Economics, on grounds of having studied certain topics at a previous institution, will not normally be permitted.

17. Who should I contact for further information and advice?

If you have a query about our postgraduate Economics programmes that is not addressed above, or on the departmental website, contact the  Department of Economics postgraduate admissions team .  Please note that we are not able to reply to questions that constitute a request for an informal assessment. Applicants who have questions about their eligibility should consult the   Department of Economics prospectus page .

All enquiries about the application process must be addressed to LSE’s central  Graduate Admissions Office .

Post application queries

18. do you hold an open day.

As part of our recruitment process successful offer holders are invited to attend an Open Day where they will be able to meet and network with faculty and current MRes/PhD Economics students.

Applicants are, of course, very welcome to visit LSE on their own and attend a guided or self-guided tour – see more details about a visit to LSE . 

LSE also has many  public events  which are often open to all, although some do require a ticket.  There are also LSE Virtual Open Day events - for more information and to register your interest please visit the LSE Webpage .

19. What happens to my application after I click submit?

During this phase, the Graduate Admissions team conducts checks to ensure you have included all of the required documents with your application. Please note, the Department will not receive your application until you have supplied all of the required documents, which must be submitted by the application deadline. 

Once the deadline passes and the Department receives all complete applications the Selection Committee begins its review of all applications, until they arrive at a final shortlist of candidates. This process usually takes around 4 weeks at the end of which the Committee holds its final meeting to decide on who to make an offer to.

NB: The Department of Economics does not hold interviews as part of its selection process. 

After the Selection Committee meeting, all applicants who are offered a place on the PhD Economics programme are reviewed by the Funding committee for consideration of all funding at our disposal. The Department cannot guarantee that all of those offered places to study will also be offered funding. 

From early March onward, formal offers will be sent out by the LSE Graduate Admissions Office after carrying out its standard checks. The Department will also contact candidates to whom we wish to offer a place on the PhD Economics. At that stage, each candidate will be advised if they have been awarded funding, waitlisted for funding or have not been allocated funding at all. 

Candidates who are unsuccessful will be informed of the final decision by the Graduate Admissions Office. We typically expect this decision to be communicated to you around the beginning of March. 

20. When will I get my decision on my PhD Economics?

Admissions decisions will be made by a committee in the Department of Economics. Applicants will be informed of the decision by early March 2024. If your application is successful, we expect you to let us know by 15 April 2024 whether you are planning to enrol.

21. What are my chances of admission?

The admission committee reviews all applications and offers a place to those candidates with sufficient research potential.

Applicants who have questions about their eligibility for applying to research programmes at LSE should consult the  LSE Minimum Entry Requirements   and the  programme-specific  page for the programme to which they intend to apply. Also see  additional information for international students . Meeting the minimum requirements is not a guarantee of admission. In fact, most successful candidates exceed one or more of the requirements.

We regret that we cannot provide any further information or comment on an individual's chances of admission prior to receiving a complete formal application. The committee will make their decision based on all the information submitted with the application, which should be submitted online to the central  Graduate Admissions Office .

Funding queries

22. is there a separate process to apply for phd economics funding.

There is no separate process to apply for any funding which is administered and awarded by LSE - as a matter of normal procedure, all applicants who are offered a place on our PhD Economics would be considered for all types of funding at our disposal and for which they are eligible, on the basis of the information submitted in their application - see  Costs and financial aid  

As competition for places is very high and competition for funding is even more intense, we may not be able to offer funding to all PhD Economics students, hence applicants are advised to actively explore all sources of potential funding – see information in the School's  Financial Support Office  pages  (please check regularly for 2024 information updates) . 

23. Will there be funding options available once I've started the PhD Economics

Offer holders are expected to only take up a place on the PhD Economics if they have funds in place to finish their degree; please be aware that it's very unlikely there will be any funding available from the Department of Economics to fund PhD Economics students after they have started their degree. While there might be limited sources of funding at later stages of the PhD, e.g. from teaching or research assistant positions, these cannot be guaranteed nor can specific amounts (if any) be estimated at this stage. 

24. Will my financial status be a factor in the selection process?

Admissions decisions are made on the basis of academic merit alone, without any reference to an applicant’s financial situation. Applicants who are able to fund themselves or succeed in securing a scholarship or sponsorship from any source will be considered for entry to the programme in exactly the same way as applicants who have no funding in place. The same procedures and standards apply to all applicants competing for entry.

Programme queries

25. What can you tell me about the structure of the programme?

See the prospectus page for the PhD Economics programme – section “ Programme structure and courses” . The PhD Economics programme is grounded in two years of coursework through the MRes component followed by three to four years of research through the PhD.

Also see the LSE A cademic Calendar  for all Research Students at LSE, where clicking on “Programme Regulations” and “Research Course Guides” will give you detailed insight into the topics covered in each programme of study. 

26. Is the PhD Economics offered on a part-time basis?

The PhD Economics is only offered on a full-time basis.

27. How does the programme differ from the US and European programmes?

The programme has the standard structure of top US programmes with compulsory coursework in the first two years and research thereafter.  As in most US programmes, students take core courses in year one and field courses in year two.

28. Can I progress to the PhD Economics via an MSc programme at LSE?

There will no longer be automatic and direct progression from any LSE programme into our MRes/PhD Economics from the 2024/5 academic cycle.  Students registered in the LSE Department of Economics during the 2023/4 academic year, who wish to be considered for 2024 entry to the MRes/PhD Economics would need to submit the standard full application package by the deadline for 2024 entry (14 December 2023).  All applicants - including LSE students - will be given equal consideration, as part of the MRes/PhD Economics' standard process for admission as well as funding.  

Graduate Admissions

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The standard entry route to the PhD programme is through the School’s MRes programmes in Economics and Finance .

The breadth and depth of our expertise enables us to offer supervision in all major areas of economics and finance. The School has more than 40 research-active faculty working in a wide range of research areas, including macroeconomics, microeconomic theory and game theory, applied microeconomics, econometric theory, time series analysis, theoretical and empirical finance, and financial econometrics.

Recent faculty research has appeared in leading economics and finance journals, including Econometrica, the American Economic Review, the Review of Economic Studies, the Journal of Political Economy, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Journal of Econometrics, and the Journal of Finance. Individual members of staff also have active collaborations with various governmental and non-governmental agencies, including the UK Treasury, the Bank of England, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, OECD, and ILO.

The School runs external weekly seminars with invited speakers from top European and North American universities and internal workshops.

We have an international community of PhD students , who are central to the research culture of the School. Students are offered an inclusive environment with excellent infrastructure and many opportunities for formal and informal interaction with staff. Students are also provided with office space, a desktop computer, and an annual research allowance.

Excellent career opportunities are open to our PhD graduates. Recent placements include lectureships or postdoc research positions at the universities of Cambridge, York, Leicester, Aarhus, Vienna and Sao Paulo, as well as the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). Our graduates are also typically hired by central banks: recent placements include the Bank of England, the Bank of France, the Bank of Italy, and the Central Bank of Uruguay.

The standard entry route to the PhD programme is through the MRes programmes in Economics and Finance, please visit the MRes programme deadlines page. 

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PhD in Economics

Soas university of london, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, similar courses at this uni, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Course type.

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

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

Why study MPhil/PhD in Economics at SOAS?

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

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

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

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

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

At SOAS University of London, postgraduate students are encouraged to challenge the status quo and think globally. SOAS is the leading higher education institution in Europe specialising in the study of Africa, Asia and the Near and Middle East. Postgraduate courses are taught by respected academics engaged in ground-breaking fieldwork and research. The work of researchers at SOAS influences both government policy and the lives of individuals... more

MSc Development Economics

Full time | 1 year | 23-SEP-24

MSc Research for International Development

Mphil in development economics.

Full time | 2 years | 23-SEP-24

PhD in Development Economics

Full time | 3 years | 23-SEP-24

MSc Finance (Economic Policy) (Distance Learning)

Distance without attendance | 2 years | OCT-24

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Economics: research degrees (mphil/phd).

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• Jump to: Course overview
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Key information

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

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

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

Course overview

The Department of Economics of SOAS has become one of the most outstanding sites for undertaking a research degree in the fields of development economics, heterodox economics and political economy.

Why study Economics: Research Degrees (MPhil/PhD) at SOAS?

• We are ranked 27th in UK for Economics (QS World University Rankings 2023).
• We are ranked 8th in UK for student satisfaction with teaching (Guardian League Tables 2022) and 5th in London (Complete University Guide 2022).
• The Department offers unique research training opportunities both through its dedicated research student seminar series, the wide-ranging set of courses taught on its MSc programmes and partnerships with other universities (e.g. New School for Social Research in the US and the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa).
• Departmental staff are leading experts in their fields, have rich research experience, and have well-established networks with academic and international organisations.
• Research students are expected to form part of the academic community of the Department, participating as appropriate in collaborative research with members of staff, with some opportunities for teaching.
• SOAS offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary and regional research, and the scope to learn or improve a language where appropriate.

Four pathways

• MPhil/PhD in Economics involves Department-specific research training and supervision, usually by a member of the Department or otherwise appropriate supervisor from another Department.
• MPhil/PhD in Development Economics involves Department-specific research training and supervision usually by a member of the Department or otherwise appropriate supervisor from another Department. The PhD in Development Economics is attached to the Doctoral Training Partnership and is eligible for ESRC funding: Scholarships and Bursaries.
• MPhil/PhD in International Development is shared with the SOAS Department of Development Studies and other Bloomsbury Colleges. The International Development pathway is also eligible for award of ESRC Grants through the UBEL Doctoral Training Partnership: Scholarships and Bursaries.
• SOAS-Wits Joint MPhil/PhD in Applied Development Economics coordinates a programme of research in heterodox economics or political economy with a focus on Africa, it involves joint supervision by SOAS and Wits supervisors.

Prospective MPhil/PhD students are encouraged to contact members of staff with suitable research expertise prior to applying for a research degree.

Scholarships, funding and ESRC recognition

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

Staff research

All full-time, permanent members of academic staff are active researchers and can serve as supervisors. The Department as a whole is especially keen to supervise research students across its staff’s areas of specialisation in political economy, development, and area studies, but will also accept students across other topics, including mainstream approaches, where it has an interest and expertise.

Please see the Economics Staff pages for a list of staff and their research interests. For the sorts of topics covered by research students, please see Research Student web pages.

For further information about the Research Degrees at SOAS, please contact the PhD Admissions Tutor, Professor Costas Lapavitsas or the Admissions Office, [email protected] , and for general information and regulations concerning research students at SOAS, please see, Research Admissions and Applications. 

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

Special features of studying for a research degree

The Department of Economics at SOAS has become one of the most outstanding sites for undertaking a research degree in economics and is unique in a number of respects:

• The Department’s own MSc programme is offered as a foundation for undertaking a research degree, together with the MSc in International Development. The core courses in economic theory, the political economy of development, and econometrics are wide-ranging in scope and oriented towards theoretical, empirical, and policy issues, especially where concerning the developing economies. Its special subject options are varied and provide the highest level of expertise on a large number of more specialised topics. Even those who have already completed an MSc in Economics at other institutions have found it worthwhile to follow courses on the MScs at SOAS.
• In addition to access to the Department's own MSc courses and the weekly dedicated research student seminar for all research students, first year students in the Department also benefit from a programme of research student training in political economy, method and methodologies, and different schools of thought.
• The training needs of each research student are individually assessed and provided through a combination of generally available courses and individual tuition.
• Departmental staff have rich experience in supervising research degree students, matched by their success in bringing students' theses to timely completion. Whilst the Department has a strong commitment to students' early completion of their theses, it also considers it has a responsibility to see that all of its research students obtain a broader training than in their narrowly defined topic and that they also gain skills in theoretical, empirical and policy analysis, in the writing and communication of research results, and in evaluating the work of others.
• Research students are expected to form part of the academic community of the Department, participating where appropriate in collaborative research with members of staff, with some opportunities for teaching.
• Members of the Department are committed to interdisciplinary research as well as to specialised research. SOAS offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary and regional research, and the scope to learn or improve a language where appropriate.
• Whilst each member of staff is an expert in particular fields of economics, and most are experts in specific geographical areas, the Department welcomes research students who do not have a regional specialisation.
• The Departmental Empirical Support Committee (DESC) offers targeted advice to individual students undertaking empirical work.

Important notice

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

Teaching and learning

Supervision.

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

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

• In addition to these core roles, the second and third members of the SC may be expected to: a) Enhance or augment the supervision of the student by contributing additional guidance and expertise, if required/sought by the student and/or the supervisor throughout the time of active research. b) To act on behalf of the supervisor during unforeseen periods of absence. This role will have to be agreed by consent of all parties (student, supervisor and the two members of the SC) and one of the two members will be designated as cover in absence for the period in question.  
• Only rarely is joint supervision allowed, for which a strong case would need to be made. Whilst the primary responsibility for guiding student's research and to review written work and progress rests with the supervisor once upgrade is successfully completed, other members of the supervisory committee must receive student’s thesis drafts at appropriate times, with support also available to students from the Departmental Empirical Support Committee (DESC).

Part-time students

Part-time students are expected to follow the same programme as the full-time students, except that they will take the initial training over two years instead of one. The Research Student Seminar and Departmental Seminars take place in the early evening to allow students in full-time employment to attend. Supervision is available in the evenings where necessary, and research student committees consider the progress of part- time students as regularly as for full-time students.

Computing facilities

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

SOAS Library

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

Scholarships

Fees and funding

Fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year.

Please note that fees go up each year.

See  research fees  for further details.

Economics graduates leave SOAS with a solid grounding in statistical skills and an ability to think laterally, take a global perspective, and employ critical reasoning.

Recent graduates from the Department of Economics have been hired by:

• NHS England
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi
• University of Bayreuth
• HM Treasury
• Department for International Development
• King’s Investment Fund
• The World Bank
• British Chamber of Commerce

Find out about our Careers Service

A student's perspective

As far as a fully comprehensive experience of academia, debate, culture, friendships and extra-curricular goes - SOAS is the place to be. The degree I achieved in Economics and Chinese has always been a big part of my journey, and I am glad I chose it. Economics will always provide a fundamental grounding in understanding the world better, and as for Chinese - well it's the future.

Hussain Hilli

Dr Sara Stevano

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

Professor Costas Lapavitsas

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

SOAS Voices

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

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

Will AI help us out of the productivity slump?

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

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

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

Powering Production: A Developmental Energy Transition for Africa

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

Financial inclusion in Kenya: Why going beyond access is crucial

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

Why clientelistic politics matter for development prospects

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

Climate Risk and Sustainable Finance Development in Thailand

Business models.

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

Industrial policy

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

Infrastructure development

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

Restructuring of supply chains

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

Critical minerals

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

Energy transition

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

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

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

Political Economy Analysis of Food Industry (PEAFI)

Debt relief for a green and inclusive recovery.

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

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

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

INSPIRE Sustainable Central Banking Toolbox Policy Briefing Paper Series

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

Central banking and climate change: the case of Bangladesh

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

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World University Rankings 2023 by subject: business and economics

The business and economics subject table uses the same trusted and rigorous performance indicators as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023, but the methodology has been recalibrated to suit the individual fields.

The ranking assesses universities by their performance in the following disciplines: business and management, accounting and finance, and economics and econometrics.

This year’s table includes 870 universities, up from 794 last year.

View the World University Rankings 2023 by subject: business and economics methodology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retains its top spot from last year, while China’s Tsinghua University , rising three places to the eighth spot, is the only new entrant to the top 10.

There are only two new additions to the top 20 – Peking University, China, which has risen seven places to 15th, and ETH Zurich, Switzerland, which has climbed five places to 16th.

Beyond the top 20, the US remains prevalent, but other countries, such as South Korea, Switzerland and Australia, have also improved. For instance, Yonsei University (Seoul campus) rises 34 spots to 44th, the University of Zurich rises five spots to joint 42nd, and the University of Melbourne rises eight spots to 35th.

The University of California also repeatedly improves its performance from last year. For example, its Berkeley campus rises one place to seventh, and San Diego rises one place to joint 31st. The Los Angeles branch remains in 19th place.

Read our analysis of the subject rankings 2023 results

View the full results of the overall World University Rankings 2023

To raise your university’s global profile with Times Higher Education , contact [email protected]

To unlock the data behind THE ’s rankings and access a range of analytical and benchmarking tools, click here

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Read more about the World University Rankings 2023 by subject: business and economics

Student insights.

• Best universities for business degrees
• What can you do with a business and management degree?
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Academic Insights

• World University Rankings by Subject 2023: results announced

Methodology:

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