phd proposal economics

Browse Course Material

Course info, instructors.

• Prof. Esther Duflo
• Prof. Benjamin Olken

Departments

As taught in.

• Developmental Economics
• Microeconomics

Learning Resource Types

Development economics, research proposal.

The maximum length of the write-up should be 3 pages single-spaced (but less is fine). The goal of this research proposal is to give you a “jump start” on working on a topic that you could (ideally) work on for your second-year paper (or a future paper for your dissertation). If you are in the second year, it is okay for you to talk about the topic that you will be working on for your second-year paper. It should be development though… (but as you know development is a big tent). 

You can co-author the proposal with any student(s) in the program. However, we would like to  see as many proposals as people in the class. 

Note that the deadline is the last possible date that we are allowed to accept assignments under end  of term regulations, so we will not be able to provide extensions. Please therefore budget your time wisely. 

The proposal should include 

•  A clear statement of your research question       
• Brief motivation of your research question       a. Why is this question important?        b. What is the policy implication?        c. What (if any) economic theory it is testing? 
• (Short) Review of the relevant theoretical and/or empirical literature. 
• Description of your proposed empirical strategy and proposed (realistic) data sources.        a. You can propose an RCT where you’d collect the data, as long as it is realistic for a PhD student (not necessarily in the scope of a second year paper).        b. If you project is empirical, write-out clearly and in detail what are the proposed        regression specifications.  
• Clear discussion of your contribution to the prior literature.       
• Clear discussion of what challenges you expect to encounter. 

Think of this project as the shell of a research paper that contains everything but your findings: you will motivate the question; place it in the literature; and lay out your data sources (if any) and your research design. We do not expect to see any preliminary results (for empirical papers) or fully fledged model (for theory paper).

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School of Economics

Writing a research proposal.

Developing a research proposal is a necessary part of the application process it:

• provides a basis for decision-making;
• helps to make sure that you get the most appropriate supervisor for your research.

Your research proposal does not commit you to researching in a specific area if your application is successful. 

Following a successful application, you need to provide a more comprehensive proposal which will be useful reference as your research develops.

How to write a research proposal

Organise your proposal should around a small set of ideas or hypotheses that you would like to investigate. Provide some evidence of relevant background reading if possible.

A typical research proposal might look something like this:

• Rationale for the research project, including: a description of the phenomenon of interest, and the context(s) and situation in which you think the research will take place; an explanation of why the topic is of interest to the author; and an outline of the reasons why the topic should be of interest to research and/ or practice (the 'so what?' question); a statement of how the research fits in with that of potential supervisor(s) in the School of Economics.
• Issues and initial research question. Within the phenomenon of interest: what issue(s) do you intend to investigate? (This may be quite imprecise at the application stage); what might be some of the key literatures that might inform the issues (again, indicative at the application stage); and, as precisely as you can, what is the question you are trying to answer?
• Intended methodology: How do you think you might go about answering the question? Do you have a preference for using quantitative methods such as survey based research, or for qualitative methods such as interviews and observation?
• Expected outcomes: how do you think the research might add to existing knowledge; what might it enable organisations or interested parties to do differently?
• Timetable: What is your initial estimation of the timetable of the dissertation? When will each of the key stages start and finish (refining proposal; literature review; developing research methods; fieldwork; analysis; writing the draft; final submission). There are likely to overlaps between the stages.

An initial research proposal that forms part of a PhD application should be between 600 and 1,000 words in length.

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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of Economics

Ph.d. program.

The Ph.D. program is designed to be completed in 4-5 years, with the first 3 years focused on coursework and the final 1-2 years on research and completion of the dissertation. Due to course sequencing, students are normally only admitted for the Fall semester. The requirements for the PhD in Economics are as follows:

Applied Fields

The Department requires that all Ph.D. students achieve a high degree of professional competence in applied fields that will provide a basis for pursuing long-range research and teaching interests.

The Department offers the following fields:

• Industrial Organization
• Labor Economics
• Macroeconomics and Money
• Environmental and Resource Economics
• Applied Empirical Micro‐Economics

Sample Course Sequence

For course descriptions, see the Graduate Catalog .

Program Requirements

• Required coursework :  Students are required to satisfactorily complete the following PhD core courses: ECON 6201 (Microeconomic Theory I), ECON 6202 (Macroeconomic Theory I), ECON 6211 (Microeconomic Theory II), ECON 6212 (Macroeconomic Theory II), ECON 6301 (Advanced Mathematical Economics I), ECON 6310 (Econometrics I), ECON 6311 (Econometrics II), and ECON 6312 (Econometrics III). In addition, PhD students must satisfactorily complete at least 5 field courses, including at least one 2-course sequence of designated field courses in one of the following fields: labor economics, macroeconomics and money, industrial organization, and environmental and natural resource economics. At least two of the other field courses must be 6000-level.  All three must be taught courses (i.e., not independent studies), and at least two of these three field courses must be in Economics.  Students must earn an average grade of at least B (3.0) in these five field courses.
• Preliminary Exams : Ph.D. students are required to sit for the Preliminary Exams in both microeconomics and macroeconomics following their first year in the Ph.D. program and pass both parts of the exam within two attempts.
• Seminar Requirement :  Students in years 2-5 must satisfactorily complete a section of ECON 6494 (Graduate Seminar) each semester, including the seminar’s presentation requirement(s). This requirement can be waived during some semesters, if a waiver is deemed to be in the student’s academic interest.
• Third Year Research Paper :  Students must complete a paper that meets the requirements of the Third Year Research Paper before the end of their third year in the Ph.D. program.
• Dissertation Proposal : Each student must successfully defend a dissertation proposal, normally by the end of the 4th year in the program.
• Foreign Language/Related Area :  The Economics PhD program does not have a foreign language or related area requirement.

School of Social Sciences

Writing your economics research proposal

If you are applying to the Economics postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit a research proposal with your application.

The nature of your proposal will depend on when you apply.

The role of the proposal

For entry into Year 1 of the programme, the proposal is used to:

• identify your broad areas of interest;
• see if you have consulted relevant literature beyond the standard textbooks;
• obtain an impression of your ability to think critically;
• assess what motivates you to pursue a research degree in economics.

Proposal guidelines

For entry into Year 1 of the programme, the research proposal is expected to include the following:

• The  research area  with which you would expect to be affiliated;
• The member(s) of staff you would like to provide supervision (this information is also requested in the online application form under ‘Proposed research supervisor’); You are strongly encouraged to contact a preferred supervisor in advance of submitting an application to get their input into developing your research proposal.
• A description of the area in which you expect your eventual research to be. This should describe possible research questions you might address, and describe why you find them interesting and relevant. In so doing, you should relate the possible research questions to the extant literature in this area of economics;
• You should identify and address any potential ethical considerations in relation to your proposed research. Please discuss your research with your proposed supervisor to see how best to progress your ideas in line with University of Manchester ethics guidance, and ensure that your proposed supervisor is happy for you to proceed with your application;
• A bibliography of any journal articles and books to which you have referred;
• No more than 1500 words.

If you are seeking entry into Year 2 you are expected to have more developed research ideas. Your proposal will be used to assess:

• the quality and originality of your ideas;
• whether you are able to think critically;
• if you have a grasp of the relevant literature.

It will also give us:

• important information about the perspectives you intend to take in your research area;
• how you fit into the Economic department’s research profile;
• an idea how to allocate a supervisory team.

For entry into Year 2 of the programme, the research proposal is expected to include the following:

• The member(s) of staff you would like to provide supervision (this information is also requested in the online application form under ‘Proposed research supervisor’); You are strongly encouraged to contact a preferred supervisor prior to submitting your application to get their input into your research proposal.
• A detailed description of the area in which you expect your eventual research to be. This should describe the specific research questions you plan to address, the research methods you expect to use, and the expected data source for any empirical work planned.

The proposal should also:

• Describe why you find these research questions interesting and relevant, and relate the specific research questions to the extant literature in this area of economics;
• You should identify and address any potential ethical considerations in relation to your proposed research. Please discuss your research with your proposed supervisor to see how best to progress your ideas in line with University of Manchester ethics guidance, and ensure that your proposed supervisor is happy for you to proceed with your application.
• Around 1500 words. In exceptional cases proposals significantly exceeding the word limit will be accepted.

The University uses electronic systems to detect plagiarism and other forms of academic malpractice and for assessment. All Humanities PhD programmes require the submission of a research proposal as part of the application process. The Doctoral Academy upholds the principle that where a candidate approaches the University with a project of study, this should be original. While it is understandable that research may arise out of previous studies, it is vital that your research proposal is not the subject of plagiarism.

Allocation of supervisors

For Year 1 entrants, the proposal is used to allocate a preliminary supervisor to act as mentor during the first year of study. This person will normally also act as a supervisor and may also become your MSc-dissertation supervisor. The exact composition of your supervisory team will be decided by the end of Year 1.

You will not be forced to follow the proposal exactly once you have started to study. It is normal for students to refine their original proposal over time.

With this in mind, the composition of your supervisory team may also change. Please note that members of staff are only expected to provide supervision in areas that are of interest to them and admittance to the programme does not imply the provision of supervision on any topic devised by the student.

Further information

• How to write a personal statement
• Economics research area groups
• Find an economics supervisor

If you need help and advice about your application, contact the Postgraduate Admissions Team.

Admissions contacts

University guidelines

You may also find it useful to read the advice and guidance on the University website about writing a proposal for your research degree application.

Visit the University website

PhD in Applied Economics

1. introduction.

These guidelines are designed to help students plan.  Because requirements change over time, these guidelines are most accurate for students most recently admitted to the program. 

The PhD degree is a combination of coursework and dissertation writing.  In economics, the coursework is roughly a year in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics training, followed by a year in field training. At Northeastern, we formally support fields in labor economics and industrial organization, and informally support a field in development.  Students must satisfy grade requirements in two fields.  Students may write their dissertation in any field of economics provided they have a dissertation committee that supports them.

2. Learning Goals of the PhD in Economics

Upon completion of our Ph.D. program in Applied Economics students will be able to:

• Apply modern micro and macro-economic theory to formally describe economic problems and to make discipline-based policy evaluations and recommendations, including being able to explain the links between economic decision making at the individual and firm level and policy recommendations at the market and macro-economic level.
• Describe and apply the formal tools in the economics discipline for evaluating the social welfare of economic policies, including Pareto optimality, economic efficiency, social justice and inequality, and to describe the fundamental tradeoffs between these objectives.
• Evaluate existing and potential market failures and to evaluate and recommend private and public sector economic policies that increase economic efficiency and social welfare by mitigating or solving market failures, including government policies for regulating and limiting the market power of firms.
• Apply the analytic econometric and statistical skills required to frame and implement hypothesis testing and conduct data analysis, including the ability to use modern economic datasets, to combine datasets, and to choose appropriate methods and techniques to generate economic forecasts and to establish causality with non-experimental data.
• Explain, critique, and replicate empirical findings in economics research, including the methodology for the econometric estimation, the theoretical foundations of the hypotheses, and the broader economic relevance of the result. 
• Produce and write original economic research and to prepare their economic research for submission and publication in peer-reviewed academic journals, as well as for submission and presentation to research conferences.
• Communicate knowledge of economics effectively both within and outside of academia, including the classroom, conferences, and professional meetings.

Apply these tools in diverse economic and social policy contexts, including labor markets, firm behavior, the environment, inequality, and social and racial justice, and in a variety of career settings, including academia, research, consulting, management, and policy making.

3. Overview of the Program

Throughout the PhD program, each student will have a faculty advisor who will be the student’s point of contact and who also will be responsible for an annual assessment of whether the student is making satisfactory progress in the program.  In their first year, this advisor will be the PhD Graduate Program Director.  In the second and third year, each student will normally choose a faculty member in the student’s chosen research field to be their advisor.  At the appropriate time, typically in the student’s third year, each student will choose their dissertation chair who will then be their advisor.

At all points in the program the student must be making satisfactory progress.  Satisfactory progress will depend in part on the precise point at which the student is working, but minimum requirements are that the student be in regular communication with their faculty advisor, attend department seminars and workshops in their field, take required coursework, maintain a 3.5 grade point average, pass required exams, and meet deadlines for proposing and defending their dissertation.  Failure to achieve satisfactory progress will result, after consultation with the PhD Graduate Program Director, in a written recommendation for corrective action or termination from the program.

The PhD program for each student has two phases: The Coursework/Exam phase followed by the Dissertation phase.  The Coursework/Exam phase consists of taking required and elective courses (described separately) and passing the qualifying exams.  This phase should be completed within two-and-one-half years of entry into the program (one-and-one-half years for students entering with a master’s degree in economics).  Beginning with students entering in the fall of 2022, this phase will take two years for required coursework for all students (these students may need to take additional courses in their 3rd year if needed to satisfy course load minimums).

The student moves into the Dissertation phase upon successful completion of required course work, the comprehensive examinations, and the field exam.  The comprehensive exams are normally taken at the end of the second year (at the end of the first year for students entering with a master’s degree in economics).  The field exam is normally taken after the student has completed all of his or her required coursework.  The field exam is not required of students entering in 2020 or beyond.  Instead, those students must earn a grade of B or above in each of their four field courses.

In the Dissertation Phase, the student must:

• Present and defend the proposal before a Proposal Review Committee
• Write a dissertation based on that proposal demonstrating the ability to do original research
• Successfully defend the dissertation.

Each student should also regularly attend the department’s PhD workshops and plan to informally present his or her research in one of the workshops.

4. Required Coursework

A. Core Courses

The PhD program emphasizes a foundation in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics followed by field coursework. Students must take PhD coursework in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics followed by qualifying exams all three areas.  Students will be given two attempts to pass these exams, and may appeal for a third attempt.  Students who enter the program in 2020 and beyond will also be required to take and pass a qualifying exam in econometrics.

B. Field Courses

The department currently offers two two-course field sequences every academic year. The first sequence in labor economics, and the second sequence is in industrial organization. Students are required to take four field courses, which would normally consist of these two two-course field sequences. In the future, the field sequences offerings may be extended to include fields in addition to labor and industrial organization.

When the department offers only one PhD course in a field (as is currently the case with health economics and development economics) students may request permission from the PhD program director and the relevant instructors to satisfy one of their two two-course field sequences with a customized sequence. For example, a student may request to have a field exam based on one course in labor and one in development. This course could also be a masters level course if the instructor appropriately modifies the content and requirements for the PhD student. A substitution will only be permitted when it improves the student’s training, not just to relax the requirements of the program.  In no case will PhD students be allowed to take less than four PhD level field courses and take fewer than one of the program’s standard two-course field sequence.

For students required to take field exams (this requirement has been eliminated for students starting in Fall 2020 and beyond) customized field exams can be taken with the permission of the PhD program director and the relevant instructors. Customize field exams are offered so that students can focus their dissertation research in additional fields. They are not offered in order to in any way reduce the PhD program’s standards or requirements, or to reduce the number of field courses students take. Students always benefit from being exposed to as many field courses as possible. Students who plan to focus their research in a field for which a standard two-course sequence is available are always best served by taking the field exam in that field.

Students who are not required to take the field exam must receive a B grade or better in each of their four field courses.

5. The Dissertation

PhD dissertations in economics typically consist of three essays or chapters on related research topics.  Each of the essays or chapters is written to conform to the norms for submission and publication in research journals in economics or related social sciences. 

PhD proposals must be held, reviewed and approved within one year of entry into the Dissertation Phase, which is normally by the end of the third year. Students must also complete the proposal review within two years of finishing their coursework. Students who have not completed the proposal review within one year of passing their field exam must submit a status report and timetable for their proposal for approval by their dissertation advisor and the Graduate Chair. Students who have not completed the proposal review within two years of finishing their coursework, and who do not have an extension granted by the university, will not be eligible to continue in the program.

Students must complete their dissertation defense within five years of finishing their coursework. Postponing the proposal review does not alter this requirement.

Each student will have a dissertation committee chaired by a faculty member affiliated with the economics department, and at least two other faculty members (at most one of whom may be from outside of the economics department or the university). The dissertation committee chairperson should be identified within the first year of the Dissertation phase, and the entire committee should be identified before the proposal review and defense.

B. Proposal Format

A PhD dissertation proposal is a written document between 20 and 30 pages, written in 11-point font, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins. It should describe and motivate the research questions, explain their relationship and importance to the literature, outline the content of the dissertation (model, data sources, specific hypotheses, econometric issues, etc.), and indicate the contributions the research is expected to provide.

The student’s dissertation chair (primary advisor) must confirm to the PhD Graduate Program Director that the proposal is ready for a review and defense. Announcement of the Proposal Review must be made by the economics department at least one week in advance of the scheduled proposal review. The announcement must be accompanied by a copy of the dissertation proposal and the names of the dissertation committee members.

The department recommends that all materials be given to the Graduate Administrative Coordinator 10 days before the proposal in order that we can check that the proposal is in the correct format and make the formal announcement seven days in advance.

C. Proposal Defense (or Review)

The Proposal Review is attended (in person or remotely) by all of the members of the student’s dissertation committee as well as any other interested faculty and students. The event is a presentation and evaluation of the student’s proposal, not a seminar. It is intended to elicit comments and suggestions, provide an agenda for the student, and ultimately to decide on its acceptability. The decision on the acceptability of the proposal is made jointly by the members of the student’s dissertation committee. If the proposal is accepted, all members of the student’s dissertation committee will sign a Proposal Approval Form. If it is accepted with revisions, those revisions should be noted on the form. Upon successful completion of the Proposal Review, students will become dissertation candidates. Candidacy makes students eligible for higher stipends and is an essential step in making satisfactory progress in the PhD program.

The student is expected to follow the agreed-upon proposal in writing the PhD dissertation.  Where unforeseen circumstances require substantial modifications, the student should get the approval from all of the dissertation committee members.  The student is normally expected to present the proposal in its various stages at least once per year in either one of the department’s field workshops, as a department seminar, or at a research conference.

The PhD dissertation may include essays (or chapter) co-authored with other students or faculty, but at least one essay (or chapter) must be authored solely by the student.  Ideally, the lead essay (the “job market paper”) should be sole authored.

6. PhD Student Feedback & Evaluation

The program will evaluate students annually.  Evaluations are based on course grades, teaching and research assistantships, exams, dissertation progress, and feedback from the student’s academic advisor, the student’s dissertation committee, and the PhD program director.

Students who don’t meet program requirements in a timely manner will have their status changed to unsatisfactory.  This includes not passing qualifying exams or field exams, not maintaining a 3.5 grade point average, not receiving B grades in their four field courses, and not fulfilling their teaching or their research assistant responsibilities.  Unsatisfactory status is not permanent. That is, there are no long run consequences of unsatisfactory status as long as students return to satisfactory status.

In some cases, students will be asked to leave the program.  This could be for a variety of academic and non-academic reasons.  Most notably, students who fail to pass qualifying exams (or field exams if applicable) after being given the opportunity to retake the exams and the opportunity to appeal, will be asked to leave the program.  In most other cases, a student is put on probation and notified that they are at risk of termination before being asked to leave the program. Probation status and termination decisions are determined by the graduate curriculum committee (which includes the PhD program director and the department chair) and are subject to review by the college. All department feedback and evaluation decisions may be appealed to the graduate curriculum committee.  In addition, PhD students may appeal any academic decision. More information about the university appeals process is available at http://catalog.northeastern.edu/graduate/academic-policies-procedures/appeals/

updated April 2021

Contact Information: Northeastern University 360 Huntington Avenue 301 Lake Hall Boston, MA 02115-5000 phone: 617.373.2871 fax: 617.373.3640

email: [email protected]  

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Type of Program

Get more information about this graduate program., more programs, bachelor of arts (b.a.) in economics, bachelor of science (b.s.) in economics, combined majors, masters of science in economics.

PhD in Economics

PhD students take 16 courses, roughly half of which are spent acquiring the core analytic tools of the profession (microeconomics, macroeconomics, and quantitative methods), with the balance spent applying those tools in particular fields of specialization. All PhD students must complete a doctoral dissertation (thesis).

The PhD in Economics is a STEM designated degree program.

View the complete PhD Rules here

Program Requirements

Doctoral students must complete a minimum of 16 semester courses (64 credits). They are required to successfully complete the core courses by the end of the first year.

Theory and Quantitative Core Requirements

These core courses must be passed by the end of the first year with a grade of at least B- in each course.

• EC 701 Advanced Microeconomics I (4 credits)
• EC 702 Advanced Macroeconomics I (4 credits)
• EC 703 Advanced Microeconomics II (4 credits)
• EC 704 Advanced Macroeconomics II (4 credits)
• EC 707 Advanced Statistics for Economists (4 credits)
• EC 708 Advanced Econometrics I (4 credits)

Students must also take EC 705 Mathematical Economics in the first semester, unless a waiver is granted, and EC 709 Advanced Econometrics II (4 credits) in the third semester.

In addition, students must pass a qualifying examination in both microeconomics and macroeconomics. Students have at most three opportunities to take the qualifying examinations; failing may result in termination from the PhD program.

Field Requirements

All students must pass 2 2-course fields, each with a minimum grade average of B.

In addition, students must take at least 2 other courses. The following fields are generally offered each year:

• Development
• Econometrics
• Economic Theory
• Empirical Finance
• Financial Econometrics
• Industrial Organization
• International Economics
• Labor Economics
• Money/Macroeconomics
• Public Economics

GPA Requirements

All courses must be passed with a grade of B– or higher. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 must be attained in all courses taken after enrollment in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Time Requirement

The PhD program is designed so that a typical student can complete all requirements within 5 to 6 years. International students may be subject to additional restrictions imposed by the terms of their visas, as governed by the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO).

Students are expected to meet the following milestones each year:

By the end of the 1st year:

• Finish and pass all core first-year courses, as well as EC 705 (unless exempted through placement exam).
• Sit for the first attempt at the micro and macro qualifying exams in June. The second attempt, if necessary, is in August.

By the end of the 2nd year:

• Pass EC 709, a required course in Advanced Econometrics.
• Continue and, if possible, complete remaining coursework, including a two-course sequence in each of two fields. A B average (3.0) is required in each of the field course sequence.
• Achieve an overall GPA of at least 3.0.
• If both qualifiers are not passed, the third and final attempt is in June of the second year.
• Each student must prepare a research paper during the second year and the following summer. By April 1 of the second year, the student must ask a faculty member to serve as an advisor on this paper; have this faculty member agree to serve in this manner; and inform the DGS of the topic of the paper and the advisor’s name. The paper is due in the third year as described below.

By the end of the 3rd year:

• Submit the second-year paper by October 1. By October 15, the faculty advisor must provide (i) a grade for the paper; and (ii) a brief written evaluation the paper. These documents will be sent to the DGS and the student. A student must receive a passing grade on the research paper.
• Complete all coursework with GPA of at least 3.0.
• Continue work on research for the dissertation.
• Attend and present at least annually in one of the research workshops until completion of all degree requirements.

Years 4, 5, and (if necessary) 6:

• Student carries out thesis research, defending the thesis no later than the end of the sixth year.

Dissertation

Under the supervision of two faculty advisers, a student prepares a dissertation proposal for presentation at a proposal seminar. If the proposal is approved, the student proceeds to research and write the dissertation. When the dissertation is completed, the student must defend it at a final oral examination. The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences requires that the dissertation be completed within seven years of initial enrollment in the program.

For more details, view the complete PhD Rules here and check out our past PhD Placements here .

Academic Catalog 2023-2024

Economics, phd.

The PhD program in economics offers specializations in  industrial organization, competition policy, and regulatory economics  and  labor economics .   

The PhD program for each student has two phases: the coursework phase followed by the dissertation phase. The coursework phase consists of required coursework and field courses, as well as taking and passing the three qualifying examinations. 

A student moves into the dissertation phase upon successful completion of required coursework and upon passing the qualifying examinations. In the dissertation phase the student must prepare a dissertation proposal and present and defend the dissertation proposal before the student’s proposal review committee.  A student who successfully defends the dissertation proposal achieves candidacy. At the end of the dissertation phase, the student must defend their completed dissertation.

Students entering the doctoral program will take seven core classes (28 semester hours), two classes in each of two doctoral fields (16 semester hours), and one elective (4 semester hours), for a total program requirement of 48 semester hours.

Core courses are focused on developing an advanced theoretical and quantitative foundation (macroeconomic theory, microeconomic theory, and applied econometrics). The remainder of the coursework is focused on the sophisticated application of analytical tools in the chosen field of concentration. 

PhD students are expected to take three classes per semester as necessary to meet the degree's coursework requirements in the minimum number of semesters.

Field Coursework and Grade Requirement

Students must take four field courses, and they are strongly encouraged to take as many field courses as possible. Students should plan to take the two labor and two industrial organization courses, even if they arrange to do a field in development or health economics. Students interested in customizing their fieldwork should consult the PhD Program Guidelines on the website.   

To maintain satisfactory standing in the PhD program, students must earn a grade of B or higher in at least four field courses.  Students who do not earn a B in at least four field courses will be offered one opportunity to meet the grade standard. Consult PhD Program Guidelines on the website for further details.

Examinations 

Three qualifying examinations—macroeconomics, microeconomics, and econometrics.

Three qualifying examinations are required upon completion of Macroeconomics 2, Microeconomics 2, and Econometrics 2. Students must receive a minimum grade of B– in the associated theory class to sit for its exam. Students are given a maximum of two attempts to pass each exam to continue in the program. Failure to sit for an exam at the appropriate time without prior consent of the graduate program director will result in an automatic fail on that exam.

Proposal Review

Students must complete the proposal review within two years of finishing their coursework; however, the department expects that a doctoral candidate’s  dissertation committee  will be formed and the dissertation proposal presented within one year of reaching degree candidacy, which is normally by the end of the student’s third year.

A  dissertation proposal  states the question or hypothesis, reviews the relevant literature, and explains how the proposed work will contribute to that literature and general understanding. The proposal sets forth data sources, models, and econometric issues in sufficient detail so that any faculty member not in the field will be able to assess its merits. Normally, the proposal should not exceed 30 double-spaced pages. The proposal is first approved by the dissertation committee and then presented at an open seminar.

Consult PhD Program Guidelines on the website for further details.  

Doctoral Degree Candidacy

Upon successful completion of the proposal review, the student becomes a degree candidate. Candidacy may make the student eligible for a higher stipend and is an essential step in making satisfactory progress. Degree candidacy must be achieved within two years of completion of required coursework. 

Dissertation

Students must complete their dissertation defense within five years of finishing their coursework, and postponing the proposal review does not alter the total time that students may use to complete their PhD. Under extenuating circumstances, a student may request an extension of this time frame from the Graduate Office.

One month in advance of the prospective date of the defense, the completed dissertation that is to be defended must be circulated to the committee members. At that time, all members of the committee must sign off on their agreement that the dissertation is ready for defense. Each student will have a dissertation committee chaired by a faculty member with an appointment in the economics department and at least two other members. Committees may have two cochairs. Committees should not have more than four members (except at interim stages if faculty are leaving the committee). Committees may include members outside the economics department, but at least two committee members must have an appointment in the economics department. The composition of the committee should be set before the proposal review and again, if changes occur, before the dissertation defense. Committee compositions must be approved by the graduate program director and department chair.

The dissertation defense normally takes place during the student’s fifth year. Those who have not defended by the end of their fifth year must submit a status report and timetable for approval by their dissertation advisor and the PhD program director. Consult PhD Program Guidelines on the website for further details

Writing the Doctoral Dissertation

Writing the dissertation entails working with the principal advisor and other committee members until it is determined that a dissertation is complete and the candidate is ready to present and defend the work at an open seminar. Candidates must arrange a date and time for the defense at least three weeks in advance. Students must familiarize themselves with the  Theses and Dissertations Formatting Guidelines . The guide provides links to formatting tips, sample introductory pages, sample approval record, and deadlines. In addition, a checklist is provided to ensure students have fulfilled the required steps in the commencement clearance process.  

Maintaining satisfactory academic progress during doctoral candidacy requires the following: 

PhD Annual Student Progress Review

Each PhD student will have an annual review of their progress toward the degree. Receipt of financial support administered by the graduate school is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress toward the degree and satisfactory performance in assigned duties. See the CSSH General Regulations for further details.

Field Workshop Participation

All PhD students registered for Doctoral Dissertation or Continuation who are in residence are expected to regularly attend a field seminar in industrial organization or labor. These seminars meet roughly every week, and their purpose is to assist students in choosing and evaluating dissertation topics as well as advancing and completing their dissertation. All doctoral candidates will be expected to present their research at various stages of writing their dissertation.

Seminar Series Participation

All PhD students registered for Doctoral Dissertation or Continuation who are in residence are expected to regularly attend academic seminars by speakers invited to campus through the Department of Economics Seminar Series. Participation in these seminars is an important component of doctoral training and is intended to expose students to current research in their field while helping to develop and hone their own presentation skills.

Practical Experience in Applied Economics Program

Participation in at least one semester of the Practical Experience in Applied Economics program is required of all students who have reached doctoral candidacy. The program is offered in the spring semester every other year. In this program, a variety of prominent practitioners working in consulting and government agencies in the fields of industrial organization and labor will describe their practical experience applying economics to a variety of consulting and policy problems, including antitrust, regulation, labor market policy, education, and health policy. This is a participatory class that will require advanced reading and preparation of questions for the practitioners in addition to other assignments.

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

Core Requirements

Program credit/gpa requirements.

• 48 total semester hours required
• Minimum 3.500 GPA required

Three qualifying examinations—microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics| PhD annual student progress review Meet minimum 3.000 grade requirement in at least four field classes to attain doctoral degree candidacy Dissertation committee Dissertation proposal Dissertation defense Field workshop participation throughout program (and required following completion of coursework) Economics Seminar Series participation throughout program

• 32 total semester hours required

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Research Resources

• Use of Human Subjects
• Research Agreements/Contracts
• Research Travel Information
• Data Use Agreements
• Unpaid Research Appointments

Data Usage Agreements, also referred to as DUAs, are agreements or contracts established between researchers at the University (faculty, graduate students, or undergraduate students) and a provider of a dataset.  These contracts provide the parameters and protocols for a given dataset for the researcher to access and use the dataset in their research. 

Many datasets have requirements and penalties in their agreements that the University wants to review and approve of prior to a dataset's acquisition or purchase.  This is to ensure that any liability or penalty if the data is mishandled or misused is known at the beginning of the project and appropriate measures are taken to ensure the protection of the data.

If you are a looking to acquire a piece of data that is not publicly available and without use restrictions, you must submit a proposal to the Office of Sponsored Programs using their DUA portal  to ensure that you will not have any issues in using the dataset in your research, while also ensuring that the University will be able to support you in the event of the dataset being mishandled or compromised.

The University has issued specific requirements for travel costs on federal awards. These requirements may also be consistently applied to non-federal and internal funding sources; please work with your sponsored research administrator if you have questions or for interpretation of the policy prior to incurring travel expenses.

Travel on Sponsored Fund Harvard Travel Services

Please log in with your HarvardKey to review Appendix G: Requirements for Travel Expenses Charged to Federal Awards

Please visit the following site for the University's latest travel policies related to COVID-19 .

As a faculty member or student, in order to conduct any research that has to do with human subjects, a proposal must be made to the University's Internal Review Board system.  The system is managed by the Committee on the Use of Human Subjects to ensure all research conducted with human subjects (whether acquired during the proposed study or prior to the proposed study by another collector of human subject data) by the principles established in the Belmont Report . 

For more information on how to conduct human subjects research, please see the  Harvard University Area Institutional Review Board site .  For information on how to pay for human subject data, please visit our financial office information page .

During your tenure in the department, you may require outside contracting of people or companies to develop tools or conduct research.  Below are links to a standard consulting agreement and the workflow of establishing an agreement with entities external to Harvard.

Model Consulting Agreement of Harvard Harvard Legal Agreements Workflow, Negotiating Authority and Signing Authority

Visiting Scholars and Fellows (non-stipendiary)

Guidelines 

• The Department welcomes visiting scholars who wish to visit Harvard to pursue independent research in Economics. Visiting Scholars are encouraged to share in the intellectual life of the Department by attending workshops and seminars, auditing courses, and interacting with our faculty and students.
• An appointment as a Visiting Scholar is designed to permit scholars who have completed a Ph.D. and hold current, tenure-track appointments at other institutions to conduct research at Harvard University. Pre-doctoral or post-doctoral scholars who do not have on-going appointments elsewhere may be eligible for appointment as a Fellow. 

All research appointments require faculty sponsorship.

Although research appointments carry no financial support of any kind, they do enable a visiting researcher to obtain a Harvard identification card, giving access to Harvard University libraries, museums, discounted gym facilities and an email address. We do not provide office space for visitors, but they are encouraged to search for space at Harvard libraries:  https://library.harvard.edu/spaces

The University provides assistance with the visa process for scholars coming from outside the United States. Visitors are entirely responsible for obtaining funding, making their own travel and living arrangements, and obtaining health insurance. 

The Department is unable to provide financial support to Visiting Scholars and Fellow appointments. If accepted, visitors must submit proof of sufficient funds to underwrite their living and travel expenses during the duration of the visit. 

Research appointments extend for a period of no less than three months and no more than one year.

If you are interested in gaining access to the Harvard Libraries and are visiting for a period shorter than one semester, please consult the library’s website or contact Library Privileges at [email protected]  

• Department of Economics
• Postgraduate study
• PhD Programme in Economics

PhD research topics

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

Behavioural Economics

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

Financial Economics and Household Finance

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

Gender, Race and Inequality

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

Health Economics

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

Industrial Organization 

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

International Economics and Development

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

Labour and Education Economics

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

Macroeconomics

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

Political Economy

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

Time Series Econometrics

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

Urban and Environmental Economics

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

Related information

How to apply for a PhD

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

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MRes/PhD Economics

• Graduate research
• Department of Economics
• Application code L1U4
• Starting 2024
• Home full-time: Closed
• Overseas full-time: Closed
• Location: Houghton Street, London

This programme offers you the chance to undertake a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to the field of economics. You will begin on the MRes degree, and will need to meet certain requirements to progress to the PhD.

The Department of Economics pioneered the development of systematic research training in economics in Britain and our MRes/PhD Economics aims for the highest international standard of achievement and professional competence. The programme offers structured research training and supervision by faculty prominent in their fields. It begins with two years of rigorous coursework, equipping you with the theoretical knowledge and analytical techniques necessary to proceed to the research component of the programme. 

Many research students are associated with the work of one of LSE's research centres. You could work with the Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines on areas ranging from development economics to public policy; or on research technology, growth and globalisation as part of the Centre for Economic Performance . You could contribute to major research programmes addressing the key issues of unemployment, inflation, fiscal and monetary policy, macroeconomic development and growth, financial markets, and changes in the world economy at the  Centre for Macroeconomics ; or specialise in risk management, asset pricing, financial institutions and corporate finance as part of the Financial Markets Group .

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 economics.

An upper second class honours (2:1) degree (or equivalent) in any field. Some preparation in economics, a strong mathematics background and evidence of research potential are essential. The goal of the MRes/PhD Economics is to train first class researchers. We will use all available information to assess research potential.

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 all applicants. This must be no more than five years old on 1 October 2024 and must show full and percentile scores for all three sections. Most successful MRes/PhD Economics applicants score 166 or above in the quantitative section.

Find out more about GRE/GMAT

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) - statement of academic purpose - references - CV - research statement - GRE/GMAT

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  for further information.

When to apply

The application deadline for this programme is 14 December 2023 . However, to be considered for any LSE funding opportunity, you must also have submitted your application and all supporting documents by this deadline. See the fees and funding section for more details.

Research statement

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

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 has been a success?  (vi) Is culture an important determinant of differences in income per capita across countries?  (vii) Markets function well as information is aggregated efficiently through prices.  (viii) Elections are effective at disciplining politicians who do not have the public interest as their main goal.

How can I demonstrate research potential?

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

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

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 2024/25 for MRes/PhD Economics

Home students: £4,829 for the first year (provisional) Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year

The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with the level of fee that the Research Councils recommend. 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 Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

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 home and overseas students.

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. 

For the MRes/PhD Economics, the funding deadline is the same as the application deadline for the programme: 14 December 2023

The Economics Department also has a number of scholarship packages for direct entry MRes/PhD students. After the first year of the MRes/PhD Economics, there are teaching and research assistantships available in the Department. Read more about funding opportunities through the  Economics Department .

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.  Find out more about financial support.

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

Introductory course (mres).

In early September, before the academic year commences, you will begin your degree programme by taking the Introductory Mathematics and Statistics course.

First year (MRes)

In the first year of the programme you will take advanced core courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, to equip you with the theoretical knowledge and analytical techniques necessary for research. Permission must be obtained to sit Econometric Analysis as it is intended for students with a strong econometric background and an interest in pursuing a PhD with econometrics as the primary field.

Microeconomics for MRes students Introduces the basic analytical tools that are necessary to conduct research in any field in economics.

Macroeconomics for MRes students Covers topics in advanced macroeconomics with emphasis on fundamentals and applications to recent theoretical advances. Either Econometrics for MRes students Covers inference, classical and generalised linear regression, generalised regression methods, time-series, panel-data, and microeconometric methods, and specialised econometric methods. Or Econometric Analysis Gives an advanced treatment of the theory of estimation and inference for econometric models.

Second year (MRes)

In the second year, you will typically take two PhD field courses and write a research paper in your major field. Currently, there are economics PhD field courses covering: econometrics, international, labour, public, development, industrial, microeconomics, macroeconomics, political economy. In addition, there are PhD field courses offered in Corporate Finance and Asset Pricing. From the second year onwards, you will also participate in a departmental research seminar and a work in progress seminar allied to your major research field.

Research Paper in Economics A research paper, between 5,000 and 10,000 words, related to the student's designated major field, to be submitted mid-way through the Spring Term.

Two courses from a range of options

Upon successfully completing the MRes and progressing to the PhD, you will work on your research and write your PhD thesis. You will also take one further PhD field course. You will also attend Work in Progress seminars, where you present your research, as well as the weekly departmental seminar series closest to your major field.

One course from a range of options.

Second and subsequent years of the PhD programme

You will continue to work on your research and write a PhD thesis. You will also continue to attend Work in Progress seminars, where you present your research, as well as the weekly departmental seminar series closest to your major field.

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 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

In order to progress to each subsequent year of the programme, and to progress to PhD registration, you will need to meet specific progression requirements, such as achieving certain grades in your coursework.

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

More about progression requirements

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 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 specific courses. 

Disability and Wellbeing Service  – they 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  and arranging  exam adjustments.  They run groups and workshops.  

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

LSE Faith Centre  – this is 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 nine 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 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 is 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; offers one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision; and provides 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   – this 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   – this   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 advisers   – we have a  Deputy Head of Student Services (Advice and Policy)  and an  Adviser to Women Students  who can help with academic and pastoral matters.

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 . 

Student stories

Hanwei Huang MRes/PhD Economics, 2018 China

I am a PhD student studying economics in the LSE. I am also affiliated with the Centre of Economic Performance (CEP), one of the largest research centres in the LSE. My main research interest is international trade.

One thing that I have learned from the faculties is that economics is not just about mathematics, it should answer interesting economics questions. Over the past few years in the LSE, I have been conducting a few research related to China. This is not surprising given my Chinese origin. Given the anti-globalization current that we have been witnessing, it is also quite relevant to the academic and policy circle to understand how China has become a global manufacturing power house and the champion of global trade.

My work features a close link between theory and empirics, another lesson I have learned in the LSE. My first piece of work done in the LSE focuses on the evolving structure of Chinese production and export. My second paper, which is a joint work with my supervisor Professor Ottaviano, studies how Chinese exporter producing multiple products respond to competition due to comparative advantage. My current research project studies how the domestic infrastructure construction boom that has been taking place in China has enabled China to make better use of globalization.

The most exciting part of LSE is that we are seated near the centre of the UK policy-making. I am fortunate enough to be able to be on a team from the CEP which has been studying various issues related to Brexit. It is only by doing this bit of work that I have seen how LSE research has shaped the debate in the media and the UK parliament.

As a one of the largest economics departments in the world, with numerous seminars and visitors every week, you bump into various people all the time. You might run into a workshop introducing machine learning. You might also hear people talking about big data in the Bean Counter, where we have our coffee. And I am very glad to be one of them here.

Stephan Maurer MRes/PhD Economics, 2017 Germany

I came to the LSE in 2011 after having completed my MSc in Economics at the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics. Already during my undergraduate studies in St. Gallen, I had gotten hooked to economics and to the idea of doing a PhD, and my time in Barcelona further confirmed this.

My research is in applied economics broadly, at the intersection of labour economics, political economy, and economic history. Economic history is for me both a tool and an end itself - I am interested in better understanding historical events, but I also frequently use exogenous variation provided by history to study questions in labour economics and political economy.

What I really like about research and the academic profession is that it offers a lot of freedom and allows me to work independently on a variety of issues. For example, I have studied determinants of city growth in Iron Age Europe, but also local economic effects of resource booms in the early 20 th century US South. I also enjoy teaching - during my time here, I have taught various courses and have found it very enriching. Being asked to explain concepts such that students can understand them often has deepened my own understanding. In this respect, I particularly enjoyed teaching in the MPA and MSc Programmes.

Research can also be frustrating. It involves a great deal of failed projects, ideas that do not materialize, and work that does not reap rewards. It is also very discontinuous - you can make great progress in few days, or feel like you’re banging your head against a wall for months. I was lucky to have two very dedicated supervisors to guide me through my PhD, helping me triage my ideas, strengthening my results by constantly questioning them, but also cheering me up when needed. My colleagues and friends at the LSE have also been a great help, not only but especially those from my cohort. Studying for the first year exams and going through the first research steps together has created a lot of cohesion and friendships that I am sure will continue to last for a long time.

After finishing my PhD, I will be joining the Department of Economics at the University of Konstanz as an Assistant Professor. I am very much looking forward to this new endeavour, but I will make sure to be back in London and at the LSE from time to time!

Preliminary reading

Readings are included in the respective course guides in the Calendar .

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Economics

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

• Financial and Professional Services              
• Education, Teaching and Research            
• Government, Public Sector and Policy   
• Consultancy      
• Advertising, Marketing, PR Media, Entertainment, Publishing and Journalism

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes.

Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career. See information on the placements of previous students on this programme . 

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Starting from the second year of the MRes, students are encouraged to undertake some class teaching in the Department, as this represents useful professional training. Additional information about teaching in the Department .

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, Recruitment and Study Abroad 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, msc econometrics and mathematical economics.

Code(s) L1UB

MSc Economics

Code(s) L1U1

MRes/PhD Finance

Code(s) N4ZC

MPhil/PhD Economic Geography

Code(s) L7ZQ

MPhil/PhD Environmental Economics

Code(s) L7ZR

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Oxford PhD Proposal Sample: The Best Proposal

An Oxford PhD proposal sample, like Oxford personal statement examples , should give you an idea of how to structure and write your own PhD proposal, which is a key element of how to get into grad school . Should you pursue a master's or PhD , you should know that, with few exceptions, all graduate programs require that applicants submit a research proposal. It can vary in length (usually between 1,000 and 3,000 words) and must outline your main research goals and methods and demonstrate your facility with the topic. The almost 35,000 applications Oxford received in a recent year should give you some idea of how competitive getting into a master's or PhD program is.

Writing a stellar proposal is important to make your application stand out, so, to that end, this article will show you an expert-approved Oxford PhD proposal sample based on the actual requirements of an Oxford graduate program. 

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Oxford phd proposal sample.

PhD Program : DPhil in Migrant Studies

Research Proposal Length: minimum 2000 - maximum 3000 words

To: Matthew J. Gibney, Professor of Politics and Forced Migration

Name: Adrian Toews

Title: Wired and Hungry Masses: Social Media, Migrants and Cultural Bereavement in the Digital Sphere

Proposed Research Topic: Does social media help migrants cross the cultural barriers of their adopted home and succeed in helping them preserve touchstones of their home culture? 

Abstract: The ascendance of social media platforms has increased and, strangely, decreased interconnectedness among disparate groups in society. But, while social media has been implicated, rightly, as a catalyst for the rise of disinformation, hate speech, and other anti-social behaviors, I would argue that its ubiquity and prevalence provide those experiencing cultural bereavement with a more-effective coping mechanism, as social media is able to replicate, in a non-physical space, the culturally specific mechanisms they know and which, prior to digital communications, could not be replicated in new, adopted countries and cultures.

Objective: I want to present social media as an informal networking tool, expressive outlet, and cultural road map with which migrants who are experiencing cultural bereavement can engage for two specific reasons: 1) to assuage the grief that accompanies anyone who has left their homeland as a migrant or refugee, and 2) to help them assimilate into their new identity by giving them a window into the cultural norms and practices of their new country or culture. 

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An Oxford PhD proposal sample like this one is only one version of what a proposal can look like, but it should contain at least these basic elements. You should know how to choose a PhD topic at this point in your career, but if you still feel like you need help, then you can hire PhD admission consultants to help you choose your topic and research interests.

Above all, you should know why you want to do a PhD . Answering this question first will be effective in helping you ultimately decide on a program, which can then make it easier for you to write any number of different doctorate-related texts, such as a PhD motivation letter and a statement of intent .

Understanding your true motivations, passions, and research interests is doubly important when pursuing a PhD since you do not want to invest so much time and resources in a subject you are only partially interested in. If you can honestly answer why you want to pursue a PhD, you can then take concrete steps toward defining your research goals and how they can be fulfilled by the program you choose.

Your Oxford PhD proposal should adhere to the requirements set forth by the program you wish to enter. Regardless of your discipline or field, almost all PhD programs at Oxford require that you submit a research proposal of between 2,000 and 3,000 words. 

A statement of intent is another type of essay that applicants are often asked to submit to graduate schools. It involves talking about your past academic experiences and achievements, what you intend to do in graduate school, and why you want to go there. A PhD proposal, on the other hand, contains no personal details or experiences.

Instead, a PhD proposal should be a focused, concrete road map built around a specific research question. In your proposal, you list the theoretical approaches that you are going to use, research methods, past scholarship on the same topic, and other investigative tools to answer this question or present evidence from this research to support your argument. 

A statement of purpose is another common essay that graduate school applicants must submit. The line between a statement of purpose and a statement of intent is a fine one, but the line between a statement of purpose and a PhD proposal is much more prominent, and there is no mistaking the two. So, you should not read over graduate school statement of purpose examples to learn how to write a PhD proposal.

A statement of purpose can also be research-focused, but in an undefined way. A PhD proposal combines theory and practice and requires that you demonstrate your knowledge of proper scientific research, investigative methods, and the existing literature on your topic. 

You should include a title page where you list your name, the program you are applying to, and a title for your research project. You should address it to a specific faculty member, who can perhaps, if they agree, show you how to prepare for a thesis defense . The proposal itself should include an abstract, an overview of the existing scholarship on your topic, research questions, methods, and a bibliography listing all your sources. 

The usual length of PhD proposals is between 1,000 and 3,000 words, but your program may have different requirements, which you should always follow. 

There are up to 350 different graduate programs at Oxford, all with their own particular requirements, so the university does not set forth a universal set of requirements for all graduate programs. Many of these programs and their affiliated schools offer students advice on how to write a PhD proposal, but there are few, if any, stated requirements other than the implied ones, which are that you have familiarity with how to conduct graduate-level research and are knowledgeable in the field you are researching. 

A majority of programs do, yes. There are always exceptions, but a fundamental part of pursuing a PhD involves research and investigation, so it is normal for any PhD program to require that applicants write a PhD proposal. 

It is quite possible for your research interests and direction to change during your research, but you should not be discouraged. Graduate programs understand that these things happen, but you should still do your best to reflect the current state of research on your topic and try to anticipate any changes or sudden shifts in direction while you research. 

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School of Economics

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PhD in Economics (by Dissertation)

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The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is offered in all Faculties of the University. In the Faculty of Commerce, it is a research degree on an advanced topic under supervision. The examination is by thesis alone. The general rules for this degree are set out in Book 3 of this series entitled "General Rules and Policies". The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is also subject to the following Faculty rules:

A candidate who registers for the degree without submitting an approved research proposal is required to submit this approved research proposal to the Faculty Board by no later than six months from the date of first registration.   FDA2

If the Faculty Board approves the research proposal, the Board shall recommend the candidate for registration to the University’s Doctoral Degrees Board.

If the candidate fails to submit a research proposal by not later than six months from the date of first registration, or if the Faculty Board rejects the research proposal, the candidate’s registration shall be cancelled. 

A candidate registering for the first time for the degree may register at any time.

A returning candidate shall register by not later than 28 February each year.

The registration renewal is subject to a satisfactory annual report from the primary supervisor and relevant Head of Department approved by the Dean or Dean’s nominee. 

Except by the special permission of the Dean of Commerce, the thesis submitted for the degree shall not be less than 40,000 words or exceed 80,000 words. 

For further information, please  send an email to   [email protected]

To apply, please click this link    Apply here

PROCEDURES FOR ADMISSION INTO THE PhD in Economics (by Thesis)

• A Masters degree in Economics is usually required.
• Applicants should upload a 5-page proposal with their application. Check our staff page  for our academic's areas of interest. 
• You must put in an application to the University as well. You can do this online at  http://applyonline.uct.ac.za/ . We encourage students to apply through the Commerce Faculty.
• Your proposal will be distributed to the relevant lecturers within the School of Economics to match you with a suitable supervisor.
• The Post-graduate Committee in the School of Economics will send recommendations for suitable candidates to the Faculty Board.
• Subject to Faculty Board approval, the candidate may register with the university for this degree.
• A candidate will be required to submit and present a formal research proposal to the Post-graduate Committee and Faculty Board for approval by no later than six months from the date of first registration.
• If the proposal is not accepted, registration will be cancelled.
• During the registration period, a candidate will normally be required to “attend the University” for a period of at least one year. By “attend at the University”, the Senate understands that the candidate shall, within reason, be readily available for discussion at the University.
• For practical purposes, the PhD in Economics (by thesis) programme takes about 4 years to complete. The Doctoral Degrees Board (DDB) controls much of the process after registration, even though the School of Economics can call for seminars periodically. Students are generally required to be residents in Cape Town for at least one year.  The thesis submitted for the degree shall not exceed 80,000 words. 

Development Economics Research Fund

Apply online.

Exploratory Travel and Pilot Grants

While there may be exceptions, funding will typically not exceed $5,000 for exploratory travel and $10,000 for pilot grants.

Research Grants

• PhD Students – In the past, funding has generally not exceeded $15,000, and while there may be exceptions, future funding will typically not exceed $30,000.
• Faculty – In the past, funding has generally not exceeded $35,000, and while there may be exceptions, future grants for tenured and tenure-track faculty will typically not exceed $45,000. Priority will be given to funding junior faculty.

Eligibility

Though priority will be given to PhD students and junior faculty, any of the following members of the University of Chicago development economics community are eligible to apply, provided they meet the other criteria outlined below:

• PhD students –  must be enrolled at the University of Chicago in a PhD program in the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the Harris School of Public Policy, or Chicago Booth and actively engaged in economic research. Grants will not ordinarily be provided to support new projects started by PhD students during their last year of the program.
• Postdoctoral fellows and non-ladder faculty – only eligible if they have already obtained a ladder faculty position at the University of Chicago.
• Faculty – must be ladder faculty at the University of Chicago working on research projects on economic issues that affect developing countries. Instructional faculty and research faculty are not eligible.

Project Guidelines

The Development Economics Research Fund (DERF) is financially supported by Becker Friedman Institute (BFI) and the Development Innovation Lab (DIL) and aims to sponsor research in the field of development economics at the University of Chicago.

The Program only funds research in low and middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank. This includes countries, regions, or populations with per capita GDP below $11,000 in current USD, with a preference for supporting work in countries, regions, or populations with per capita GDP below $5,500. Countries’ GDP per capita is determined according to the most recent data available from the  World Bank Open Data  portal.

The Program does not fund research in high-income countries, even on low-income populations within these countries.

Application Instructions

• Winter 2024 call for proposals closes at 11:59pm CST, Monday, January 15, 2024. If a proposal is time sensitive, please indicate in the application and by emailing [email protected]

Option to Submit Proposals Prepared Using Other Funders’ Formats

The DERF Committee encourages applicants to submit their proposals to multiple organizations. Those eligible for DERF who have already developed a proposal for another funder may use the previously submitted documents (or a revised version in the original format) along with an introductory statement (400 words max) of the response received and status of the project. Any responses or reviews received from the other funder along with responses drafted by the (co-)PI(s) should also be submitted as a separate combined .pdf. The submission must still address all information required for a standard submission either in the alternative format or as a supplement. As with any proposal, the committee will retain the right to also request and require additional information prior to making a decision.

Documents for Standard Submissions

You will need the following documents to complete your application:

• CV for all PI’s and Co-PI’s (.pdf)
• Budget following the template provided here (.xlsx)
• Exploratory Travel and Pilots (.pdf, max 2 pages)
• PhD Student Research Grant (.pdf, max 5 pages)
• Faculty Research Grant (.pdf, max 5 pages) (Double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font, 1-in margins)

Student submissions also require the following:

• Unofficial transcript for all student PI’s and CoPI’s (.pdf)
• Narrative summary of research background and evidence of ability to complete the project (.pdf, one page max)

Finally, if your proposal is a Revise and Resubmit from a previous round, you will also be asked to:

• Upload a document with your responses to the committee comments and how the proposal has been changed (.pdf)

Exploratory Travel and Pilots: While there may be exceptions, funding will typically not exceed $5,000 for exploratory travel and $10,000 for pilot grants.

Provide a concise summary of the objectives of the exploratory travel or proposed pilot.

Submissions must comply with the following parameters:

• “_F_21_ET.pdf” (e.g., Smith_F_21_ET.pdf) for exploratory travel, or
• “_F_21_PIL.pdf” (e.g., Smith_F_21_PIL.pdf) for pilots
• One paragraph summary of the entire proposal
• Concise background and motivation
• If applicable, describe the individual(s) and/or organization(s) with which the researcher plans to meet and what communication the researcher has already had
• Description of research methods
• Availability of data

PhD Student Research Grant: In the past, funding has generally not exceeded $15,000, and while there may be exceptions, future funding will typically not exceed $20,000.

Describe the project in sufficient detail to allow reviewers to determine its feasibility and potential impact on the development economics literature. The introduction and background section is to be concise. The proposal should focus on the technical details and analytic elements of the study. For example, if the project includes a survey, description of survey content (and survey questions, if these have already been developed), and details about the data collection approach should be provided; if the project involves implementing a lab-in-the-field game, the game design should be described in sufficient detail for reviewers to judge it. Submissions must comply with the following parameters:

• Use the following naming convention: last name of primary PI, then “_F_21_PhD.pdf” (e.g., Smith_F_21_PhD.pdf).
• Abstract (0.5 page)
• Very concise background and motivation
• An outline of the research hypothesis
• Contribution to the literature
• Methodology and research approach (3 pages)
• Project timeline
• Budget narrative
• Appendix (optional). This can contain tables, figures, survey questions/instruments, protocols, devices used, etc. Appendix will not count towards page limit but may not include a continuation of the proposal narrative.

For empirical proposals, be sure to describe the following in the “Methodology and research approach” section:

• Description of the dataset (including descriptive statistics if already available)
• Outcome variables and their measurement

For proposals intended to estimate a causal effect, be sure to describe the identification strategy.

For randomized controlled trials (RCT), further include:

• power calculations
• sample size
• level(s) of randomization and (if applicable) explanation of clusters
• explanation of stratification (if applicable)
• timing of implementation
• timing of data collection

Faculty Research Grant: In the past, funding has generally not exceeded $35,000, and while there may be exceptions, future grants for tenured and tenure-track faculty will typically not exceed $40,000. Priority will be given to funding junior faculty.

Describe the project in sufficient detail to allow reviewers to determine its feasibility and potential impact on the development economics literature. Submissions must comply with the following parameters:

• Use the following naming convention: last name of primary PI, then “_F_21_FAC.pdf” (e.g., Smith_F_21_ FAC.pdf).
• Introduction, background and contribution (0.5 page)
• Timeline and budget (1 page)

Use the naming convention “Name_F_ 21_budget.xlsx” (e.g., Smith_F_21_budget.xlsx].

Eligible costs

Typical expenses covered include personnel, data collection or acquisition, equipment, travel, dissemination, and conference attendance.

The fund cannot be used to support graduate student salaries while they work on the project.

Budget and budget narrative

The proposal is to include a budget spreadsheet (in Excel) describing the anticipated budget, including project costs and sources of funding obtained or requested.

The budget narrative should include brief justification/context for the main budget items such as enumerator or RA costs (including appropriateness of the level of compensation). It should also describe the contributions expected of the research partner(s) (e.g., NGO, government, for-profit firm), if any, whether monetary or in-kind.

A budget template is available for your use here .

Student applications also require a letter of recommendation provided by an advisor:

• The recommendation letter will be requested via the online application form. Submitters will include their advisor’s name and email address.
• A request will be sent directly to the advisor who can upload the recommendation letter through the online portal.
• Please ask your advisor to use the following naming convention: last name of primary PI, last name of recommender, then “F_21_rec” (e.g., Smith_Doe_F_21_rec.pdf).

Projects will be judged based on:

• Potential academic contribution to the development economics literature, broadly defined
• Feasibility of the proposal to be successfully implemented including, for students, ability and track record of the applicant(s)
• Appropriateness of the budget and alternative sources of funding being adequately pursued
• Past history of funding by DERF

Funding provided by the Development Innovation Lab (DIL) is to primarily support research aimed at testing development innovations and taking demonstrated innovations to scale, and therefore, additional consideration will be given for projects that:

• Rigorously evaluate an innovation.
• Take demonstrated innovations to scale.

Finally, for students, the committee will also consider:

• Letter of recommendation
• Research experience and ability to implement project as proposed
• Unofficial transcripts

Submissions will be reviewed, and grants will be awarded on a rolling basis. The review committee will evaluate each submitted application and respond with one of the following:

• approve project funding
• decline the request
• ask the applicant to revise and resubmit a full proposal either in the same round, or the following round

It is the applicant’s responsibility to comply with any procedures mandated by University of Chicago; DERF is unable to provide assistance or extensions to accommodate these internal processes.