Economics

The PhD Programme in Economics aims at the highest international standard of research achievement and professional competence. Graduates from the Programme gain employment in all areas requiring economists. Please note, that from 2004/05, the MPhil/PhD in Economics was replaced by the MRes/PhD in Economics for all new admissions.

In the first year of the MPhil/PhD, students make short presentations of their proposed research in the weekly Seminar in Research Strategy. Students also take the course Topics in Economic Analysis and choose one examinable MSc level course from a wide range of options. This course may either fill a missing gap in training or support the proposed research area. Students are encouraged to talk with many members of the Department and are assigned a supervisor with prime responsibility for their research progress. Supervisors can be changed in consultation with the Research Tutor as interests of the students evolve. Every student is expected to produce one substantial piece of written work in the first year.

Students are initially registered for an MPhil with retrospective transfer to PhD registration pending sufficient research progress. All first year students are reviewed by the Economics Department Graduate Committee in July. This review is based on the supervisor's report, seminar performance, and the two examination results. Part-time students may take one examination in the first year.

In the second and subsequent years all students attend their relevant Work in Progress Seminar where significant chapters of theses are presented. Upgrading to PhD registration often follows successful presentations. Many students are affiliated to one of the economics Centres or Institutes such as The Financial Markets Research Centre, the Suntory-Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines and the Centre for Economic Performance. Most students do some undergraduate class teaching, either as teaching assistants or as part-time teachers.

At the end of the second year there is a review of completion prospects. Full-time students are expected to complete in three or four years. The minimum completion time is two years. For students who do not complete by the end of the third year there is an intensive review of completion prospects. The Programme is affiliated with the European Doctoral Programme, which allows students to study at more than one institution and offers flexibility, subject to individual requirements, as to the final institution awarding the degree. 

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