Economics

Description

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The University of Essex is one of the UK's leading academic institutions, ranked ninth nationally for research excellence following the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

We offer supervision for our PhD Economics in the following fields: applied econometrics; development economics; econometric theory; economics of the family; economic theory; finance; game theory and applications; industrial organisation; international trade; labour economics; macroeconomics; monetary economics; networks; and public economics. Our interdisciplinary PhD programme provides progression that includes advanced economic methods and data analysis, with links to research programmes in our Institute of Economic and Social and Economic Research and other social science departments at Essex.

Holders of Essex PhDs often obtain appointments in government or international organisations, and many embark upon academic careers in UK universities and around the world. In recent years, completing graduates have been appointed to lectureships and research posts at a range of universities including Chicago, the London School of Economics, Leicester, Loughborough, St Andrews and East Anglia, among others.

We also offer an MPhil in this subject.

Contents

Your research degree gives you the chance to investigate your chosen topic in real depth and reach a profound understanding. In communicating that understanding, through a thesis or other means, you have a rare opportunity to generate knowledge. You develop new high-level skills, enhance your professional development and build new networks. A PhD can open doors to many careers. Your supervisor
Within our Department of Economics, you will be allocated a supervisor whose role it is to guide you through the different stages of your research degree. In some cases, you may have joint supervision by two members of our staff.
The support provided by your supervisor is a key feature of your research student experience and you will have regular one-to-one meetings to discuss progress on your research. Initially, your supervisor will help you develop your research topic and plan your work.
Twice a year, you will have a supervisory board meeting, which provides a more formal opportunity to discuss your progress and agree your plans for the next six months. How you will study
Within our Department, our PhD is a structured three-year programme of advanced study and research. We also offer an MPhil, which is a two year programme. If you wish to undertake a PhD but are not sufficiently qualified, you may be offered our MSc and PhD (four-year programme), where progression to your PhD is conditional on successful completion of your MSc examinations.
There are two entry levels to our PhD: students with good first degrees (BA or BSc, or equivalent) enter the four-year programme, the first year of which is study at the MSc level; or students with a good MSc or MA degree (or equivalent) in economics enter directly to the three-year PhD programme.
If you are admitted to our four-year programme, you begin with a year in which you take MSc level modules in microeconomics, macroeconomics, mathematical methods, econometrics and options in the fields of your choice. During the remaining three months, you work on your PhD topic. You also have the option of doing an MSc dissertation, thereby securing an MSc at the end of your first year.
In the second year of your four-year programme (or the first year of our three-year programme), you take two doctoral modules chosen from microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, as well as preparing a research proposal. At the end of the year, you will have successfully completed your modules and research proposal and will have started your research. During the final two years of your four-year programme, you complete your thesis under the guidance of your primary and secondary supervisors.
In the second year of your three-year programme you work on your thesis under the guidance of your supervisor. During the final year of your three-year programme, you complete your thesis under the guidance of your supervisor. If you are admitted to our three-year programme, you begin with a year in which you take two doctoral modules chosen from microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, as well as preparing a research proposal. At the end of the year, you will have successfully completed your modules and research proposal and will have started your research. Finalising your PhD
When studying within our Department of Economics, your PhD thesis is generally completed within three to four academic years and has a maximum length of 80,000 words.
Great importance is attached to the rapid completion of our PhDs. Submission is expected in no more than four years from initial registration for your degree. Seminars and conferences
As a PhD student within our Department of Economics, you attend a weekly Research Strategy Seminar at which you outline your work in progress and discuss the ideas of others. Our research students also have opportunities to present their contributions at workshops and seminars in our Department attended by staff and students, as well as national and international conferences and research workshops.
There are also opportunities to participate in master classes on advanced research methods at Essex and at other institutions.

Requirements

For research study within our Department of Economics, we normally require a good honours degree in economics, or equivalent, and a good performance in MA/MSc Economics, or equivalent. A well developed research proposal is also essential.
However, if you do not have a Masters degree, we also offer a four-year integrated PhD, where your first year is spent doing a Masters before embarking on your research. This preparatory year ensures you develop your knowledge before embarking on your independent research.
If English is not your first language, then we will require you to have IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

English Language Requirements

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa.

The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

Funding

For up-to-date information on funding opportunities at Essex, please visit: