economics phd research proposal

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).

You are leaving MIT OpenCourseWare

• Department of Economics
• Postgraduate study
• PhD Programme in Economics
• How to apply

Research proposal

How to write your research proposal.

Your research proposal is an essential component of your application, regardless of whether you are self-funded or seeking a studentship. Please adhere to the provided guidelines to ensure its proper preparation.

Why is your research proposal essential and what purpose does it serve?

• The research proposal serves to determine your expertise to back your chosen research field, in terms of knowledge of the existing literature, and the mastering of theories, data and methodology suitable to develop your research project.
• It plays a significant role in evaluating your overall application.
• It is crucial to understand that the submitted research proposal is merely a starting point, as your ideas and proposed research are likely to evolve over time.
• Regarding its length, your research proposal should be within the range of 2,000 to 3,500 words (approximately 4 to 7 pages).
• Make sure to discuss your research proposal with an academic in our department before formally applying through the online system.

Template for your research proposal.

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

Study at Cambridge

About the university, research at cambridge.

• Events and open days
• Fees and finance
• Student blogs and videos
• Why Cambridge
• Qualifications directory
• How to apply
• Fees and funding
• Frequently asked questions
• International students
• Continuing education
• Executive and professional education
• Courses in education
• How the University and Colleges work
• Visiting the University
• Term dates and calendars
• Video and audio
• Find an expert
• Publications
• International Cambridge
• Public engagement
• Giving to Cambridge
• For current students
• For business
• Colleges & departments
• Libraries & facilities
• Museums & collections
• Email & phone search
• Postgraduate Studies
• Faculty of Economics
• Research overview
• Econometrics Research Group - Papers
• Econometrics Research Group - Cambridge Working Papers in Economics
• Microeconomic Theory Research Group - Papers
• Microeconomic Theory Research Group - Cambridge Working Papers in Economics
• Macroeconomics Research Group - Papers
• Macroeconomics Research Group - Cambridge Working Papers in Economics
• Empirical Microeconomics Research Group
• Empirical Microeconomics Research Group - Cambridge Working Papers in Economics
• History Research Group - Cambridge Working Papers in Economics
• Papers and Publications
• Cambridge Working Papers in Economics (CWPE)
• Research Intranet (Raven Login Required)
• The Janeway Institute
• The Keynes Fund
• Research Contact
• People overview
• Noriko Amano-Patiño
• Debopam Bhattacharya
• Florin Bilbiie
• Peter Bossaerts
• Charles Brendon
• Vasco Carvalho
• Tiago Cavalcanti
• Meredith Crowley
• Matthew Elliott
• Aytek Erdil
• Robert Evans
• Elisa Faraglia
• Leonardo Felli
• Eric French
• Edoardo Gallo
• Tripos supervisions
• Chryssi Giannitsarou
• Selected Articles
• Working Papers
• Popular Press
• Past PhD Students
• Invited Lectures
• Christopher Harris
• Economics of Religion in India Book
• Demography Book
• Oliver Linton
• An old link to some of my papers
• A poem by Robert Graves
• Christopher Rauh
• Alexander Rodnyansky
• Mikhail Safronov
• Gabriella Santangelo
• Flavio Toxvaerd
• Julius Vainora
• Some Recent Articles
• Research Projects
• Efficiency Assessment
• Supervisions
• Weilong Zhang
• Ivano Cardinale
• Giancarlo Corsetti
• William H Janeway
• Pierre Mella-Barral
• Theofanis Papamichalis
• Simona Paravani
• Mark Salmon
• Patrick Allmis
• Nazanin Babolmorad
• Seda Basihos
• Leonard Bocquet
• Daniele Cassese
• George Charlson
• Chuan-Han Cheng
• Joris Hoste
• Konstantinos Ioannidis
• Caroline Liqui Lung
• Frederic Moisan
• Jason Schoeters
• Jerome Simons
• Robert Woods
• Michael Ashby
• Victoria Bateman
• Francisco Beltran
• Collin Constantine
• Yujiang River Chen
• Rupert Gatti
• Emanuele Giovannetti
• Pauline Goyal-Rutsaert
• Myungun Kim
• Nigel Knight
• Vasileios Kotsidis
• Domique Lauga
• Kamiar Mohaddes
• Mary Murphy
• Dario Palumbo
• Cristina Peñasco
• Cristiano Ristuccia
• Isabelle Roland
• Julia Shvets
• Oleh Stupak
• Simon Taylor
• Anna Watson
• Publications - Since 2001
• Interviews and Lectures
• Jeremy Edwards
• Refereed Papers
• Other Publications
• Work in Progress
• Selected Publications
• Downloadable Publications
• Economics as Social Theory
• Sir James Mirrlees
• Downloadable Conference Presentations
• Regulation, Privatisation, Energy, Electricity
• Transport: Road and Rail
• Risk, Industrial Organisation, Optimal Growth, Dynamic Inconsistency
• Taxation, Public finance, Cost-benefit analysis
• Transition Economies and Development
• Recent Conference Presentations
• Jose Gabriel Palma
• Published Articles
• Forthcoming Papers
• Newspaper, Magazine and Online Articles
• Forewords/Prefaces
• Book Reviews
• Unpublished Papers
• Lecture Audio, Video and Podcast Recordings
• Archive Working Papers
• Biographical
• Biographical (long version)
• William Peterson
• Bob Rowthorn
• Honours and Awards
• Geoff Whittington
• Selection Committee
• Academic Staff - A to E
• Academic Staff - F to H
• Academic Staff - I to M
• Academic Staff - N to Q
• Academic Staff - R to V
• Academic Staff - W to Z
• Academic Staff - Office Hours
• Past Visitors
• Prospective Academic Visitors Information
• Application Form
• Rules and Categories of Visitors
• Visiting Doctoral Students
• Visiting Students Application Form
• Razan Amine
• Laura Araújo De Freitas
• Marium Ashfaq
• Deniz Atalar
• Kilian Bachmair
• Gerardo Baldo
• Balduin Bippus
• Saru Chaudhary
• Adrian Chung
• Radu Cristea
• Zixuan Deng
• Mar Domenech-Palacios
• Lukas Freund
• Luigi Dante Gaviano
• Guillem Gordo-I-Bach
• Darija Halatova
• Andrew Hannon
• Lea Havemeister
• Shengjuan He
• Rebecca Heath
• Christian Höhne
• Darren Hoover
• Benedikt Kagerer
• Kilian Kamkar
• Ganesh Karapakula
• Alastair Langtry
• Sean Lavender
• Weiguang Liu
• Ana Lleo-Bono
• Fred Seunghyun Maeng
• Shane Mahen
• Fergus McCormack
• Manuel Montesinos
• Mathis Momm
• Jamie Moore
• James Morris
• Shania Mustika
• Felix Mylius
• Cheuk Fai Ng
• Lennart Niermann
• Tianyu Pang
• Charles Parry
• Dmitrii Petrukhin
• Benjapon Prommawin
• Vivek Roy-Chowdhury
• Diogo Salgado Baptista
• Niklas Schmitz
• Kishen Shastry
• Sarah Rose Taylor
• Christian Tien
• Ho-Yung Antonia Tsang
• Carles Vila Martínez
• Nicholas Waltz
• Yi (Amanda) Wang
• Shu Feng Wei
• Alessa Widmaier
• Mingmei Xiao
• Yinfeng Zeng
• Mingxi Zhang
• Xiaoxiao Zhang
• Yiyang Zhang
• Yuting (Tina) Zhang
• Zhaocheng Zhang
• Henning Zschietzschmann
• Professional Services Staff
• Job Market Candidates
• Teaching overview
• University's Blended Learning Site
• Apply overview
• Economics Open Days 2023
• Economics Prospectus
• A Guide for Prospective Students
• Preliminary Part I Reading List
• Why Choose Economics
• Course Description
• Course Structure
• Course Requirements
• How to Apply
• Students Finance
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Entry Requirements
• How and When to Apply
• Finance Overview and Funding
• Core Modules
• Optional Modules
• Applicant Mentoring Programme
• Doctoral Training Partnership
• ESRC Studentships
• Example Course Structure
• PhD Modules
• Careers / Placements
• EDGE (European Doctoral Group in Economics)
• Social Events
• Postgraduate Open Day
• Postgraduate Life
• Postgraduate Guide 2023
• Cambridge University Graduate Economics Society
• Economics Postgraduate Fund
• Postgraduate Admissions - Contacts
• The Cambridge Environment
• Introduction to the Faculty
• Student Life
• Alumni overview
• Alumni Newsletter
• Alumni Webinars
• Online Giving
• Faculty Info overview
• Information for Staff (Intranet)
• Find the Faculty
• Provision for Students with Disabilities
• History of the Faculty
• Sheilagh Ogilvie
• Caroline Hoxby
• Joan Robinson
• Women in Economics Events
• Student & Staff Behaviour
• Women in Economics
• Faculty IT Support

PhD in Economics

• Advanced Diploma in Economics
• MPhil in Economics
• MPhil in Economic Research
• MPhil in Finance and Economics
• MPhil in Economics and Data Science

This is the most advanced programme of graduate studies in Economics at Cambridge. Upon its completion, candidates are awarded a PhD degree for producing a thesis of high-quality, original, and publishable research over a period of four years (full-time) and seven years (part-time).

A good number of our PhD students receive full or partial funding for their studies, from a variety of funding bodies, such as the ESRC and the Gates Foundation .

Our PhD students receive high quality training on a variety of research methods and are exposed to cutting edge research conducted by our own Faculty members, as well visitors to the Faculty (via the Cambridge-INET Institute , seminars, PhD workshops, locally organised conferences, etc.). Faculty members can supervise a wide range of topics from six broadly defined research areas: microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, econometrics, applied microeconomics, economic history and alternative approaches to economics.

PhD students in Cambridge benefit from a high faculty-to-student ratio and therefore form close relationships with many Faculty members. They also forge strong links with our post-doctoral researchers, and they actively participate in the Faculty’s vibrant research life. They have access to a wide range of facilities, such as their own desk/office space in the same building as regular Faculty members, computing equipment, a variety of software and access to a wide range of databases.

PhD students are encouraged to attend academic conferences and showcase their research work in a variety of ways. Upon completions of their studies, many of our PhD students become academics, or researchers at international or government research institutions (see recent job market placements here ).

Explore here the profiles of our current PhD students.

To obtain the degree of PhD in Economics, students need to:

1. Obtain the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) . If accepted for the PhD degree, you will be registered initially for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) in Economics. Students registered for the CPGS are required to:

• Attend the 'How to do Economics' lecture course. Other postgraduate courses in research methods are organised by the Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Physical Sciences, and are available to all PhD students.  
• Undertake a minimum of four courses from PhD or MPhil Modules from at least two subject areas. You must achieve a pass mark (60%) on each component of the coursework. Students who fail any examinations will be called for a viva on the coursework.

• Write a research proposal (maximum length 10,000 words) that should include a review of the relevant literature, a research question, and outline of a research design and methods. The expectation is that this proposal will be for a piece of research that could form the basis of one chapter of a PhD dissertation. You will be given an oral examination on this piece of work and must perform to a satisfactory standard.  
• Attend (a) one of the three research workshops (on microeconomics, macroeconomics or econometrics) at which research students present both their own work and recent papers in the literature - assessment of workshops will be arranged by course organisers; (b) attend at least one of the Faculty's general seminars in which papers are given both by outside speakers and Faculty members;  
• To be registered for the PhD submit an acceptable piece of research (first year chapter) of not more than 20,000 words. The piece of research submitted must be of a standard that would enable it to form the basis of one-third of your eventual PhD thesis. This means that it must contain research that could be expanded upon to constitute one-third of the PhD thesis.

2. Once upgraded to PhD status, a student concentrates on her or his PhD dissertation. In general the thesis format is either in the form of a book divided into chapters, or of three or more connected articles; in either case, the Faculty has a strict limit of 60,000 words. As research progresses, there will be opportunities to present work in progress at research workshops attended by Faculty members and research students. PhD students will also be required to attend research seminars given by outside speakers and Faculty members. 

Upon completion and submission of the PhD thesis, students do an oral examination (viva) with two examiners, one internal to the University of Cambridge (not the supervisor or research advisor), and one external (from any other University in the UK or the rest of the world).

After a successful thesis defence, the examiners recommend awarding the degree of PhD.

Faculty of Economics Austin Robinson Building Sidgwick Avenue Cambridge CB3 9DD UNITED KINGDOM

Telephone: +44 1223 335200

Fax: +44 1223 335475

Site Privacy & Cookie Policies

Find Us (details and maps)

with University of Cambridge Maps

with Google Maps

Associated Websites

Janeway Institute

COVID-19 Economic Research

Keynes Fund

Application Emails

Undergraduate Admissions: (for enquiries about the BA in Economics) [email protected]

Graduate Admissions: (for enquiries about the Diploma, MPhil and PhD courses) [email protected]

General Emails

Faculty Office: (for all other enquiries) [email protected]

Webmaster: (for enquiries about the website) [email protected]

Marshall Library: [email protected]

© 2024 University of Cambridge

• University A-Z
• Contact the University
• Accessibility
• Freedom of information
• Terms and conditions
• Undergraduate
• Spotlight on...
• About research at Cambridge

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.

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

Find a supervisor

Exploring our research areas will help you match your proposal idea with a suitable supervisor.

Current PhD students

Get inspiration from our current students and the research they decided to pursue.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Starting the research process
• How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates

Published on October 12, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 21, 2023.

A research proposal describes what you will investigate, why it’s important, and how you will conduct your research.

The format of a research proposal varies between fields, but most proposals will contain at least these elements:

Introduction

Literature review.

• Research design

Reference list

While the sections may vary, the overall objective is always the same. A research proposal serves as a blueprint and guide for your research plan, helping you get organized and feel confident in the path forward you choose to take.

Table of contents

Research proposal purpose, research proposal examples, research design and methods, contribution to knowledge, research schedule, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research proposals.

Academics often have to write research proposals to get funding for their projects. As a student, you might have to write a research proposal as part of a grad school application , or prior to starting your thesis or dissertation .

In addition to helping you figure out what your research can look like, a proposal can also serve to demonstrate why your project is worth pursuing to a funder, educational institution, or supervisor.

Research proposal length

The length of a research proposal can vary quite a bit. A bachelor’s or master’s thesis proposal can be just a few pages, while proposals for PhD dissertations or research funding are usually much longer and more detailed. Your supervisor can help you determine the best length for your work.

One trick to get started is to think of your proposal’s structure as a shorter version of your thesis or dissertation , only without the results , conclusion and discussion sections.

Download our research proposal template

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

Writing a research proposal can be quite challenging, but a good starting point could be to look at some examples. We’ve included a few for you below.

• Example research proposal #1: “A Conceptual Framework for Scheduling Constraint Management”
• Example research proposal #2: “Medical Students as Mediators of Change in Tobacco Use”

Like your dissertation or thesis, the proposal will usually have a title page that includes:

• The proposed title of your project
• Your supervisor’s name
• Your institution and department

The first part of your proposal is the initial pitch for your project. Make sure it succinctly explains what you want to do and why.

Your introduction should:

• Introduce your topic
• Give necessary background and context
• Outline your  problem statement  and research questions

To guide your introduction , include information about:

• Who could have an interest in the topic (e.g., scientists, policymakers)
• How much is already known about the topic
• What is missing from this current knowledge
• What new insights your research will contribute
• Why you believe this research is worth doing

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

As you get started, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re familiar with the most important research on your topic. A strong literature review  shows your reader that your project has a solid foundation in existing knowledge or theory. It also shows that you’re not simply repeating what other people have already done or said, but rather using existing research as a jumping-off point for your own.

In this section, share exactly how your project will contribute to ongoing conversations in the field by:

• Comparing and contrasting the main theories, methods, and debates
• Examining the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
• Explaining how will you build on, challenge, or synthesize prior scholarship

Following the literature review, restate your main  objectives . This brings the focus back to your own project. Next, your research design or methodology section will describe your overall approach, and the practical steps you will take to answer your research questions.

To finish your proposal on a strong note, explore the potential implications of your research for your field. Emphasize again what you aim to contribute and why it matters.

For example, your results might have implications for:

• Improving best practices
• Informing policymaking decisions
• Strengthening a theory or model
• Challenging popular or scientific beliefs
• Creating a basis for future research

Last but not least, your research proposal must include correct citations for every source you have used, compiled in a reference list . To create citations quickly and easily, you can use our free APA citation generator .

Some institutions or funders require a detailed timeline of the project, asking you to forecast what you will do at each stage and how long it may take. While not always required, be sure to check the requirements of your project.

Here’s an example schedule to help you get started. You can also download a template at the button below.

Download our research schedule template

If you are applying for research funding, chances are you will have to include a detailed budget. This shows your estimates of how much each part of your project will cost.

Make sure to check what type of costs the funding body will agree to cover. For each item, include:

• Cost : exactly how much money do you need?
• Justification : why is this cost necessary to complete the research?
• Source : how did you calculate the amount?

To determine your budget, think about:

• Travel costs : do you need to go somewhere to collect your data? How will you get there, and how much time will you need? What will you do there (e.g., interviews, archival research)?
• Materials : do you need access to any tools or technologies?
• Help : do you need to hire any research assistants for the project? What will they do, and how much will you pay them?

If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Methodology

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

Once you’ve decided on your research objectives , you need to explain them in your paper, at the end of your problem statement .

Keep your research objectives clear and concise, and use appropriate verbs to accurately convey the work that you will carry out for each one.

I will compare …

A research aim is a broad statement indicating the general purpose of your research project. It should appear in your introduction at the end of your problem statement , before your research objectives.

Research objectives are more specific than your research aim. They indicate the specific ways you’ll address the overarching aim.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

The best way to remember the difference between a research plan and a research proposal is that they have fundamentally different audiences. A research plan helps you, the researcher, organize your thoughts. On the other hand, a dissertation proposal or research proposal aims to convince others (e.g., a supervisor, a funding body, or a dissertation committee) that your research topic is relevant and worthy of being conducted.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. & George, T. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Research Proposal | Examples & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved April 3, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/research-process/research-proposal/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write a problem statement | guide & examples, writing strong research questions | criteria & examples, how to write a literature review | guide, examples, & templates, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

• Utility Menu

44d3fa3df9f06a3117ed3d2ad6c71ecc

• Administration

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]  

DPhil in Economics

• Entry requirements
• Funding and costs

College preference

• How to apply

About the course

Oxford has a thriving group of research students studying for the DPhil in Economics. The DPhil, which is the equivalent to a PhD at most other institutions, is similar in structure to a PhD at leading economics graduate schools worldwide.

The majority of students on the DPhil at Oxford have first completed the two-year Oxford MPhil in Economics . You can also apply for the DPhil if you hold, or will hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in Economics from other universities.

All students starting the DPhil are admitted with Probationer Research Student status (PRS) in the first instance. You will take additional courses from the MPhil menu to deepen and broaden your economic training, while starting to work on your first research project. The PRS status allows for a smooth transition from learning about economic research to producing new economic insights yourself. If you haven’t completed the MPhil in Economics at Oxford, you will usually be required to take a year of coursework taking papers from either the first and/or second year of the MPhil programme. Students progressing from the MPhil in Economics at Oxford will usually complete their coursework by taking additional advanced courses from the MPhil. 

You will join one or more of the department's research groups, becoming part of a vibrant educational research community with a large number of doctoral student-led events, seminars and conferences.

You will have opportunities to present your work at a variety of seminars and sessions in the department.

Further information about part-time study

The department is able to offer the DPhil in Economics as a part-time mode. Although there is no requirement to reside in Oxford, part-time research students must attend the University on a regular basis (particularly in term-time: October and November, mid-January to mid-March, and late April to mid-June) for supervision, study, research seminars and skills training.

The department understands that part-time research students will have non-standard attendance and work patterns. To ensure a comprehensive integration into the faculty's and University's research culture and with their full-time peer groups a pattern of attendance at MPhil courses, training events and research seminars would form part of the general part-time study agreement.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Economics and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department of Economics. In those cases, the expectation is that a co-supervisor or secondary supervisor from within the Department of Economics will also be appointed.

DPhil students will work closely with their supervisors and will be expected to meet face-to-face on at least two occasions per term with additional contact through online meetings and email exchanges.

Full-time students admitted to Probationer Research Student status are first required to transfer to DPhil status. The Transfer of Status requires the completion of the Qualifying Examinations, necessary coursework, and an interview with two assessors appointed by the department, at which the candidate presents an outline of their proposed thesis and a piece of written work relevant to the thesis. The transfer is normally expected to be completed by the end of the fourth term, and no later than six terms from admission to Probationer Research Student status. In exceptional circumstances, where a student has already successfully completed advanced coursework as part of the MPhil in Economics at Oxford, the department may waive the requirement for Transfer of Status and students may progress directly to DPhil status. Upon a successful transfer to DPhil status, students are required to confirm their DPhil status no later than nine terms after admission to Probationer Research Student status. 

Candidates for Confirmation of Status are required to present a research paper at a workshop or seminar, present a detailed outline of the complete thesis and some complete draft chapters, and will be interviewed by an assessor.

Part-time students admitted to Probationer Research Student status are normally expected to transfer to DPhil status during the first two to three years of study. Upon a successful transfer to DPhil status, students are required to confirm their DPhil status no later than eighteen terms after admission as a Probationer Research Student.

The award of this degree is based on a thesis of not more than 100,000 words in length. It should constitute a significant and substantial piece of research, of a kind which might reasonably be expected of a diligent and competent student in three years of full-time study. The maximum time allowed for completion of the DPhil is four years (eight years for part-time).

Graduate destinations

The interests and strengths of the department's doctoral students are many and diverse and this is reflected in the positions they take up after graduation: most take up tenure track or postdoc positions in academia; others find employment in government, international organisations, or the private sector. The international reputation of Oxford’s doctoral programme also means that its DPhil graduates can be found making a contribution in many different parts of the world.

The department recognises the importance of helping doctoral students find suitable employment and its placement efforts are directed by a senior member of the faculty. The department provides advice and help on all aspects of the job application process, including limited financial assistance to cover travel and conference expenses.

Changes to this course and your supervision

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

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

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

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

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

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

Degree-level qualifications

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

• an outstanding performance in a rigorous master's course in economics;  and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in economics or another approved subject (such as mathematics).

Applicants must demonstrate a strong quantitative preparation. 

Offers will usually be made conditional on obtaining a distinction grade (or an equivalent level of performance where a distinction grade is not officially awarded) at master's level. 

Please note:

• a master's qualification that is only partially in economics would not be considered a suitable background: for example, a master's course in development studies, public administration, or in finance lacks the required level of economics content, even if there are economics courses as part of the training;
• a master's qualification in a specialised field within economics (eg development economics, applied economics, or financial economics) may also be insufficient background. Candidates with these qualifications should provide a written statement as part of their research proposal to demonstrate that the courses on which they have been examined covered all the core material of a rigorous master's course in economics.

Applicants with an insufficient master's background in economics who wish to proceed to DPhil are encouraged to first apply to the joint MPhil+DPhil in Economics.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum cumulative GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

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

GRE General Test scores

If you do not hold, or will not shortly hold, a UK or Republic of Ireland degree, you must submit the results of a GRE Test obtained within the last 5 years. However, we recommend applicants from UK or Republic of Ireland universities also submit a GRE score. Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants will have a GRE score of Verbal 160, Quantitative 164, Analytical 4.5.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• All candidates are expected to have working knowledge in one programming language (of the candidate’s choice) at the start of the DPhil. The department will provide advice to accepted candidates on how to acquire such knowledge.
• Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer's commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend programme and University events and modules. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project.
• Publications are not expected.

English language proficiency

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

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

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

Declaring extenuating circumstances

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

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

Supporting documents

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

Performance at interview

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

How your application is assessed

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

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

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

Shortlisting and selection

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

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

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

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

Admissions panels and assessors

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

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

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

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

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

Offer conditions for successful applications

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

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

Financial Declaration

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

Disclosure of criminal convictions

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

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Some postgraduate research students in science, engineering and technology subjects will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a  Student visa (under the Student Route) . For some courses, the requirement to apply for an ATAS certificate may depend on your research area.

With more than 60 academics in permanent posts and 30+ postdoctoral research fellows, the Department of Economics is a large and vibrant international community of researchers. In the 2021 REF, Oxford was ranked first in terms of overall research ‘power’ and funding market share.

The department hosts research centres such as the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE), which is internationally recognised as a hub for innovative research and outreach to the academic and policy-making communities world-wide through their seminars, workshops and annual conferences.

Within the department, specialised research groups play a key role in bringing together faculty and graduate students working in particular sub-fields, supporting and mentoring doctoral students and postdoctoral research fellows, and promoting research of the highest international standard.

The research groups provide an important interface between the research centres and the department, for example, econometrics and the INET programme on Economic Modelling (EMOD); development economics and CSAE. Other research groups facilitate collaboration across departments, as in the case of the economic history group and economic historians in the Faculty of History. Each research group runs a regular seminar series with external presenters, plus a more informal workshop in which members, including DPhil students, present their research in progress.

Students can access a range of internship programmes through the University Careers Office as well as the RCUK Policy Internship scheme for ESRC-funded students. In addition, the Bank of England and Goldman Sachs each provide a short summer internship for a doctoral student specialising in macroeconomics or finance and the Department of Economics is accredited by the Asian Development Bank to nominate candidates for their internship programme. In recent cohorts, students have benefited from an internship with organisations including the EBRD, European Central Bank, UK Home Office, as well as those identified above.

The Department of Economics is located in the Manor Road Building in central Oxford, alongside the Department of Politics and International Relations. The department contains faculty offices and open-plan workspaces for DPhil students and postdoctoral research, with access to Wi-Fi and print services. A BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy is in place within the Economics department, enabling you to access data shares, printing, software and for some, a full Windows desktop via the department's Virtual Desktop environment. The Manor Road IT team support all IT-related infrastructure and systems within the department, including desktops, laptops and tablets, and all associated peripherals (printers, scanners, webcams etc) and software provision.

The Manor Road Building also houses the Bodleian Social Sciences Library (SSL), a first-class research library open to all members of the University. The SSL holds over 250,000 printed books, over 1,000 printed journal titles, as well as statistical publications, working papers, dissertations, pamphlets and reports. Online resources include almost 100,000 e-journals and an extensive collection of databases and archives in the social sciences. Graduate teaching and most seminars take place within the Manor Road Building, where there is also a cafeteria and common room for students' use.

Oxford's Department of Economics is one of Europe's leading research departments and its members include some of the world's most distinguished academic economists.

The department offers its community of around 300 graduate students a rigorous and relevant training in economics, providing a setting in which debate and research can flourish. The department’s graduate courses prepare students for a wide range of careers in academia, government and business.

The department is committed to excellence in teaching and the MPhil and DPhil in Economics are internationally recognised for the quality of the training provided. The University of Oxford is ranked 2nd in Europe in the most recent Tilburg University ranking of Economics departments, based on research contribution for the period between 2016-2020. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework exercise, that evaluated research output of UK Universities, Oxford was first for overall research strength in Economics and Econometrics, with more research ranked as ‘world-leading’ than any other participating institution.

In a submission of 84 FTE academics, which was the largest number of researchers submitted in the Economics and Econometrics Unit of Assessment, 94% of the department's research output was assessed as ‘internationally excellent’ or ‘world-leading’ (3* or 4*). The scale and breadth of the Department’s research is a product of a vibrant and well-connected community, with particular attention on supporting early career researchers. The Department maintains world-class expertise in the core discipline areas of microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, while building clusters of research strength in more specialist subfields – notably applied microeconomics; behavioural economics and game theory; the economics of climate change and sustainability; machine learning; economic history; development economics.

Oxford has one of the strongest, largest, and most varied groups of economists in the world. Our objective is to engage in innovative research that extends the frontiers of the discipline, deepening our understanding of the operation of modern economies. Research spans almost all the major sub-fields of economics with particular strengths in microeconomic theory, including behavioural economics; econometrics, both micro-econometrics and time series; economic history and development and international economics. Research activity is focused within smaller, specialised groups, with each group holding regular workshops at which research by faculty and graduate students is presented and discussed. Many distinguished researchers from outside Oxford also visit to present their work at seminars.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

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

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

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

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

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

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Part-time study

Information about course fees.

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

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

Continuation charges

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

Where can I find further information about fees?

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

Additional information

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

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

Living costs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Before you apply

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

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

Application fee waivers

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

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

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

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

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

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

Completing your application

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

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

Referees: Three overall, academic and/or professional

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

It is recommended that you provide three academic references, however the department will accept one professional reference of the three required overall. Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, and motivation.

Official transcript(s)

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

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

A CV/résumé is compulsory for this course. Most applicants choose to submit a document of one to two pages highlighting their academic achievements and any relevant professional experience.

Research proposal: A maximum of 1,500 words

You should submit a detailed outline of your proposed research, written in English, covering areas such as the background to the research, methodology, expected results and the contribution to the field of learning.

It is not necessary to include your bibliography in the overall word count. 

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

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying;
• the coherence of the proposal;
• the originality of the project;
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study;
• the ability to present a reasoned case in English;
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course (a maximum of 4 years);
• commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course;
• preliminary knowledge of research techniques;
• capacity for sustained and intense work;
• reasoning ability; and
• ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace.

Written work: One essay of a maximum of 2,000 words

An academic essay or other writing sample from your most recent qualification, written in English, is required. An extract of the requisite length from longer work is also permissible. The written work should be related to the subject you propose to study.

The written work should be typed and in English. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

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

GRE General Test results

If you do not hold, or will not shortly hold, a UK or Republic of Ireland degree, you must submit the results of a GRE Test obtained within the last 5 years. However, we recommend that applicants from UK or Republic of Ireland universities also submit a GRE score. Entrance is very competitive, and most successful applicants have a GRE score of at least 160 for verbal, 164 for quantitative and 4.5 for analytical.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

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

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 19 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Department of Economics

• Course page on the department's website
• Funding information from the department
• Academic and research staff
• Departmental research
• Social Sciences Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

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

✉ e [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 281290

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Other courses to consider

You may also wish to consider applying to other courses that are similar or related to this course:

MPhil + DPhil in Economics

You can study this course as part of our five-year integrated  MPhil+DPhil in Economics  which enables students to first study for the two-year MPhil in Economics and then automatically switch to the DPhil in Economics.

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies

How to write a phd research proposal.

In order to help you with your application, the information below aims to give some guidance on how a typical research proposal might look.

Your research proposal is a concise statement (up to 3,000 words) of the rationale for your research proposal, the research questions to be answered and how you propose to address them. We know that during the early stages of your PhD you are likely to refine your thinking and methodology in discussion with your supervisors.

However, we want to see that you can construct a fairly rigorous, high quality research proposal.

We use your research proposal to help us decide whether you would be a suitable candidate to study at PhD level. We therefore assess your proposal on its quality, originality, and coherence. It also helps us to decide if your research interests match those of academics in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS) and whether they would be able to provide suitably qualified supervision for your proposed research.

Format of the research proposal

Your proposal should include the following:

Title. A short, indicative title is best.

Abstract. This is a succinct summary of your research proposal (approximately 200-300 words) that will present a condensed outline, enabling the reader to get a very quick overview of your proposed project, lines of inquiry and possible outcomes. An abstract is often written last, after you have written the proposal and are able to summarise it effectively.

Rationale for the research project. This might include a description of the question/debate/phenomenon of interest; an explanation of why the topic is of interest to you; and an outline of the reasons why the topic should be of interest to research and/ or practice (the 'so what?' question).

Aims and initial research question. What are the aims and objectives of the research? State clearly the puzzle you are addressing, and the research question that you intend to pursue. It is acceptable to have multiple research questions, but it is a good idea to clarify which is the main research question. If you have hypotheses, discuss them here. A research proposal can and should make a positive and persuasive first impression and demonstrate your potential to become a good researcher. In particular, you need to demonstrate that you can think critically and analytically as well as communicate your ideas clearly.

Research context for your proposed project. Provide a short introduction to your area of interest with a succinct, selective and critical review of the relevant literature. Demonstrate that you understand the theoretical underpinnings and main debates and issues in your research area and how your proposed research will make an original and necessary contribution to this. You need to demonstrate how your proposed research will fill a gap in existing knowledge.

Intended methodology. Outline how you plan to conduct the research and the data sources that you will use. We do not expect you to have planned a very detailed methodology at this stage, but you need to provide an overview of how you will conduct your research (qualitative and/or quantitative methods) and why this methodology is suited for your proposed study. You need to be convincing about the appropriateness and feasibility of the approaches you are suggesting, and reflective about problems you might encounter (including ethical and data protection issues) in collecting and analysing your data.

Expected outcomes and impact. How do you think the research might add to existing knowledge; what might it enable organisations or interested parties to do differently? Increasingly in academia (and this is particularly so for ESRC-funded studentships), PhD students are being asked to consider how their research might contribute to both academic impact and/or economic and societal impact. (This is well explained on the ESRC website if you would like to find out more.) Please consider broader collaborations and partnerships (academic and non-academic) that will support your research. Collaborative activity can lead to a better understanding of the ways in which academic research can translate into practice and it can help to inform and improve the quality of your research and its impact.

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.

Why Bristol? Why – specifically – do you want to study for your PhD at Bristol ? How would you fit into the School's  research themes and research culture . You do not need to identify supervisors at the application stage although it can be helpful if you do.

Bibliography. Do make sure that you cite what you see as the key readings in the field. This does not have to be comprehensive but you are illustrating the range of sources you might use in your research.

We expect your research proposal to be clear, concise and grammatically correct. Prior to submitting your research proposal, please make sure that you have addressed the following issues:

• Have you included a clear summary of what the proposed research is about and why it is significant?
• Have you clearly identified what your proposed research will add to our understanding of theory, knowledge or research design?
• Does it state what contributions it will make to policy and/or practice?
• Does the proposal clearly explain how you will do the research?
• Is the language clear and easy to understand by someone who is not an expert in the field?
• Is the grammar and spelling correct?

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.

Browser does not support script.

• Undergraduate
• Executive education
• Study Abroad
• Summer schools
• Online certificate courses
• International students
• Meet, visit and discover LSE

MRes/PhD International Development

• Graduate research
• Department of International Development
• Application code Y2ZI
• 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 international development. You will begin on the MRes, and will need to meet certain requirements to progress to the PhD.

The Department of International Development promotes interdisciplinary graduate teaching and research on processes of social, political and economic development and change. The Department is dedicated to understanding problems of poverty and late development within local communities, as well as national and international political and economic systems.

The Department conducts research and teaching across seven broad themes: complex emergencies, security, and humanitarianism in war-torn societies; comparative politics of development; governance, civil society, and informal politics; development management; development economics; the demography of developing countries and the politics of global health. Faculty have considerable experience of living and working in the developing world, and most have engaged in policy-relevant research and consultancy work with international development agencies or non-governmental organisations.

This is a vibrant MRes/PhD programme with students employing a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary methods from across the social sciences to research questions of development around the globe.

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 international development.

Taught master’s degree with 65 or above overall and in the dissertation element, or the equivalent.

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

Highly recommended but not compulsory.

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 - GMAT/GRE - outline research proposal - sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents

Your research proposal for the MRes/PhD International Development should be approximately 1500 - 2000 words. It should have a descriptive title to enable us to identify the broad theme of the project. You will also be prompted to complete the box for programme specific information, when filling out the online application form. You must  include the following under programme specific information:

-the title of your research proposal -a short summary of your research proposal -the name of your proposed supervisor(s) in the department. (Please note: this does not mean you need to have made contact with supervisors or obtained their approval in advance, it simply helps us when assessing your application).

If any of this information is missing or incomplete, it may delay consideration of your application.

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

When to apply

The application deadline for this programme is 15 January 2024 . However, to be considered for any LSE funding opportunity, you must have submitted your application and all supporting documents by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section for more details.

Fees and funding

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

Tuition fees 2024/25 for MRes/PhD International Development

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.  

Funding deadline for LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding: 15 January 2024

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.

Accepted students who are planning to use advanced quantitative analysis in their PhD research are required to take the summer Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics, particularly if you want to take advanced statistical courses.

Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics Provides the essential mathematical, statistical, economic and econometric background for the core Economics courses of these programmes.

First year (MRes)

The MRes programme is the entry point to doctoral research and is designed both to train you in development approaches and perspectives, and to provide significant flexibility to develop advanced methodological and theoretical skills within disciplinary specialisms appropriate to your research interests.

In addition, you will develop any necessary language skills and background knowledge of specific topics related to your research.

(* denotes a half unit)

Development History, Theory and Policy for Research Students* An interdisciplinary course that examines major trends, concepts and perspectives in the history and theory of development.

Research Design and Proposal in International Development You will work with your academic supervisors to structure a doctoral research proposal that has the potential to make a significant contribution to knowledge and that reflects a sophisticated mastery of advanced theoretical and methodological tools from one or more academic disciplines related to international development.

Research Design in International Development This course is designed for engagement with methodological and research design issues in international development research. Sessions are organised around methodological choices and research design (eg. inference, case studies, fieldwork challenges, and ethics), and involve presentation of research projects in the second term.

Methodology courses to the value of one unit

Methodology or theory courses to the value of 0.5 units

Subject to satisfactory performance, you will be upgraded to the PhD programme and will implement your research plan.

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

At the end of the first year you will complete the assessments for your courses and finalise your Research Prospectus, the provisional research plan for your PhD. If you achieve the required marks in your Research Prospectus and other assessments, as outlined in the progression requirements, you will be upgraded to the PhD part of the programme.

Your final award of the PhD 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 . 

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of International Development

Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £32,000          

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

• Government, Public Sector and Policy   
• Education, Teaching and Research            
• Health and Social Care  
• Consultancy      
• International Organisations

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. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Support for your career

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

Find out more about LSE

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

Experience LSE from home

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

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

LSE visits you

Student Marketing, 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, mres/phd political science.

Code(s) M1ZN

MPhil/PhD Social Policy

Code(s) L4ZA

MPhil/PhD Economic History

Code(s) V3ZE

Request a prospectus

• Name First name Last name
• Address Address Line 1 Address Line 2 City County Postcode Country

Speak to Admissions

Content to be supplied

Finished Papers

Why is writing essays so hard?

Patterns and boring topics imposed by schools and universities are not very conducive to creativity and human development. Such essays are very difficult to write, because many are not interested in this and do not see the meaning of the text. There are a number of criteria that make it impossible to write essays:

• Boring and incomprehensible topics. Many topics could be more interesting, but teachers formulate them in a way that makes you want to yawn.
• Templates. 90% do not know how to make an essay interesting, how to turn this detailed answer to a question into a living story.
• Fear of not living up to expectations. It seems to many that the essay is stupid and that they simply did not understand the question. There is a fear of getting a bad mark and disappointing the professor, parents and classmates. There is a fear of looking stupid and embarrassing in front of the team.
• Lack of experience. People don't know what and how to write about. In order to make a good essay, you need to have a perfect understanding of the topic and have the skills of a writer.

That is why the company EssaysWriting provides its services. We remove the responsibility for the result from the clients and do everything to ensure that the scientific work is recognized.

Customer Reviews