Economics PhD

• High Academic Merit: The programme is designed to train you to conduct research of the highest academic quality, making significant and original contributions to the field
• International Reputation: The Department of Economics enjoys an international reputation for research excellence
• Supportive Environment: You'll benefit from a dedicated supervisory team, regular feedback, and a vibrant academic community
• Professional Development: The programme encourages participation in seminars, workshops, and conferences, both within and outside the university, enhancing your professional network and exposure to new ideas

Core requirements include Advanced Research Methods in Economics, with strong recommendations to complement this with Advanced Research Training in Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Econometrics. Recognising the diverse needs of doctoral researchers, the programme offers flexibility, allowing you to substitute one course (excluding Advanced Research Methods) from the Department's suite of MSc programmes.

You will be actively integrated into the Department's intellectual community, with structured opportunities to broaden your scholarly horizons. This involves participating in departmental seminars that showcase cutting-edge research across diverse economic sub-disciplines, engaging in PhD workshops that develop critical research skills, and presenting at conferences organised by our Research Groups and prestigious external institutions.

As part of your doctoral development, you will produce a comprehensive literature survey and a detailed research proposal. This foundational work will be presented at a dedicated PhD workshop, setting the trajectory for your supervised research and culminating in a thesis.

These experiences are designed to challenge your intellectual boundaries, expose you to emerging methodologies and theoretical innovations, and help you develop the sophisticated academic network crucial for a successful research career in economics.

If you want to pursue your own research project, you can apply to our research programmes to propose this. This is self-funded, although scholarships are available.

Research proposal

If you are proposing your own research topic, you will need to submit a research proposal. It’s a key part of your application, so take your time. Your potential supervisors will use it to decide if your research is something they can support.

Your proposal should be a clear and concise summary of your research. It generally consists of an outline of your proposed research project, including your main research questions and the methods you intend to use.

You should also comment on the potential impact and importance of your intended research and on how your work would interact with current trends in your academic field. It should illustrate the relevance of your topic to the research interests and expertise of the staff within your chosen department.

Find an Advertised PhD

Find a PhD project that suits your interests by using our FindAPhD tool.

Find a supervisor

If you’d rather propose your own research, the first step is to find your supervisor. We encourage you to browse the biographies of faculty members to familiarise yourself with the research going on in your preferred areas. Each of these contains detailed information on research interests, current projects and recent publications.

When you apply, you can suggest one or two potential supervisors, who you think might be a good fit for you. However, this is not essential. If you know what you want to work on, but are unsure on supervisors, you can indicate this in your application and the PhD Programme Director will study your proposal in detail, and judge who is best suited to be your supervisory team.

English language requirements

If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification or a Presessional English course.

For this course we require IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band, which is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 95 overall with no less than 22 in any component
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 76 with no less than 67 in all four skills
• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency - minimum overall score of 185, with no less than 176 in any component
• LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): C1 'Expert' with no less than 25 in each skill

Funding options

Apply for a PhD that already has funding attached

These are most common in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) subjects, but they can sometimes be available for pre-defined research projects in the arts, humanities or social sciences. These may be advertised as fully funded (with fees and a stipend) or competition funded, meaning the projects compete against other projects at each institution.

Self-fund, or search for funding or a studentship

You devise your own PhD topic, find and consult with a potential supervisor, explore funding opportunities, write a research proposal and apply to the relevant programme. Our Postgraduate Scholarships and Funding database lists all available funding.

A limited number of scholarships and studentships may be available to outstanding applicants. For further information, please explore our scholarships and funding database.

If you are applying to an ‘advertised PhD’, please check the details of the specific research project for application deadlines.

If you are submitting your own research proposal, applications are accepted all year round. However, if you wish to start in September, we would encourage you to apply by 1 June. Whilst you are still welcome to apply after this date, it is important to allow time for us to review your application.

If you are seeking funding, please be aware that the majority of funding opportunities have deadlines in early spring so we would encourage you to apply as early as possible.

We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Careers Network

At Birmingham, we prepare our researchers to make an impact across every sector of society. Our PhD graduates are global change-makers: advancing knowledge, shaping policy, leading industries, and educating future generations.

You'll benefit from dedicated careers support tailored to your unique paths. Our expert team of Careers Advisers, including a dedicated postgraduate research adviser, offer one-to-one guidance to help researchers navigate career decisions both within and beyond academia.

Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one to one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters.

We also offer subject specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.

Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.