Economics

Run by	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law
Awards available	PhD
Programme length	Four years full-time (minimum period of study three years); seven years part-time.
Location of programme	Clifton campus
Part-time study available	Yes
Start date	Most students will start in October 2020, however other dates can be considered.

Programme overview

The Department of Economics carries out research into most of the major fields of economics. It has a distinctive focus and reputation, combining high-level advances in economic theory, structural modelling and econometrics with innovative research in public policy.

The quality of the department's research has been evident in the most recent research assessments. In the Times Higher Education analysis of the latest Research Excellence Framework (2014), the Department of Economics was ranked sixth in the UK, with a high proportion of its research activity rated in the top category.

Fees for 2021/22

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2021/22 are as follows:

UK: full-time: £4,475
UK: part-time: £2,238
Overseas (including EU): full-time: £18,900
Channel Islands/Isle of Man: full-time: £9,475

Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to a five per cent increase in fees each year. Find out more about tuition fees.

Alumni scholarship

University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a ten per cent reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni scholarship.

Funding for 2021/22

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Law has an allocation of 1+3 and +3 ESRC scholarships. Please visit the school website for more information.

Further information on funding for prospective UK, EU and international postgraduate students.

Entry requirements

The standard entry route into the PhD is from the MRes Economics programme, conditional on academic results and the availability of supervision. Candidates with an MRes or MPhil Economics degree from another institution, or a very strong MSc Economics or equivalent degree, can also be considered for direct entry into the PhD programme. Applicants whose master's-level studies have been outside Europe, the US and Canada are strongly recommended to provide GRE scores.

See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you need to meet this profile level:
Profile B
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.

Admissions statement

Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.

Admissions statement

Research groups

Most research is carried out within five main research areas:

econometrics
economic theory
labour economics
macroeconomics, growth and development
public organisation and applied microeconomics.

Further details of the current research and supervision interests of individual members of staff are available on the school website.

Careers

Many of our PhD graduates pursue careers in research, in academia or elsewhere. The programme also provides you with a sound basis for careers in finance, business management, public service or teaching. More information on graduate destinations can be found on the school website.

Staff profiles

Dr Patrick Arni, (Senior Lecturer), Applied microeconometrics Programme evaluation; Empirical analysis of behavioural data; Empirical analysis of social insurance (unemployment insurance, welfare, etc); Labour economics

Dr Erlend Berg, (Senior Lecturer), Development economics; Household finance and insurance; Public services; Randomised-controlled trials

Professor Simon Burgess, (Professor), Empirical analysis in education; Empirical labour economics.

Professor Edmund Cannon, (Professor), Economic history, typically quantitative but not exclusively so, with an emphasis on economic growth, agriculture, banking or insurance ; Economics of pensions, particularly involving life insurance and annuity markets

Dr Sek-yu Choi, (Senior Lecturer), Income and wealth inequality ; Labour markets and macroeconomics

Dr Pawel Doligalski, (Lecturer), Optimal taxation; Optimal taxation Dynamic contract theory; Theoretical and quantitative macroeconomics

Professor Francesco Giovannoni, (Professor), Auctions and mechanism design; Constitutional issues; Economic History; Microeconomics Theory; Political Economy; Politicians and bureaucrats; Signalling games; Special interests and corruption; Theoretical political economics

Professor Paul Grout, (Professor), Competition law; Privatisation and regulation; Public-private partnerships; The public-private interface.

Dr Majia Halonen-Akatwijuka, (Senior Lecturer), Foreign aid; Public sector institutions and reforms; The property rights theory of the firm and its applications.

Professor Tai-Wei Hu, (Professor)

Dr Alessandro Iaria, (Lecturer)

Professor Gregory Jolivet, (Professor), Labour economics and microeconometrics.

Dr Christoph Koenig, (Lecturer)

Dr Leandro Magalhaes, (Lecturer), Empirical research in Political Economics and Development; Public economics and applied econometrics.

Dr David Pacini, (Lecturer), Theoretical and applied econometrics.

Professor In-Uck Park, (Leverhulme Professor of Industrial Organisation), Contract theory; Game theory; Industrial organisation (theory); Information economics; Intellectual property; Network economics.

Dr Alireza Sepahsalari, (Lecturer), Firm Dynamics; Macroeconomics, with a focus on labour and financial markets, search and matching; Optimal Unemployment Insurance

Dr Hans Sievertsen, (Senior Lecturer)

Professor Helen Simpson, (Professor), Empirical urban economics; Productivity and innovation

Professor Sarah Smith, (Professor, Head of Department), Economics of charities and charitable giving; Empirical analysis of public policy.

Dr Senay Sokullu, (Senior Lecturer), Econometrics; Empirical industrial organisation; Nonparametric econometrics.

Dr Sami Stouli, (Lecturer), Theoretical and applied econometrics

Dr Hélène Turon, (Reader), Labour economics.

Dr Christine Valente, (Reader), Empirical analysis of education and health in developing countries.

Professor Stephanie von Hinke, (Professor), Applied microeconometrics; Health economics

Professor Deborah Wilson, (Reader), Public service delivery and performance.

Dr Julia Wirtz, (Lecturer)

Dr Yanos Zylberberg, (Lecturer), Development economics; Labour economics; Macroeconomics

How to apply

Application deadline:

We welcome applications for admission at any time of year, though early application is advised.

There may be deadlines related to particular sources of funding. For further information on funding opportunities and deadlines, visit the School of Economics website.