Course summary

The Economics PhD is designed to train you to conduct research of high academic merit and to make important and original contributions to the subject. The Department of Economics enjoys an international reputation for research of the highest quality. The commitment to research that exists within the Department of Economics has been underlined by the results of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 exercise. Economics placed 6th out of 28 institutions in the REF 2014 subject ranking on intensity. Research is integral to the School strategy with 90% of academic colleagues in the Department of Economics having research submitted for review. Doctoral researchers are expected to participate to the fullest possible extent in the life of the Department. Amongst other things this means attending seminars organised by the Department thereby helping expose doctoral researchers to new ideas emanating from outside their own area of specialisation. It also requires actively participating in PhD workshops and conferences organised by Research Groups and institutions outside the University of Birmingham. Ultimately all doctoral researchers will have the ability to identify and pursue cutting edge research questions, characterise and solve economic problems using advanced mathematical tools, and test hypotheses using highly sophisticated statistical techniques. They should be able to derive policy implications from their research and communicate these to policy makers in a manner which is comprehensible. They will also be able to peer review others’ research and offer constructive criticism, and to extend the frontiers of the discipline through their own innovative research. Doctoral researchers may choose to become academics, work in Government, supranational organisations or in the research arms of major financial institutions. They are expected to achieve a substantial understanding of contemporaneous economic issues enabling them to take a lead in ongoing debates within society. They will be aware of and understand the function of key economic institutions and be capable of explaining stylised economic facts to diverse audiences.