PhD programmes
As a postgraduate research student in Economics at Reading you will be part of a vibrant community, working alongside a thriving group of young and established researchers.
An introduction to the department
The Department of Economics has a long and established track record of research, working with a wide variety of industrial and academic partners to achieve significant social and economic benefits.
We are part of the larger School of Politics, Economics and International Relations. We have an active community of 20-30 PhD students.
World-leading research
The University is ranked 10th in the UK for our research impact for Business and Management Studies (Times Higher Education Institutions Ranked by Subject, 2014, based on its analysis of REF 2014), with 100% of both our research impact and research environment judged to be world-leading or internationally excellent. (Research Excellence Framework, 2014). Find out more on our research pages. Research activity within the Department is broad and extensive; apart from the core fields of microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics our research staff is actively involved in research into financial econometrics, development economics and housing.
We have active collaborations with other departments within the University as well as with external institutions.
Have an idea for a research proposal?
If you already have an idea for a research proposal then take a look at our staff profiles to find the right supervisor for you. You can email them directly before you submit a full proposal.
Available PhD opportunities
We are often looking for research students to undertake a selection of PhD projects within the Department. These are usually associated with a scholarship and offer funding opportunities.
How to apply
Find out more information on how to apply on the University of Reading's Graduate School website.
What we offer
We offer flexible modes of study designed to fit with your needs. Our PhD is available for study on a full-time basis over three to four years and part-time over four to six years. Both full-time and part-time variants are available for study in Reading or at a distance.
Conferences
Over the course of your PhD you will also be involved in opportunities to communicate your work and network with other researchers, present a seminar, speak at conferences and workshops, and visit or host researchers from elsewhere.
Training
In the first two years of your degree course, you will benefit from a programme of relevant postgraduate courses which will be agreed between you and your supervisor/s as well as a programme of transferable skills organised by the Graduate School.
The Graduate School
All postgraduate research students automatically become members of the University-wide Graduate School. The Graduate School provides training, professional development, study space, advice and administrative support in a dedicated building for the postgraduate research community at Reading.
Careers
Our PhD students go on to work in academia, but also quickly find employment in industry.
Research groups
Research in the department is organised into several research groups.
The Centre for Institutional Performance and Economic History (CIPEcH)
Research focuses on issues at the interface of economics, politics, sociology and history.
The International Centre for Housing and Urban Economics (ICHUE)
Current research concentrates on the dynamics of long-run urban change, housing market volatility and international migration.
The Economic Analysis Research Group (EARG)
This centre focuses on macroeconomics and econometrics, and recently organised workshops on methods in dynamic stochastic general equilibrium modelling and inflation forecasting.