A PhD in Economics consists of two years of coursework, followed by a thesis which is expected to take three years. The coursework requirement involves three PhD-level core courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, three field courses and a supervised research paper.

Programme Structure - MRes

Programme code: TMRESEC

Department: Economics

For students starting this programme of study in 2024/25

Guidelines for interpreting programme regulations

Classification scheme for the award of a taught master's degree (five units)
Exam sub-board local rules

Please note that places are limited on some optional courses. Admission onto any particular course is not guaranteed and can be subject to timetabling constraints and/or students meeting specific prerequisite requirements.

First Year MRes
Introductory course	All students are required to attend the following introductory course in Year 1:
	EC400 Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics (0.0) #
	Students are required to take the following MRes core courses:
Paper 1	EC441 Microeconomics for MRes students (1.0) #
Paper 2	EC442 Macroeconomics for MRes students (1.0)
Paper 3	EC443 Econometrics for MRes students (1.0) # or
	EC484 Econometric Analysis (1.0) # * A
	Students who have completed EC484 to the required standard as part of their MSc do not have to take the course again. To substitute for EC484, students will take one unit from the following Field Selection List. The EC484 mark will be carried forward to count as the Paper 3 mark for progression to PhD registration. It will not count towards the award of the MRes degree:
	Field Selection List
Second year or higher MRes
Students are required to take:
Paper 4	EC599 Research Paper in Economics (1.0) B
Papers 5 & 6	Courses to the value of 2.0 unit(s) from the following:
	Field Selection List
Students are required to attend:
A.	The following seminar where they must present their research:
	EC501 Work in Progress Seminars (0.0)
B.	The weekly departmental seminar series closest to their major field.

Prerequisite Requirements and Mutually Exclusive Options

* means available with permission

# means there may be prerequisites for this course. Please view the course guide for more information.

Footnotes

A : Permission must be obtained to sit EC484: it is intended for students with a strong econometric background and an interest in pursuing a PhD with econometrics as the primary field.

B : The EC599 Research Paper must be 5,000 - 10,000 words in length.

Programme Structure - PhD

Programme code: RPEC2

First year PhD Programme Students who have been upgraded to PhD are required to work on their research and write a PhD thesis. In addition they are required to take:
Paper 7	Courses to the value of 1.0 unit(s) from the following:
	Field Selection List
Students are also required to attend:
A.	The following seminar where they must present their research:
	EC501 Work in Progress Seminars (0.0)
B.	The weekly departmental seminar series closest to their major field.
Students are required to work on their research and to write a PhD thesis.
Second and subsequent years PhD Programme
Students are required to attend:
A.	The following seminar where they must present their research:
	EC501 Work in Progress Seminars (0.0)
B.	The weekly departmental seminar series closest to their major field.
Students are required to work on their research and to write a PhD thesis.

Prerequisite Requirements and Mutually Exclusive Options

# means there may be prerequisites for this course. Please view the course guide for more information.

Progression to Year 2 of MRes in Economics
In order to progress unconditionally from the first to the second year of MRes registration, students are required to achieve pass marks of 50% or higher in Papers 1, 2 and 3. With the permission of the MRes Programme Director, students missing the overall progression requirement by one paper may proceed to the second year, but will subsequently need to re-sit and pass the paper to the necessary standard for the award of the MRes degree and for progression to PhD registration at the end of year 2.  Students missing the progression requirement by more than one paper are required to pass those papers to the necessary standard before progression to the second year can be permitted.

Timing of Paper 7

While Paper 7 will generally be taken after progression to the PhD, students who have successfully progressed to Year 2 of the MRes programme may be permitted, with the approval of the Doctoral Programme Director, to take one or both half units of Paper 7 in their second year.

For students who have taken one or both units of Paper 7 in their second year the progression and award regulations are adjusted as follows:

MRes award - Students are required to achieve a pass mark of 50% in Papers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 50% or higher in courses to the value of 1.0 unit in courses taken from Papers 5, 6 and any courses taken towards paper 7. Fail marks in courses to the value of 1.0 unit (but not bad fails of 29% or less) can be compensated by 60% or higher in courses to the value of 1.0 unit.

Progression to PhD registration - For PhD registration students are required to achieve 60% or higher in courses to the value of 4.0 units and 50% or higher in courses to the value of 2.0 units in MRes Papers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and any courses taken towards paper 7, with 60% or higher achieved in at least two of MRes core Papers 1, 2, and 3.

Progression to Year 2 of PhD  for students who complete Paper 7 in Year 2 of the MRes – In order to progress to the second year of PhD students are required to obtain an aggregate score of at least 300 in the six half units for Papers 5-7, with no bad fails of 29% or less. 

Award of the MRes in Economics
The award and classification of the MRes degree is consistent with the School's Scheme for the Award of a five-unit Taught Master's Degree. Students are required to achieve 50% or higher in Papers 1, 2, 3, 4 and in any two half units taken under Papers 5 or 6.

The eight classification marks from Papers 1 - 4 and further two highest marks (to the value of 1.0 unit) from Papers 5 or 6 will be used to determine the degree classification. Fail marks in courses to the value of 1.0 unit (but not bad fails of 29% or less) can be compensated by marks of 60% or higher in courses to the value of 1.0 unit, or an aggregate mark of 440 in the non-failed papers. Compensation shall result in a drop in the overall award classification where a Distinction or Merit would otherwise have been awarded. It shall have no further impact where a Pass is to be awarded.

Progression to PhD registration

For PhD registration students are required to achieve 60% or higher in courses to the value of 4.0 units and 50% or higher in courses to the value of 2.0 units across MRes Papers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, with 60% or higher achieved in at least two of MRes core Papers 1, 2, and 3.

Condoning marks: A mark between 55 - 59% in one of the Papers 1, 2 or 3 can be condoned by a mark of 70% or higher in another from Papers 1, 2, 3 or from a mark of 70% or higher in Paper 4 (the EC599 research paper).

Students missing the overall progression requirement in courses to the value of 1.0 unit are permitted to progress to PhD registration, but will subsequently need to re-sit and pass the courses to the value of 1.0 unit to the necessary standard to continue their PhD registration.

Students missing the progression requirement by more than one unit are required to pass the courses to the necessary standard before PhD registration can be permitted.

Students failing a paper or missing progression marks will have to retake the courses within one year of the initial assessment. In exceptional circumstances, the MRes/PhD Economics Examination sub-board can grant permission to a candidate to resit at the next available opportunity. Students can resit courses only once.

Students registered for the PhD remain subject to the relevant MRes regulations for any courses or examinations they are completing. Students who have been permitted to progress onto the PhD without satisfying the complete progression standard will have their PhD registration discontinued if they fail to reach this standard at re-sit.

A student can appeal against the Department's decision on progression to PhD according to the Appeals Regulations for Research Students.

Progression to Year 2 of PhD
In order to progress to the second year of PhD registration students are required to achieve an aggregate of at least 100 in the two half-units taken for Paper 7, with no bad fails of 29% or less.

Award of the PhD in Economics
Award of the PhD is contingent on progression requirements within the PhD and on the completion and defence of an original research thesis, in accordance with LSE regulations.

Special provisions for students who have completed an MSc degree within the Economics Department at LSE

Students who have completed EC484 to the required standard as part of their MSc do not have to take the course again. To substitute for EC484, students will take courses to the value of 1.0 unit from the Field Selection List. The EC484 mark will be carried forward to count as the Paper 3 mark for progression to PhD registration. It will not count towards the award of the MRes degree.

With the approval of the Doctoral Programme Director, students who have completed an MSc degree within the Economics department at LSE will exceptionally be permitted to take their PhD qualifying field course (Paper 5) in the first year of the MRes.

Departmental Guidelines

The Department of Economics’ guidelines state that a thesis can be either an integrated contribution or a series of distinct papers, provided that each paper advances the knowledge of the subject significantly and demonstrates originality and depth.

There is no minimum or maximum number of chapters for a thesis, but it should not exceed 100,000 words, including footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices.

Your thesis must meet the following criteria to be accepted for submission:  

• It must consist of at least three substantive core chapters containing distinct research contributions. At least one of these core chapters should be single authored. 
• The core chapters must demonstrate the capacity to do original research that meets professional standards of competence.
• It may contain some joint work, but we recommend that at least two chapters of the whole thesis should be single authored, in addition to at least one of the core chapters.
• It should review the literature in the area, but a literature review chapter does not count as a substantive contribution in its own right.

The thesis examiners will ultimately determine whether a thesis is acceptable. Your supervisor(s) will be able to give you the best advice on whether a paper is of suitable substance for a thesis chapter.

School Guidelines

In order to ensure that a thesis adheres to the School's regulations (see page 4), you should also ensure that:

• The introduction chapter and a conclusion chapter interpret and critically evaluate the main findings in your own words;
• Jointly authored work is identified as such: you must clearly state your personal share in the investigation. The supervisor must certify this statement.
• Jointly authored work is introduced and interpreted in your own words.
• Outside editorial assistance for the thesis does not exceed the parameters outlined in the LSE's Statement on editorial help with a PhD thesis.
• Before you consider submitting your thesis, see the Regulations for Research Degrees in the Research section of the Calendar.

Editorial help with your thesis

You might wish to seek help from a third party in editing your thesis before you submit it for examination. You will need to read the School’s Statement on Editorial Help, provide a copy of it to any third party you use and declare what help you have received from a third party in the front pages of your thesis (see template for front pages of your thesis).

Note for prospective students:
For changes to graduate course and programme information for the next academic session, please see the graduate summary page for prospective students. Changes to course and programme information for future academic sessions can be found on the graduate summary page for future students.