MPhil/PhD Environmental Economics

The MPhil/PhD in Environmental Economics programme offers the chance to undertake a substantial piece of research which makes an original contribution to the field of environmental economics and is worthy of publication.

Students are first registered on the MPhil, and will need to meet certain requirements to be upgraded to PhD student status. The programme culminates with an examination/viva in which your work is scrutinised by two experts in the area of research in which you've specialised.

Over the last two decades, the tools of economic analysis have become indispensable in analysing environmental problems and providing the basis for developing sustainable policy solutions. With rising employment opportunities in this field, student demand has also grown for doctoral courses offering rigorous, state-of-the-art training in environmental, natural resource and climate change economics. The MPhil/PhD Programme in Environmental Economics responds to this increased demand and builds on growing research at LSE in environmental, resource and climate change economics, and other related subjects. In particular, the Department of Geography and Environment currently has the largest group of full-time academic environmental economists in any UK university, and one of the largest internationally. Importantly, the department enjoys close links with the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy.

The MPhil/PhD Environmental Economics aims to:

• provide advanced knowledge of the principles and conceptual foundations of environmental economics
• equip you with the analytical tools and methodological understanding needed to develop original research in the field
• expose you to the most recent developments and debates in environmental and natural resource economics
• prepare you for careers in research and academia, international organisations, the private/consultancy sector, NGOs, or governmental institutions.

Students cannot repeat courses which they have already taken. Where such courses are compulsory for this programme, students may take alternative courses, subject to agreement with supervisors and approval from the programme director.

At the end of your second year (full-time), you'll need to satisfy certain requirements and if you meet these, will be retroactively upgraded to PhD status.

Our department is highly regarded both nationally and internationally – ranked second for Geography in the QS World University Rankings 2024.

Here at LSE, we offer a unique opportunity to study geography in a university with a worldwide reputation in the social sciences. We specialise in economic, urban and development geography, environmental social science and climate change, all with a strong emphasis on real-world applications.

Many of our academics are internationally renowned in their fields. You’ll find a good balance of experienced and younger academics in the department. Within the team, we’ve had three holders of the highly prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize Fellowships for researchers under the age of 36.

Our research is interdisciplinary and international in its scope and we work closely with academics from several other departments at LSE. Teaching staff are active within the following research centres:

• Cañada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies
• Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy
• Centre for Economic Performance
• Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
• LSE London
• Middle East Centre
• Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre
• Transition Pathway Initiative Centre
• What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth

Based in the heart of London opposite Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the department offers a lively, welcoming and supportive community for students and staff.
Learn more about our undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD study opportunities, as well as our research.

Department of Geography and Environment

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of our staff at LSE. For this reason, we recommend that you take a look at our staff research interests before applying.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications)
• statement of academic purpose
• references
• CV
• outline research proposal
• sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Please note that LSE allows part-time PhD study only under limited circumstances. If you wish to study part-time, you should mention this (and the reasons for it) in your statement of academic purpose, and discuss it at interview if you're shortlisted.

The application deadline for this programme is 22 May 2025.

However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline.

See the fees and funding section below for more details.

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with fee levels recommended by the Research Councils.

Learn more about fee status classification.

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, four per cent each year).

Learn more about fee status classification.

Progression and assessment

Once on the MPhil/PhD programme you'll go through a First Year Progress Review taking place in the Spring Term of your first research year. This is Year 1 for students in the +3 programme and Year 2 for students in the 1+3 programme. For the First Year Progress Review, you must submit a written progress report containing an extensive and updated research proposal (typically including an introduction to the topic and motivation for the research; aims and objectives/research questions; contribution to knowledge; summary of methods to be used; and outline of the work to be done) and either a comprehensive literature review or a substantive draft of a chapter/paper as evidence of progress made during the year. Normally, there will be a progress review meeting between you and the supervisors to discuss the written material presented. The work has to reach an acceptable standard to enable you to progress. There is provision for a second Supplementary Review in cases where there are doubts as to whether progress has been sufficient to allow entry to the second year (third year of the 1+3 programme). Progression to the second year (third year of the 1+3 programme) is also dependent on you having passed all required examinations and obtained at least one merit, and having presented your work satisfactorily in the doctoral presentation workshops.

All research students are initially registered for an MPhil and have to be upgraded to PhD status. The upgrade from MPhil to PhD usually occurs during the second year of full-time registration. This is Year 2 for students in the +3 programme and Year 3 for students in the 1+3 route. The exact timing depends on your progress. You're required to submit a formal written upgrade report consisting of an extensive revised research proposal, two substantive draft papers/chapters, of which one can be a literature review, and a detailed plan for completion. You'll be asked to discuss your research paper/thesis outline during an Upgrade Meeting in front of an Upgrading Committee normally formed by your main supervisor, your review supervisor and a third member of staff with relevant expertise. The material is evaluated by the Upgrading Committee, who will recommend transferral to PhD registration if your work is judged to be of sufficient quality and quantity. The upgrade is also dependent on you having completed all required training courses and having made a satisfactory research presentation in your doctoral presentation workshop.

In addition to these formal arrangements, each year during the Spring Term and throughout the course of your studies, you and your supervisors have to complete a yearly Progress Report Form, detailing progress made, problems arising and plan/timeline for completion. The forms are sent to the relevant Doctoral Programme Director for approval before you are able to re-register for the following session. If perceived lack of progress is identified, it can trigger a more formal annual review of progress in which you will be asked to produce specific written documents to be evaluated by a review panel.

We prepare students for a variety of careers: in academia; international organisations such as the World Bank, OECD, UNEP or European Commission; private/consultancy sector (eg, renewable energy firms, water companies, environment consultancies, etc), NGOs or high-profile positions in governmental institutions.

Previous graduates of the programme have gone on to positions in the following institutions:

• international institutions: World Bank in Washington DC, The European Commission
• consultancy: Vivid economics (London)
• academia and research: Assistant Professor in Economics, University of Virginia; Brighton University; Grantham Research Institute
• NGOs: Flowminder Foundation, Stockholm.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.