MRes/PhD in Economics and Management

Gain the skills to conduct pioneering research on managerial economics on this rigorous, interdisciplinary training programme.

You’ll study a range of topics, from organisational economics to personnel economics, entrepreneurship and political economy. The curriculum includes comprehensive methodological training, with an opportunity to specialise in your chosen field. We have particular expertise in entrepreneurship, insurance markets, supply chains, firms and trade in developing countries, and behavioural economics.

You’ll begin on the master of research degree and move on to the PhD (subject to satisfactory progress). Drawing on our interdisciplinary strengths, you’ll have the chance to complete work that makes an original contribution to the field.

LSE is a globally renowned university ranked sixth in the world for social sciences and management. As a research-led department, we have a vibrant community of academics and students pursuing research in varied fields of management. We offer a limited number of studentships on this programme.

We're also ranked second in the UK by percentage of overall four and three stars in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

• Alfaro-Urena, A., Manelici, I., & Vasquez, J. P. (2022). The effects of joining multinational supply chains: New evidence from firm-to-firm linkages. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 137(3), 1495-1552.
• Alonso, R., Dessein, W., & Matouschek, N. (2008). When does coordination require centralization?. American Economic Review, 98(1), 145-179.
• Battiston, D., Blanes i Vidal, J., & Kirchmaier, T. (2021). Face-to-face communication in organizations. The Review of Economic Studies, 88(2), 574-609.
• Beraja, M., Kao, A., Yang, D. Y., & Yuchtman, N. (2023). AI-tocracy. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 138(3), 1349-1402.
• Bursztyn, L., Fiorin, S., Gottlieb, D., & Kanz, M. (2019). Moral incentives in credit card debt repayment: Evidence from a field experiment. Journal of Political Economy, 127(4), 1641-1683.
• Levine, R., & Rubinstein, Y. (2017). Smart and illicit: who becomes an entrepreneur and do they earn more?. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 132(2), 963-1018.
• Macchiavello, R., & Morjaria, A. (2015). The value of relationships: evidence from a supply shock to Kenyan rose exports. American Economic Review, 105(9), 2911-2945.
• Madarász, K. (2012). Information projection: Model and applications. The Review of Economic Studies, 79(3), 961-985.
• Paravisini, D., Rappoport, V., Schnabl, P., & Wolfenzon, D. (2015). Dissecting the effect of credit supply on trade: Evidence from matched credit-export data. The review of economic studies, 82(1), 333-359.
• Stanton, C. T., & Thomas, C. (2016). Landing the first job: The value of intermediaries in online hiring. The Review of Economic Studies, 83(2), 810-854.

GRE requirement

The GRE is required for all applicants. We don't require a specific GRE overall score but the test gives us an indication of your aptitude for our programmes.

A strong GRE score will count in your favour, but other information, such as your research interests, your examination results, previous qualifications and references are central to our overall evaluation of your application. We recognise that if your first language is not English, the verbal test will be more demanding and we view your score on that basis.

Your score should be less than five years old on 1 October 2025 and must show full and percentile scores for all three sections.

Find out more about GRE/GMAT including requirements and submission of test scores, and LSE’s institution codes.

Pre-sessional

You'll be expected to participate in pre-sessional course before the start of the academic year. This course is run by the Department of Economics and includes three compulsory units in Static Optimisation and Fixed Points, Dynamic Programming and Differential Equations and Probability and Statistical Inference. The course starts in late August and finishes with exams in each unit at the end of September the week before the start of the academic year.

Year 1

In the first year of your MRes you'll focus on skills training in Micro and Macro Economics, Econometrics, Statistics and Modelling. Courses are all taken in the Department of Economics. Alongside you'll attend the seminar course A Social Sciences Perspective of Academic Research in Management. This seminar is run within the Department of Management for research students and will develop your understanding of the diversity of specialisms within the Department of Management and develop your critical analysis skills. You'll be invited to attend Managerial Economics and Strategy Faculty Group Seminars and have regular meetings with your Programme Director.

You'll take compulsory courses in The Economics of Organisations and Institutions and choose an additional elective course in Economics or Managerial Economics depending on your intellectual requirements and preferences. You complete a supervised research paper in your field of interest which will form an important element in your upgrade to PhD. You join the Organisational and Institutional Economics Progress Seminars where research students present their work to faculty and peers in the field.

During the second year you'll also engage in two active research short projects, called Research Practicums, with different members of Faculty within the Managerial Economics and Strategy Faculty Research Group. The rotation of practicum assignments will include one-to-one training and collaboration that provides you better understanding of the research process, such as literature reviews, applied research methods, coding and data analysis and evaluating findings and implications. It'll also give the opportunity to interact and get to know different members of the faculty group.

Having successfully completed your MRes and met the regulatory requirements you'll upgrade to PhD candidate at the start of your third year on the programme. You'll work on developing your PhD thesis proposal, continue with your research and take a further taught course in Economics or Management. You continue participating in the Organisational and Institutional Economics Work in Progress Seminars.

You'll focus on your PhD Thesis, research and writing papers for presentation at conferences and publication and continue to participate in your Faculty Group seminars.

At the start of your final year, you'll present your final year plan which outlines your timetable to completion and submission of your thesis, and actively engage and promote yourself in the job market.

Our mission

Welcome to the Department of Management. Our mission is to inspire superior management practices by fostering a comprehensive understanding of individuals, teams, organisations, and markets, along with the psychological, social, political, and technological contexts that influence them.

By studying with us, you'll gain access to a world-leading centre for education and research, uniquely positioned within a world-class social science institution at the heart of a truly global city.

The environment

Join a vibrant intellectual community comprising world-renowned faculty, astute students, dedicated and responsive professional services staff, and high achieving alumni. Through pioneering research and high-level teaching, you'll receive comprehensive, intensive, and rigorous methodological training to help you become an expert in your specialist fields.

The rich and culturally diverse learning environment at LSE’s Department of Management, will not only enrich your experience through developing a broad perspective and understanding, but also unlock an invaluable network of global peers.

Create a better world

We go beyond the boundaries of a traditional business school by integrating diverse disciplines such as economics, marketing, data, and analytics. Our comprehensive approach ensures that students gain a profound and multifaceted understanding of the business world, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to excel in a dynamic global environment.

Join us in our vision to create a better world, where a profound understanding of management drives positive change in both business and society.

Discover more about our programmes and research.

Department of Management

Who's who

Jordi Blanes i Vidal

Programme Director

The application deadline for this programme is 15 January 2025.

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

You'll need to meet certain criteria to progress to each subsequent year of the programme, such as achieving certain grades in your coursework and engaging in all aspects of the programme.

Your final award will be determined by the completion of an original research theses and a viva oral examination.

Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career.

Browse the careers and placements of previous Department of Management PhD students

Teaching

The department aims to give all qualified doctoral students the opportunity to teach. Developing teaching skills and experience is an important component of the students' career development and prepare you for future academic roles. To make this experience as valuable as possible we draw on the support from the LSE's Teaching and Learning Centre.

Throughout the programme, you're expected to participate in Managerial Economics and Strategy Faculty Research Group research workshops, enabling you to grow familiar with the process of presenting and discussing academic papers with experienced faculty, and provide opportunities for networking. Funding is also available for you to attend and present papers at academic conferences.

LSE Careers has a team dedicated to PhD students offering a wide range of resources and advice. You'll receive regular updates on career events and workshops offered by LSE Careers and the LSE’s PhD Academy. Research based employment opportunities are communicated to students in our newsletters and email updates.

All career services are available to PhD students, and for PhD alumni for up to five years after completing your PhD.

Browse LSE’s wide range of services for PhD students and research staff