Program Overview

Economics and Finance MPhil/PhD

The MPhil/PhD in Economics and Finance will train you to conduct research of a high academic standard and to make original contributions to the subject. The degree involves both coursework and research training, but its major component is the preparation of a substantial research thesis. The thesis should demonstrate a sound understanding of the main issues in the area and add to existing knowledge.

Course Overview

An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research.

Key Information

• Economics and Finance MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time, on campus, starting
  • Year of entry:
  • Start date: October 2026, January 2027, April 2027
  • Duration: Seven years
  • Full-time or part-time: Part-time
  • Style of study: On campus
  • Status: Fully Approved
  • Awarding body: University of London
  • Attendance: Regular meetings with your supervisor(s)
• Economics and Finance MPhil/PhD: 4 years full-time, on campus, starting
  • Year of entry:
  • Start date: October 2026, January 2027, April 2027
  • Duration: Four years
  • Full-time or part-time: Full-time
  • Style of study: On campus
  • Status: Fully Approved
  • Awarding body: University of London
  • Attendance: Regular meetings with your supervisor(s)
• Economics and Finance MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time, online, starting
  • Year of entry:
  • Start date: October 2026, January 2027, April 2027
  • Duration: Seven years
  • Full-time or part-time: Part-time
  • Style of study: Online
  • Status: Fully Approved
  • Awarding body: University of London
  • Attendance: Regular meetings with your supervisor(s)
• Economics and Finance MPhil/PhD: 4 years full-time, online, starting
  • Year of entry:
  • Start date: October 2026, January 2027, April 2027
  • Duration: Four years
  • Full-time or part-time: Full-time
  • Style of study: Online
  • Status: Fully Approved
  • Awarding body: University of London
  • Attendance: Regular meetings with your supervisor(s)

Highlights

• Birkbeck's research excellence was confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, with 83% of research rated world-leading or internationally excellent overall. We were also ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for our Economics and Econometrics research.
• The Birkbeck Centre for Applied Macroeconomics is a research centre which aims to consolidate and publicise research in macroeconomics and monetary economics. The centre hosts regular seminars and workshops and prestigious visiting scholars.

Entry Requirements

• An MSc in economics/finance or a related quantitative subject, with Distinction or a good pass.
• Applicants should also submit a research proposal which is in line with the research interests of our academic staff in this area.
• Qualities such as good time management and the ability to cope under pressure are vital.
• A strong background in quantitative methods is required.

English Language Requirements

• If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.
• If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement, we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Visa and Funding Requirements

• If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.
• The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:
  • Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
  • Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa
• International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

Fees

Economics and Finance MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus or online, starting in academic year

• Academic year 2026–27, starting October 2026, January 2027, April 2027: To be confirmed

Economics MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus or online, starting in academic year

• Academic year 2025–26, starting April 2026:
  • Part-time home students: £2,656 per year
  • Full-time home students: £5,006 per year
  • Part-time international students: £7,870 per year
  • Full-time international students: £15,570 per year
• Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.

Our Research Culture

New full-time MPhil/PhD students are required to attend a series of lectures and research workshops, covering topics that are at the cutting edge of recent developments in economic theory and methodology. You also select option classes from the MSc Economics, MSc Financial Economics or MSc Finance at Birkbeck. After completing coursework, you proceed to write a PhD dissertation.

How to Apply

1. Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements, as described on this page.
2. Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research. You can look at the Find a Supervisor area on this page for an overview, or search our Experts' Database or browse our staff pages for more in-depth information.
3. Contact the academic member of staff - or the department they teach in - for an informal discussion about your research interests and to establish if they are willing and able to supervise your research.
4. Draft a research proposal. This needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the field, the specific research questions you wish to pursue, and how your ideas will lead to the creation of new knowledge and understanding.
5. Apply directly to Birkbeck, using the online application link.

Application Deadlines and Interviews

• You can apply at any time for study starting in January, April or October. We need to receive your supporting documents (i.e. your transcript, two academic references and research proposal) before we can proceed with your application.
• If you wish to apply for funding, you will need to apply by certain deadlines. Consult the websites of relevant bodies for details.

Finding a Supervisor

When applying for a PhD, aligning your intellectual and research interests with those of potential supervisors is crucial for the productive and successful start of a research career. Supervisors are your primary academic contact in the School and provide guidance on how to define, develop, execute and present your research. Often, they also assist in your professional placement upon completion of the PhD.

Academic Staff by Broad Research Area:

• Microeconomic theory: Arup Daripa, Ken Hori, David Schröder, Emanuela Sciubba
• Applied microeconomics: Camille Boudot-Reddy, Arup Daripa, Emanuela Sciubba, Tinghua Yu, Sandeep Kapur
• Macroeconomic theory: Yunus Aksoy, Pedro Gomes, Gylfi Zoega
• Applied macroeconomics: Yunus Aksoy, Pedro Gomes, Zacharias Psaradakis, Andy Ross, Ron Smith, Stephen Wright
• Competition, regulation and public policy: Alistair Ball, Walter Beckert, Arup Daripa, Dan Kaliski, Sandeep Kapur, Andy Ross, Tinghua Yu
• Health economics: Alistair Ball, Walter Beckert, Camille Boudot-Reddy, Dan Kaliski
• Political economy: Camille Boudot-Reddy, Ron Smith, Tinghua Yu
• Development economics: Camille Boudot-Reddy
• Labour economics: Alastair Ball, Pedro Gomes, Gylfi Zoega
• Econometrics: Walter Beckert, José Camarena-Brenes, Dan Kaliski, Zacharias Psaradakis
• Finance: Ken Hori, Simon Hubbert, Emmanuel Mamatzakis, Ilaria Peri, David Schröder, Emanuela Sciubba, Ellen Pei-yi Yu
• Quantitative finance: Ken Hori, Simon Hubbert, Ilaria Peri

Academic Staff and Their Key Areas of Interest and Expertise:

• Yunus Aksoy: theoretical and empirical macroeconomics; monetary economics; macroeconomics of ageing populations.
• Alastair Ball: health economics; labour economics.
• Walter Beckert: theoretical and applied econometrics; empirical industrial organisation; financial markets regulation; health economics.
• Camille Boudot-Reddy: economic development; political economy; applied microeconomics; structural change.
• José Camarena-Brenes: theoretical and applied statistics.
• Arup Daripa: mechanism design; auctions; financial markets; banking.
• Pedro Gomes: macroeconomics of fiscal policy; macroeconomics of labour markets; public sector employment; education and human capital; macroeconomics and finance; sovereign ratings; organisation of working time.
• Ken Hori: search theory; banking; pension reform.
• Simon Hubbert: approximation theory; optimisation and mathematical finance.
• Dan Kaliski: health economics; causal inference.
• Sandeep Kapur: economics of innovation; economic and financial regulation; economic theory; emerging economies.
• Emmanuel Mamatzakis: banking; finance; international macroeconomics; applied accounting; applied econometrics; public finance.
• Ilaria Peri: risk measures theory; performance measures theory; risk management and portfolio management applications.
• Zacharias Psaradakis: time-series econometrics; non-linear dynamic models; resampling-based statistical inference.
• Andy Ross (visiting professor): professional practitioner.
• David Schröder: empirical asset pricing; investor sentiment; decision making under uncertainty.
• Emanuela Sciubba: economic theory and theory of financial markets; social networks; behavioural and experimental economics.
• Ron Smith: (emeritus professor) applied econometrics; defence economics; political economy.
• Stephen Wright: theoretical and applied macroeconomics; monetary economics.
• Ellen Pei-yi Yu: environmental finance; sustainable finance.
• Tinghua Yu: political economy of institutions and development; political selection; intrinsic motivation; authoritarian politics; development economics.
• Gylfi Zoega: macroeconomics; labour economics; econometrics.