The School of Economics at the University of Kent has a thriving research community. Our staff produce world-class research, publish regularly in leading academic journals and foster research partnerships around the world. We have significant research strengths in development economics, labour, growth, business cycles, econometrics and agri-environmental economics. Our cosmopolitan academic and student community, coupled with a thriving research culture, creates an inspiring and challenging environment to study economics.
Our research programmes
• Economics PhD
• Agri-Environmental Economics PhD
Our four-year PhD programmes provide a stimulating, supportive and structured environment in which highly-qualified graduates can develop economic research skills that will enable them to make an original contribution to economic knowledge. We aim to produce economists who are sought-after by leading economics departments and research institutions around the world.
All students will receive expert supervision by a research-active member of staff. PhD students also contribute to the teaching and research activity of the School, participate in seminars, present their own work and become members of our research centres and groups: the Macroeconomics, Growth and History Centre (MaGHiC), the Centre for Agri-Environmental Studies (CEAS) and the Microeconomics Research Group.
PhD-specific training courses
The first year of our PhDs is dedicated to PhD-specific training courses across microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics. The content, structure and level of these courses provide the skills needed for independent economic research. By the summer term, students will have developed a set of detailed research questions and written a comprehensive literature review.
Independent research
The final three years of the PhD are devoted to independent research, under the guidance of a supervisory panel. Throughout the academic year, there are regular reading groups, workshops and seminars in which students are encouraged to attend and participate. In the summer term, PhD workshops are held in which all students must present their work. At the end of four years, students submit a thesis that is examined by viva voce. Research generated during the PhD can result in the publication of papers in top economics journals.
Funding information
The University has a £12m Postgraduate Scholarship Fund which includes awards from the UK Research Councils. The School offers a number of doctoral scholarships for outstanding students each year. Applications for our programmes are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. For details of the funding and scholarships we offer, please use the Scholarship Finder tool on our Postgraduate Scholarships and Funding page.
Contact us
School of Economics
University of Kent
Postgraduate Admissions
+44 (0)1227 827440
www.kent.ac.uk/economics
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