Economics PhD

Overview

Our PhD in Economics will:

• give you the skills needed to become a confident researcher and succeed in a knowledge-intensive economy
• prepare you for a career in academia, government, industry and other policy-making organisations

You will:

• become an expert in an area of economics related to your chosen topic
• acquire skills in data science and/or advanced modelling techniques
• develop further verbal and written communication skills, particularly for academic and policymaking audiences

This skillset is highly transferable and valuable to many organisations outside academia.

We are a research-intensive and generalist economics subject group. Our members have specialisations in all three foundational areas of economics. We use both theoretical and applied methods, including:

• microeconomics
• macroeconomics
• econometrics

Our members of staff regularly publish on a wide range of topics in top generalist and field journals, including:

• American Economic Review
• Economic Journal
• International Economic Review
• Review of Economics and Statistics
• Journal of Economic Theory
• Journal of Economic Growth
• Journal of Development Economics
• Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
• Journal of Money, Credit and Banking
• Journal of Health Economics
• Journal of International Money and Finance
• Journal of Financial Stability
• Journal of Public Economics
• Journal of Regional Science
• Journal of Risk and Uncertainty
• Labour Economics
• Regional Studies

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

 

Qualifications explained

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

PhD - Doctor of Philosophy

A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

As well as conducting your own research, you will attend:

• supervision meetings
• lectures
• seminars
• practical lab/workshop sessions

You will be expected to engage in formal training more heavily during your first year of studies. However, you will continue to have training opportunities throughout your PhD. These opportunities are provided both internally and externally.

For example, we are part of the Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (NARTI). This offers postgraduate research training to 18 universities in Northern England.

You may also be supported to attend specialist summer schools.

You will have regular contact with a team of two or three academic supervisors who will guide your work. They will support you in developing papers for publication during the course of your studies. While publishing is not a requirement to gain a PhD, this will be instrumental in preparing you for the job market.

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Thesis
• Viva

Additional assessment information

We offer a wide range of projects for the thesis. These will be provided by our academics. You can also propose your own topic.

Postgraduate research student support

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• wellbeing
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Our staff

View our Economics staff profiles

Your development

Along with the training offered at a Faculty level (Humanities and Social Sciences), we offer a series of training and development modules to PhD students. These modules run across the two semesters and include:

• NBS8565 Applied Time Series Econometrics (semester 1)
• NBS8564 Research Practice in Economics and Finance (semester 2)
• NBS8563 Causal Inference and Applied Microeconometrics (semester 2)

The exact mix of modules depends on the research area or topic that a PhD student is focused on as well as on your training needs. The modules should be decided in consultation with your supervisory team.

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) researcher development programme 

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) / Doctoral Landscape Award (DLA)

Being part of a CDT or DTP/DLA has many benefits:

• they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
• they’re often interdisciplinary
• your PhD may be funded

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

• ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership

Your future

Most of our PhD graduates have found employment in academia both in the UK and abroad. They have worked for institutions such as:

• University of Warwick, UK
• Loughborough University, UK
• University of Durham, UK
• University of Southampton, UK
• Monash University, Australia

In addition, graduates have also been employed by:

• government, (eg. Department of Business and Trade)
• research institutes
• think tanks (eg. Centre for Cities)
• industry

Careers support

Career development and employability are woven throughout our teaching, learning and student experience.

The School has dedicated employability support and career spaces in the School to support our students on their career journey both during their studies and for up to three years after they finish.

Find out more about our employability offer

Business School students get access to both the wider University careers service and exclusive Business School events and resources for students. This means you'll have access to a wealth of resources and support to enhance your employability, including:

• one-to-one career support
• industry-specific career events
• online career learning tools
• career planning and information sessions
• an annual careers week, where careers activity takes place during a gap in classes
• networking opportunities
• specialist careers and business start-up support from the University's Careers Service and the Business School's careers consultants
• the chance to apply for various work experience opportunities while studying with us

We're also one of 140 business schools worldwide to be accredited by the EQUIS scheme for our managerial and entrepreneurial skills development.

Our Careers Service

Our Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. 

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information.

Facilities

Newcastle University Business School is one of the largest Schools in the University. We have over 4,000 students from over 85 countries. This valuable community extends beyond our current students to include:

• regional, national and international leaders
• over 37,000 alumni in our network, spanning 152 countries
• leading professional and academics who are experts in their field
• businesses and partners in academe

The Business School is the gateway to Newcastle Helix -  a landmark 24 acre hybrid city quarter. It brings together researchers, business and communities with the purpose of helping families, communities and cities around the world live healthier, longer, smarter, and easier lives.

We have two buildings – the Business School and the Frederick Douglass Centre. Both offer a range of purpose-build facilities, including.

• computer clusters housing over 120 PCs, plus open IT spaces for laptops
• seven large lecture theatres, plus a 750-seat auditorium – the largest in the University
• 25 seminar and teaching spaces, many with flexible furniture to accommodate learning
• a dedicated Student Hub and Quiet Space, providing a mix of space for group work, individual study, or quiet study
• study pods, some with wall mounted screens, and bookable rooms for working in groups or individually
• a contemporary café, refurbished in 2025
• two dedicated hubs for employability support and events
• a Bloomberg lab with over 20 terminals, so you can experience a real trading room floor
• Experimental and Behavioural Economics Lab, a state-of-the-art research facility for conducting studies in experimental economics and economic psychology
• a flexible conference room with panoramic views across the city and St. James’ Park, which doubles up as a large flexible teaching space

Accessibility

The Business School values individual differences and the diversity this brings. Our buildings are accessible and user friendly. We have a range of adjustments that can support you when moving around our buildings, such as lifts and accessible toilets. We also have gender-neutral toilets in the FDC.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)

PGR Home fee note

Home fees for research degree students

For 2025-26 entry, we've aligned our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).  For 2026-27 entry, we will again be aligning our standard Home research fees with UKRI. They will announce their fees in Spring 2026.

 

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination
• graduation

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Select your country

How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

 

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.

Apply Online  

Open days and events

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events