A thesis in the Department of Economics must meet the following requirements in order to be acceptable:
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It must consist of at least three substantive core chapters containing distinct research contributions. A thesis should review the literature in the area, but a literature review chapter does not count as a substantive contribution in its own right.
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The core chapters must demonstrate the capacity to do original research that meets professional standards of competence.
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A thesis may contain some joint work. At least one core chapter of a thesis must be single authored. We recommend that your thesis contains at least two single-authored chapters.
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The thesis examiners will ultimately determine whether a thesis is acceptable. Your supervisor(s) will be able to give you the best advice on whether a paper is of suitable substance for a thesis chapter.
A thesis in the Department of Economics can be either an integrated contribution or a series of distinct papers, provided that each paper advances the knowledge of the subject significantly and demonstrates originality and depth.
In order to ensure that a thesis adheres to the School's regulations:
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An introduction chapter and a conclusion chapter should interpret and evaluate critically the main findings in the candidate's own words;
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Jointly authored work must be identified as such. The candidate must state clearly his/her personal share in the investigation. The supervisor has to certify this statement.
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Jointly authored work must be introduced and interpreted in the candidate's own words.
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Outside editorial assistance for the thesis is allowed only to the degree outline in the LSE "Statement on editorial help with a PhD thesis". For information on the statement you can link to the School's MPhil/PhD pages.
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Before you consider submitting your thesis, see the MPhil/PhD Examination Entry information and the Regulations for Research Degrees.