Economics

Departmental website: lse.ac.uk/economics 

Number of graduate students (full-time equivalent)
Taught: 160
Research:  111 

Number of faculty (full-time equivalent): 75
 
REF: 89 per cent of the Department's research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent

Location:  32 Lincoln's Inn Fields

About the Department

LSE’s Department of Economics is one of the largest in the world, with expertise across the full spectrum of mainstream economics. A long-standing commitment to remaining at the cutting edge of developments in the field has ensured the lasting impact of our work on the discipline as a whole. Almost every major intellectual development within Economics over the past fifty years has had input from members of the Department, which counts ten Nobel Prize winners among its current and former staff and students.

The Department’s research has been utilised in efforts to tackle major global challenges such as climate change; economic instability; economic development and growth; and national and global productivity and inequality, often catalysing profound shifts in policy debate and formulation. Most research activity is integrated within collaborative programmes organised by LSE research centres such as the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), the Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines (STICERD), the International Growth Centre (IGC), and the Financial Markets Group (FMG). Members of the Department are current or former editors of some of the leading journals, including the American Economic Review and the Review of Economic Studies.

The Department’s ground-breaking work also generates high levels of public interest and is frequently covered by national and international media. We respond to that interest through an extensive programme of public lectures, attracting high-profile speakers.

MRes/PhD Economics

The Department of Economics pioneered the development of systematic research training in economics in Britain and our MRes/PhD in Economics programme aims for the highest international standard of achievement and professional competence. The programme offers structured research training and supervision by faculty prominent in their fields. It begins with two years of rigorous coursework, equipping you with the theoretical knowledge and analytical techniques necessary to proceed to the research component of the programme.

Many research students are associated with the work of one of LSE's research centres. You could work with the Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines on areas ranging from development economics to public policy; or research technology, growth and globalisation as part of the Centre for Economic Performance. You could contribute to major research programmes addressing the key issues of unemployment, fiscal austerity, financial markets and shifts in the world economy at Centre for Macroeconomics; or specialise in risk management, asset pricing, financial institutions and corporate finance as part of the Financial Markets Group.

Programme details

The MRes/PhD Economics programme is offered in one format. All students of the programme will have to complete MRes degree courses and a PhD qualifying course prior to submission of the PhD thesis.

Detailed information about the programme, coursework requirements and financial support is available at MRes and PhD programme in Economics. 

Taught programmes

• MSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
• MSc Economics

The Department also contributes to:

• MSc Economics and Philosophy
• MSc Finance and Economics
• MSc Economics and Management
• MPA Public and Economic Policy
• MPA Public Policy and Management
• MPA International Development
• MPA European Public and Economic Policy
• MPA Public and Social Policy