Economics / Finance (PhD / MPhil) - 2013/2014 entry

The PhD/MPhil programme aims to train you to conduct research of a high academic standard and to make original contributions to the subject. The programme 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.

Economics and finance at Birkbeck has acquired an excellent reputation, not only for the quality of its research but also for the quality of its training. The Treasury, the Bank of England and many other employers hire us to train their staff. We take students who are determined to succeed and are prepared to undergo the rigours of a first-class training, whether they are studying full-time or part-time.

The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise rated 20% of the department's work as world-leading and 50% as internationally excellent. Over 90% of the department's staff were submitted.

The Commodities Finance Centre, a forum for academics and practitioners working in the field of commodities modelling, is held within the department.

Beginning 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. Students also select option classes from the MSc Economics, the MSc Financial Economics, the MSc Finance, or the MSc Financial Engineering at Birkbeck or at UCL. After coursework, students proceed to write a PhD dissertation.

Coursework is not normally compulsory for part-time MPhil/PhD students; however, if deficiencies in previous training are identified, students may be required to undertake suitable coursework.

• Yunus Aksoy, BA, PhD: Monetary economics; international macroeconomics.
• Fiona Atkins, BA, PhD: Development economics; political economy. 
• Brad Baxter, MA, PhD: Approximation theory; numerical analysis; mathematical finance; theory and algorithms of radial basis functions.
• Walter Beckert, MSc, PhD: Theoretical and applied econometrics; theoretical and empirical industrial organisation.
• Raymond Brummelhuis, PhD: Mathematical finance; mathematical physics and PDE.
• Arupratan Daripa, BA, MA, PhD: Auction theory; mechanism design; applications to financial markets; bank regulation and informal credit design.
• John Driffill, MA, PhD: Macroeconomics; monetary economics; labour markets and economic performance.
• Anthony Garratt, BSc, MSc, PhD: Applied macro-econometrics; exchange rates; real time data; forecasting; model uncertainty.
• Hélyette Geman, MSc, PhD: Derivatives; commodities; hedge funds management; complex and exotic options; interest rates and stock price modelling.
• Kenjiro Hori, MA, PhD: Search theory; labour economics; contract theory; microeconomics.
• Sandeep Kapur, BA, PhD: Financial intermediation; applied economic theory.
• Arina Nikandrova, PhD: Economic theory and game theory; industrial organisation and antitrust economics; finance and financial microstructure.    
• Ivan Petrella: Macroeconomics; monetary policy and macroeconometics; applied economics and forecasting. 
• Zacharias Psaradakis, BA, MA, PhD: Econometrics; time series analysis.
• David Schroeder, BSc, MSc, PhD: Asset pricing; empirical finance; decision theory; stochastic finance. 
• Emanuela Sciubba, MPhil, PhD: Economic theory and finance; learning and evolution in financial markets; network formation models.
• Anne Sibert, BA, MSc, PhD: Open economy macroeconomics; international finance; monetary economics; political economy.
• Ron Smith, BA, PhD: Defence economics; econometrics; industrial economics; political economy.
• Martin Sola, BSc, MSc, MSc, PhD: International finance; financial economics; time series analysis.
• PA Tinsley, MA, PhD: Monetary policy; macrofinance; computational economics.
• Roald Versteeg, BSc, MSc, PhD: Capital controls; international macroeconomics.
• Stephen Wright, MA: Macroeconomics; finance.

• 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