Subject overview
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 100 per cent of our economics research was rated as internationally recognised or higher, and 60 per cent rated as internationally excellent or higher.
Economics at Sussex offers postgraduate-level teaching and research in applied economics.
Our faculty are engaged in research across a range of applied areas, including international economics, development, labour, macroeconomics, social policy and climate change.
While much of our research is policy oriented, and therefore responsive to external events (such as European economic integration and the economic crisis), the highest importance is attached to basing applied work on sound theoretical foundations, as well as using best-practice quantitative techniques in estimating and testing models.
Our focus on applied economics should be interpreted broadly, to include work on developing the applicability of theory and numerical modelling, as well as the analysis of empirical questions.
Members of faculty have attracted project funding from the Ford Foundation, the ESRC, the Nuffield Foundation, the Department for International Development, the Department of Trade and Industry, the European Commission, and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Specialist facilities
The University has an excellent library and widely available computing facilities. In addition, graduate students have access to specialist software such as STATA.
Interdisciplinary research conducted at Sussex is often of particular significance to economics students. There is close academic collaboration between specialist centres and the relevant departments at Sussex.
Academic activities
Economics faculty organise regular seminars at which external speakers present papers, faculty report on current activities, and research students present their thesis proposals. Seminars also provide a forum for discussing results when a thesis is close to completion.
Programmes
- PhD in Economics
- MPhil in Economics
Coursework
There are two modes of entry for research students. First is traditional entry to an MPhil or PhD. Second is the MSc plus PhD pathway, which is the 1+3 route required by the ESRC for its studentship support. Refer to Research for more information.
All new research students will be required to participate in a programme of research training modules and to take other modules that may be recommended by the supervisor of their research (exemption from research training modules can be granted to those who have already taken such modules at postgraduate level).
Recent thesis titles
Enterprise development and informality: case studies from Mozambique
Essays on firm-level responses to globalisation: evidence from Mexican producers
Essays on human capital formation of youth in the Middle East: the roles of migrant remittances in Jordan and armed conflict in Lebanon
Exchange-rate expectations, uncertainty and output in the Southern Cone
Poverty within tropical forest: assets and activities to develop pro-poor forest conservation
The impact of development interventions in Ethiopia: foreign aid, aid for trade and agricultural technology
The role of market imperfections in shaping rural household livelihoods: evidence from South Africa
Understanding the evolution of poverty and income distribution in Mexico, 1992-2008
Entry requirements
- MPhil in Economics
-
UK entrance requirements
A Masters degree in economics.
Overseas entrance requirements
Please refer to Overseas qualifications.
English language requirements
IELTS 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in each section. Internet TOEFL with 95 overall, with at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.
For more information, refer to English language requirements.
- PhD in Economics
-
UK entrance requirements
A Masters degree in economics.
Overseas entrance requirements
Please refer to Overseas qualifications.
English language requirements
IELTS 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in each section. Internet TOEFL with 95 overall, with at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.
For more information, refer to English language requirements.
Visas and immigration
Find out more about Visas and immigration.
For more information about the admissions process at Sussex
For pre-application enquiries:
Student Recruitment Services
T +44 (0)1273 876787
E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk
For post-application enquiries:
Postgraduate Admissions,
University of Sussex,
Sussex House, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
T +44 (0)1273 877773
F +44 (0)1273 678545
E pg.applicants@sussex.ac.uk
Related subjects
Fees and funding
Fees
- MPhil in Economics
-
Home UK/EU students: £3,9001
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £3,9002
Overseas students: £13,00031 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
2 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
3 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
- PhD in Economics
-
Home UK/EU students: £3,9001
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £3,9002
Overseas students: £13,00031 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
2 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
3 The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
To find out about your fee status, living expenses and other costs, visit further financial information.
Funding
The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.
To find out more about funding and part-time work, visit further financial information.
Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust for Postgraduate Study (2013)
Region: UK
Level: PG (taught), PG (research)
Application deadline: 1 October 2013
The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust are offering bursaries to Postgraduate students following any postgraduate degree courses in any subject.
Faculty interests
The range of faculty research activities is illustrated below. More information is available at the Department of Economics.
Mike Barrow Public-sector economics, local government, efficiency and value for money.
Dr Sambit Bhattacharyya Development economics, political economy, economic history.
Dr Ingo Borchert International trade and trade policy.
Professor Richard Dickens Labour economics, poverty, inequality, minimum wages.
Professor Peter Dolton Applied econometrics, labour economics, economics of education.
Rob Eastwood Demographic change and economic development.
Dr Sonja Fagernas Development economics.
Dr Michael Gasiorek International economics, economics of integration, 20th-century economic history.
Dr Torfinn Harding International trade and investment, development, applied econometrics.
Dr Peter Holmes International and European integration, World Trade Organization law, trade and climate change.
Dr Iftikhar Hussain Labour, economics of education, development.
Professor Michael Lipton Poverty, farm size and technology, demographics, undernutrition.
Dr Julie Litchfield Poverty, inequality and income distribution.
Dr Paolo Masella Economics and culture, political economy, development, labour.
Professor Andy McKay Chronic poverty in developing countries.
Dr Alex Moradi Development economics, African economic history.
Andrew Newell Labour and historical economics, poverty, nutrition, demographic change.
Dr Panu Pelkonen Economics of education, labour economics.
Dr Dimitra Petropoulou International trade, industrial organisation, political economy.
Professor Barry Reilly Applied econometrics.
Dr Pedro Rosa Dias Economic inequality, health, education, development.
Dr Paul Segal Global poverty and inequality, economics of resource-rich countries.
Dr Shqiponja Telhaj Economics of education.
Professor Richard Tol Economics of energy, environment and climate.
Professor L Alan Winters International trade, migration, international development.
Careers and perspectives
Our graduates have gone on to careers in quantitative economics and consultancy, and also hold posts such as economist for the World Bank.
For more information, visit Careers and alumni.
School and contacts
School of Business, Management and Economics
The School of School of Business, Management and Economics is a unique, research-focused business school, which takes a strong policy-directed view on business practices while also developing the underlying core disciplines.
School of Business, Management and Economics,
Department of Economics, Jubilee Building,
University of Sussex, Falmer,
Brighton BN1 9SL, UK
T +44 (0)1273 872717
E pgbmec@sussex.ac.uk
Department of Economics
Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions
You’re welcome to attend one of our Discover Postgraduate Study information sessions. These are held in the spring and summer terms and enable you to find out more about postgraduate study and the opportunities Sussex has to offer.
Visit Discover Postgraduate study to book your place.
Other ways to visit Sussex
We run weekly guided campus tours every Wednesday afternoon, year round. Book a place online at Visit us and Open Days.
You are also welcome to visit the University independently without any pre-arrangement.