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Master of Philosophy in Economics

(See also the general notice at the commencement of these regulations. )

The regulations made by the Divisional Board of Social Sciences are as follows:

First-year examinations

There will be three compulsory papers to be taken at the end of the first year of the course.

  • (a ) Macroeconomics

  • (b ) Microeconomics

  • (c ) Econometrics

Details of the content of the three compulsory papers will be published  on the Department of Economics WebLearn site at the beginning of Michaelmas Term each year.

In exceptional circumstances, the Economics Graduate Studies Committee may give permission for a candidate to defer one of these papers. This paper will then be taken at the same time as the final examination.

Candidates who pass these papers will proceed to the second year of the course and take the Final Examination at the end of the second year. Candidates who fail only one out of the three papers may, by permission of the Economics Graduate Studies Committee, proceed to the second year of the course and resit the one failed paper at the same time as the final examination. Otherwise, candidates who fail the first-year examination will be permitted to resit all three papers at the end of their second year but will not be permitted to enter the final examination at that time. If they then pass the three compulsory papers, they will be permitted to proceed with the course and enter the final examination at the end of their third year. In exceptional cases, the Economics Graduate Studies Committee may permit the deferral of resitting one of the three papers at the end of the second year until the final examination. No candidate will be permitted to resit any of the compulsory papers more than once.

Final Examination

No candidate shall enter the final examination unless he or she has already passed the three compulsory papers in the first-year examinations, save that the Economics Graduate Studies Committee may permit any candidate who has failed one of the compulsory papers to resit that paper at the same time as the final examination.

All candidates must offer five second year papers and submit a thesis.8

Candidates must take at least one starred (*) paper (advanced core subject) and at least one non-starred paper (field subject).

Candidates must deliver two copies of the thesis (clearly marked with the candidate's name, college, and the words ‘M.Phil. in Economics’ and accompanied by a statement signed by the candidate that it is the candidate's own work except where otherwise indicated) to the Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG, by noon on Wednesday in the third week of Trinity Full Term in which the final examination is to be taken. Successful candidates will have one copy of their thesis deposited in the Economics Library by the Department at the end of the examination.

Second year papers for the M.Phil. in Economics

Second year papers may be offered from the following list:

  • 1. Advanced Macroeconomics 1*

  • 2. Advanced Macroeconomics 2*

  • 3. Advanced Microeconomics 1*

  • 4. Advanced Microeconomics 2*

  • 5. Advanced Econometrics 1*

  • 6. Advanced Econometrics 2*

  • 7. Advanced Econometrics 3*

  • 8. Behavioural Economics

  • 9. Development Economics 1

  • 10. Development Economics 2

  • 11. Economic History 1

  • 12. Economic History 2

  • 13. Financial Economics 1

  • 14. Financial Economics 2

  • 15. Industrial Organisation 1

  • 16. Industrial Organisation 2

  • 17. International Trade 1

  • 18. International Trade 2

  • 19. Labour Economics

  • 20. Public Economics

  • 21. Theory Based Empirical Analysis

  • 22. Urban and Spatial Economics

Not all papers on this list will be available every year. The definitive list of second year papers together with information on content and structure will be published  on the Department of Economics WebLearn site at the beginning of Michaelmas Term of the year in which the exam is to be taken. The examiners will not provide calculators, but will permit the use of a hand-held pocket calculator in the examination room, both for the first year examinations and for the final examination, subject to the conditions set out under the heading ‘Use of calculators in examinations’ in the Regulations for the Conduct of University Examinations.

A list of permitted calculators will be reviewed annually in the week prior to the first full week of Michaelmas Term and published by the Department of Economics on its weblearn site.