Economic Geography

Entry requirements

+3 Route: MPhil/PhD in Economic Geography (2-4 years)

The minimum entry requirement for this programme is a taught master’s degree (or equivalent), with a minimum of 65 per cent average and at least 70 in the dissertation, in a related discipline including research methods training (eg economics, economic geography, regional science, local economic development).

1+3 Route: MSc Real Estate Economics and Finance (REEF) / MSc Local Economic Development (LED) (1 year) + MPhil/PhD in Economic Geography (2-4 years)

To apply for the 1+3 route, an application must be submitted for the relevant master’s programme, including a research proposal for the PhD aspect of the pathway. Applicants must also indicate their wish to be considered for the 1+3 pathway and associated funding within their personal statement. If you apply for the PhD programme directly, will not be considered for the 1+3 pathway.

Months of entry

September

Course content

About the MPhil/PhD programme

This programme offers the chance to undertake a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to the economic geography field. You will begin on the MPhil, and will need to meet certain requirements to be upgraded to PhD status.

The MPhil/PhD in Economic Geography aims to provide you with a rigorous and quantitative approach to the study of socio-economic phenomena that have a spatial and geographical nature, as well as their implications. This focus follows a general trend in the discipline and the growing need of policy advice to be solidly grounded in well-documented empirical regularities and properly established causal links. In order to satisfy these demands, the doctoral programme will give you advanced and up-to-date training in both traditional areas of economics – such as economic geography and spatial, urban and real estate economics – and more institutional approaches to these issues, such as those encompassed by regional science and local economic development. Moreover, the doctoral experience at LSE will expose you to an international, vibrant and multi-disciplinary research environment.

Department of Geography and Environment

We offer a unique opportunity to study Human Geography, Economic Geography and Environmental Social Science/Policy in a university with a worldwide reputation as a centre of academic excellence in the social sciences. We are highly regarded both nationally and internationally. In 2022, the QS World University rankings rated us 2nd globally for Geography.

We are a medium-sized department with major specialities within the economic, development, urban, regional planning and environmental social science aspects of geography, all with a strong emphasis on application and policy issues.

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students

Fees and funding

Fees

Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme. Visit the website for more information about the fees.

Funding

The School recognises that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.

LSE offers studentships to new PhD students in the form of LSE PhD Studentships, LSE ESRC Studentships, LAHP AHRC Studentships and LSE & III PhD Studentships on Analysing and Challenging Inequalities.

These awards are open to high calibre students of all nationalities studying across all research areas at the School.

Find out more about financial support.