Program Requirements

Economics

Students studying a PhD program in Economics undertake a program of full-time study that comprises two parts: Coursework (Part A) and Research (Part B). All PhD candidates must complete both parts of the doctoral program. Part A normally consists of two consecutive semesters of coursework. Part B consists of research, participation in seminars and workshops, and submission of a thesis.

Study consists of three to four years of full-time study or part-time equivalent.

 

Policy and Governance

The Doctor of Philosophy requires the submission and successful examination of a thesis of up to 100,000 words (a book length work would usually be 70,000-90,000 words), exceeding the maximum word count should seek special permission.

If the thesis is by publications, the thesis should be consist of single authored four published papers in good journals, or received acceptance letters of the four papers from good journals. These should be journals that are considered to be good quality in the relevant topic and disciplines. The supervisors should work together with the students to set a list of good journals for the students to aim for. The journals should be indicated in the students' annual report and be approved by the supervisory panel and delegated authority. The submitted thesis should still be bound together with an introduction chapter, a literature review chapter and conclusion. The students need to show the logical connections between the different chapters and demonstrate that the published papers are well integrated into one research. It is important that the four papers should not repeat each other.

The Doctor of Philosophy requires the completion of two units of coursework, which must consist of:

• POGO8196 Research Design (12 units, Semester 1, offered by Crawford School of Public Policy)
• POLS8004 Postgraduate Training in Politics and Policy: Research Methods (6 units, Semester 2, offered by the School of Politics and International Relations).

These courses are different from the Masters level research design courses available at the ANU as important guidance on PhD training and thesis writing will also be covered. These courses are specific to the degree and program. Students who have taken Master’s level research method courses would not be exempt from these courses unless the student has a proven record of academic publication or extensive research experience.

The Policy and Governance Program conducts a PhD candidate reading group on selected themes on public policy and governance. All students are expected to participate and contribute to the reading group.

If a student’s background is inadequate and needs more detailed and basic research methods training, they may be asked to take or audit:

• POGO8096: Research methods (this is a Master’s level course)

A student may also be asked to undertake additional courses if the supervisor considers it necessary to aid the successful completion of their dissertation. The following is a list of Master degree courses available at Crawford School of Public Policy which are possible additional courses.

• Master of Public Policy
• Master of Public Administration
• Master of Public Policy specialising in Policy Analysis
• Master of Public Policy specialising in Development Policy
• Master of Public Policy specialising in Economic Policy
• Master of Public Policy specialising in International Policy
• Master of Public Policy specialising in Social Policy

 

Resources, Environment and Development (RE&D)

The Doctor of Philosophy requires the submission and successful examination of a thesis of up to 100,000 words. The thesis can be shorter and organised as a series of papers. An option for PhD through publication is under development.

Study consists of two to four years of full-time study or part-time equivalent.

Coursework requirements are being developed. Indicatively the following coursework requirements will apply for newly enrolled students, with the research proposal/project subjects to aid in preparation of the PhD research proposal:

• EMDV 8102 Research Methods
• EMDV 8008 Research Proposal
• EMDV 8066 Research Project

A student may also undertake additional courses that benefit their research, and may be asked by their supervisor to undertake additional courses to aid the successful completion of their dissertation.

Admission Requirements

Economics

To be admitted to the Economics PhD program you are required to have the equivalent of an H2A degree in economics (not business or accounting) from an Australian Go8 university. A degree at the same level with honours in mathematics or statistics is considered equivalent, provided the candidate has an undergraduate major in economics with at least a distinction in a third-year economics course.

Candidates are required to have a background in mathematical economics at least at the level of the course ECON6015 Optimization Techniques for Economists or IDEC8015 Mathematical Methods in Applied Economics. For those students who do not have this background, the Research School of Economics in the College of Business and Economics offers a summer course called Mathematical Techniques for Advanced Economic Analysis. The examination from this summer course (which occurs just before the academic year starts) will be used as a mathematical economics entry test.

It is also assumed that candidates have a background in basic econometrics at least at the level of IDEC8017 Econometric Techniques or EMET8005. Candidates who do not satisfy this requirement may be permitted to satisfy it while enrolled in Part A, but the course will not be counted towards the Part A coursework requirement.

Policy and Governance

To be admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program you will be required to have

• A BA with First Class Honours with at least three years’ work experience in a research environment and with a proven academic publication record as a first author. This will be assessed on a case by case basis.
• A Master’s Degree in social science or related fields of social studies. The applicant should have received an average of 75 at ANU or equivalent results from other universities

You may be granted admission if you can demonstrate that you have a background equivalent to these qualifications.

Resources, Environment and Development (RE&D)

To be admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program you will be required to have completed at least a four-year Australian degree or equivalent with a result of at least H2A. You may be granted admission if you can demonstrate that you have a background equivalent to these qualifications. All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

If you are interested and meet the requirements, you should identify potential supervisors among the faculty, and contact the RE&D PhD Convener or the potential supervisor with an outline of the proposed research and a CV.

All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

If you think you qualify, check out our guidance on how to apply.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

Career options following the Doctor of Philosophy include many opportunities in addition to an academic path.

Economics

Many jobs require high-level economic analysis and our graduates work in consulting firms, think tanks, government research departments, and private enterprise.

Policy and Governance

Many positions require high level policy analysis development skills. Around the world, our graduates work for government departments, including in research roles; think tanks; consulting firms; international organisations; private enterprise and civil society.

Resources, Environment and Development (RE&D)

Our graduates for government departments, think tanks, private enterprise, civil society organisations and international agencies.

Further Information

Economics

https://crawford.anu.edu.au/degree_programs/content/economics.php


Policy and Governance

Presentations

Students are expected to give one seminar each year of their doctoral studies in the Policy and Governance seminar series attended by staff members and fellow students. These three presentations will be:

• 1st year: Research proposal (including research question, literature review, research design and research methods)
• 2nd year: Fieldwork experience and reflection on research methods
• 3rd and 4th year: Research findings (or further research plans)  

Apart from presenting, PhD students are expected to attend seminars regularly, and be actively involved in providing constructive comments on the work of others.

Supervised Research and Thesis

The main supervisor (or the Chair) should be an on-going academic in the Policy and Governance Program. The student is expected to be an active member of the program and contribute intellectually to the program’s research activities.
At the end of the first year, in preparation for their research proposal seminar, the student is expected to complete a no more than 35 page document which includes the following:

• Introduction—Introduces the broad topic, explains its relevance and sets out the specific research questions;
• An initial review of the relevant literature which will provide the theoretical framework for the PhD;
• Methodology chapter which restates the research questions, sets out the proposed methodology and research design and includes research timeline.

A summary of this information is expected to be presented at the first seminar which will be attended by the supervisory panel as well as other staff members and PhD students. At the conclusion of the proposal seminar, the supervisory panel will meet to discuss whether the student:

• Needs to make any changes or amendments to research design and methodology before being allowed to progress to next stage of research—i.e. data collection (fieldwork); or
• Whether in the opinion of the supervisory panel, the student is not capable of completing the PhD and their enrolment should be terminated.

The assessment will be based on:

• Whether the student has a clear idea about their research question
• Whether the student is aware of the main literature and on-going debates on the topic
• Whether the research methodology is suitable for the research question
• Whether the research plan is feasible

The final thesis should be no more than 100,000 words in length including footnotes and tables. When the thesis is complete, the thesis is examined by two outside examiners who are experts in the relevant field. The PhD degree is awarded solely on the basis of the examination of the research thesis. While examiners will be aware that the candidate has completed coursework requirements, the level of performance in coursework is not taken into account in examining the candidate for the award of the degree.

End of PhD presentation

A final presentation of the PhD results will occur after the student submits their thesis, preferably after the candidate has received positive responses from external examiners. The presentation will be publicised to a wider audience from outside Crawford School of Public Policy.

The decision on whether the student is qualified for a PhD will still be made by external examiners.

Progress milestones

It is University policy that each candidate’s progress should be reviewed periodically. Within the Policy and Governance program, the supervisor will regularly meet with the student to discuss progress and offer written suggestion for progress every year.

Every six months, supervisory panel will formally assess the students’ progress. The student will be given a written consent to proceed or warning to improve. Failing to improve as suggested, the supervisory panel can decide whether the student should terminate.

At the end of each year, PhD candidates are required to submit an Annual Plan, which outlines their research plan for the next twelve months, and an Annual Report, which summarises their progress in their research and also discusses difficulties or changes in their research path, if any. The Progress Report and the Annual Plan form the basis of the student’s Annual Review. The University's policies in relation to higher degree research students can be found at the higher degree research guide page.

Teaching and other work experience

As well as active participation in student seminars, Policy and Governance PhD students may have the opportunity to gain teaching experience by working with Policy and Governance academics as a tutor or teaching assistant. Students who are interested in doing this should discuss the option with their supervisors.

https://crawford.anu.edu.au/degree_programs/content/crawford-phd-in-policy-governance.php

Resources, Environment and Development (RE&D)

Panel

For each PhD student, a supervisory panel is established with a chair from among the academics in the RE&D program and additional supervisors from among the Crawford School or wider ANU faculty or other universities.

Presentations

Students are expected to give one seminar each year on their doctoral studies, attended by academic staff, fellow students and invited experts. A proposal seminar is held within the first year, followed by annual progress seminars and a final presentation of the PhD results, usually after submission of the thesis.

PhD students are expected to regularly attend research seminars and relevant public forums, to provide constructive comments on the work of others, and more broadly to contribute to the intellectual life at Crawford School.

Progress milestones

Each candidate’s progress will be reviewed periodically. The supervisor will regularly meet with the student to discuss progress and offer written suggestion for progress. The supervisory panel will meet occasionally to assess the students’ progress, and can recommend termination of the candidature if progress is inadequate.

PhD candidates are required to submit Annual Plans, which outline their research plan for the next twelve months, and Annual Reports, which summarise their progress in their research and also discusses difficulties or changes in their research path, if any. The University's policies in relation to higher degree research students can be found at the higher degree research guide page.

Teaching and other work experience

As well as active participation in student seminars, RE&D PhD students may have the opportunity to gain teaching experience by working with academics as a tutor or teaching assistant.

RE&D PhD students work alongside their peers in the public policy and economics programs, and interactions across the programs are encouraged.