PhD Economics

The PhD (Economics) programme is a research degree, requiring the completion of supervised as well as independent research resulting in peer-reviewed publication. Students interested in pursuing the PhD (Economics)-degree programme are expected to have completed the equivalent of the MPhil (Economics) programme, including advanced topics courses. Students who have not completed the required courses, can still be considered for the degree, but will be required to either complete the necessary courses, as part of a bridging arrangement, or register for the MPhil in Economics.
All postgraduate programmes are not offered every year. Please consult the relevant faculty concerning the presentation of this programme.

Capacity limitations

• The supervision of postgraduate students is a time-consuming process, and, therefore, the Department reserves the right to limit the amount of students accepted into the programmes.
• All reasonable measures will be undertaken to ensure that students who meet the minimum requirements are accepted.
• In the event that department capacity cannot accommodate the number of students who meet the minimum requirements, the Department will rank students according to the above averages, and the top performing students will be admitted to the programme, up to the limit of department teaching and supervision capacity.

PhD Economics

Additional information

• All students accepted into the programme will be required to attend an intensive Mathematics and Statistics session. At the end of this session, students will be required to write an exam. Those students who fail the exam and those who did not attend the abovementioned session will be deregistered from the programme. The Department will also reserve the right to request that those students who have failed or did not attend the Mathematics and Statistics session enrol for appropriate modules before they will be allowed to continue with the doctoral programme.
• Students who have not completed a full year of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Econometrics as part of their master’s studies, may be considered for the programme, but they will be required to complete additional modules, as recommended by the Department of Economics.
• All students will be expected to work in a research area that is relevant to current staff capabilities. The Department of Economics reserves the right to not admit suitable candidates, should their research interests can not be accommodated by staff supervision capacity.
• The Department of Economics is serious about the need to develop students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, and, therefore, the Department will allocate additional marks, allowing for an increase in the average of up to two percentage points, to South African students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
• The Department of Economics also accepts that it has a responsibility to provide its own students with a seamless educational experience, and, therefore, the Department will allocate additional marks, allowing for an increase in the average of up to one percentage point, to students who previously studied at the University of Pretoria.

The Dean has the right of authorisation regarding matters not provided for in the General Regulations or the Faculty regulations.
Due to capacity constraints, there are not an intake of new students every year. It remains the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the degree they wish to apply for, will indeed be offered.