Doctorate (PhD)
The Doctoral Program in Economics at the University of Melbourne is the leading PhD program in the region and sits among the world's top graduate research programs. This program is jointly offered by the Department of Economics and Australia's pre-eminent economic and social policy research institution, the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research. The diversity and depth of available research advisors and research topics in theoretical and applied economics in Australia is unparalleled in the region.
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The Doctoral Program in Economics is made up of a 2-year Master of Commerce coursework program followed by a 3-year PhD.
Generous scholarships (full fee waivers and a stipend of AUD$30,000 per year) are available for high-performing applicants through the University of Melbourne.
Top-up funding of AUD $10,000 available for research, experiments and conferences during the research phase of the program.
Our students have access to state-of-the-art experimental labs, funding support for national and international conference travel and access to all major research databases. Each year's intake consists of up to 15 domestic and international students, providing a solid cohort learning experience.
Successful candidates for the five-year doctoral program are first admitted into the coursework program Master of Commerce (Economics) (CRICOS code: 096133D). The coursework component consists of 16 subjects (200 points) over two years.
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Students who complete the coursework at the required level will proceed to the PhD degree where they will complete the thesis, typically in three years.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded on the basis of a thesis of approximately 80,000-100,000 words, in which candidates report on an independent, sustained and academically supervised research project investigating a specialised topic.
The Melbourne Business School Doctoral program prepares graduates for research and teaching careers at top-ranked educational institutions and for careers where world-class research and advanced analytical skills are necessary.
Applicants to the University of Melbourne must use the online application form to apply for all graduate research degrees and to make a scholarship application (ensure you apply for course code: DR-PHILBE). International applicants may also apply through a University of Melbourne registered Overseas Representative.
Please be sure to attach in full all relevant supporting documents (previous academic transcripts, evidence of English language requirements, GMAT/GRE score sheets). We will not be able to assess your application without these documents.
To support your application, you will need to nominate two referees who can comment on your academic ability and research potential in the University's referee report forms, which will automatically be sent out to those academics to complete. Applicants who graduated from the University of Melbourne within the last 5 years only need to provide the names and contact details for two academic referees as part of their application.
All referee reports must be submitted using the online tool. On submission of your application, your referees will be emailed a link to access the online referee form and they must provide their references using this online form. You will be notified when they submit the reference. Your application may be deemed as incomplete if the referee reports are not submitted before the application closing dates.