MRes/PhD Finance at London School of Economics and Political Science

As one of the largest finance departments in the world, we're able to offer opportunities for research in virtually any field in finance. This programme is intended to train you as a researcher at the top level. You’ll begin on the two-year Master of Research qualification, which will provide rigorous academic training (see “Programme content” below) and equip you with the necessary tools for the PhD programme: you'll study microeconomics, econometrics, asset pricing and corporate finance, and you'll be expected to attend departmental research seminars.

Department: Department of Finance  |  Duration: Five to six years - two years MRes, three to four years PhD full-time; part-time available  |  Study mode: full-time/part-time  |  Intake: Late August 2027  |  Location: London, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

You'll enrol on six taught courses during the first two years. You'll write two research papers during the second and third years of the programme, followed by a thesis which is usually expected to take three or four years. Compulsory and core courses include Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics, Microeconomics for MRes students, Econometrics for MRes students, Financial Economics, Corporate Finance Theory, PhD Seminar in Finance, Corporate Finance for Research Students, Asset Pricing for Research Students, Research paper in Finance.

Career pathways

The programme is aimed at training students to become high quality researchers. Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on a career in academia, policy, or international organisations such as central banks or the IMF.

Official programme page