1: Introduction

Welcome from the Director of MRes/PhD

Welcome to our MRes/PhD Programme in Economics at Warwick. We hope that you find your study with us to be interesting and rewarding and that your time here will be enjoyable and worthwhile. This Handbook describes the structure of the MRes/PhD programme and outlines what you can expect from your time spent in the Department. It contains most of the information that you will need to get started and it can be a useful reference in the future. You should read it carefully and refer to it if you have any questions.

The MRes/PhD programme formally consists of two separate degree programmes. The first two years of taught coursework lead to the award of the MRes degree (for candidates satisfying all of the requirements). If you pass the MRes at a sufficiently high level of performance, you will then proceed to the PhD programme. You have a maximum of four years to complete the PhD. You are expected to be ready to go on the job market at the beginning of your fourth year and to be ready to submit your thesis in the following spring. You should complete the examination process before the end of your fourth year. We aim to provide you with a professional training in modern economics, including tools and techniques of analysis as well as knowledge, and an opportunity to apply this in extended research. Our objective is to produce doctoral students who are able to pursue research driven careers at the highest level in academia, government agencies or private institutions.

With regards to the PhD programme, as you know, the primary activity of a research student is to complete a thesis that provides an original and relevant academic contribution. However, other activities are also important, since they expand expertise and increase human capital. This handbook sets out what the Department expects of its research students and what they can expect from us. If, after reading it, you have any queries, then please feel free to drop me an email.

We wish you all an enjoyable and successful time studying in the Department.

Dr Pablo Beker

Director MRes/PhD Economics
University of Warwick

Pablo.beker@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window

The Department of Economics

The Department of Economics was one of the founding departments of the University of Warwick when it opened in 1965. Since then, we have become one of the largest departments in the discipline and are now widely regarded as one of the top Economics departments, not only in the UK, but in the world too.

We've recently been ranked:

• 1st in the UK in the Good University Guide 2026 — for the fourth consecutive year
• 2nd in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027

• 2nd in the UK for research excellence in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF)

• 25th globally in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2026 for Economics and Econometrics

We have an academic community of around 150 staff, including 37 professors, with approximately 1,700 undergraduate students and 250 postgraduates. The Department is international in terms of both the staff and student body.

Communication and Information Sources

Tabula

TabulaLink opens in a new window is the University's secure web-based portal that supports teaching and learning and is a key mechanism through which we will communicate with you. It is here you will find information on your timetable, assessment marks and feedback, your progress on meeting your Monitoring Points and attending Support and Feedback classes and information on your class tutors and Personal Tutor.

You can access Tabula both on- and off-campus. Further details and instructions are available when you log in to TabulaLink opens in a new window.

Moodle

MoodleLink opens in a new window is the University's virtual learning environment. Every module has a Moodle page where you can log in to view lecture notes, recordings and coursework.

Current Students webpages

We have created a webpage with all essential information about your course and to inform you about a wide range of other opportunities that will enhance your student experience and prepare you better for future career. This page is personalised, and you will need to use your student log-in to browse through the different areas.

Please visit this page regularly: Current Students

Email

Every member of the University has a central email address, usually in the form A.N.Other@warwick.ac.uk. This is the address that we will use to contact you and you should use it to email members of staff.

Please check your email everyday as it is our primary method of contacting you.

Economics Updates

These are emails that we send 2-3 times a term and they focus on important issues related to your academic study and student experience.

It is really important that you read them.

My Warwick mobile App

In the MyWarwickLink opens in a new window app students can access key links and contact information, links to careers information and advice and regular news updates and announcements. The app can be downloaded onto mobiles and tablets and customised to your needs and preferences. It can also be used to view teaching timetables, coursework deadlines, check emails and create alerts. If we need to communicate with you urgently about important things to do with your study here (e.g. about Support and Feedback class cancellations or specific deadlines) we use My Warwick alerts which will appear on your mobile device.

Please do not disable the alerts feature on My Warwick app as you may miss important communications.

Social Media

We use social media to keep current students up to date with departmental news and events via Facebook, Instagram and YouTube:

facebook.com/warwickeconomicsLink opens in a new window

instagram.com/warwickeconomicsLink opens in a new window

youtube.com/user/warwickeconomicsLink opens in a new window

We also engage with former students of the Department via a LinkedIn showcase page and Warwick Economics Alumni Group:

Department of Economics showcase pageLink opens in a new window - please follow this page

Warwick Economics Alumni GroupLink opens in a new window - please join the group

Keeping your details up to date

When you enrolled for your course online, you will have submitted various personal and contact details; these include the contact details we will use in the event that we need to contact you urgently. If any of your contact details change, especially your mobile phone number it is vital that you inform us via Student Records onlineLink opens in a new window.

If you cannot find what you are looking for online, or you need to speak to someone, you can find the key contacts below.

Lecture capture

At the discretion of lecturers, some MRes Y1 lectures will be captured. Lecture Capture allows you to view an mp4 file which should include sound from the relevant lecture and may show accompanying projected images used in the lecture (slides and/or visualizer). The recordings will be published on the appropriate module Moodle page. Please note that in order to watch LectureCapture videos (regardless of whether created by the lecturer or recorded in the lecture theatres/classrooms) you first have to have logged in to Echo360: click on the LectureCapture box in the top right of the Moodle page of any of your modules. You only need to do this once and you will be able to click on any video on any page from then on even if you close your browser adn reopen it at a later stage.

Recordings in the lecture capture system are intended for use by students registered on the relevant module. Access is limited to University staff and students and you are not allowed to share recordings further.

If attendance at lectures falls to a level that we deem be unacceptable, the department may withdraw recording of lectures.

We do not permit audio recordings of lectures, classes or meetings without explicit approval of the lecturer or tutor concerned.

The University's Lecture Capture PolicyLink opens in a new window and Policy on Recording of Lectures by StudentsLink opens in a new window provides further information on recording lectures.

Administration of the MRes/ PhD Course

The Department is located in the Social Sciences Building on the corner of Library Road and Gibbet Hill Road. You will find the interactive campus map hereLink opens in a new window. The key committees responsible for administration of the MRes/PhD programme are:

• The Graduate Student-Staff Liaison CommitteeLink opens in a new window (GSSLC MRes/PhD): an important forum within the Department where MRes and PhD students meet with departmental staff to discuss issues relating the learning experience. (Please see also the Student Voice section).
• The Graduate Management Committee (GMC): monitors the quality of all postgraduate programmes in the Department and reports to the Department's Teaching and Learning Committee, which oversees the strategy of all aspects of teaching and learning in the Department (in the context of University Education Strategy). The student Chairperson of the GSSLC attends both committees.

The key academic staff in the department with responsibility for the MRes/PhD programme are:

Professor Jeremy Smith, Head of Department
Room: S2.124
Email: Economics.HoD@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window

Professor Daniel Sgroi, Deputy Head of Department (Research)
Room: S2.101
Email: Daniel.Sgroi@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window

Dr Pablo Beker, Director MRes/PhD
Room: S2.93
Email: Pablo.Beker@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window

Professor Anant Sudarshan, Deputy Director MRes/PhD
Room: S2.92
Email: Anant.Sudarshan@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window

Dr Claudia Rei, Deputy Head of Department (Teaching and Learning)
Room S0.73
Email: C.Rei@warwick.ac.uk

Dr Han Zhang, Postgraduate Senior Tutor (MRes)
Room S0.68
Email: Han.Zhang.5@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window

How to contact us

The Postgraduate Office

The Postgraduate Office team, which is your point of contact as a MRes student, has a daily presence on campus, in room S1.130. Please bear in mind that, if you do visit the PG Office, the person with expertise for your particular query may not be in the office on that day, and so we may need to refer to a colleague working remotely.

See the MRes/PhD Get in TouchLink opens in a new window page, where you can :

1. Access contact details and profiles of members of the MRes/PhD programme team.
2. Consult the Frequently Asked QuestionsLink opens in a new window (FAQs).
3. Email us on economics.pgoffice@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window.

Finding Rooms

The Postgraduate Office is located in room S1.130 (where the letter 'S' denotes the Social Sciences building; '1' denotes the first floor; and '130' denotes the room number.

Email

Sending an email can be a good way to ask straightforward questions or make an appointment and all members of academic staff have a Warwick email account. Please do not send the same email to multiple people as this can cause confusion and results in a waste of staff time and always use your Warwick email address, to avoid your email going into a junk folder. Please do not use an external email account to communicate with us and do not set up an auto forward from your Warwick account into any private email account.

If you are having problems contacting a member of the academic staff, please let the Postgraduate Office know by emailing economics.pgoffice@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window.

Telephone

You can also contact staff members by telephone. Internal numbers are available through the People Search tool on Insite. You can also speak to teachers at the end of lectures and seminars.

Advice and Feedback Hours

All academic members of staff (including Support and Feedback Class Tutors) have two hours allocated for advice and feedback every week, whereby students can meet with them on an individual basis for guidance or clarification on aspects of a particular module. These hours will be posted on staff web pages. You should make every effort to see staff during these times. If you are unable to meet a member of staff during the stated Advice and Feedback hours, you should make an appointment to meet at a different time. Appointments should be made by email.

What you can expect from us

We want you to have an enjoyable and productive time at Warwick and as part of this we aim to ensure that you have all of the information you need about your modules and required assessments in good time and in sufficient detail to enable you to perform at your best.

Below are the key elements that you should expect from every economics module that you take:

• A module outline, detailing the module aims and objectives, the learning outcomes and an indication of the material that will be covered, the exam rubric, all of which can be found on the module webpage;
• Details of core texts and further readings to give you the best opportunity to prepare for lectures and Support and Feedback classes;
• Lecture notes may be made available for some modules, but this will depend on the individual lecturer;
• A well-prepared lecture, which has the aim of engaging you and encouraging participation in discussion beyond the lecture;
• An outline of how different learning components will be delivered should be provided on Moodle.

For any assessments you should expect:

• Assessment details to be outlined, including the format of the assignment, assessment rules, the submission dates and the expectations of the module lecturer;
• To receive your marked work with feedback and/or annotations within 20 working days of the submission date, unless extenuating circumstances prevent this. If the date for returning work is missed, you will be notified.

You should expect your lecturers and tutors to have time to discuss any concerns or questions you have about the module material. To this end, you should expect:

• All lecturers to have two Advice and Feedback hours per week in term time, in which they are available to see you to offer advice on all matters relating to the relevant module;
• All tutors to be available for a minimum of two hours per week in term time to meet you to offer advice and feedback.

There will be times when we have to make changes to the timetable and we will alert you to these as soon as possible through the MyWarwick App and Tabula.

Diversity and values within the Department

We have a commitment within the Department of Economics to embed our key principles into our work and study environment. We aim to foster an environment of respect and inclusion in which all staff perform to the highest standard and students are able to enjoy a world-class learning experience.

Our key principles are:

• Respect: everyone within our community has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of any protected characteristics.
• Integrity: we are guided by the principles of integrity, fostering an open and positive environment that is inclusive to all.
• Accountability: we have a personal responsibility to commit to these values and hold ourselves accountable to our words and actions.

For more information about our diverse and inclusive community and to watch a video produced by our staff and students explaining our set of values, please visit our webpage Diversity and ValuesLink opens in a new window

The University of Warwick Values and Student Conduct

Shaped by Warwick's community, our values represent the way we work together to deliver our strategy and ambitions.

On enrolment and re-enrolment all students at the University of Warwick are asked annually to agree to our Warwick ValuesLink opens in a new window and complete the Student Conduct: what you need to knowLink opens in a new window Moodle course which you can access through the Student Training webpageLink opens in a new window.

What we expect of you

To help you to meet your full potential, the Department of Economics (which incorporates both the staff and your peers) has certain expectations of you — and in return you should expect us to deliver on key activities.

The University’s Regulation 36 lays down the expectations of students concerning Registration, Attendance and Progress.Link opens in a new window

We expect you to engage with your studies and actively participate in departmental activities and events. We expect you to attend lectures and module Support and Feedback classes, in line with the University's Regulation 36. Should your attendance fall below required standards we will contact you and take actions where necessary.

Engaging with your study

You are an autonomous learner and active participant in your education. You should take responsibility for managing your learning, and your engagement is demonstrated in many ways:

• in attending all prescribed lectures, classes, and meetings with your Personal Tutors/Supervisor(s);
• in preparing for and participating in classes or carrying out your own research;
• in directing your own learning beyond that specified by your teachers;
• meeting your monitoring points;
• in completing formative and summative assessment tasks;
• in monitoring and reflecting on your own progress;
• in taking the initiative in seeking support when necessary from the Department and the wider University (e.g. Director of MRes/PhD, Centre for Student Careers and Skills, Students’ Union, Senior Tutor, Disability Coordinator);
• adhering to University and Departmental regulations and seeking guidance when unclear.

We have the strong belief that each student can contribute to the learning progress made by others - this is a further reason for encouraging your attendance, participation and engagement.

Student Visa Holders

The above expectations apply to all students, but for Student Visa holders it is important that you can demonstrate engagement with your course to meet the conditions of your visa. Please make sure you are aware of your responsibilities whilst studying in the UK; you can refer to the Warwick Immigration website and the monitoring point information in section 'Monitoring Points' under MRes/PhD course.

Student Visa holders

Please make sure you are aware of your responsibilities whilst studying in the UK; there is a webpage for international Link opens in a new windowstudentsLink opens in a new window, which includes visa adviceLink opens in a new window. You can arrange to meet with an adviserLink opens in a new window from the Student Visa Advice team to discuss visa issues.

International Student Support

The University have compiled a wide ranging guideLink opens in a new window, including tips and resources to including tips and resources to introduce you to living in the UK, help you prepare for your studies, and offer ongoing support during your entire time at Warwick.  https://warwick.ac.uk/students/welcome/internationalstudents/Link opens in a new window

Employment

There are restrictions on the amount of work you can do as a Student Visa holder in that you may not work more than 20 hours per week until after your course end date and this applies to both term time and vacation. Further information on employment during and after your studies your studies is given on is given on the Student Visa Advice ServiceLink opens in a new window webpage.

Change of Study Location

It is essential that you inform the Postgraduate Office if you intend to change your study location. MRes students must seek permission by completing the Change of Study Location FormLink opens in a new window. PhD students should inform the Programme Officer (PGR). This is particularly important for students with Student Visa status, as the University is required to inform the UKVI if you are planning to be away from Warwick for more than 12 weeks. You must still be engaging with your studies during this time and we will continue to monitor your attendance and progress.

Authorised Absence

You may request an authorised absenceLink opens in a new window from your course for a compelling reason such as illness or bereavement for up to 42 calendar days in a single 12-month period. Please complete an authorised absence request form in Student Records Online. Periods of authorised absence are not reported to UKVI and as such the Student Visa will not be curtailed, although we are required to maintain records of absence for immigration purposes.

The University

Warwick is one of the UK's leading universities, with an acknowledged reputation for excellence in research and teaching, for innovation, and for links with business and industry. The Department of Economics is based within the Faculty of Social Sciences, which is one of three faculties in the University.

Student Administrative Services

Student Administrative Services (SAS) is part of the Education Group and delivers services and support to students at all levels of study from the point of enrolment to graduation. This includes managing central student records, centrally scheduled examinations, oversight of module registration, and production of award certificates, official transcripts, as well as the Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). We work closely with academic departments and other professional service teams to support and enable students' to succeed in their studies at Warwick .

If you wish to talk to someone in Student Administrative Services then you can find out the Student Reception's contact details and opening hours hereLink opens in a new window.

Doctoral College

The Doctoral College focuses almost exclusively on postgraduate research students (including master’s students on a research degree). The Doctoral College is accessible and available when needed, and proactively intervening when appropriate.

Find out further information on the Doctoral College web page.Link opens in a new window

Facilities

MRes/PhD Common Room - S2.127 or S2.132

This social area is equipped with comfortable chairs and coffee tables for relaxing.

Kitchen - S2.127B

Equipped with a microwave, fridge and access to filtered and tap water

MRes workspaces - S0.56 & S0.58

A limited number of lockers are available for use by students living off campus.

Printer and photocopier facilities - S2.130 and S0.72.

Bloomberg terminals - can be bookedLink opens in a new window for half hourly sessions S0.55.

PhD students will each be allocated a work space within the Department.

The University provides dedicated study space and facilities for postgraduate students, including the PG HubLink opens in a new window and the Wolfson Research ExchangeLink opens in a new window.

We seek to provide regular exposure to the latest world-class research by inviting external speakers to regular weekly seminars covering all areas of economics. Research seminars and lunchtime workshops are the key regular events around which the research life of the Department revolves. You can review our Seminar ScheduleLink opens in a new window to find out about all upcoming seminars in the Department.

Teaching Dates

We use a numbering system to cover the main teaching weeks during the year. After the two week MRes pre-sessional course (Y1 MRes only), week 1 of the Autumn Term starts on Monday 5th October 2026 and runs for 10 weeks. The Spring Term runs from week 15—24 and Summer Term is from weeks 30—39.

Autumn Term: Monday 5 October 2026 — Saturday 12 December 2026
Spring Term: Monday 11 January 2027 — Saturday 20 March 2027
Summer Term: Monday 26 April 2027 — Saturday 3 July 2027

Term 1	Term 2	Term 3
Week 1 = w/c 5 Oct	Week 15 = w/c 11 Jan	Week 30 = w/c 26 April
Week 2 = w/c 12 Oct	Week 16 = w/c 18 Jan	Week 31= w/c 3 May
Week 3 = w/c 19 Oct	Week 17 = w/c 25 Jan	Week 32 = w/c 10 May
Week 4 = w/c 26 Oct	Week 18 = w/c 1 Feb	Week 33 = w/c 17 May
Week 5 = w/c 2 Nov	Week 19 = w/c 8 Feb	Week 34 = w/c 24 May
Week 6 = w/c 9 Nov	Week 20 = w/c 15 Feb	Week 35 = w/c 31 May
Week 7 = w/c 16 Nov	Week 21 = w/c 22 Feb	Week 36 = w/c 7 Jun
Week 8 = w/c 23 Nov	Week 22 = w/c 1 Mar	Week 37 = w/c 14 Jun
Week 9 = w/c 30 Dec	Week 23 = w/c 8 Mar	Week 38 = w/c 21 Jun
Week 10 = w/c 7 Dec	Week 24 = w/c 15 Mar	Week 39 = w/c 28 Jun

As a postgraduate taught student (MRes students only) you are considered to be 'in-term' all year.

An explanation of the academic weeks system is available online. All term datesLink opens in a new window are published on the University website.

In practice, teaching sessions normally begin at five minutes past the hour and end at five minutes to the hour in order to allow people to enter and vacate the room. You should make every effort to be there on the hour so that teaching can begin promptly.