If you’re applying for a European-style economics PhD or Master’s of Research program, it’s highly likely that you’ll be asked to submit a research proposal. This is a document where you’ll describe the original research project you intend to pursue if you’re accepted into the economics program.This is going to be a fairly intense process. While not legally binding, this document is a major part of your application, and it’s extremely important to write a convincing and high-quality proposal. Giving yourself as much time as possible to work on it can only help you.However, if you’re applying to PhDs for the first time, this is also most likely your first time writing an economics research proposal. So, what to do?

There are many paths to preparing for an economics PhD. Most students apply for PhD programs soon after finishing their Master’s degree. Some even apply directly after their Bachelor’s degree. Others work first, for example as a research assistant before applying.There are benefits to all of these approaches, and depending on your academic accomplishments and personal goals, some paths may suit you better than others. In this article we look in depth at the merits of a Masters of Research (MRes) as an option for PhD hopefuls. We also compare the MRes path with a direct application for a PhD after your studies, or with a year or two of work experience before applying for a PhD.

Aspiring economists may be curious to know: how much do economists earn in different types of jobs? The INOMICS Salary Report contains a wealth of data about economist pay by job title and region (among many other factors). This article takes Salary Report data on salaries by job title and analyzes it from a new angle, including highest degree earned, which will help younger economists to plan their career path.

The following article first appeared in the INOMICS Handbook 2024.Download the INOMICS Handbook“The master-economist must possess a rare combination of gifts. He must reach a high standard in several different directions and must combine talents not often found together. He must be mathematician, historian, statesman, philosopher…He must study the present in the light of the past for the purposes of the future. No part of man's nature or his institutions must lie entirely outside his regard. He must be purposeful and disinterested in a simultaneous mood; as aloof and incorruptible as an artist, yet sometimes as near the earth as a politician.”– John Maynard Keynes

Completing an economics degree course is hard enough. But after you’ve earned your degree, you may very well begin to look for a job in economics, which is a whole new type of challenge!

It’s your first day at work and you’re nervous, naturally. You decide to quickly remember the journey that brought you to the computer screen you are now looking at. Many INOMICS readers will relate to this journey.

Economics students may often wonder if doing a PhD is the right move for them. After all, you can still get a good job in economics with just a Master’s degree. We’ve covered different angles of this topic before with helpful advice about what degree you’ll need as an economist, asking whether you should do a PhD, and even asking what kinds of economists are paid the most. Thanks to INOMICS Salary Report 2023 data, we can look more closely at the pay benefit for an economics PhD in today’s job market. This will help you decide if doing an economics PhD will be worth it for your own career.

Economics is a massive field with many sub-disciplines, and it’s impossible to master the whole lot of it from just one Master’s degree or even a PhD.

So, you’re studying for your economics degree in the United States of America. It's going well, and you’re enjoying life in the USA, so much that you’re thinking about staying longer and looking for a job in the US.

Dr. Javier G. Gómez-Pineda, our interview guest for the 2023 INOMICS Handbook, graciously agreed to return for a second interview. This time, the INOMICS team prepared some career-related questions for the central banker. With his answers, Dr. Gómez-Pineda shares his wisdom about central banking and economist careers in general with you, our readers.

So, you studied abroad, got your economics degree in Germany, and you’re ready to look for a job in the country. First of all, congratulations! You’re on your way to becoming a full-fledged economist.

The following article first appeared in the INOMICS Handbook 2023. Download the INOMICS Handbook

The following article first appeared in the INOMICS Handbook 2023. Download the INOMICS Handbook

The European Job Market for Economists (EJME) takes place annually. It aims to ensure that economics students who are about to complete (or have recently completed) their PhD make the best possible job match with institutions recruiting research economists.

Although the shift toward online learning pre-dated the coronavirus, the pandemic caused a great proliferation in the availability and acceptance of online learning. More and more courses can now be found online, allowing students to continue with their studies or even get credit for some courses from the comfort of their own home.