Economics
The PhD programme in Economics trains candidates to engage in high quality scientific research, making use of economic theory and state of the art econometric methods.
Specialisation Objectives
The programme prepares candidates for the international academic job market, for positions in research organisations and consulting firms, as well as national and international institutions like central banks, the IMF and the World Bank. We encourage candidates with strong quantitative and analytical skills and a background in a field relevant for the specialisation in Economics to apply.
Distinguishing features of the specialisation
- The Department cooperates with the Department of Finance at BI as well as with the Department of Economics at the University of Oslo, located close to BI.
- Candidates are encouraged to make a long-term visit to a foreign university that is part of the Department's international network. Recent PhD students have visited Northwestern University, UC Berkeley, Princeton, Yale, Brown, UC San Diego, Harvard, among others.
- The Nordic Network in Economics offers a wide range of advanced PhD courses in Economics
Meet Caroline Espegren who shares her experience as a PhD candidate
Professor Jon Fiva discusses the advantages of being a PhD candidate at BI
Fully funded scholarships
All PhD candidates receive financial support when accepted into the programme. The candidates are hired as full-time employees on an initial four-year contract. Continuation of the support through the four years of the programme is dependent on good standing and regular progress towards completing the programme’s requirements. PhD candidates are entitled to full parental leave and health insurance, and are part of the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund. The workplace is BI Norwegian Business School at its main campus in Oslo.
What you can expect
The four-year study programme leading to a PhD degree is designed to allow you to conduct in-depth research. In addition, it is comprised of a course component, seminars, PhD committees, pre-doctoral defence, and lastly, dissertation and final defence. 25% of the time is reserved for teaching.
Course plan
Here you will find an overview of the courses included in the programme and when they are offered.
Placements
A PhD from BI can be a gateway to prestigious placements at universities around the world. Below are examples of positions obtained by recent graduates of BI's PhD programme.
Department of Economics
The Department's faculty members are actively engaged in academic research. Without being exhaustive, the following list of research areas covers the main research output from the Department of Economics in recent years:
- Housing economics
- International macroeconomics
- Labour economics
- Macroeconomics, business cycles and monetary policy
- Mathematical modelling and artificial intelligence
- Microeconomics, and industrial organisation
- Macro-finance
- Optimal control and game theory
- Political economy
- Statistics and econometrics
- Theoretical, and experimental economics
For each of these fields, the department maintains an international network of colleagues at other institutions. This is also reflected in the department's weekly seminar series.
The Department of Economics has a strong research-oriented faculty working within all fields of economics and hosts the following five research centres:
CREAM’s objective is to provide high quality research in the fields of industrial organization and labour economics, to provide research-based advice to decision makers in the public and private sectors, and to serve as a network for researchers and decision makers.
CAMP's objectives are to advance research and postgraduate training in relevant fields. The centre will conduct original and objective research to improve the understanding of macroeconomic issues of resource rich economies, and act as a forum for discussion of policy issues between academia, government and the private sector.
CESAR’s core objectives are to provide research-based policy advice to private business and public entities; and to serve as an active network for researchers and decision makers. The centre provides high quality research and analysis using economic theory and experimental methods.
CME has established a professional network and organizes meetings and seminars where researchers and economists working in the financial community in Norway can exchange views and accumulate knowledge.
The aim of CATE is to further applied and theoretical econometric research, and to promote critical thinking about the usage of econometric methods in society.
Oslo PhD Initiative in Economics
The Oslo PhD Initiative in Economics is a cooperation between the Economics Departments at BI Norwegian Business School (BI) and the University of Oslo (UiO).
Career Possibilities
Following you will find examples of positions that graduates have obtained after completing a PhD with a specialisation in Economics at BI.
"As a PhD candidate at the Department of Economics, you have a unique opportunity to learn from top researchers in your field. The Department helps you find researchers to collaborate with early on and facilitates your development through collaboration and coursework. The economics department at BI stands out for me in the level of feedback and help you get as a PhD student. The program allows you to develop the skills you need as a researcher, from communication and collaboration to state-of-the-art research methods. I strongly recommend taking a PhD in economics at BI! "
Morten Grindaker, BI PhD alumnus
Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Chicago
"At the Department of Economics, I benefited from a highly competent research environment and an open-door policy that allows for close contact with faculty. BI invests much time and resources in the academic development of their PhD students, who are an integrated part of the department. In addition, the program facilitates the development of skills needed in international academia by providing rigorous funding for conferences, courses, and research stays abroad. I am confident that BI has the strongest PhD program in Norway."
Oda Nedregård, BI PhD alumna
Postdoctoral Researcher at the Research University Sciences Po in Paris, France
“The department is one of the leading research institutions in Economics in Norway. During my four years, I was given a comprehensive and up-to-date course portfolio that enabled students to contribute at the research frontier. I met with engaged and motivated advisors who offered close guidance. In addition, the PhD programme is set up to allow students to acquire the skills required as a modern researcher, including going abroad on exchange and to present multiple times with feedback to develop communication skills. I strongly recommend the PhD programme at BI.”
Martin Blomhoff Holm, BI PhD alumnus
Assistant Professor, University of Oslo
PhD alumnus in Economics
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