economics phd research topics

Economics Thesis Topics

600 Economics Thesis Topics and Ideas

Economics is a diverse and evolving field that addresses some of the most pressing global issues, from market fluctuations and inflation to labor dynamics and sustainable development. For students writing a thesis in economics, selecting the right topic is essential for making an original contribution to this ever-changing landscape. To help students find the perfect research focus, we have compiled a comprehensive list of 600 economics thesis topics, divided into 20 categories. These categories span traditional fields such as macroeconomics and international trade, as well as emerging areas like environmental economics and circular economies. Whether your interest lies in policy analysis, behavioral insights, or global economic trends, this list will provide the foundation for your thesis.

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Get 10% off with 24start discount code, 1. agricultural economics thesis topics.

• The impact of climate change on agricultural productivity.
• Investigating agricultural subsidies and their effect on rural economies.
• The role of technology in improving food security in developing countries.
• The effects of agricultural trade policies on global food prices.
• Exploring the relationship between agricultural biodiversity and food security.
• The economic impact of sustainable farming practices.
• Investigating the role of agricultural microfinance in rural development.
• The effects of land tenure systems on agricultural productivity.
• Agricultural commodity markets: Price volatility and risk management.
• The role of government intervention in stabilizing agricultural markets.
• Exploring agricultural supply chains and their role in reducing food waste.
• The impact of organic farming on economic sustainability.
• Investigating agricultural trade barriers in developing countries.
• The role of biotechnology in increasing agricultural productivity.
• Exploring the economic impact of genetically modified crops.
• Investigating the economics of agroforestry systems.
• Agricultural policy reforms and their impact on smallholder farmers.
• The role of irrigation systems in improving agricultural output.
• The economic effects of crop insurance programs.
• Investigating the role of women in agricultural development.
• Exploring the effects of agricultural mechanization on labor markets.
• Investigating the role of cooperative farming in rural economic growth.
• The economics of food distribution and access in urban areas.
• Investigating the economic impact of farm-to-table movements.
• Exploring agricultural export trends in developing countries.
• The role of agricultural extension services in increasing productivity.
• Investigating the economic impact of drought-resistant crops.
• The role of international organizations in promoting agricultural sustainability.
• Exploring the future of vertical farming in urban agriculture.
• Investigating the role of biofuels in agricultural economics.

2. Behavioral Economics Thesis Topics

• The role of cognitive biases in consumer decision-making.
• Exploring the impact of social norms on economic behavior.
• The effects of framing and choice architecture on savings decisions.
• Investigating the role of emotions in investment behavior.
• Exploring the relationship between behavioral economics and public policy.
• The impact of anchoring and loss aversion on financial markets.
• The role of behavioral interventions in promoting healthy eating habits.
• Investigating the effects of nudges on retirement savings.
• Exploring the economic impact of mental accounting on household budgeting.
• The role of fairness concerns in labor market negotiations.
• Investigating behavioral factors that influence charitable giving.
• The impact of default options on insurance enrollment decisions.
• Exploring the role of social preferences in economic cooperation.
• Investigating the behavioral determinants of risk-taking in financial markets.
• The role of overconfidence in entrepreneurial decision-making.
• Investigating the impact of behavioral economics on energy conservation.
• The role of bounded rationality in consumer behavior.
• Exploring the effects of behavioral economics in healthcare policy design.
• Investigating the role of trust in economic transactions.
• Exploring the impact of peer influence on financial decisions.
• The role of present bias in credit card debt accumulation.
• Investigating the effects of behavioral economics on tax compliance.
• Exploring the role of loss aversion in real estate investment decisions.
• The impact of behavioral economics on the design of pension systems.
• Investigating the role of behavioral insights in promoting environmental sustainability.
• The role of behavioral factors in influencing labor supply decisions.
• Exploring the impact of behavioral economics on the housing market.
• Investigating the effects of time inconsistency on savings behavior.
• The role of behavioral economics in the design of public health campaigns.
• Investigating the role of optimism bias in business decision-making.

3. Business Economics Thesis Topics

• The impact of digital transformation on business models.
• Investigating the role of innovation in business growth.
• Exploring the economic effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
• The role of mergers and acquisitions in market competition.
• Investigating the economic impact of family-owned businesses.
• The effects of globalization on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Exploring the role of e-commerce in the global economy.
• Investigating the economic impact of intellectual property rights.
• The role of corporate governance in business performance.
• Exploring the economic implications of automation in manufacturing.
• Investigating the role of business analytics in improving decision-making.
• The effects of technological advancements on labor productivity.
• Exploring the role of business networks in fostering innovation.
• Investigating the economic impact of corporate tax policies.
• The role of business incubators in promoting entrepreneurship.
• Exploring the effects of leadership styles on business performance.
• Investigating the economic effects of business cycles on investment decisions.
• The role of market research in shaping business strategies.
• Exploring the impact of supply chain disruptions on global trade.
• Investigating the effects of inflation on business profitability.
• The role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in business expansion.
• Exploring the impact of economic crises on business survival strategies.
• Investigating the role of business ethics in corporate decision-making.
• The effects of government regulations on business competitiveness.
• Exploring the economic impact of franchising on small businesses.
• Investigating the role of digital marketing in business growth.
• The role of human capital in business innovation and productivity.
• Exploring the economic effects of outsourcing on business efficiency.
• Investigating the role of financial markets in business expansion.
• Exploring the economic implications of corporate sustainability initiatives.

4. Circular Economy Thesis Topics

• Investigating the economic impact of circular economy practices on business models.
• Exploring the role of recycling in promoting circular economy systems.
• The role of government policies in fostering a circular economy.
• Investigating the relationship between circular economies and sustainable development.
• Exploring the economic potential of circular supply chains.
• The role of eco-design in reducing waste in a circular economy.
• Investigating the impact of circular economy practices on consumer behavior.
• Exploring the economic benefits of product life extension strategies.
• The role of remanufacturing in a circular economy.
• Investigating the role of circular economy in reducing environmental degradation.
• The effects of extended producer responsibility (EPR) on waste management.
• Exploring the role of closed-loop supply chains in circular economies.
• Investigating the role of collaborative consumption in fostering a circular economy.
• The economic benefits of resource efficiency in circular economy models.
• Exploring the role of reverse logistics in achieving a circular economy.
• Investigating the impact of circular economies on urban development.
• The role of green technologies in advancing circular economy practices.
• Exploring the economic potential of upcycling in the fashion industry.
• Investigating the role of shared economy platforms in promoting circular economy practices.
• The role of waste-to-energy technologies in circular economies.
• Investigating the impact of circular economy policies on global trade.
• Exploring the economic implications of circular economy transitions for developing countries.
• The role of digital technologies in promoting circular economies.
• Investigating the economic benefits of circular economies in the manufacturing sector.
• Exploring the potential of circular economies in reducing carbon emissions.
• The role of circular economy principles in reducing plastic waste.
• Investigating the economic impact of circular economies on job creation.
• The role of circular economies in promoting sustainable agriculture.
• Exploring the economic challenges of transitioning to circular economy models.
• Investigating the role of consumer education in promoting circular economy practices.

5. Development Economics Thesis Topics

• The role of foreign aid in promoting economic development.
• Investigating the relationship between education and economic development.
• Exploring the impact of infrastructure investment on economic growth.
• The role of health care in improving economic outcomes in developing countries.
• Investigating the effects of microfinance on poverty alleviation.
• The role of technology in promoting economic development in rural areas.
• Exploring the relationship between gender equality and economic development.
• Investigating the economic impact of remittances on developing countries.
• The role of financial inclusion in promoting economic growth.
• Exploring the effects of trade liberalization on economic development.
• Investigating the role of government policies in promoting sustainable development.
• The impact of international organizations on economic development in emerging markets.
• Investigating the relationship between population growth and economic development.
• The role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in promoting economic growth.
• Exploring the impact of corruption on economic development.
• Investigating the role of education in reducing income inequality.
• The effects of rural-urban migration on economic development.
• Exploring the relationship between environmental sustainability and economic development.
• Investigating the impact of infrastructure development on economic performance.
• The role of innovation in promoting economic development in low-income countries.
• Investigating the role of international trade in economic development.
• Exploring the effects of globalization on economic development.
• The role of economic policies in addressing income inequality.
• Investigating the impact of climate change on economic development in developing countries.
• The role of agricultural development in promoting economic growth.
• Exploring the economic impact of social protection programs in developing countries.
• Investigating the role of entrepreneurship in promoting economic development.
• The role of public-private partnerships in fostering economic growth.
• Exploring the impact of international development assistance on poverty reduction.
• Investigating the role of political stability in promoting economic development.

6. Development Studies Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of education in poverty alleviation in developing countries.
• The impact of foreign aid on economic and social development.
• Exploring the role of women’s empowerment in sustainable development.
• Investigating the effects of political instability on development outcomes.
• The role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in promoting development.
• Investigating the impact of globalization on developing economies.
• The effects of urbanization on rural development: A case study.
• Exploring the role of social enterprises in promoting development.
• Investigating the relationship between human rights and economic development.
• The role of microfinance in promoting social and economic development.
• Exploring the impact of population growth on sustainable development.
• Investigating the relationship between environmental degradation and development.
• The role of international organizations in promoting development in fragile states.
• Exploring the impact of health policies on development outcomes.
• The role of infrastructure development in promoting economic growth in low-income countries.
• Investigating the role of climate adaptation in sustainable development strategies.
• The impact of migration on development outcomes in home and host countries.
• Exploring the role of social protection programs in poverty reduction.
• Investigating the effects of agricultural development on rural economies.
• The role of education in promoting gender equality and development.
• Exploring the relationship between economic growth and income inequality in developing countries.
• The role of clean energy initiatives in promoting sustainable development.
• Investigating the impact of remittances on household welfare in developing countries.
• The role of information and communication technology (ICT) in development.
• Exploring the effects of environmental policies on development outcomes.
• Investigating the role of entrepreneurship in promoting development in post-conflict regions.
• The impact of cultural heritage on development strategies in emerging economies.
• Exploring the effects of child labor on social and economic development.
• The role of public health initiatives in promoting development in low-income countries.
• Investigating the relationship between social capital and economic development in rural communities.

7. Econometrics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the use of econometric models in forecasting economic growth.
• The role of panel data analysis in understanding income inequality trends.
• Exploring time-series econometrics in analyzing financial markets.
• Investigating the effectiveness of econometric models in predicting inflation.
• The role of econometrics in analyzing the impact of fiscal policies on economic performance.
• Exploring the use of econometric techniques in labor market analysis.
• Investigating the relationship between education and wage growth using econometric methods.
• The impact of trade liberalization on economic growth: An econometric analysis.
• Exploring the use of instrumental variables in addressing endogeneity issues in econometric models.
• Investigating the role of cointegration in understanding macroeconomic trends.
• The role of econometrics in analyzing the impact of monetary policies on interest rates.
• Exploring the use of econometric models in assessing climate change’s economic impact.
• Investigating the effects of financial shocks on economic volatility: An econometric approach.
• The role of econometrics in understanding the determinants of housing prices.
• Exploring the use of dummy variables in econometric models for policy evaluation.
• Investigating the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation using econometric analysis.
• The impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on economic development: An econometric perspective.
• Exploring the role of econometrics in analyzing the effects of income distribution on economic growth.
• Investigating the effectiveness of economic stabilization policies through econometric models.
• The role of heteroscedasticity in econometric models and its implications for policy analysis.
• Exploring the use of probit and logit models in labor market analysis.
• Investigating the effects of international trade agreements on economic growth: An econometric approach.
• The role of dynamic panel data models in understanding economic growth patterns.
• Exploring the use of autoregressive models in analyzing stock market trends.
• Investigating the role of econometrics in assessing the economic impact of environmental regulations.
• The effectiveness of econometric forecasting models in predicting unemployment rates.
• Exploring the role of unit root tests in understanding macroeconomic fluctuations.
• Investigating the relationship between exchange rates and trade balances using econometric models.
• The role of econometrics in assessing the impact of demographic changes on economic growth.
• Exploring the use of non-parametric econometric methods in income distribution analysis.

8. Energy Economics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the economic impact of transitioning to renewable energy sources.
• Exploring the role of energy efficiency in promoting economic growth.
• The impact of carbon pricing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions: An economic analysis.
• Investigating the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth.
• The role of energy subsidies in shaping energy markets and economic development.
• Exploring the economic implications of energy market deregulation.
• Investigating the role of energy security in promoting economic stability.
• The effects of energy policy reforms on household welfare in developing countries.
• Exploring the economic impact of electric vehicle adoption on the energy sector.
• Investigating the role of natural gas in promoting energy diversification and economic growth.
• The economic potential of offshore wind farms: A case study analysis.
• Investigating the effects of fossil fuel dependence on long-term economic sustainability.
• The role of international energy agreements in promoting economic cooperation.
• Exploring the economic benefits of decentralized renewable energy systems.
• Investigating the economic impact of oil price shocks on global markets.
• The role of energy storage technologies in reducing energy costs: An economic analysis.
• Exploring the relationship between energy poverty and economic development in rural areas.
• Investigating the economic impact of green energy policies on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• The role of government incentives in promoting renewable energy investments.
• Exploring the potential of hydrogen as a renewable energy source: An economic analysis.
• Investigating the role of public-private partnerships in financing energy infrastructure projects.
• The impact of climate change on energy demand: An economic perspective.
• Exploring the effects of energy market integration on economic growth in developing countries.
• Investigating the economic implications of carbon capture and storage technologies.
• The role of energy market regulations in promoting energy access in underserved regions.
• Exploring the potential of bioenergy for promoting economic growth in rural areas.
• Investigating the effects of energy efficiency programs on reducing energy consumption.
• The economic impact of nuclear energy on national energy security.
• Exploring the role of energy innovation in driving economic competitiveness.
• Investigating the relationship between renewable energy policies and employment creation.

9. Environmental Economics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the economic impact of climate change mitigation strategies.
• The role of environmental policies in promoting sustainable economic growth.
• Exploring the economic benefits of biodiversity conservation.
• Investigating the effects of deforestation on long-term economic development.
• The economic impact of carbon trading schemes: A case study analysis.
• Exploring the role of eco-friendly technologies in reducing environmental degradation.
• Investigating the relationship between environmental sustainability and economic growth.
• The economic impact of water scarcity on agriculture in developing countries.
• Exploring the role of environmental taxes in reducing pollution and promoting green growth.
• Investigating the effects of climate adaptation policies on national economies.
• The role of environmental regulations in promoting corporate environmental responsibility.
• Exploring the economic benefits of reducing plastic waste in coastal regions.
• Investigating the relationship between green innovation and economic competitiveness.
• The role of natural capital in promoting long-term economic sustainability.
• Exploring the effects of environmental policies on industrial competitiveness.
• Investigating the economic impact of renewable energy policies on rural development.
• The role of environmental economics in shaping international trade policies.
• Exploring the potential of circular economy practices in reducing environmental costs.
• Investigating the economic impact of marine pollution on coastal economies.
• The role of environmental education in promoting sustainable economic development.
• Exploring the relationship between carbon emissions and economic growth in emerging markets.
• Investigating the economic impact of renewable energy transition on developing economies.
• The role of environmental protection policies in promoting economic resilience.
• Exploring the effects of global environmental treaties on economic performance.
• Investigating the relationship between tourism development and environmental sustainability.
• The role of eco-labeling in promoting sustainable consumer behavior.
• Exploring the economic potential of green infrastructure in urban development.
• Investigating the effects of environmental degradation on global trade.
• The economic impact of climate-induced migration on developing countries.
• Exploring the role of environmental economics in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

10. Game Theory Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of game theory in understanding oligopoly market dynamics.
• Exploring the application of game theory in international trade negotiations.
• The role of Nash equilibrium in analyzing competitive strategies in business.
• Investigating the use of game theory in climate change negotiations.
• Exploring the application of cooperative game theory in resource allocation problems.
• The role of game theory in understanding pricing strategies in monopolistic markets.
• Investigating the use of game theory in labor market negotiations.
• Exploring the application of game theory in the design of auction mechanisms.
• The role of evolutionary game theory in understanding economic behaviors.
• Investigating the use of game theory in analyzing voting behavior in democratic elections.
• Exploring the application of game theory in supply chain management.
• The role of mixed strategies in game theory and their application in economics.
• Investigating the effects of game theory on strategic decision-making in business.
• Exploring the application of game theory in resolving environmental conflicts.
• The role of game theory in understanding bargaining power in trade negotiations.
• Investigating the use of game theory in competitive pricing models.
• Exploring the application of game theory in financial market regulation.
• The role of game theory in designing optimal contract structures.
• Investigating the effects of repeated games on cooperation and competition in business.
• Exploring the application of game theory in understanding conflict resolution in international relations.
• The role of game theory in analyzing supply chain disruptions.
• Investigating the application of game theory in understanding technological innovation races.
• Exploring the effects of signaling in game theory on market competition.
• The role of game theory in understanding the dynamics of public goods provision.
• Investigating the application of game theory in understanding firm entry and exit decisions.
• Exploring the role of game theory in understanding financial contagion during economic crises.
• Investigating the application of game theory in the design of social welfare programs.
• The role of game theory in understanding network effects in digital markets.
• Exploring the application of game theory in determining optimal pricing strategies in e-commerce.
• Investigating the role of game theory in addressing global environmental challenges.

11. Health Economics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the impact of health insurance on access to healthcare services.
• Exploring the economic implications of aging populations on healthcare systems.
• The role of preventive healthcare in reducing long-term medical costs.
• Investigating the economic effects of healthcare privatization.
• The impact of pharmaceutical pricing regulations on healthcare affordability.
• Exploring the relationship between public health spending and economic growth.
• Investigating the role of telemedicine in reducing healthcare costs.
• The economic impact of pandemics on global healthcare systems: A case study analysis.
• Exploring the role of health economics in designing universal healthcare systems.
• Investigating the economic effects of obesity on national healthcare expenditures.
• The role of health economics in analyzing the efficiency of public health interventions.
• Exploring the economic impact of mental health on labor productivity.
• Investigating the role of health literacy in reducing healthcare costs.
• The effects of healthcare market competition on service quality and costs.
• Investigating the relationship between healthcare access and income inequality.
• The economic impact of vaccination programs in developing countries.
• Exploring the effects of pharmaceutical patents on drug prices and accessibility.
• Investigating the role of healthcare reforms in improving economic productivity.
• The economic impact of chronic diseases on national healthcare systems.
• Exploring the relationship between healthcare quality and economic development.
• The effects of out-of-pocket healthcare expenses on household financial stability.
• Investigating the economic implications of medical tourism for developing countries.
• The role of health insurance in improving healthcare access in rural areas.
• Exploring the relationship between healthcare infrastructure investment and economic growth.
• Investigating the impact of healthcare workforce shortages on service delivery and economic outcomes.
• The role of cost-effectiveness analysis in healthcare decision-making.
• Exploring the economic impact of early childhood healthcare programs on future earnings.
• Investigating the role of public-private partnerships in financing healthcare infrastructure.
• The effects of healthcare disparities on economic development in low-income communities.
• Exploring the role of health economics in shaping public health policies.

12. Home Economics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the relationship between household income and consumption patterns.
• Exploring the impact of financial literacy on household financial decision-making.
• Investigating the effects of consumer credit access on household spending.
• The role of home ownership in wealth accumulation and economic mobility.
• Exploring the relationship between family budgeting practices and financial well-being.
• Investigating the effects of inflation on household purchasing power.
• The economic impact of dual-income households on family savings and investments.
• Exploring the role of household debt in macroeconomic stability.
• Investigating the effects of housing market fluctuations on household wealth.
• The role of home economics education in improving financial literacy.
• Exploring the relationship between household energy consumption and environmental sustainability.
• Investigating the effects of tax policies on household savings and investments.
• The economic impact of child care costs on family financial stability.
• Exploring the role of home economics in promoting sustainable household practices.
• Investigating the relationship between food security and household income.
• The effects of consumer protection policies on household financial health.
• Exploring the role of household consumption in driving economic growth.
• Investigating the impact of retirement planning on household financial security.
• The role of consumer behavior in shaping household spending patterns.
• Investigating the relationship between household financial management and poverty reduction.
• Exploring the impact of technological advancements on household consumption patterns.
• The role of housing affordability in shaping family financial decisions.
• Investigating the relationship between homeownership rates and economic inequality.
• Exploring the effects of financial education programs on household debt management.
• The economic impact of food prices on household nutrition and health.
• Investigating the role of household financial resilience in times of economic crisis.
• The relationship between household savings behavior and economic growth.
• Exploring the effects of household consumption on environmental sustainability.
• Investigating the role of household financial planning in improving economic outcomes.
• The economic impact of social safety nets on household income stability.

13. Human Development Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of education in promoting human development.
• The impact of healthcare access on human development outcomes.
• Exploring the relationship between income inequality and human development.
• Investigating the effects of gender inequality on human development indices.
• The role of sustainable development policies in improving human development.
• Exploring the impact of nutrition programs on human development in developing countries.
• Investigating the relationship between child mortality rates and human development.
• The role of international aid in promoting human development.
• Exploring the relationship between environmental sustainability and human development.
• Investigating the effects of social protection programs on human development outcomes.
• The impact of poverty reduction strategies on human development indicators.
• Exploring the role of political stability in promoting human development.
• Investigating the relationship between economic growth and human development.
• The role of human development in shaping economic policies.
• Investigating the effects of migration on human development outcomes.
• The impact of technological advancements on human development in emerging economies.
• Exploring the relationship between social capital and human development.
• Investigating the role of education policies in improving human development.
• The effects of climate change on human development outcomes.
• Exploring the role of healthcare policies in promoting human development in rural areas.
• Investigating the relationship between human rights and human development.
• The role of social inequality in shaping human development outcomes.
• Exploring the relationship between human development and economic empowerment of women.
• Investigating the role of infrastructure development in improving human development.
• The impact of global trade policies on human development in low-income countries.
• Exploring the role of public health initiatives in improving human development.
• Investigating the relationship between access to clean water and human development.
• The role of international organizations in promoting human development in conflict-affected regions.
• Investigating the effects of youth employment programs on human development outcomes.
• The role of global health initiatives in improving human development in developing countries.

14. Inflation Thesis Topics

• Investigating the causes of hyperinflation in emerging economies.
• Exploring the effects of inflation on income inequality.
• Investigating the role of central banks in controlling inflation.
• The impact of inflation targeting on economic stability: A case study analysis.
• Exploring the relationship between inflation and unemployment in developed economies.
• Investigating the effects of inflation on consumer purchasing power.
• The role of monetary policy in managing inflation expectations.
• Exploring the effects of inflation on investment decisions in financial markets.
• Investigating the relationship between inflation and wage growth.
• The impact of inflation on business profitability and pricing strategies.
• Exploring the role of government policies in curbing inflation in developing countries.
• Investigating the effects of inflation on household savings behavior.
• The role of inflationary expectations in shaping monetary policy decisions.
• Exploring the relationship between inflation and economic growth in emerging markets.
• Investigating the effects of inflation on public debt sustainability.
• The impact of inflation on currency valuation and international trade.
• Exploring the role of inflation-linked bonds in hedging inflation risks.
• Investigating the effects of inflation on capital market volatility.
• The role of inflation in shaping central bank communication strategies.
• Exploring the effects of cost-push inflation on manufacturing industries.
• Investigating the role of global supply chain disruptions in driving inflation.
• The impact of inflation on interest rates: A historical perspective.
• Exploring the role of fiscal policy in managing inflationary pressures.
• Investigating the effects of inflation on housing affordability and real estate markets.
• The relationship between inflation and income redistribution policies.
• Exploring the impact of inflation on consumer confidence and spending behavior.
• Investigating the effects of inflation on exchange rates and trade balances.
• The role of inflation forecasts in shaping investment strategies.
• Exploring the effects of inflation on capital formation and economic growth.
• Investigating the role of inflationary shocks in shaping monetary policy responses.

15. International Economics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the impact of trade liberalization on economic growth in developing countries.
• Exploring the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in promoting economic development.
• Investigating the relationship between exchange rates and international trade flows.
• The role of international trade agreements in shaping global economic policies.
• Exploring the effects of globalization on income inequality in emerging markets.
• Investigating the role of international monetary policies in managing global financial crises.
• The impact of international trade policies on developing economies: A case study analysis.
• Exploring the role of international financial institutions in promoting global economic stability.
• Investigating the effects of international trade on environmental sustainability.
• The role of international labor migration in shaping global economic trends.
• Exploring the relationship between international capital flows and economic growth.
• Investigating the effects of trade protectionism on global economic integration.
• The role of global supply chains in driving international trade patterns.
• Exploring the impact of international trade on domestic labor markets.
• Investigating the role of international remittances in promoting economic development.
• The effects of international financial markets on global economic stability.
• Exploring the relationship between international trade and economic inequality.
• Investigating the role of international trade sanctions on economic performance.
• The impact of international commodity prices on global trade flows.
• Exploring the role of international trade in promoting innovation and technological transfer.
• Investigating the effects of international trade on economic growth in low-income countries.
• The role of global value chains in shaping international trade dynamics.
• Exploring the impact of international trade liberalization on poverty reduction.
• Investigating the effects of international capital mobility on economic performance.
• The role of international trade organizations in shaping global trade policies.
• Exploring the effects of international economic integration on financial markets.
• Investigating the role of international trade in addressing global environmental challenges.
• The impact of international trade barriers on economic growth in emerging markets.
• Exploring the relationship between international investment flows and economic development.
• Investigating the effects of international trade conflicts on global economic stability.

16. International Trade Thesis Topics

• Investigating the impact of trade tariffs on global trade flows.
• Exploring the role of free trade agreements in promoting economic growth.
• The effects of protectionist trade policies on developing economies.
• Investigating the relationship between trade openness and income inequality.
• The role of trade sanctions in shaping international trade relations.
• Investigating the role of trade policy in addressing global environmental challenges.
• The effects of international trade wars on global economic stability.
• Investigating the relationship between trade balances and exchange rates.
• The role of global supply chains in shaping international trade patterns.
• Exploring the impact of trade barriers on emerging markets.
• Investigating the effects of trade liberalization on agricultural exports in developing countries.
• The role of international trade organizations in promoting global trade cooperation.
• Exploring the impact of trade policies on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Investigating the relationship between trade agreements and labor standards.
• The role of digital trade in reshaping global trade dynamics.
• Exploring the effects of intellectual property rights on international trade.
• Investigating the impact of trade liberalization on foreign direct investment (FDI).
• The effects of currency fluctuations on international trade competitiveness.
• Investigating the role of trade facilitation policies in promoting global trade efficiency.
• The impact of non-tariff barriers on international trade flows.
• Exploring the effects of regional trade agreements on global economic integration.
• Investigating the relationship between trade liberalization and wage inequality.
• The role of trade finance in supporting international trade activities.
• Investigating the impact of trade policies on global commodity markets.
• Exploring the effects of trade liberalization on industrialization in developing economies.
• The role of e-commerce in facilitating international trade.
• Investigating the relationship between international trade and climate change mitigation.
• The effects of trade liberalization on domestic labor markets.
• Exploring the role of trade unions in shaping international labor standards in trade agreements.

17. Labor Economics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the impact of minimum wage policies on employment levels.
• Exploring the relationship between labor market regulations and economic productivity.
• The role of labor unions in shaping wage structures and working conditions.
• Investigating the effects of immigration on domestic labor markets.
• The impact of automation and technology on labor demand and job displacement.
• Exploring the relationship between education and labor market outcomes.
• Investigating the effects of gender wage gaps on labor market participation.
• The role of government policies in reducing youth unemployment.
• Exploring the effects of labor market flexibility on economic growth.
• Investigating the relationship between labor market discrimination and economic inequality.
• The impact of labor force participation on economic growth in emerging markets.
• Exploring the role of vocational training programs in improving labor market outcomes.
• Investigating the effects of labor market institutions on income inequality.
• The role of social safety nets in mitigating the impact of unemployment.
• Exploring the effects of workplace diversity on labor productivity.
• Investigating the relationship between remote work and labor market dynamics.
• The role of labor market policies in addressing long-term unemployment.
• Exploring the effects of minimum wage increases on small business profitability.
• Investigating the impact of labor market rigidities on economic growth.
• The role of education reforms in improving labor market outcomes in developing countries.
• Exploring the relationship between part-time employment and job satisfaction.
• Investigating the effects of trade unions on labor market negotiations.
• The role of flexible working arrangements in promoting labor market participation.
• Exploring the impact of parental leave policies on labor market outcomes.
• Investigating the relationship between technological advancements and wage inequality.
• The role of labor migration in addressing skill shortages in developed economies.
• Exploring the effects of gig economy platforms on labor market flexibility.
• Investigating the relationship between aging populations and labor force participation.
• The role of government interventions in promoting labor market inclusivity for disabled individuals.
• Investigating the effects of global labor mobility on economic growth.

18. Macroeconomics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the relationship between fiscal policy and economic growth.
• The effects of monetary policy on inflation and employment levels.
• Exploring the role of central banks in managing economic recessions.
• Investigating the impact of public debt on long-term economic stability.
• The role of quantitative easing in promoting economic recovery.
• Exploring the relationship between interest rates and investment levels.
• Investigating the effects of government spending on economic growth in developing countries.
• The impact of exchange rate policies on international trade.
• Exploring the role of macroeconomic stability in attracting foreign direct investment.
• Investigating the effects of tax reforms on income distribution and economic growth.
• The role of inflation targeting in promoting economic stability.
• Exploring the relationship between government budget deficits and economic performance.
• Investigating the impact of macroeconomic policies on housing markets.
• The role of central bank independence in shaping monetary policy outcomes.
• Exploring the effects of macroeconomic shocks on unemployment rates.
• Investigating the relationship between trade imbalances and macroeconomic stability.
• The role of financial markets in promoting macroeconomic growth.
• Exploring the impact of global economic integration on macroeconomic policies.
• Investigating the effects of macroeconomic stabilization programs on emerging economies.
• The role of government borrowing in promoting short-term economic growth.
• Exploring the effects of macroeconomic uncertainty on business investment decisions.
• Investigating the impact of globalization on macroeconomic policy coordination.
• The role of macroeconomic policies in addressing climate change challenges.
• Exploring the relationship between income inequality and macroeconomic performance.
• Investigating the effects of austerity measures on economic recovery in the European Union.
• The role of macroeconomic policies in promoting sustainable economic growth.
• Exploring the impact of capital controls on macroeconomic stability.
• Investigating the role of fiscal stimulus in mitigating the effects of economic downturns.
• The relationship between exchange rate fluctuations and macroeconomic stability in developing economies.
• Exploring the role of macroeconomic forecasting in shaping government policy decisions.

19. Public Economics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the impact of tax policies on income distribution and inequality.
• Exploring the role of government spending on public goods in promoting economic growth.
• The effects of public debt on long-term economic sustainability.
• Investigating the relationship between public investment and infrastructure development.
• The role of public-private partnerships in financing public infrastructure projects.
• Exploring the effects of public healthcare spending on economic productivity.
• Investigating the role of social welfare programs in reducing poverty.
• The impact of public education spending on long-term economic growth.
• Exploring the role of public policies in addressing environmental externalities.
• Investigating the effects of government subsidies on market competition.
• The role of public economics in shaping healthcare policies.
• Exploring the relationship between public goods provision and social welfare.
• Investigating the impact of government fiscal policies on economic inequality.
• The role of public policies in promoting economic resilience during recessions.
• Exploring the effects of public sector employment on economic growth.
• Investigating the relationship between public taxation and economic efficiency.
• The role of public economics in addressing housing affordability challenges.
• Exploring the impact of government expenditure on public transportation infrastructure.
• Investigating the relationship between public spending and inflationary pressures.
• The role of public economics in addressing demographic challenges in aging populations.
• Exploring the effects of public investment in renewable energy on economic growth.
• Investigating the relationship between public policies and labor market outcomes.
• The role of government debt in financing social welfare programs.
• Exploring the effects of public policies on income redistribution.
• Investigating the role of public finance in shaping education outcomes.
• The impact of public sector reforms on economic efficiency and productivity.
• Exploring the effects of public healthcare systems on economic inequality.
• Investigating the relationship between government spending and macroeconomic stability.
• The role of public economics in promoting long-term fiscal sustainability.
• Exploring the impact of government intervention on market failures in public goods provision.

20. Rural Development Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of agricultural policies in promoting rural development.
• Exploring the impact of rural infrastructure development on economic growth.
• The effects of land tenure systems on rural economic development.
• Investigating the role of microfinance in promoting rural entrepreneurship.
• The impact of rural electrification on household welfare and productivity.
• Exploring the relationship between rural development and poverty reduction.
• Investigating the role of education in promoting rural economic growth.
• The effects of rural migration on economic development and labor markets.
• Exploring the impact of agricultural modernization on rural economies.
• Investigating the role of government policies in promoting rural industrialization.
• The impact of rural tourism on economic diversification and development.
• Exploring the effects of climate change on rural agricultural production.
• Investigating the role of technology adoption in promoting rural development.
• The effects of public investment in rural infrastructure on poverty reduction.
• Exploring the relationship between food security and rural economic development.
• Investigating the impact of rural health programs on economic productivity.
• The role of women in promoting rural economic development.
• Exploring the effects of agricultural cooperatives on rural economic growth.
• Investigating the role of rural credit systems in supporting small-scale farmers.
• The impact of government subsidies on rural economic development.
• Exploring the role of rural education programs in promoting sustainable development.
• Investigating the effects of rural-urban migration on household welfare in rural areas.
• The role of sustainable farming practices in promoting rural development.
• Exploring the impact of land reform policies on rural poverty reduction.
• Investigating the relationship between rural entrepreneurship and economic diversification.
• The role of infrastructure development in promoting rural healthcare access.
• Exploring the effects of government policies on rural housing development.
• Investigating the impact of agricultural extension services on rural economic growth.
• The role of public-private partnerships in promoting rural economic development.
• Exploring the effects of rural renewable energy projects on economic growth and sustainability.

This comprehensive list of 600 economics thesis topics showcases the vast scope and diversity of the field. From agricultural economics to circular economies and behavioral economics to international trade, these topics reflect the dynamic challenges and opportunities in the world of economics. Whether you’re looking to explore current economic policies, recent technological advancements, or the future of global trade, these topics will guide you toward a meaningful and impactful thesis. Choose a topic that aligns with your interests and career goals to make a lasting contribution to the field of economics.

The Range of Economics Thesis Topics

Economics is a vast field that examines how individuals, businesses, governments, and nations allocate resources and respond to incentives. From understanding consumer behavior and market dynamics to crafting fiscal policies and addressing income inequality, economics plays a critical role in shaping societal outcomes. Choosing an economics thesis topic offers students the chance to delve deep into pressing issues, emerging trends, and future economic directions. In this article, we will explore a range of thesis topics across various economics fields, focusing on current issues, recent trends, and future opportunities within the discipline.

Current Issues in Economics

Economics is increasingly intertwined with real-world challenges, requiring innovative solutions to pressing global issues. Several key areas stand out as highly relevant for thesis research.

• Income Inequality and Economic Growth One of the most significant issues today is income inequality, which has widened in many countries, posing risks to social stability and economic growth. Research in this area could explore the causes and consequences of income inequality, how fiscal policies such as taxation and redistribution programs can mitigate it, or its impact on consumer spending and saving behaviors. The relationship between income inequality and economic mobility is also an important topic, offering a rich field of study for students interested in development and public economics.
• Inflation and Monetary Policy Global inflation rates have surged in recent years due to a variety of factors, including supply chain disruptions and fiscal responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how inflation impacts economies, especially in developing regions, offers many research opportunities. Students can explore the effectiveness of inflation-targeting policies, the role of central banks in stabilizing inflation, or the impact of inflation on income distribution. Thesis topics could also investigate the long-term implications of quantitative easing and other unconventional monetary policies.
• Trade Wars and Global Supply Chains Trade tensions, notably between major global players like the United States and China, have reshaped international trade dynamics. The ongoing trade wars, along with supply chain disruptions, have affected industries worldwide. Thesis research could explore the economic consequences of tariffs and trade barriers, the impact on global supply chains, or how trade disputes influence foreign direct investment (FDI). Students interested in international trade might also examine the economic effects of protectionist policies or the role of trade agreements in mitigating these issues.

Recent Trends in Economics

The rapid evolution of technology, societal shifts, and environmental concerns have given rise to new trends in economics that are shaping modern research.

• Digital Economies and E-commerce The digital transformation of economies has revolutionized how businesses and consumers interact. E-commerce has expanded significantly, particularly during the pandemic, and research can focus on the economic impact of this shift. Students may explore topics such as the economic benefits and challenges of digital platforms, the role of cryptocurrencies in financial markets, or how digital economies are changing labor markets. With the rise of online marketplaces and remote work, the economic implications of technology adoption provide rich research areas.
• Behavioral Economics and Consumer Decision-Making Behavioral economics has gained prominence by challenging traditional economic assumptions about rational decision-making. This field investigates how cognitive biases and psychological factors influence economic behavior. Research could focus on how individuals make savings, investment, or consumption decisions under uncertainty, or how “nudges” can be used to promote sustainable behaviors or healthier lifestyles. Examining how behavioral economics can inform public policy is another compelling thesis topic, particularly in areas like tax compliance or retirement planning.
• Circular Economy and Sustainability With increasing awareness of environmental challenges, the circular economy model—focused on minimizing waste and reusing resources—has emerged as a key trend. Thesis topics in this area might explore the economic benefits of transitioning to a circular economy, the role of government policies in supporting green business practices, or the relationship between sustainability and economic growth. Research could also examine specific industries, such as how the circular economy is impacting the fashion, manufacturing, or energy sectors.

Future Directions in Economics

As technology and global challenges continue to evolve, future research in economics will need to address emerging issues that have the potential to transform economies and societies.

• Automation, AI, and the Future of Work Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping industries, raising important questions about the future of work. Many economists are concerned about how AI and automation will affect labor markets, particularly in terms of job displacement, wage inequality, and skills requirements. Thesis topics might explore the impact of automation on different sectors, how education systems can adapt to future labor market needs, or how governments can implement policies to support workers in transitioning to new roles. This area of research is particularly timely as automation continues to expand its reach across industries.
• Climate Change and Environmental Economics The economic impact of climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Future research can focus on how economies can transition to low-carbon systems, the costs of climate adaptation, or the role of economic policies in mitigating environmental degradation. Students interested in environmental economics could investigate the economic feasibility of carbon taxes, the costs and benefits of renewable energy transitions, or how environmental regulations affect industry competitiveness. With global efforts to address climate change intensifying, the intersection of economics and environmental sustainability offers fertile ground for research.
• Global Health Economics and Pandemics The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the economic vulnerabilities of health systems worldwide. Future research can focus on the long-term economic impacts of pandemics, the role of healthcare infrastructure in promoting economic resilience, or how governments can design policies to improve public health outcomes while maintaining economic stability. Students could also examine how health economics intersects with labor markets, exploring topics such as the economic impact of telemedicine, the effects of healthcare spending on GDP growth, or the role of global cooperation in managing pandemics.

Economics offers a wide range of topics that are not only academically stimulating but also deeply relevant to the challenges the world faces today. From the traditional focus on fiscal and monetary policies to emerging fields like digital economies and environmental economics, the discipline provides a rich platform for research that can make a real-world impact. Choosing a thesis topic that reflects current trends, addresses pressing global issues, and anticipates future economic challenges will not only contribute to academic development but also position students to be thought leaders in their fields.

iResearchNet’s Thesis Writing Services

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• Affirmative action policies
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• Education economics
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• Healthcare and demographics
• Identity economics (gender, ethnicity, inequality)
• Immigration: causes and consequences
• Labour market transitions of (young) workers
• Social mobility
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• Wages, employment and contract type
• Wealth inequality and racial wealth gap

Behavioural Economics

• Analysis of conflict and conflict resolution
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• Behavioural welfare economics (including subjective wellbeing)
• Charitable behaviour
• Decisions under risk and uncertainty
• Experimental and behavioural analyses of markets

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• Bounded rationality
• Economic dynamics
• Economic growth
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• General equilibrium
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• International trade
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134 Economics Thesis Topics: Ideas for Outstanding Writing

Writing a thesis is not an easy task. For most of the students, it can be even intimidating, especially when you do not know where to start your research.

Here, we have provided an economics thesis topics list. After all, everyone knows that choosing the right idea is crucial when writing an academic paper. In economics, it can combine history, math, social studies, politics, and numerous other subjects. You should also have solid foundations and a sound factual basis for a thesis. Without these elements, you won’t be able to master your research paper.

The issue is:

It is not always clear what could be seen as an excellent economics thesis topic. Our experts can assist you with this challenge. This list contains some outstanding examples to get you started.

• ⭐ Thesis in Economics
• 🔥 Supreme Thesis Topics
• 👍 Bachelor’s Thesis
• 😲 Master’s Thesis

📊 Microeconomics

📈 macroeconomics.

• 🤔 Developmental
• 👨‍💼 Behavioral
• 💼 Financial
• 🌱 Agricultural
• 🤝‍ Sociology
• 📚 Ph.D. Topics
• 📝 How to Pick a Topic

⭐ What Does a Thesis in Economics Look Like?

A good thesis in economics is a blend between an empirical paper and a theoretical one. One of the essential steps in choosing a topic in economics is to decide which one you will write.

You may write, research, analyze statistical data and other information. Or build and study a specific economic model.

Or why not both!

Here are some questions you can ask when deciding what topic to choose:

• What has already been written on this topic?
• What economic variables will my paper study?
• Where should I look for the data?
• What econometrics techniques should I use?
• What type of model will I study?

The best way to understand what type of research you have to do is to write a thesis proposal. You will most probably be required to submit it anyway. Your thesis supervisor will examine your ideas, methods, list of secondary and primary sources. At some universities, the proposal will be graded.

After you get the initial feedback, you will have a clear idea of what to adjust before writing your thesis. Only then, you’ll be able to start.

🔥 Supreme Economics Thesis Topics List

• Fast fashion in India.
• The UK housing prices.
• Brexit and European trade.
• Behavioral economics.
• Healthcare macroeconomics.
• COVID-19’s economic impact.
• Global gender wage gap.
• Commodity dependence in Africa.
• International trade – developing countries.
• Climate change and business development.

👍 Economics Bachelor’s Thesis Topics

At the U.S. Universities, an undergraduate thesis is very uncommon. However, it depends on the Department Policy.

The biggest challenge with the Bachelor’s Thesis in economics concerns its originality. Even though you are not required to conduct entirely unique research, you have to lack redundant ideas.

You can easily avoid making this mistake by simply choosing one of these topics. Also, consider visiting IvyPanda essays database. It’s a perfect palce to conduct a brainstorming session and come up with fresh ideas for a paper, as well as get tons of inspiration.

• The impact of the oil industry on the economic development of Nigeria. The oil industry is vital for the economic development of Nigeria. In this thesis, students can discuss the notion of the resource curse. Analyze the reasons why general people are not benefiting from the oil industry. Why did it produce very little change in the social and economic growth of the country?
• Sports Marketing and Advertising: the impact it has on the consumers.
• Economic opportunities and challenges of investing in Kenya .
• Economic Development in the Tourism Industry in Africa. Since the early 1990s, tourism significantly contributed to the economic growth of African countries. In this thesis, students can talk about the characteristics of the tourist sector in Africa. Or elaborate on specific countries and how their national development plans look like.
• Globalization and its significance to business worldwide .
• Economic risks connected to investing in Turkey .
• The decline in employment rates as the biggest American economy challenge .
• The economics of alcohol abuse problems. In this thesis, students can develop several essential issues. First, they can examine how poverty is connected to alcohol abuse. Second, they can see the link between alcohol consumption and productivity. To sum up, students can elaborate on the economic costs of alcohol abuse.
• Causes and solutions for unemployment in Great Britain.
• Parallel perspective on Global Economic Order: China and America. This thesis can bring a comparative analysis of the economies to a new level. China and The US are the world’s two largest economies. These two countries have a significant impact on the global economic order. So, looking at the set of institutions, policies, rules can be constructive.
• The new international economic order after COVID-19
• Financial stability of the banking sector in China.
• New Electronic Payment Services in Russia.
• The influence of culture on different entrepreneurial behaviors.
• The impact of natural cultural practices on entrepreneurial activity.
• The relationships between national culture and individual behavior.
• The main reasons for salary inequalities in different parts of the U.S.

😲 Economics Master’s Thesis Topics

Student life can be fascinating, but it comes with its challenges. One of which is selecting your Master’s thesis topic.

Here is a list of topics for a Master’s thesis in economics. Are you pursuing MPhil in Economics and writing a thesis? Use the following ideas as an inspiration for that. They can also be helpful if you are working on a Master’s thesis in financial economics.

• The impact of visual aid in teaching home economics.
• The effect of income changes in consumer behaviors in America.
• Forces behind socio-economic inequalities in the United States. This thesis can explore three critical factors for socio-economic differences in the United States. In the past 30 years, social disparities increased in the United States. Some of the main reasons are technology, trade, and institutions.
• The relationships between economic growth and international development.
• Technological innovations and their influence on green and environmental products.
• The economics of non-solar renewable energy .

• The economic consequences of terrorism . Terrorism not only takes away lives and destroys property but also widely affects the economy. It creates uncertainty in the market, increases insurance claims, slows down investment projects, and tourism. This thesis can address all of the ways in which terrorism can affect economies.
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) implementation in the Oil and Gas Industry in Africa.
• Use of incentives in behavioral economics.
• Economic opportunities and challenges of sustainable communities .
• Economics of nuclear power plants.
• Aid and financial help for emerging markets. This topic is very versatile. Students can look at both the positive and the adverse effects that funding has on the development. There are plenty of excellent examples. Besides, some theories call international help a form of neocolonialism.
• Multinational firms impact on economic growth in America .
• The effect of natural disasters on economic development in Asia.
• The influence of globalization on emerging markets and economic development.

📑 More Economics Thesis Topics: Theme

For some students, it makes more sense to center their search around a certain subject. Sometimes you have an econ area that interests you. You may have an idea about what you want to write, but you did not decide what it will be.

If that’s the case with you, then these economics thesis topics ideas are for you.

• An analysis of the energy market in Russia.
• The impact of game theory on economic development.
• The connection between minimum wage and market equilibrium.
• Gender differences in the labor market in the United States. This topic can shed light on gender disparities in the labor market in the US. In the past years, the overall inequality in labor in the markets decreased. However, there is still a lot of work that can be done.
• Economic reasons that influence the prices of oil .
• Relationship between the Lorenz curve and the Gini coefficient.
• Challenges of small businesses in the market economy.
• The changes in oil prices: causes and solutions . Universal economic principles do not always apply to the sale and purchase of the oil. The same happens with its cost. In the thesis, talk about what affects the prices. What are the solutions that can be implemented?
• The economic analysis of the impact of immigration on the American economy.

• Economic inequality as a result of globalization . Economic inequality becomes even more apparent on the global level. There is a common belief that globalization is the cause of that. Discuss what can be the solutions to these problems. This topic is vital to minimize the gap between the rich and the poor.
• The economic explanation of political dishonesty .
• Effect of Increasing Interest rates costs in Africa .
• The connection between game theory and microeconomics.
• Marketing uses in microeconomics.
• Financial liability in human-made environmental disasters.
• Banks and their role in the economy. Banks are crucial elements of any economy, and this topic covers why. You can explain how banks allow the goods and services to be exchanged. Talk about why banks are so essential for economic growth and stability.
• Inflation in the US and ways to reduce its impact.
• The connection between politics and economics.
• Income Dynamics and demographic economics.
• US Market Liquidity and macroeconomics.
• Macroeconomics and self-correction of the economy .
• The American economy, monetary policy, and monopolies .
• The importance of control in macroeconomics. One of the central topics in macroeconomics is grouped around the issue of control. It is quite reasonable that control over money and resources should become a topic of discussion.
• Analysis of Africa’s macroeconomics and its performance.
• Economics of education in developing markets.
• Problems and possible solutions for Japan macroeconomics .
• Comparative analysis of British macroeconomics concerning the US .
• Public policies and socio-economic disparities.
• The world problems through macroeconomic analysis. Indeed, macroeconomics is very complicated. There are many influences, details, and intricacies in it. However, it allows economists to use this complex set of tools to examine the world’s leading problems today.

• The connection between employment interest and money.

🤔 Development Economics

• Economics of development . This topic is very rich in content. First, explain what it is. Then pay particular attention to domestic and international policies that affect development, income distribution, and economic growth.
• The relation between development and incentive for migration.
• The impact of natural disasters on the economy and political stability of emerging markets.
• The economic consequences of population growth in developing countries.
• The role of industrialization in developing countries . The industrialization has been connected with the development. It promotes capital formation and catalyzes economic growth in emerging markets. In this thesis, you can talk about this correlation.
• Latin American economic development.
• Gender inequality and socio-economic development .
• Problems of tax and taxation in connection with economic growth.
• The economic impact of terrorism on developing markets.
• Religious decline as a key to economic development. Not everyone knows, but a lot of research has been done in the past years on the topic. It argues that decreased religious activity is connected with increased economic growth. This topic is quite controversial. Students who decide to write about it should be extra careful and polite.

👨‍💼 Behavioral Economics

• Risk Preferences in Rural South Africa.
• Behavioral Economics and Finance .
• Applied behavioral economics in marketing strategies. If you want to focus your attention on marketing, this topic is for you. Behavioral economics provides a peculiar lens to look at marketing strategies. It allows marketers to identify common behaviors and adapt their marketing strategies.
• The impact of behavioral finance on investment decisions.
• Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs in North Texas.
• Guidelines for Behavioral Economics in Healthcare Sector.
• Cognitive and behavioral theories in economics .
• Cross-cultural consumer behavior and marketing communication. Consumers are not only affected by personal characteristics, but also by the culture they are living in. This topic focuses on the extent it should determine marketing strategy and communication.
• Behavior implications of wealth and inequality.

• Optimism and pessimism for future behavior.

💼 Financial Economics

• Financial Economics for Infrastructure and Fiscal Policy .
• The use of the economic concept of human capital. Students can focus on the dichotomy between human and nonhuman capital. Many economists believe that human capital is the most crucial of all. Some approach this issue differently. Therefore, students should do their research and find where they stand on this issue.
• The analysis of the global financial crisis of 2020s. Share your thoughts, predictions, ideas. Analyze the economic situation that affects almost everyone in the world. This thesis topic will be fresh and original. It can help to start a good and fruitful conversation.
• The big data economic challenges for Volvo car.
• The connection between finance, economics, and accounting.
• Financial economics: Banks competition in the UK .
• Risk-Taking by mutual funds as a response to incentives.
• Managerial economics and financial accounting as a basis for business decisions.
• Stock market overreaction.

🌱 Agricultural Economics

• Agricultural economics and agribusiness.
• The vulnerability of agricultural business in African countries.
• Agricultural economics and environmental considerations of biofuels .
• Farmer’s contribution to agricultural social capital.
• Agricultural and resource economics. Agricultural and resource economics plays a huge role in development. They are subdivided into four main characteristics which in this topic, students can talk about: – mineral and energy resources; – soil resources, water resources; – biological resources. One or even all of them can be a focus of the thesis.
• Water as an economic good in irrigated agriculture.
• Agriculture in the economic development of Iran.
• The US Agricultural Food Policy and Production .
• Pesticides usage on agricultural products in California.

• An analysis of economic efficiency in agriculture. A lot of research has been done on the question of economic efficiency in agriculture. However, it does not mean there is no place for your study. You have to read a lot of secondary sources to see where your arguments can fit.

🤝‍Economic Sociology

• Theory, approach, and method in economics sociology.
• Economic sociology of capitalism. While economists believe in the positive effect capitalism has on the economy, the social effect is quite different. The “economic” part of the issue has been studied a lot. However, the sociology of it has been not. This thesis can be very intriguing to read.
• Political Economy and Economic Sociology.
• Gender and economic sociology .
• Progress, sociology, and economics.
• Data analysis in economics, sociology, environment .
• Economic sociology as a way to understand the human mind.
• Economic sociology of money.
• Economics, sociology, and psychology of security.
• Major principles of economic sociology. In the past decade, economic sociology became an increasingly popular field. Mainly due to it giving a new view on economics, human mind, and behavior. Besides, it explores relationships between politics, law, culture, and gender.

📚 The List of Ph.D. Topics in Economics

If you decide to go to grad school to do your Masters, you will likely end up getting a Ph.D. as well. So, with this plan in mind, think about a field that interests you enough during your Masters. Working with the same topic for both graduate degrees is easier and more effective.

This list of Ph.D. Topics in Economics can help you identify the areas you can work on.

• Occupational injuries in Pakistan and its effect on the economy. Injuries are the leading cause of the global burden of disability. Globally, Pakistan was ranked 9th populated country with a large number of unskilled workers. In this dissertation, consider the link between occupational injuries and their effects on the economy.
• The study of the Philippines’ economic development.

• Financial derivatives and climate change .
• Econometric Analysis of Financial Markets.
• Islamic Banking and Financial Markets .
• Health economics and policy in the UK.
• Health insurance: rationale and economic justification. In this dissertation, students can find different ways to explain and justify health insurance. Starting to philosophical to purely economic grounds. In the past years, there was a lot of discussion regarding the healthcare system for all. What are some of the economic benefits of that?
• Colombian economy, economic growth, and inequality.
• Benefits of mergers and acquisitions in agribusiness.
• Methods to measure financial risks when investing in Africa.
• The significance of financial economics in understanding the relationship between a country’s GDP and NDP.
• Network effects in cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies are not new anymore. However, it is still an original subject for a dissertation. Students can decide to choose several crypto coins and evaluate the importance of the network effect. This effect is particularly significant for Bitcoin. Explain why.
• The comparison of the Chinese growth model with the American growth model.
• An economic justification versus political expediency.
• Pollution Externalities Role in Management Economics .

📝 How to Select an Economics Thesis Topic

As your academic journey is coming to an end, it’s time to pick the right topic for your thesis. The whole academic life you were preparing to undertake this challenge.

Here is the list of six points that will help you to select an economics thesis topic:

• Make sure it is something you are genuinely interested in. It is incredibly challenging to write something engaging if you are not interested in the topic. So, choose wisely and chose what excites you.
• Draw inspiration from the previous student’s projects. A great place to start is by looking at what the previous students wrote. You can find some fresh ideas and a general direction.
• Ask your thesis advisor for his feedback. Most probably, your thesis advisor supervised many students before. They can be a great help too because they know how to assess papers. Before meeting with your professor, do some basic research, and understand what topic is about.
• Be original, but not too much. You do not want to spend your time writing about a project that many people wrote about. Your readers will not be interested in reading it, but your professors as well. However, make sure you do not pick anything too obscure. It will leave you with no secondary sources.
• Choose a narrow and specific topic. Not only will it allow you to be more original, but also to master a topic. When the issue is too broad, there is just too much information to cover in one thesis.
• Go interdisciplinary. If you find yourself interested in history, philosophy, or any other related topic, it can help you write an exceptional thesis in economics. Most of your peers may work on pure economics. Then, the interdisciplinary approach can help you to stand out among them.

Thank you for reading the article to the end! We hope this list of economics thesis topics ideas could help you to gather your thoughts and get inspired. Share it with those who may find it useful. Let us know what you think about it in the comment section below.

🔗 References

• Economics Thesis Topics List: Seminars Only
• How To Pick A Topic For Your Economics Research Project Or Master’s Thesis: INOMICS, The Site for Economists
• What Do Theses and Dissertations Look Like: KU Writing Center, the University of Kansas
• Writing Economics: Robert Neugeboren with Mireille Jacobson, University of Harvard
• Economics Ph.D. Theses: Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School, IDEAS_RePEc
• World Economic Situation and Prospects 2018: United Nations
• Undergraduate Honors Theses: Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley
• Economics Department Dissertations Collection: Economics Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Topics for Master Theses: Department of Economics, NHH, Norwegian School of Economics
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The dilemma I faced in getting Thesis proposal for my M Phil programme is taken away. Your article would be a useful guide to many more students.Thank you for your guidance.

Thanks for the feedback, John! Your opinion is very important for us!

I wants it for msc thesis

These are very helpful and concise research topics which I have spent days surfing the internet to get all this while. Thanks for making research life experience easier for me. Keep this good work up.

Thank you, Idris!

Glad to hear that! Thank you for your feedback, Idris!

Excellent research

For research

A very well written, clear and easy-to-read article. It was highly helpful. Thank you!

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140 Excellent Economics Research Topics To Consider

Table of Contents

Are you an economics student searching for good topics for your research paper? If yes, then keep on reading this blog. To make the topic selection process easier for you, here we have suggested a list of the best economics research topics on various areas associated with the subject. In addition to that, we have also presented a brief overview of economics research paper topic selection and writing. Quickly explore the entire list and choose any ideal topic for composing your economics thesis or dissertation.

How to Prepare an Economics Research Paper

Have your professor asked you to submit an economics research paper? If yes, then topic selection is the first step you should do. In case, your supervisors have not suggested any research ideas, make sure to choose a unique economics research topic that you are interested in. The topic you choose should be understandable for you and your readers, and it should also have a wide research scope with the necessary information for crafting a comprehensive research paper or essay.

After you have selected a research topic for your economics assignment, sketch an outline with the research ideas that you have gathered. Then, with the help of the essay outline you have prepared, draft the research paper in a well-structured manner by including the essential elements such as the introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction paragraph of your research paper should have a catchy opening sentence, brief background information on the topic, and a strong thesis statement addressing the purpose of your research paper. After the introduction, in the body paragraphs, you should include innovative topic sentences and explain your arguments with supporting evidence in a way to persuades your reader. Then, you should finally close your research paper with an engaging conclusion that contains a summary of the main points.

How to Select a Perfect Economics Research Topic

If you are unsure how to identify the appropriate topic for your economics research paper, then follow these guidelines

• Select a topic that reflects your interests and passions. Your research will become more engaging and inspiring as a result.
• Stay informed on the latest discussions, trends, and challenges in the economy. This may stimulate policy, globalization, or economic development-related discussions.
• To generate study topics, examine different economic models, theories, or ideas related to international commerce, behavioral economics, or game theory.
• You may also consider economics research topics that require empirical study with data from credible sources
• Never choose general topics. Instead, make sure to focus on particular aspects or sub-problems within a broader theme.
• Pick a research topic on economics that has major economic implications or policy relevance.
• Avoid overly researched issues. Give preference to a study topic that has a unique angle or viewpoint.
• Evaluate the availability of data, research resources, and any methodological issues. The topic you select should be original, meaningful, relevant, feasible, informative, and have sufficient resources for research.
• Consult with your mentors or teachers to improve the quality of the topic you have selected for your economics research.

List of the Best Economics Research Paper Topics

You may think that it is easy to choose a research topic for your economics research paper. But actually, it is not. As economics is a complex and broad subject, choosing a perfect research topic from it is a daunting task.

If you are asked to write an economics research paper or essay, then you can choose a topic from economics research areas such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, behavioral economics, agricultural economics, development economics, financial economics, and so on.

Here, we have sorted different categories of economics topics and have recommended a list of excellent economics research topic ideas for you to consider. Go through the entire list and pick a topic that is ideal for writing academic papers as per your instructor’s requirements.

Agricultural Economics Research Topics

Agricultural economics aims to optimize food systems, farm management, and agricultural policy for sustainability and profitability by applying economic principles. In your economics research paper, you may examine and write about any of these agricultural economics study topics.

• Farmer’s contribution to agricultural social capital.
• Agricultural economics and agribusiness.
• An analysis of economic efficiency in agriculture.
• Agricultural and resource economics.
• Agricultural economics and environmental considerations of biofuels.
• Analysis of food security and poverty status among households in Ehime Mbano
• Role of bank loans and credit facility in financing Nigerian Agriculture Sector: a case study of Nigeria’s agricultural cooperative and Rural Development Bank
• Evaluation of the impact of micro-finance banks on the South African agriculture sector
• How poultry farming is becoming a veritable tool for the economic empowerment of South Africa?
• Critical analysis of the problems and prospects of agriculture financing in rural India

Behavioral Economics Research Paper Topics

Behavioral Economics examines how social and psychological variables affect economic choices by questioning the classic rational choice assumptions. Listed below are some study topics about behavioral economics you may analyze in your economics research paper.

• What does the economy of trust mean?
• How does the brain change when a person is striking a great deal?
• The impact of economic stability on the social life of a person
• The buying capacity and gender
• How does race relate to economic power?
• Big data and its implications for behavioral economics
• The impact of behavioral finance on investment decisions.
• Cognitive and behavioral theories in economics.
• Behavior implications of wealth and inequality.
• Using behavioral economics to help reduce substance abuse

Development Economics Research Topics

Development economics studies methods for raising living standards, reducing poverty, and boosting economies in emerging nations. For preparing your economics thesis, you may take into account any of the below-listed research topics on developmental economics.

• The relation between development and incentive for migration.
• The economic consequences of population growth in developing countries.
• The determinants of high-performing institutions in emerging economies
• The impact of globalization on income distribution in emerging economies
• The problems of tax and taxation in connection with economic growth.
• The economic impact of terrorism on developing markets.
• Investigate the relationship between family planning, labor force, and income fluctuations.
• The impact of natural disasters on the economy and political stability of emerging markets.
• Budgeting and decision-making by low-income earners in emerging economics
• The impact of multinational commodity trading through the development of economic perspective.
• Compare and contrast the impact of demand-pull inflation and cost-push inflation on a country’s economy
• Discuss the impact of multinational commodity trading through the perspective of development economics
• Discuss the concepts of mercantilism, linear stages of growth model, economic nationalism, and structural-change theory
• Investigate the relationship between unemployment and fluctuations in national income
• Compare and contrast the economic patterns of villages across Papua New Guinea

Environmental Economics Research Paper Topics

Typically, environmental economics values natural resources, promotes sustainable development, and examines the financial effects of environmental policy. If you are interested in exploring environmental economics, the list of relevant research topics that have been recommended below might be useful to you.

• Explain the energy markets’ economic potential.
• How does global warming affect economic growth?
• How technological advancement leads to economic growth
• Evolution of economic institutions concerning climate change
• Cost-benefit analysis of the regulation of the environment
• The economic perspectives of the distribution of natural resources across boundaries
• The relationship between financial subsidies and the generation of eco-friendly products
• Detailed analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System
• Why it’s important to analyze the economics of clean drinking water
• How wildlife protection affects the economy

Read more: Outstanding Environmental Science Topics for You to Consider

Financial Economics Research Topics

Financial economics studies the structures, markets, and tools that support risk management, investments, and savings. The following are some financial economics research questions that will be convenient for you to study and compose about.

• Risk-taking by mutual funds as a response to incentives.
• Financial economics for infrastructure and fiscal policy.
• Managerial economics and financial accounting as a basis for business
• The analysis of the global financial crisis of 2020
• Stock market overreaction.
• Analyze the relationship between central bank decisions and stock market trends.
• Compare and contrast traditional asset pricing models with alternative models.
• Assess the disruption caused by FinTech innovations in the banking industry.
• Evaluate the informational efficiency of stock markets in developing economies.
• Study how psychological factors affect investment choices and market outcomes.
• Evaluate the performance of hedge funds in reducing portfolio risk.
• Assess the validity of CAPM in explaining stock returns.
• Examine historical sovereign debt crises and propose solutions.
• Investigate how interest rates influence inflation expectations and vice versa.
• Compare financial regulatory frameworks across countries and assess their impact on systemic risk.

Health Economics Research Ideas

Health economics assesses healthcare outcomes, policies, and systems to maximize resource allocation for better health and well-being. If you wish to investigate the relationship between health and economics in your research paper, then you may choose any of the following study topics about health economics.

• How do chronic diseases affect the workforce and the economy?
• How can public hospitals optimize their revenue collection?
• The economics of the pharmaceutical industry
• How an unhealthy country translates into a poor country
• Is the world’s hunger affected by economics?
• How does perfect competition work in the pharmaceutical world?
• How does an infectious disease outbreak affect the economy?
• Is health insurance important?
• How is the economy affected by a smoking ban?

Research Paper Topics on International Trade

International trade economics investigates how cross-border trade in capital, products, and services affects global economic interconnectedness. In case, you are curious to analyze and write about international trade in your economics thesis, you can pick any of the below-listed research topics or ideas.

• What are the gains and losses of international trade for developing countries?
• The importance of international trade in developing countries
• The relationship between economic growth and international trade
• The impact of Brexit on small and middle businesses in the UK
• To what extent does a currency union affect trade?
• The roles of exchange rate and exchange rate regime in the US export.
• To what extent are the gains of less developed countries from trade liberalization exaggerated?
• Foreign direct investment in the United States: Determinants and impact
• The relationship between foreign direct investment and wages
• The effects of the banana crisis on the Jamaican and British economies

Macroeconomics Research Topics

Macroeconomics studies the different aspects of the economy such as inflation, joblessness, economic expansion, and stabilization measures. In your economics research paper, you may conduct an in-depth exploration of any of the below-recommended study topics about macroeconomics.

• Global recession and factors that contribute to it.
• The relationship between Internet connectivity and productivity in the workplace.
• The relationship between economic growth and unemployment in your country.
• Income Dynamics and demographic economics.
• What should our government do to minimize the risks of future default?
• The connection between politics and economics.
• The world problems through macroeconomic analysis .
• US Market Liquidity and Macroeconomics.
• The structure, history, and activities of the World Bank.
• Economics of education in developing markets.
• Public policies and socio-economic disparities.
• Banks and their role in the economy.
• Problems and possible solutions for Japan macroeconomics.
• State regulation of the economy in foreign countries: main models of regulation.
• The effect of currency devaluation on small and medium firms
• A comparison of the United States unemployment to the rest of the world
• The relationship between common stock prices and inflation in your country.
• Macroeconomics and self-correction of the economy.
• Analysis of Africa’s macroeconomics and its performance.
• The implications of Internet banking on bank profitability.

Read more: Best Macroeconomics Research Topics and Ideas for Students

Microeconomics Research Topics

Microeconomics examines individual economic entities such as customers, businesses, markets, and pricing processes. When it comes to creating an economics research paper, you may take into account any of the below-listed topics about microeconomics.

• Explain how competition influences the price.
• Opportunity costs explained from a microeconomics perspective
• Inflation sources and consequences explained
• The impact of demonetization on small and medium businesses
• The connection between the minimum wage and market equilibrium.
• Perfect competition in microeconomics
• Theories in microeconomics
• The effect of labor force participation on the economy and budget
• Economic inequality as a result of globalization.
• Explain the balance between supply and demand in microeconomics
• Dynamics of the Gini index as a reflection of the problem of inequality in income
• Privatization of Public Enterprises and its implications on economic policy and development
• How does the stock market work?
• The impact of game theory on economic development.
• The changes in oil prices: causes and solutions.
• Marketing uses in microeconomics.
• The economic explanation of political dishonesty.
• How company mergers and dissolutions impact the economy
• The role of tax collection agencies in microeconomics
• Different microeconomic models and how they face the effect of industry conditions

A Few More Microeconomics Research Ideas

Do you need any other microeconomics research topics? If so, the list published here might be useful to you. In the list, we have included some additional study topics about microeconomics that will be convenient for you to analyze thoroughly and prepare an evidence-based research paper.

• How exactly does Uber fit into the economy of trust?
• How does a person’s brain alter when they hit a big deal?
• missing practical human insights from big data and how this affects the economy.
• explaining how supply and demand are balanced in microeconomics
• Changes in economic institutions about climate change
• Effects of greenhouses on economic growth
• Effects of climate change on economic growth
• Analysis of the European Union Emission Trading System in great detail
• Is resource management for waste scarce? A microeconomics explanation of opportunity costs
• Effects of wildlife protection on the economy

Interesting Economics Research Topics

To compose your economics research paper, select a topic that falls within your area of interest or passion so that you can enjoy your study process and come up with potential insights. The following are some economics research topics that will be exciting for you to analyze and compose a detailed thesis.

• What role does entrepreneurship play in economic development?
• How do automation and artificial intelligence affect the labor market?
• Discuss the Economics of healthcare systems and policies in developing countries.
• Explain the effects of trade agreements on income distribution.
• How does foreign aid affect economic development?
• Explain the impact of monetary policy on financial markets and inflation.
• Discuss the effects of income inequality on social mobility.
• How does tax reform impact business investment?
• Explain the role of microfinance in alleviating poverty.
• How does behavioral economics impact personal savings habits?

The Bottom Line

Economics is a broad discipline that has limitless research opportunities. In this blog, we suggested a list of diverse economics research topics on various themes such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, international trade, development economics, and more for you to get started. But while you choose a topic for your economics research paper, prefer a topic that aligns with your interests, skills, and goals. You may also explore new areas of study to stay ahead in the ever-evolving field of economics. Mainly, by investigating economics research topics or examining the intricacies of economic theory, policy, and practice, you can contribute meaningfully to the ongoing discussion in economics, inform policy decisions, and drive positive change in the world. If you struggle to choose the right topic and develop a detailed research paper on economics, get guidance from the economics experts on our team and wrap up your assignment accurately and on time.

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• Schools & departments

What topics can I study?

There is a broad range of topics that you can study for your PhD in Economics. This page contains some examples of areas we cover. Staff Profiles also give information on research areas covered by specific members of faculty.

We offer supervision on a range of topics in economics from social and behaviour economics to game theory and contract theory, from sports economics and neuroeconomics to health economics and family economics, from search and matching and international economics to political conflict and occupational mobility. Our strengths, in particular, are in:

• Economic Theory (contract theory, game theory, micro and macro)
• Labour Economics (micro and macro)
• Applied Econometrics (micro, macro, health and education)
• Behavioural and Experimental Economics

The ability to match your topic with our supervision team is equally as important as your topic. We will not admit a student where we cannot provide the very best supervision. Therefore, you should think carefully about whether your topic matches our research interests. You will be asked to address this during the application process.  The School is committed to providing the best possible experience to our PhD students, this can only be done by ensuring students receive the very best supervision and support.

If, before applying, you would like to check whether we can offer supervision in your proposed area of research, then please contact us via email .

To help you see the sorts of topics that you could study here at Edinburgh, the following list of topics with suggested reading may help. It is intended to be indicative rather than exhaustive or prescriptive. We encourage all applicants to visit our academic staff list and the profiles of our current PhD students to get a flavour of the research topics we can offer.

Agricultural Productivity

Developing countries are typically characterised by large agricultural employment shares, and low labour productivity in agriculture relative to non-agriculture. This is an old topic that has received renewed interest recently with the advent of macroeconomic models featuring heterogeneity in agriculture and embedding agriculture into the aggregate economy.

• Douglas Gollin, Steven Parente, and Richard Rogerson (2002). “The Role of Agriculture in Development.” American Economic Review.
• David Lagakos and Michael Waugh (2013). “Selection, Agriculture, and Cross-Country Productivity Differences. American Economic Review.
• Tasso Adamopoulos and Diego Restuccia (2014). “The Size Distribution of Farms and Agricultural Productivity Differences.” American Economic Review.

Explaining trade growth

Quantitative trade models struggle to account for the growth of world trade in the period 1950-­?2010. Several extensions of quantitative trade models have been proposed to solve this “puzzle”. All of them are partially successful on their own, but they have not been explored jointly to determine how much of the puzzle remains.

• Zymek, R., 2014. "Factor Proportions and the Growth of World Trade", Journal of International Economics.
• Yi, K.-M., 2003. “Can Vertical Specialization Explain the Growth of World Trade?,” Journal of Political Economy.Bridgman, B., 2008.
• “Energy Prices and the Expansion of World Trade,” Review of Economic Dynamics.

Firms and Aggregate Productivity

A large fraction of the variation in aggregate productivity across the world can be traced back to differences in the evolution and organization of firms. Firms differ in their access to credit, quality of management, innovation, factor choices, etc. Current macroeconomic models are a useful tool to determine the optimal distribution of firms and from there measure the impact of misallocation within firms as well as across firms. In particular, they can be used to study the effect of economy-specific policies, institutions, and endowments on the aggregate economy through the evolution of firms.

• Hugo Hopenhayn (1992). “Entry, Exit, and Firm Dynamics in Long Run Equilibrium.” Econometrica.
• Francisco Buera, Joseph Kaboski and Yongseok Shin (2011). “Finance and Development: A Tale of Two Sectors.” American Economic Review.
• Nicholas Bloom, Raffaela Sadun, and John Van Reenen (2012). “The Organization of Firms Across Countries.” Quarterly Journal of Economics.

Intermediate Inputs and the Macroeconomy

Distinct economic sectors are cross-linked through the exchange of intermediate inputs, which are important production factors that are typically ignored when sectoral output is defined by value added. As economies differ substantially in their relative sectoral TFP levels, these differences feedback non-trivially into other sectors. There is scope to improve our understanding of the effect of sector-specific distortions on aggregate productivity via the incorporation of intermediate inputs.

• Charles Jones (2011). “Intermediate Good and Weak Links in the Theory of Economic Development.” American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics.
• Chang-Tai Hsieh and Peter Klenow (2007). “Relative Prices and Relative Prosperity.” American Economic Review.

Costs of sovereign default

The costs of sovereign default are important for our understanding of why countries repay their foreign debts. A recent literature has started to explore the economic and legal costs of sovereign default empirically but there is still a lot of scope for data?driven projects in this area.

• Ugo Panizza, Federico Sturzenegger, and Jeromin Zettelmeyer, 2009, "The Economics and Law of Sovereign Debt and Default" Journal of Economic Literature.
• Bulow, J., and K. Rogoff, 1989, “A Constant Recontracting Model of Sovereign Debt,” Journal of Political Economy.

Information transmission in principal-agent models

Information is fundamental to rewards and punishments. An important question in principal-agent models is what information is created, communicated, hidden, fabricated, verified, or destroyed.

• Townsend, R. M., 1979. Optimal contracts and competitive markets with costly state verification, Journal of Economic Theory.
• Crocker, J., and Morgan, J., 1998. Is honesty the best policy? Curtailing insurance fraud through optimal incentive contracts. Journal of Political Economy.

Two-sided matching in labour markets with heterogeneous agents

With heterogeneous agents on the both sides of the market it is possible to address not only unemployment, but also match quality and therefore whether government interventions such as unemployment benefits would improve matching.

• Eeckhout, J. and P. Kircher, 2010, Sorting and Decentralized Price Competition, Econometrica.
• Shimer, R., and L. Smith, 2000. Assortative Matching and Search, Econometrica.

Two-sided matching

• Hopkins, E. and V. Bhaskar, (2014): “Marriage as a Rat Race: Noisy Pre-Marital Investments with Assortative Matching”. Mimeo.
• Chakraborty, A., A. Citannay and M. Ostrovskyz (2007): "Two-sided matching with interdependent values," mimeo.
• Clark, S., (2006). The Uniqueness of Stable Matchings, Berkeley Journal in Theoretical Economics.
• Greenwood, J., N. Guner, G. Kocharkov, C. Santos (2014): “Marry Your Like: Assortative Mating and Income Inequality” NBER Working Paper.

Housing Markets

House prices and house sales are positively correlated. Yet time on the market is negatively correlated with prices. Search theory is a natural paradigm to study housing markets since it captures the illiquidity of houses and the fact that the degree of liquidity may vary with market conditions.

• Díaz, A. And Jerez, B. (2013), House Prices, Sales, and Time On The Market: A Search-Theoretic Framework. International Economic Review.
• Moen, E. R. and P.T., 2014. "Buying First or Selling First in Housing Markets," CEPR Discussion Papers.

Directed Search

In directed search models, workers do not encounter firms completely at random but try to locate those posting attractive positions. Age, experience and employment position of a worker will all help determine a worker’s optimal search strategy.

• Menzio,G., I. Telyukova and L. Visschers (2012) “Directed Search over the Life Cycle”, mimeo.
• Galenianos, M. and Kircher, P. (2009) Directed search with multiple job applications. Journal of economic theory.
• Mortensen, D., and C. Pissarides. 1994. “Job Creation and Job Destruction in the Theory of Unemployment.” Review Economic Studies.
• Bagger, J., F. Fontaine, F. Postel-Vinay and J.-M. Robin, 2014, “Tenure, Experience, Human Capital and Wages: A Tractable Equilibrium Search Model of Wage Dynamics”, American Economic Review.

Health Economics

How does economic activity impact health and how does health affect economic activity. For example, it has been found that unemployment may cause depression, suicide, and bad health outcomes in general. How does this affect other members of the family? If the primary earner is unemployed, does this translate to worse health outcomes / health behaviours of the family members? How does life expectancy impact on consumption decisions for durable and other goods?

• Kuhn, A., R. Lalive, J. Zweimüller (2009): “The public health costs of job loss”, Journal of Health Economics.
• Bíró, A. (2013): “Subjective mortality hazard shocks and the adjustment of consumption expenditures”, Journal of Population Economics.
• Cutler, D., and E. Glaeser. (2005): “What Explains Differences in Smoking, Drinking, and Other Health Related Behaviors?”, American Economic Review.

Information design

There are two ways of creating incentives for interacting agents to behave in a desired way. One is by providing appropriate payoff incentives, which is the subject of mechanism design. The other is by choosing the information that agents observe: information design. Much work has been done on mechanism design. Information design is a more recent topic of interest.

• Taneva, I. (2014): “Information Design” working paper.
• Kamenica, E. and M. Gentzkow (2011): “Bayesian Persuasion”, American Economic Review.

The effect of political and economic institutions/outcomes on culture/beliefs

While most works in economics takes preferences as exogenously given, recent evidence suggests that personal experiences have the potential to shape certain parameters (e.g. people growing up during a recession being more risk averse in their investments). Meanwhile, the proposed effects of culture (i.e. individualist versus collectivist) on political and economic institutions beg the question of whether culture/beliefs themselves can be influenced by institutions such as curriculum and media.

• Gorodnichenko Y., and G. Roland, 2014: Culture, Institutions and Democratisation. Mimeo.
• Cantoni, D., Chen, Y., Yang, D. Y., Yuchtman, N. and Zhang, Y. J, (2014), Curriculum and Ideology.

Information Disclosure in Auctions

Much work has been done on auctions and auction design. An important topic in auction theory is the disclosure of information.

• Ganuza, J-J. and J. S. Penalva (2010): “Signal Orderings Based on Dispersion and the Supply of Private Information in Auctions”, Econometrica.
• Eso, P. and B. Szentes (2007): “Optimal Information Disclosure in Auctions and the Handicap Auction”, Review of Economic Studies.

Information transmission in games

Is there a trade-off between the quality and quantity communication when respondents have a strategic incentive to misreport?

• K. Kawamura (2013): Eliciting Information from a Large Population, Mimeo.

Dynamic contracting

Relational contracting between two or more agents, with and without complete information is an important topic for understanding how investment and transactions within a relationship change over time.

• Thomas, J. and T. Worrall (2014): “Dynamic Relational Contracts under Complete Information”, Mimeo.
• Clementi, G.L. and H. A. Hopenhayn (2006): “A Theory of Financing Constraints and Firm Dynamics“, The Quarterly Journal of Economics.
• M. Halac (2012): “Relational Contracts and the Value of Relationships,” American Economic Review.

Wage Setting

An important topic for macroeconomics is to understand how wages are set over the cycle and how wages evolve over time and how that interacts with productivity and unemployment.

• Snell, A., and J. Thomas, (2010): “Labour Contracts, Equal Treatment, and Wage-Unemployment Dynamics” AEJ: Macroeconomics.

Global Games

Global games can be applied to understand financial and macroeconomic problems, in which agents may be prone to self-fulfilling panics, such as in bank runs.

• Sakovics, J. and J. Steiner (2012), “Who Matters in Coordination Problems”, American Economic Review.
• Morris , S.and H. Shin, (2003): “Global Games: Theory and Applications”, in: Dewatripont, M., Hansen, M., Turnovsky, S. (Eds), Advances in Economics and Econometrics (Proceedings of the Eighth World Congress of the Econometric Society), Cambridge University Press.

Inequality, relative income, status and economic growth

How does risk-taking vary with gender, relative position and inequality? How does it impact on economic performance?

• Hopkins, E. and T. Kornienko (2004): “Running to Keep in the Same Place: Consumer Choice as a Game of Status”, with Tatiana Kornienko, American Economic Review.
• E. Hopkins (2014): “Inequality, Gender and Risk-Taking Behaviour:”, Mimeo.

Imperfect competition among traders

How do sellers compete in attracting buyers? How do buyers decide where and what to bid? There are many ways of thinking about this problem, some ideas can be found in the following:

• Burguet, R. and J. Sákovicsz (2014): “Bertrand and the long run”, Mimeo.
• De Fraja, G. and J. Sákovicsz (2012) “Exclusive Nightclubs and Lonely Hearts Columns: Non-monotone Participation in Optional Intermediation” Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization.
• J, Sákovics (2014): “Price formation in a matching market with targeted offers” Games and Economic Behavior.

This article was published on 2024-10-01

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PhD in Economics

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This is the most advanced programme of graduate studies in Economics at Cambridge. Upon its completion, candidates are awarded a PhD degree for producing a thesis of high-quality, original, and publishable research over a period of four years (full-time) and seven years (part-time).

A good number of our PhD students receive full or partial funding for their studies, from a variety of funding bodies, such as the ESRC and the Gates Foundation .

Our PhD students receive high quality training on a variety of research methods and are exposed to cutting edge research conducted by our own Faculty members, as well visitors to the Faculty (via the Cambridge-INET Institute , seminars, PhD workshops, locally organised conferences, etc.). Faculty members can supervise a wide range of topics from six broadly defined research areas: microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, econometrics, applied microeconomics, economic history and alternative approaches to economics.

PhD students in Cambridge benefit from a high faculty-to-student ratio and therefore form close relationships with many Faculty members. They also forge strong links with our post-doctoral researchers, and they actively participate in the Faculty’s vibrant research life. They have access to a wide range of facilities, such as their own desk/office space in the same building as regular Faculty members, computing equipment, a variety of software and access to a wide range of databases.

PhD students are encouraged to attend academic conferences and showcase their research work in a variety of ways. Upon completions of their studies, many of our PhD students become academics, or researchers at international or government research institutions (see recent job market placements here ).

Explore here the profiles of our current PhD students.

To obtain the degree of PhD in Economics, students need to:

1. Obtain the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) . If accepted for the PhD degree, you will be registered initially for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) in Economics. Students registered for the CPGS are required to:

• Attend the 'How to do Economics' lecture course. Other postgraduate courses in research methods are organised by the Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Physical Sciences, and are available to all PhD students.  
• Undertake a minimum of four courses from PhD or MPhil Modules from at least two subject areas. You must achieve a pass mark (60%) on each component of the coursework. Students who fail any examinations will be called for a viva on the coursework.

• Write a research proposal (maximum length 10,000 words) that should include a review of the relevant literature, a research question, and outline of a research design and methods. The expectation is that this proposal will be for a piece of research that could form the basis of one chapter of a PhD dissertation. You will be given an oral examination on this piece of work and must perform to a satisfactory standard.  
• Attend (a) one of the three research workshops (on microeconomics, macroeconomics or econometrics) at which research students present both their own work and recent papers in the literature - assessment of workshops will be arranged by course organisers; (b) attend at least one of the Faculty's general seminars in which papers are given both by outside speakers and Faculty members;  
• To be registered for the PhD submit an acceptable piece of research (first year chapter) of not more than 20,000 words. The piece of research submitted must be of a standard that would enable it to form the basis of one-third of your eventual PhD thesis. This means that it must contain research that could be expanded upon to constitute one-third of the PhD thesis.

2. Once upgraded to PhD status, a student concentrates on her or his PhD dissertation. In general the thesis format is either in the form of a book divided into chapters, or of three or more connected articles; in either case, the Faculty has a strict limit of 60,000 words. As research progresses, there will be opportunities to present work in progress at research workshops attended by Faculty members and research students. PhD students will also be required to attend research seminars given by outside speakers and Faculty members. 

Upon completion and submission of the PhD thesis, students do an oral examination (viva) with two examiners, one internal to the University of Cambridge (not the supervisor or research advisor), and one external (from any other University in the UK or the rest of the world).

After a successful thesis defence, the examiners recommend awarding the degree of PhD.

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Doctoral Program

The Ph.D. program is a full time program leading to a Doctoral Degree in Economics.  Students specialize in various fields within Economics by enrolling in field courses and attending field specific lunches and seminars.  Students gain economic breadth by taking additional distribution courses outside of their selected fields of interest.

General requirements

Students  are required to complete 1 quarter of teaching experience. Teaching experience includes teaching assistantships within the Economics department or another department .

University's residency requirement

135 units of full-tuition residency are required for PhD students. After that, a student should have completed all course work and must request Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status.

Department degree requirements and student checklist

1. core course requirement.

Required: Core Microeconomics (202-203-204) Core Macroeconomics (210-211-212) Econometrics (270-271-272).  The Business School graduate microeconomics class series may be substituted for the Econ Micro Core.  Students wishing to waive out of any of the first year core, based on previous coverage of at least 90% of the material,  must submit a waiver request to the DGS at least two weeks prior to the start of the quarter.  A separate waiver request must be submitted for each course you are requesting to waive.  The waiver request must include a transcript and a syllabus from the prior course(s) taken.  

2.  Field Requirements

Required:  Two of the Following Fields Chosen as Major Fields (click on link for specific field requirements).  Field sequences must be passed with an overall grade average of B or better.  Individual courses require a letter grade of B- or better to pass unless otherwise noted.

Research fields and field requirements :

• Behavioral & Experimental
• Development Economics
• Econometric Methods with Causal Inference
• Econometrics
• Economic History
• Environmental, Resource and Energy Economics
• Industrial Organization
• International Trade & Finance
• Labor Economics
• Market Design
• Microeconomic Theory
• Macroeconomics
• Political Economy
• Public Economics

3.  Distribution

Required:  Four other graduate-level courses must be completed. One of these must be from the area of economic history (unless that field has already been selected above). These courses must be distributed in such a way that at least two fields not selected above are represented.  Distribution courses must be passed with a grade of B or better.

4.  Field Seminars/Workshops

Required:  Three quarters of two different field seminars or six quarters of the same field seminar from the list below.