At MBS, we offer a comprehensive program to support your learning, develop your skills and enrich your degree. We encourage you to be involved both on and off campus, and to make the most of your time outside the classroom.

Internships

As a part of the PhD, students can undertake a Research Internship. These paid opportunities will allow you to strengthen transferable skills and expand your professional networks, while engaging in research and development (R&D) activities with an external organisation.

Top-Tier Research & High-Quality Teaching

Across the Department of Economics and the Melbourne Institute, there are approximately 90 economists who specialise in virtually every area of economics. To find out which academic staff are available for PhD supervision, you can search for their profile in Find an Expert.

Associate Professor Reshad Ahsan

Graduate Research Director (Economics)

Reshad Ahsan is an Associate Professor of Economics with research interests at the intersection of International Trade and Development Economics. His research explores the labor-market effects of trade in developing countries, with a focus on understanding the impact of trade on inequality and workplace safety. He also studies the link between trade, firm innovation, and productivity in developing countries. His research has been published in leading academic journals and has been funded by major local and international funding bodies.

Meet our Academics (Economics)

Associate Professor Tim Robinson

Graduate Research Director (Melbourne Institute)

Associate Professor Tim Robinson is a member of the Melbourne Institute’s macroeconomics team. His research focuses on using estimated macroeconomic models to inform policy. He is interested in understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and relationships between different macroeconomic modelling approaches. His current research on nowcasting the Australian economy is supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery grant.

Meet our Academics (Melbourne Institute)

Student experience

Boon Han Koh

PhD candidate Department of Economics

"Having thoroughly enjoyed my undergraduate years here, when it came time to make the decision to pursue a PhD, the University of Melbourne became a natural first choice. In addition, my research employs an experimental methodology, and Melbourne has a great Economics Experimental Laboratory. The coursework component in the Doctoral Program is an excellent way for students to improve their technical skills while forming bonds with each other something that would have been more difficult to do in the traditional, individualistic nature of research-only structures."

Farzana Hossain

PhD candidate Department of Economics

"As an international student, I expected it to be challenging starting a new life in a foreign country while attending such a rigorous program. Instead, I have been overwhelmed by the support from the faculty, administrative staff members, and my fellow PhD students who are from all over the world! I also started tutoring, which has further developed my learning, and helped me gain confidence in building my academic career."

Meet our Graduate Research students

Doctoral Program in Economics

How to apply

How to apply

Key dates

Semester 1 intake only - Apply by 31 August