PhD in Economics

Welcome to the University of Lausanne and thank you for your interest in our PhD program in Economics. As the academic home of some of the most eminent economists of the last two centuries such as Léon Walras and Vilfredo Pareto, the University of Lausanne has a distinguished history of scholarship in economics and aspires to remain a leading center for economic research and learning.

The aim of our PhD program in Economics is to attract excellent students with a Masters degree in economics or a related field and help them to develop their potential to become independent economists who thrive in the academic, public and private sector. While our PhD students are a culturally diverse group and represent many nationalities, they all have a strong methodological background and share a passion for research.

Speaking to the quality of our PhD program, many of our students succeeded at publishing their research in leading international peer-reviewed journals. Moreover, many of our alumni work at highly regarded organizations in the academic, public, and private sector. Examples of recent placements comprise the Universities of Essex, Vienna, and St. Gallen, the European Central Bank, the Swiss National Bank, the federal and cantonal administrations, and various multinational corporations such as Crédit Suisse, Nestlé and KPMG. 

Successful completion of the PhD program in economics generally requires four to five years of full-time studying and research. During the first year of the program, students will complete the Swiss Program for Beginning Doctoral Students in Economics offered by the Studienzentrum Gerzensee or—in exceptional cases—a program deemed equivalent by the CPhD. PhD students will then participate in additional more-specialized PhD-level training courses and pursue their own research (with the occasional skiing, hiking or swimming breaks, of course, to keep a clear mind). In addition, PhD students will regularly participate in high-quality seminars and workshops, and present their own work during dedicated PhD training events. Admission to the program is granted once a year based on a centralized and competitve admission procedure (see also the additional information below)

With a current staff of more than 15 professors and many post-doctoral and doctoral researchers, the Department of Economics covers a wide range of topics in macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics. Reflecting a strong focus on academic excellence, members of the department regularly publish in leading international peer-reviewed general-interest and field journals in economics and its bordering disciplines. Moreover, they often work on research projects funded through prestigious national and international grants and prizes. What is more, with over 80 full-time faculty members, the Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC Lausanne) also features significant expertise in the related areas such as finance and management. Students benefit from this expertise not only as a resource for advice but also for guidance on their research projects and future career plans. As an English-speaking, cosmopolitan school, HEC Lausanne is always looking to expand its research program and cultural richness. Thus, we invite applications from all corners of the globe.
 

Important information for future applicants:

• The only deadline for application is January 31st of each year. Only applications submitted electronically through the application website will be considered for admission. Note also that we cannot provide any information on the prospects of admission or admission guarantees in the interim.
• Only admitted PhD students will receive supervision from our faculty. We do not offer supervision guarantees to prospective applicants for scholarship purposes (e.g. for Swiss Confederation Bursaries applications). 
• The majority of our PhD candidates will receive funding  through appointments as teaching and research assistants. Although we do not offer stipends, funding conditions via teaching and research assistantships are very generous in international comparison.

Please feel free to contact us for further information.