Economics Subject Group
The Economics group is dedicated to research, education, and real-world impact. We have a long-standing history of teaching economics, with roots dating back to the early 1900s.
About our subject group
Newcastle University has a proud history of teaching economics, dating back to 1900/1901.
The Economics subject group at the Business School is at the forefront of research across a wide range of fields within our discipline. Comprising more than 30 academics and hundreds of students across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degree programmes, our community thrives thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of both our faculty and students.
Our research spans most of the principal fields within economics, with a particular focus on the areas of:
- Macroeconomics
- Microeconomics
- Behavioural economics
- Health economics
- Labour economics
- Economic development
- Economic history
- Industrial organisation
Undergraduate degrees
Our undergraduate programmes provide a strong foundation in economics, preparing students for a variety of career paths in this dynamic field.
We offer the following programmes:
We also collaborate to offer the following interdisciplinary programmes:
Postgraduate degrees
Our postgraduate degrees are designed for students progressing from undergraduate studies in economics, or a closely cognate discipline. They offer advanced training integrated with practical economic applications.
We offer the following programmes:
We also offer a programme for students who may not have previous experience of studying economics but wish to transition into this field for their career progression.
PhD programme
The PhD programme focuses on advanced, research-rich education, supporting individuals who wish to develop innovative research in collaboration with our experts. It offers an in-depth, research-based education, equipping students to advance in either academia or industry.
Our doctoral students receive expert supervision from our academic experts and are encouraged to immerse themselves departmental activities, including presenting their own research.
A small number of accomplished PhD candidates have been awarded the Peter and Norah Lomas PhD Studentship in economics.
If you're interested in pursuing a PhD, we encourage you to look for potential supervisors from our group staff.
Research
Our research contributes to the advancement of economics and addresses a wide range of global challenges.
We hold a weekly department-wide seminar series. We also hold seminar series in:
- Applied Microeconomics
- Economic Theory and Philosophy
- Experimental Economics
- Macroeconomics
Our academics have published in general-interest economics journals such as:
- American Economic Review
- Canadian Journal of Economics
- Economic Journal
- European Economic Review
- International Economic Review
- Journal of Risk and Uncertainty
- Oxford Economic Papers
They have also published in specialist journals such as:
- B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics
- British Journal of Industrial Relations
- British Journal of Management
- Economic History Review
Research collaboration and engagement
Collaboration is central to our research. Academics in the Economics group work with each other, as well as with academics in the UK and internationally. There is also widespread engagement between our academics and policymakers, both in the UK and abroad. In this way, our research has an impact on policy, the economy and society at various levels.
We actively engage with experts and other organisations to develop knowledge and share our expertise, further advancing the field of economics.
Community radio and women’s empowerment in India
A project led by:
- Tom Lane (Newcastle University Business School)
- Smriti Sharma (Newcastle University Business School)
- Pushkar Maitra (Monash University)
- Rajesh Ramachandran (Monash University)
This econometric and experimental project is based in India and utilises a combination of large-scale datasets and fieldwork to investigate the effects of community radio stations on female empowerment in rural areas. It is a collaboration with researchers from our strategic partners Monash University, Australia. The project is internally funded by the NAMAWARDS, a funding collaboration set up between the two universities.
Valuing gains in life expectancy
A project looking at time preferences and the Value of a Life Year (VOLY). The project is led by:
- Danae Arroyos-Calvera (Birmingham University)
- Susan Chilton (Newcastle University Business School)
- Rebecca McDonald (Birmingham University)
- Jytte Nielsen (Newcastle University)
Pre-1914 Australian trade policy and its consequences
This research project is led by Brian Varian, Senior Lecturer in Economics. It spans several papers concerning:
- the correlation between tariffs and growth
- the welfare effects of the formation of the Commonwealth customs union
- the effects of market integration on employment and productivity
- the efficacy of infant-industry protection
The project takes advantage of the abundance of trade data collected by each of the six Australian colonies, prior to Federation in 1901.
Journal roles
Many of our academics also serve as journal editors or advisory boards members. Our expertise is represented on:
- Asia-Pacific Economic History Review
- Health Economics
- Journal of Management and Governance
In sharing our expertise with others in the field, as well as with with industry professionals, we are helping to shape the future of the economics discipline and better inform policy
Facilities
Experimental and Behavioural Economics Lab
The Economics subject group is the proud host the Newcastle University Experimental and Behavioural Economics Lab. This state-of-the-art research facility allows users to conduct studies in experimental economics and economic psychology. Users are able to test economic theory, measure preferences, and pre-test policy interventions.
It offers:
- 30 participant workstations
- two experimenter workstations
- a full suite of experimental software packages
The Lab was recently refurbished with larger screens and new workstations.
