PhD Opportunity: Economics of Education

Project summary: This PhD will concern applied, quantitative, policy relevant analyses of education policies, educational inputs, institutions, the effect of education on labour market and other outcomes. The PhD-candidate will work closely with the supervisory team on a project that is concerned with the effects of school starting age on attainment, pupil health, bullying, and long-term outcomes. The successful candidate will become part of the Fraser of Allander Institute.

Deadline: 31 March 2023

Duration: 36 months full-time

Funding details: Fully-funded scholarship for 3 years covers all university tuition fees (at UK level) and an annual tax-free stipend. International students are also eligible to apply, but they will need to find other funding sources to cover the difference between the home and international tuition fees. Exceptional international candidates may be provided funding for this difference.

Number of places: 1

Eligibility: Candidates are required to have:

• An excellent undergraduate degree with Honours in Economics (or related field).
• A Master’s degree (or equivalent) will be strongly preferred.
• Experience in programming (especially proficiency in Stata) is highly recommended.
• Interest in economics and education-related issues.

Project details: This PhD will concern applied, quantitative, policy relevant analyses of education policies, educational inputs and institutions, the effect of education on labour market and other outcomes. The candidate will get access to a large administrative dataset provided by the Scottish Government. As well as with quantitative research designs, this data source can be used to obtain causal effects of environmental factors and school-specific determinants of educational attainment and pupils' transition into the labour market.

The PhD-candidate will work closely with the supervisory team on a project that is concerned with the effects of school starting age on attainment, pupil health, bullying, and long-term outcomes. There is also clear scope for the candidate to pursue their own research ideas within the broad ‘economics of education’ research area. A focus on education in Scotland or the UK is not a requirement.

The successful candidate will become part of the Fraser of Allander Institute, a leading economic research institute in Scotland, with extensive research and knowledge exchange activities aligned to Scottish and UK public policy. As such, the student will have access to the expertise of a wide range of experienced researchers, opportunities to engage with policymakers, and join a cohort of other PhD students undertaking policy relevant research.

Primary supervisor: Dr Markus Gehrsitz

Contact: markus.gehrsitz@strath.ac.uk

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