MPhil/PhD

Apply for one of our PhD routes

We have two routes that PhD students can pursue depending on their interests and background.

Innovation and Public Policy PhD

The Innovation and Public Policy PhD route is an interdisciplinary Doctoral Research Programme focussing on rethinking innovation in the context of public value creation.

The programme aims to develop the next generation of world-leading interdisciplinary scholars in innovation, industrial policy, public sector governance and public policy. The PhD focusses on providing students with a bespoke programme of scholarly development designed to improve applied conceptual, theoretical and analytical skills.

A key goal of the programme is to prompt doctoral researchers to blend and synthesise different disciplinary tools to offer truly interdisciplinary analysis on how innovation can be harnessed to tackle global challenges.

There are no formal subject-based entry requirements for this route, however students should have a strong academic background and clear evidence of interest in their chosen topic.

Economic Policy and Political Economy PhD

Our PhD in Economic Policy and Political Economy (EPPE) route is for students who are interested to explore the relationship between states and markets and the economic challenges facing modern capitalist economies.

Our Faculty and wider research community have a broad range of research interests in this field, covering both theoretical and more applied topic areas. This includes: development economics and structural change, decolonisation economics, financial and macroeconomic policy, banking and money, political economy of science and technology, the economics of innovation and intellectual monopolies, ecological economics and green transition, sustainable finance, institutional and evolutionary economics and the economics of land and housing. Students taking this route should have studied either economics or political economy at undergraduate or masters level. They will be required to audit the economics modules taught in IIPP’s MPA, specifically ‘New Economic Thinking and public value’ and ‘The Economics of Innovation’ in term 1 and ‘Rethinking Capitalism’ in term 2).

This route is only available from October 2025, however students may switch between the routes during the course of their studies if they meet the necessary criteria and have the approval of their supervisory team.

The PhD supervision 

Students undertaking a PhD at IIPP must identify a primary supervisor who will be a Faculty member (Assistant-, Associate- or Full Professor level) who is based at the Institute. A subsidiary supervisor is also required to support aspects of the proposed research which the primary supervisor may be less familiar with. 

Subsidiary supervisors will not normally be Faculty staff but may be chosen from the wider research community at IIPP (Research Fellows or Honorary Research Fellows/Professors) or be based at another department at UCL. IIPP Faculty have strong relationships with many other departments and can advise students on subsidiary supervision. Students are also free to propose additional (tertiary) supervisors who may be from other external universities where appropriate.

The PhD journey

For both routes, in their first year, students are registered as MPhil candidates but are then expected to upgrade to PhD status within 18 months of registration. The upgrade process is an opportunity for students to present an in-depth research proposal that hones in on a specific area of study, and to look at preparation and resources required in order to complete the full PhD on time. The primary supervisor and subsidiary supervisor then provides feedback and guidance to the student and renders a decision to upgrade the student or not. 

• Upgrade from MPhil to PhD

Formal PhD supervision is provided over three years after which time students should have completed their research and have an initial draft completed.  Students may apply for ‘continuing research status’ (CRS) to write up their thesis in their fourth year if needed but only informal supervision will be provided.