Hello everyone! I’m Zoey, a PhD student at the Department of Economics and Related Studies at the University of York. I’m very honoured to be invited to write this blog. I’ll talk about two things: my study experience and some information that might be helpful for future students.
My study experience
Before coming to York for my PhD, I had also studied in other countries. From my personal experience, York has been much better for me (not trying to compare or put down other places!). In my view, the university’s level of care for students and its ability to build a sense of community is just as good as many top-ranked universities in the world. (Rankings aren’t everything, but based on my own experience, international students do pay a lot of attention to things like QS rankings.)
Speaking of the Economics Department, the picture above shows the main building. Once you walk inside, you’ll find a slightly complicated three-floor structure. (I say “complicated” because I always struggle to find professors’ offices haha.) The department provides many study spaces for students, such as the Quiet Room on G-floor, the Student Room (for discussions), and a soundproof space for online meetings. (All of these facilities are available to Economics students, regardless of year.) On the first floor, there is a dedicated PhD space with around 7–8 offices. Each office has five desks, all equipped with monitors and ergonomic chairs. There is also a common lounge and lockers where students can eat. This area is accessible only with a PhD student card.
After talking about the facilities, let’s talk about the soft support. The department has several research clusters, and each cluster organises a seminar every two weeks, inviting scholars from inside or outside the university to share their latest papers. Every Thursday, there is also a workshop where staff and students from the department present their research. Around Christmas, the department also organises festive gatherings that students can join. The department really encourages PhD students to attend seminars—not only to keep up with the latest research, but also because it’s a great chance to connect with other scholars and students. Hearing about others’ work can sometimes inspire new ideas for our own research.
My guidance for future students
Currently, the Economics discipline at York covers two main areas: the Department of Economics and Related Studies, and the Centre for Health Economics (CHE). The Economics department admits around eight PhD students each year. Some are on the iPhD in Economics route, and some are PhD in Health Economics.
If you are currently studying at York and wish to continue into a PhD in Economics, I suggest communicating more with lecturers and staff in both the Economics Department and CHE—about courses, academic topics, and so on. This can include speaking up in class, making use of office hours to ask questions, working hard to achieve high marks, etc. Leaving a good impression can be very helpful (your lecturer might even become your future supervisor!).
All application information for PhD’s at York can be found on the university website, and if there is anything you want to ask, you can email the contacts listed there. The staff are all very friendly and will be able to answer any questions you have.
Read more student stories about studying Economics at York.
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