Each PhD program has two degrees, "licentiate's" degree and doctor's degree. 120 ECTS are required for the "licentiate's" degree. For the doctor's degree 240 ECTS are required (105 from the course part and 135 from the thesis part).
A "licentiate's" degree should be completed during the third year of studies, the doctor's degree after four and a half years. (Note that there is no separate application for the "licentiate's" degree since this degree is usually a step towards doctor's degree. Most students skip the licentiate's degree and just take a doctor's degree).
Courses
The common course program is called the Stockholm Doctoral Course Program in Economics, Econometrics, and Finance (SDPE) and is organized jointly with Stockholm University. It contains core courses and advanced courses. The core courses are compulsory and correspond to 60 ECTS. They should be completed in the first year of study. In the second year, students have the opportunity to deepen and broaden their knowledge by taking topic courses at SSE or Stockholm University. Students may also take topic courses at other universities in Sweden or abroad. The choice of topic courses is free, but students must consult their advisor before choosing.
The first-year courses are core courses. Each course gives 7.5 ECTS and ends by a written exam.
For students in Economics and Finance, the core courses are organized as follows:
Quarter 1 (Sept-Oct) |
Quarter 2 (Nov-Jan) |
| Mathematical Methods, part I |
Mathematical Methods, part II |
| Microeconomics, part I |
Microeconomics, part II |
Quarter 3 (Jan-Mar) |
Quarter 4 (Apr-June) |
| Statistics |
Econometrics |
| Macroeconomics, part I |
Macroeconomics, part II |
All core courses are compulsory for students in Economics aiming at the doctoral degree. For students in Finance, Finance I is substituted for Macroeconomics II. A student for the "licentiate" can apply to substitute some core courses for some topic courses.
The second-year courses are topic courses, usually arranged in sequences. A sequence comprises two to five courses. Each course gives 7.5 ECTS. Some of these sequences are given every year, others every second year. In each course students are required to do a written exam and/or write a term paper. Students are strongly recommended to take at least one full sequence.
All Finance PhD courses offered during the second year of study, generally five, are compulsory for the second year PhD students in Finance aiming at the doctoral degree.
Examples of sequences
- Development Economics
- Econometrics
- Environmental Economics
- Finance
- Game Theory
- Industrial Organization
- Health Economics
- Institutional Economics
- International Economics
- Labour Economics
- Macroeconomics
- Public Economics
See the current course program for an example of offered courses and sequences.
Seminars
Seminars constitute an important part of the PhD programs. The seminars provide students with insights into current research and give students and faculty opportunities to present and discuss ongoing research. From the second year students should regularly participate in the seminars series.
Examples of workshop series
Economics
Finance Friday Seminars
Finance Thursday Workshops
SITE
The Thesis
During the second year the student should find a subject field for the thesis. When the doctoral thesis plan has been approved, a thesis advisor and a thesis committee are appointed. The student defends the thesis in an oral examination with an external discussant appointed by the faculty of the Stockholm School of Economics. As regards the form of the thesis, there are two kinds: "monograph" theses and "combined" theses. The "monograph" thesis contains a defined scientific problem treated in a comprehensive way. The "combined" thesis consists of different essays treating problems in one or several subject fields. Most students find it easier to write a thesis by choosing the "combined" form. This form has also proved to be well suited for publication in international scientific journals - the main channel for communication of research results. The requirements as regards the contents of the thesis involve three principles; the problem must be relevant, the student must show methodological competence, and the results must be original. For a licentiate thesis the requirements for originality and extent are less stringent.
Teaching
Teaching experience is an integral part of the PhD programs. PhD students are required to do some teaching, starting during their second year. They are assigned to teaching activities based upon individual skills and preferences and upon overall demand considerations.