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Postgraduate Study

Land Economy offers a full-time and a part-time PhD programme. The department currently has over 70 PhD students at different stages of the programme, working in a range of areas.

Our department leads the field in the UK's latest Research Excellence Framework rating of Land Economy's joint submission with Architecture. 87.5% of our impact case studies, including research on the transition to a low-carbon economy, were judged to be 'world-leading'.

Further information is given on the department's website.

The aims of the PhD programme are:

  • to enable students of high calibre to pursue their education at an advanced applied level, drawing on the primary disciplines of economics, planning and environmental policy, with additional specialisms in finance and law
  • to provide students with opportunities both to build on and develop material which they may have studied at the undergraduate level as well as to broaden their knowledge base
  • to provide opportunities for education in a multidisciplinary environment so as to advance the understanding of cognate disciplines and their applications
  • to provide opportunities for learning with colleagues from different social, economic and legal systems
  • to provide students with appropriate skills and experience to enable them to use information and resources critically and to equip them with the means to undertake their own research
  • to provide an educational environment with a strong research ethos that brings together students from a wide variety of backgrounds and fosters an international approach to common problems.

Open Days

The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:

  • Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.

  • Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.

For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages.

Apply Now

Key Information


3-4 years full-time

4-7 years part-time

Study Mode : Research

Doctor of Philosophy

Department of Land Economy

Course - related enquiries

Application - related enquiries

Course on Department Website

Dates and deadlines:

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2023
Application deadline
Oct. 2, 2024
Course Starts
Jan. 5, 2025

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2023
Application deadline
Jan. 14, 2025
Course Starts
April 17, 2025

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Michaelmas 2025

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2024
Application deadline
May 16, 2025
Course Starts
Oct. 1, 2025

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2024
Application deadline
Oct. 2, 2025
Course Starts
Jan. 5, 2026

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Applications open
Sept. 4, 2024
Application deadline
Jan. 14, 2026
Course Starts
April 17, 2026

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Course Funding Deadline
Dec. 3, 2024
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 16, 2024

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2025, Lent 2026 and Easter 2026.


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