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Postgraduate research 

Management PhD

A management PhD is a research intensive degree programme for students with a strong academic background. The PhD program develops researchers in Management for careers in academia, industry and public service.

  • PhD: 3 years full-time; 5 years part-time; Thesis of 70,000-100,000 words
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Overview

Our programme combines robust taught research training and applied research practice within a flexible timeframe of three to five years. Beginning with foundation training in research methods, you will follow advanced training pathways in qualitative and quantitative methodologies and benefit from extensive training in research skills.

As a postgraduate researcher, you will form the bedrock of our research community, and we will actively encourage you to engage with peers while publishing your research and participating in research seminars, training retreats, workshops, conferences and presentations.

Our research is organised into six research clusters and we offer expert guidance on PhD projects in:

  • marketing
  • strategic management
  • international business and enterprise
  • human resource management and organisational behaviour
  • operations management
  • entrepreneurship, development and political economy

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Testimonial from Carole Couper

Testimonial from Carole Couper

Adam Smith Business School is triple accredited

Study options

Routes into Management PhD

Depending on your prior qualifications, experience and the quality of your research proposal, you can enter the PhD directly or undertake our MRes in Management programme first. If you enter the PhD directly you will be required to pass two compulsory taught courses in research training in your first year.

Direct entry onto the PhD will require you to work on implementing your research proposal from the onset and you are expected to complete your PhD in three years.

You will need a Masters degree in business or management at Merit or 60% and above that includes coverage of appropriate research methodologies. You will also need to produce an outstanding research proposal that will attract two PhD supervisors.

Your PhD progression will depend on the successful completion of taught courses and progress of your independent research in year one.

MRes in Management

If you do not meet the direct entry criteria for the PhD, your research journey could begin with our highly relevant and structured MRes in Management programme.  This provides training on specialist management topics of your choice and core research skills. Your training will be highly applied and aimed at developing a robust PhD proposal. For your MRes dissertation you could be working with a potential PhD supervisor and this work may directly contribute to your PhD.

This route is open to students:

  • Who do not have a Masters degree in Business or Management.
  • Who have not had sufficient training in research methods.
  • Whose proposals failed to attract PhD supervisors.

Your admission to PhD will depend on successful completion of the MRes at Merit or above and a research proposal that attracts a supervisor.

Assessment and Progression

A PhD is an independent research project and the criterion for the award is a significant contribution to knowledge. This judgement is made on the basis of a thesis of between 70,000 and 100,000 words and an oral examination (viva voce).

The progress of your independent research will be formally reviewed once a year and your continuing registration on the PhD programme will depend on a successful Annual Progress Review.

Entry requirements

Our regular standard of admission is usually a Master's degree at Merit, with a significant component in Business or Management. Candidates will also usually be expected to have a 2.1 honours degree.

Required documents

Applicants should submit:
  1. Academic Transcripts and Degree Certificates
  2. CV
  3. Research Proposal
  4. Two References
  5. Named Supervisor information

If you have a Masters degree in a subject other than the one you plan to research you will need to demonstrate specialist academic knowledge, for example through your masters dissertation or, in exceptional cases, prior experience of management.

Candidates who do not meet the entry criteria should consider the integrated route through MRes. We consider all applications on their own merit and cannot review individual eligibility before you apply.

English language requirements

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English language proficiency level.

Accepted English language tests

We accept a wide range of English language tests for entry to this programme. Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date, and requirements must be met using a single test. 

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

  • 7.0 overall with no subtest less than 6.5
  • IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
  • We do not accept General Training

TOEFL iBT (Including MyBest and Home Edition)

Tests taken up to 20 January 2026

  • 96 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 23; Listening 23; Speaking 23; Writing 24

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

  • 98 overall with no subtest less than Writing and Listening at 5 and Reading and Speaking at 4.5

Pearsons PTE Academic (test centre only)

  • 70 overall with no subtest less than Reading 62; Listening 62; Speaking 75; Writing 68
  • We do not accept the online PTE Academic

Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency

  • 185 overall, no subtest less than 176

Oxford ELLT

  • 8 overall with Reading and Listening no less than 7 and Writing and Speaking no less than 8

LanguageCert Academic SELT/Academic/Academic Online

  • 75 overall with two subtests at 75 and no subtest less than 70

Password Skills Plus

  • 7.0 overall with no subtest less than 6.5

Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II

  • 105 overall with no subtest less than 105 

Kaplan Test of English

  • Any two subtests at 510 or higher, and any two subtests at 480 or higher 

PSI Skills for English

  • C1 Pass

Duolingo English Test

  • 130 overall with Writing at 130 and no subtest less than 120

Oxford Test of English Advanced

  • 146 overall with no subtest less than 136

Alternatives to English language qualification

Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)

  • Students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within 6 years of programme start.

TNE degree for UK University taught at a campus outside of the UK.

  • Students must be awarded the degree by the UK university and must have completed the degree within 6 years of programme start.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

  • direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
  • essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
  • flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

  • Heriot Watt
  • Kingston Upon Thames
  • Middlesex University
  • Manchester University
  • Reading University
  • Edinburgh University
  • ST Andrews University
  • UCL
  • Durham

Fees and funding

Fees

2027/28

  • UK: To be confirmed [26/27 fee was £5,238]
  • International & EU: £28,275

Fees are based on the annual fee for full-time study. Tuition fees for part-time study will be charged at half the full-time annual fee.

Irish nationals who are living in the Common Travel Area of the UK, EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status, and Internationals with Indefinite Leave to remain status can also qualify for home fee status.

Alumni discount

We offer a 15% tuition fee discount to eligible self-funded alumni starting a Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Masters or Postgraduate Research (PGR) programme in the 2027/28 academic year.

This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, Exchange programme, International Summer School or Erasmus programme with us. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships. No additional application is required.

Possible additional fees

  • Re-submission by a research student £540
  • Submission for a higher degree by published work £1,355
  • Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed £350
  • Submission by staff in receipt of staff scholarship £790

Depending on the nature of the research project, some students will be expected to pay a bench fee (also known as research support costs) to cover additional costs. The exact amount will be provided in the offer letter.

Fully funded scholarships

Support

Training opportunities

Management PhD Training Programme 

Year 1:Core foundation courses

  • Management research methods
  • Master class in management theory and practice
  • Research integrity training

Years 2 & 3: Optional foundation and advanced courses:

  • Academic writing and publishing in management
  • Applied multivariate analysis
  • Case study research
  • Comparative case study analysis
  • Constructing and analysing large data sets
  • Ethnographic research
  • Grounded theory
  • Measurement and scale development
  • Mixed methods
  • Qualitative analysis with NVIVO
  • Qualitative interviewing
  • Quantitative analysis with SPSS and R
  • Reviewing and evaluating manuscripts
  • Structural equation modelling
  • Survey research

Further development and training 

In addition to formal training, Management hosts a number of research events including twice yearly PhD retreats, seminars, workshops and conferences, that are open to staff and research students. 

Research Support

The Adam Smith Business School provides financial support for PhD students to attend international academic conferences to present research.

We offer students a generous allowance to participate in external training courses.  For example with:

How to apply

Identify potential supervisors

All Postgraduate Research Students are allocated a supervisor who will act as the main source of academic support and research mentoring. You may want to identify a potential supervisor and contact them to discuss your research proposal before you apply. Please note, even if you have spoken to an academic staff member about your proposal you still need to submit an online application form.

You can find relevant academic staff members with our staff research interests search.

Also see our research clusters & members in:

Required documents

Applicants should submit:
  1. Academic Transcripts and Degree Certificates
  2. CV
  3. Research Proposal
  4. Two References
  5. Named Supervisor information
Apply now

Our Online Application Form and Applicant Self Service will be unavailable from 08:00-14:00 (GMT) on Thursday 29 October for essential maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Contact us

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