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
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
Contact us
- Initial programme enquiries to business-pgr-applications@glasgow.ac.uk
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
As an applicant for one of our research degrees, you should possess a Masters degree at 60% (Merit) or an overseas equivalent, with a significant component in Business or Management.
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.
Supporting documents
We can only accept applications submitted with all the following supporting documents:
- Transcripts/degree certificate
- Proof of language requirements fulfilment (where applicable)
- Two references
- A research proposal (3000 words maximum)
- CV
- Name of potential supervisor
English language requirements
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)
- 7.0 with no sub-test under 6.5
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Common equivalent English language qualifications
All stated English tests are acceptable for admission to this programme:
TOEFL (ibt, my best or athome)
- 94; with Reading 19; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 21
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements , this includes TOEFL mybest.
Pearsons PTE Academic
- 66 with no subtest less than: Listening 59;Reading 60; Speaking 59; Writing 74
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)
- 185 overall, no subtest less than 176
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Oxford English Test
- Oxford ELLT 8
- R&L: OIDI level no less than 7 with Reading: 25-26 and Listening: 18-19
- W&S: OIDI level no less than 8.
Trinity College Tests
Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Pass with Pass in all sub-tests.
University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses
Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.
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 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have complete their degree in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years
- Undergraduate 2+2 degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.
Fees and funding
Fees
2024/25
- UK: £4,786
- International & EU: £25,290
Prices are based on the annual fee for full-time study. Fees for part-time study are half the full-time 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 20% discount to our alumni on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed Junior Year Abroad, Exchange programme or International Summer School with us. The discount is applied at registration for students who are not in receipt of another discount or scholarship funded by the University. 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.
Funding
We offer competitive PhD Scholarships to exceptional applicants and these cover full tuition fees, living allowance, research support and conference budget.
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 deveopment 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:
Gather your documents
Before applying please make sure you gather the following supporting documentation:
- Final or current degree transcripts including grades (and an official translation, if needed) – scanned copy in colour of the original document.
- Degree certificates (and an official translation, if needed): scanned copy in colour of the original document.
- Two references on headed paper and signed by the referee. One must be academic, the other can be academic or professional. References may be uploaded as part of the application form or you may enter your referees contact details on the application form. We will then email your referee and notify you when we receive the reference. We can also accept confidential references direct to rio-researchadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk, from the referee’s university or business email account.
- Research proposal, CV, samples of written work as per requirements for each subject area.
Contact us
- If you have any questions about your application before you apply: contact the Adam Smith Business School
- If you have any questions after you have submitted your application: contact our Admissions team
- Any references may be submitted by email to: rio-researchadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk
International Students
- Advice on visa, immigrations and the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) can be found on our International student pages
Our research environment
