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Postgraduate

Research degrees in Business and Management

See also: School of Business and Management PhD Hub

Our Doctoral Programme is one of the most vibrant and intensive research degrees in London. Students become members of an internationally recognised research community in which scholarly excellence and innovative training are highly valued. We attract students from around the world who benefit from the School's expertise, energetic research culture and excellent work facilities. As the School of Business and Management, we are committed to the provision of equality of opportunity for all students, PhD researchers and staff. PhD Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee is open to all PhD researchers and aims to help improve the diverse and inclusive nature of our PhD programme by offering an open platform of discussion to identify areas of progressive action.

Research degrees normally consist of four years of full-time study in which an original contribution to an academic field is made. We have an excellent record for attracting College Studentships, and have placed PhDs in academic positions in top ranking UK and international universities. Former students have also been recruited to influential positions in the business, corporate and governmental sectors. Our taught programme introduces different methodological approaches in social science research and equips our first year PhD researchers with a wide range of knowledge and skills needed to complete their independent doctoral study. This programme is interdepartmental, involving departments from other Queen Mary and University of London faculties. We also encourage our PhD researchers to attend a range of social science research workshops and training sessions offered the London Interdisciplinary Social Science (LISS) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP), which we are part of.

At Queen Mary, you will work with two supervisors who together will provide you with clear guidance and support throughout your studies. Over the years you can expect to form a close working relationship with your supervisors, meeting regularly during your time with the School. They will also closely advise and prepare you for the formal progression meeting that takes place after 9-12 months of research.

Applications are accepted based on the candidate's previous academic performance, the quality of their research proposal and the availability of two members of staff to supervise the chosen topic. The School also encourages applications from those whose topic might best be supervised jointly with another department within the College. Applicants are asked to submit a proposal of around 1,500 words (exluding the refrence list), outlining the research that they hope to undertake, providing key references. A full academic transcript (a record of courses taken and grades achieved) and two academic references should also be included. Applications for PhD studies beginning in September should be submitted no later than March of that year.

Research areas

The School has a strong research focus and has quickly established itself as a centre of excellence for research, attracting a solid core of international scholars with world-class reputations and a diverse range of interests..There are currently nine research centres, groups and clusters associated with the School of Business and Management, and we welcome PhD applications in these areas:

Behavioural Finance Working Group (BFWG) focuses on areas of behavioural finance, emerging markets, corporate finance and corporate governance financialisation and its impact on business models as well as financial and management accounting.

Business Ecosystems Research Group (BERG) examines the way that businesses’ different components relate to and interact with one another. BERG members use their expertise to research both innovation and production ecosystems.

Accounting & Accountability Research Group (AARG) brings historical perspective and methods to contemporary business and management issues, such as financial capitalism, privatisation and technological change.

Centre for Globalisation Research (CGR) is a global academic hub that researches multiple aspects of globalisation. It focuses on international monetary economics and finance, emerging and developing economies and labour economics.

Centre for Research in Equality and Diversity (CRED) is at the forefront of equality and diversity research both nationally and internationally. Its research is focused on the employment, management, careers and migration aspects of diversity and inequality. Its three broad themes are social identity, policy and practice research.

Centre on Labour, Sustainability and Global Production (CLaSP) engages in inter-disciplinary research on the changing position of workers, labour and regulation in the world economy. The centre’s research on labour in the global economy focuses on uneven working conditions, labour standards, affective labour, unpaid work, and forms of representation and worker organisation that arise from inter-dependent global economic relations.

Marketing Insights & Digital Societies (MINDS) research group conducts research, dissemination, engagement and scholarly activities related to marketing in a digital age. 

Organisational Learning Research Group (OLRG) focuses on how organisations and people learn, professional identities, and managing knowledge.

Public Management and Regulation Cluster (PMR) investigates the management of core executives in national governments, the strategic management in international organisations, leadership in the management of public services and regulatory activity.

Borderlines: Action Research Cluster in Creative and Cultural Economies (BARCCE) is an inter/trans- disciplinary group of researchers, artists, thinkers, makers, practitioners who are interested in understanding the role of the creative and cultural sectors in reproducing and moving beyond neo-liberal logics of space, temporality and community


Entry requirements

We are committed to appointing only the very best candidates to our PhD programme. Applications are accepted based on their previous academic performance, the quality of their research proposal and the availability of two suitable members of staff to supervise the chosen topic. Our current entry criteria are:

  • Undergraduate degree with First Class Honours.
  • Masters (MA, MSc or MRes, usually not an MBA) at Distinction level in Business, Management or discipline related to your research topic.
  • Overall IELTS score of 7 with 6.5 in writing at the time of application, if English is not your first language.
  • Applicants must be based in London for the duration of the programme.

We normally expect to see examples of First Class academic work (marks of 70 or above).

Borderline cases are considered when applicants have relevant work experience.

Further information

For more information please contact:
Research & PhD Programme Administrator
Email: sbmphd-admissions@qmul.ac.uk 

Apply online

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