Programmes
- MA and BSc
- Exchanges
- Taught Postgraduate Programmes
- Research Degrees
Research Programme
Prospective Students: Introduction
The PhD programme is an important and growing component of the School. It combines the attractions of small groups working around specialist areas with the advantages of being part of a body of students with interests across business and management. Students typically work in small clusters around the broad specialism of staff and research centres; students are able to benefit from internationally-recognised research expertise and at the same time pursue their studies in the friendly, collegiate atmosphere of a smaller institution.
The Doctoral programme is normally of three or four year's full time duration. The programme is an exciting blend of formal research training, high levels of interaction between faculty and students and a rigorously developed and closely supervised thesis based on original and relevant research.
Students without a Masters degree will be encouraged to pursue the Masters in research (MRes). This is a one year course offering research training in the social sciences. It comprises faculty-led courses on research methods, elective subject courses within the School relevant to the proposed area of research, and a dissertation.
Students who decide to continue their studies, or who are moving from another Masters programme, prepare a detailed research proposal during the spring of their Masters year. This proposal will form the basis for their application for doctoral study; a place on the programme is by no means guaranteed to those who follow the MRes, nor do we expect all students to want to continue into doctoral study.
On the basis of successful performance at Masters level, and having produced an appropriately specified research proposal, the student is then able to proceed to doctoral studies. Here the student will be working closely with their supervisor and will undertake a well-focused and important programme of original research.
A range of seminars, meetings and presentations provide support and encouragement for the candidate throughout the whole period of the candidature. In addition, students are given every opportunity to meet with colleagues from other universities and to share experiences and present at seminars, workshops and conferences.
At the end of the three or four-year period if full time (6-7 years if part-time), a well-developed thesis is submitted for examination by experts in the appropriate field of research. The examination, by viva voce, represents the culmination of the candidate's scholarship and effort. It is not uncommon that candidates, by the time of their examination, will have already presented papers from their research to academic conferences or be in the process of submitting papers for publication in peer reviewed journals.