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PhD/ MPhil/ MSc Marketing (Research)

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The PhD/MPhil/MSc (research) in Marketing programme offers a short taught component followed by a longer research phase. Taught modules allow you to broaden, as well as deepen, your knowledge of research methods whilst undertaking your own research and developing a set of transferable professional skills.

Doctoral researchers will be capable of analysing a range of data using a range of qualitative and quantitative techniques. They will be able to explain theories underlying different approaches to social science research. Doctoral researchers are expected to participate to the fullest possible extent in the life of the Department of Marketing and the Business School. This means attending seminars organised by the Department of Marketing and more widely in the Business School thereby helping expose doctoral researchers to new ideas emanating from outside their own area of specialisation. It also requires actively participating in PhD workshops and conferences organised by the Department of Marketing, the Business School and Graduate School as well as institutions outside the University of Birmingham.

Ultimately all doctoral researchers will have the ability to characterise and solve business and marketing problems using advanced research tools. They should be able to derive policy implications from their research and communicate these to policy makers, practitioners and other academics in a manner which is comprehensible. They will also be able to peer review others’ research and offer constructive criticism; and to extend the frontiers of the discipline through their own innovative research.

Doctoral researchers may choose to become academics, work in Government, businesses, supranational organisations or in the research arms of major financial institutions. They are expected to achieve a substantial understanding of contemporaneous marketing and business issues enabling them to take a lead in ongoing debates within society. They will be aware of and understand the function of related institutions at both a national and international level.

Fees 2024 - 2025

• Code 8164 - £4,778 (UK) MPhil Full time
• Code 8164 - £23,520 (International) MPhil Full time
• Code 8170 - £4,778 (UK) PhD Marketing  Full time
• Code 8180 - £2,389 (UK) PhD Marketing  Part time
• Code 8170 - £23,520(International) PhD Full time
• Code 8175 - £4,778 (UK) MSc (Research) Full time
• Code 8178 - £2,389 (UK) MSc (Research) Part time
• Code 8175 - £23,520 (International) MSc (Research) Full time

Learn more about fees and funding

Scholarships and studentships

A limited number of scholarships may be available to outstanding applicants. International students  can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home Government.

For further information contact the School directly or visit our helpdesk .

How To Apply

Our supervisory expertise includes a wide range of theoretical interests and methodological approaches. Applicants are urged to study the profiles of individual staff via their university profile pages and contact appropriate supervisors directly before they apply. When considering potential supervisors avoid generic emails to everyone in the department as such approaches seldom attract interest. It is better to email potential supervisors where you see a direct link to your proposed area of study and/or methods. Try to read some of the work written by potential supervisors and when you contact them, explain how your ideas fit with their existing research and/or stated areas of interest. When you submit your proposal, you should also consider how it relates to the broader research undertaken by the department and you might specifically discuss this in your application letter. You should also focus on the following questions in your proposal:

• What are you trying to find out?
• Why does this matter and to who?
• How will your work further or challenge existing thinking?
• What makes your proposed methods suitable to achieve all this?

If you have any questions about applying, please contact the department PhD lead, Dr Mike Molesworth ( [email protected] ). If you cannot find a suitable supervisor, you may still apply and the PGR lead will try to match you with a suitable supervisory team.

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

The Business School's entry requirement is a good honours degree (first or upper second class honours) awarded by a recognised University in an appropriate subject, and a merit in a relevant Master’s degree. We usually ask students for an average of 65 in the taught component of their Masters. All international students also need to show that they have adequate knowledge of written and spoken English.

Learn more about our entry requirements.

Writing your research proposal

Along with your academic record, your references and your curriculum vitae your research proposal plays a critical role in the evaluation of your application.

Your research proposal should illustrate your ability to plan an independent research study and the relevance of your topic to the research interests and expertise of Birmingham Business School.You need to demonstrate that you understand the field that you plan to research, identify an interesting and original research question, and develop a tentative plan of study. It is highly desirable that your research proposal is written to the guidelines specified below.

Guidelines for the Research Proposal

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the  how to apply  pages.

International Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

International Students

English requirements are IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band or equivalent.

The marketing department encourages PhD applications that align with one of the three research groups below.

Culture Research Group

Marketing innovations and consumer science research group, responsible and critical marketing research group.

Members of the Culture Research Group are interested in a range of topics drawing from the diverse field of the arts. Specific research areas include heritage, issues of culture and authenticity, art and artists as brands, the production and consumption of art, film production and reception, film distribution and exhibition, social responsibility in arts marketing, television, dark tourism, embodiment, visual arts and the market, the production and consumption of place, space and time, myth and marketplace, festivals, the intersection of arts and technology, how emerging artists use new technology, and sub-cultural and non-mainstream consumption.

• Alessandro Gerosa is happy to consider projects about taste, sociology of consumption, consumer cultures, and digital cultures, using qualitative or digital methods.
• Christina Goulding is interested in supervising qualitative project in cultural consumption, place, space and consumption, non-conformist or transgressive consumption, the arts meets technology, consumer identity projects, consumption and loss, the dark side of consumption, and consumption and resilience. 
• Chelsea Harfield’s research is into consumer behaviour, tourism, heritage, authenticity and narrative transportation. Her focus is qualitative methodologies.
• Scott Jones does research into marketplace cultures and consumer collectives, celebrity studies, fandom, responsible and ethical marketing, and alternative methods in qualitative research.
• Finola Kerrigan’s work is on the entertainment industries, cultural branding, and digital identity, and uses qualitative and visual approaches [not taking students for 2024 entry].
• Rohan Venkatraman is looking to support projects related to the intersection of marketplace hierarchies, especially gender and sexuality, and consumer culture, using qualitative and ethnographic methodologies.
• Julie Whiteman’s interests are in representation and consumption of gender, race, sexuality and class, using qualitative, intersectional research methods.

The marketing innovations and consumer science research group brings together researchers across the marketing field who are interested in innovative marketing practice, innovation itself, digital and technological innovations, as well as methodological innovations in marketing research. The group also has a focus on psychological theories as a means to understand consumers and their behaviour. Researchers in the group use a range of research methods but with some concentration on quantitative approaches to research problems.

• Raphaël Akamavi researches new product development processes, service innovation, consumption experiences, and social capital & organisational /industry performance using positivist approaches.
• Achilleas Boukis works on technology integration in physical interactions with customers, digital assets including NFTs, demanding consumers, branding cryptocurrencies and technology products, and brand equity using quantitative approaches.
• Fahad Ibrahim considers big data and technology in marketing, social networks and relationship marketing, using quantitative methods (specialised in structural equation modelling).
• Doga Istanbulluoglu’s areas of interest include online consumer behaviour, especially complaining, service recovery, and anti-consumption. She uses qualitative methods.  
• Grigorios Lamprinakos researches consumer psychology, cognitive and metacognitive processes, persuasion, sustainable consumption and socially responsible behaviour using experimental designs.
• Miriam McGowen’s research draws on consumer psychology perspectives to understand how social and situation factors impact consumer behaviour. She uses quantitative methods. 
• Amin Nazifi’s  research focuses on service failure and recovery, customer complaint management, customer satisfaction and loyalty, gamification, artificial intelligence, and consumer well-being using quantitative research methods and in particular experiments.
•   Eric Shiu  works on innovation in all aspects, as well as trust, agri-food and retailing, using experimental design, survey, interview, focus group, or a mix of these.
• Weiyue Wang is interested in employee – organisation relationships, employee cognition, ethics and ethical behaviour, services marketing and service performance using quantitative methods.

The Responsible and Critical Marketing Research Group aims to lead the academic development of knowledge of the subject, to contribute to the learning curriculum and reach out to those interested in improving marketing practices and standards. Research by members of the team covers areas of employee attitudes to responsibility, managerial and B2B ethics, responsible marketing and technology, consumer responsibility, marketing sustainability, base of the pyramid (BoP) marketing, market access and diversity, corporate social responsibility (CSR), marketing’s contribution to social and environmental elements of the ‘triple bottom line’ and responsible marketing education. The group are also interested in explicitly critical perspectives in marketing and consumer research.

• Robert Cluley researches contemporary marketing practice, how marketers work and think, and the role of technology in marketing. His methods include ethnography, action research, psychoanalytic interviews, content analysis and semiotics, and psychometrics.  
• Louise Hassan is interested in sustainability and health issues, including consumer decision-making or information processing from a consumer/social psychology perspective. Her methods focus on experimental approaches, but a wide range of methods acceptable.
• Sheena Leek is interested in information technology within business relationships, social capital and branding, consumer confusion in high tech areas, and convenience and healthy eating. She uses a range of qualitative approaches.
• Solon Magrizos  is interested in consumer happiness and wellbeing, responsible marketing, sustainable tourism, corporate social responsibility, ethical consumer behaviour, and responsible and irresponsible employees/employers. His research employs a wide range of qualitative/quantitative methods.
• Scott McCabe works on responsible and ethical tourism, including negative and positive emotions associated with responsible behaviour, social tourism, tourism as an experience, and new methods of assessing ethical, green sustainable tourist consumption.
• Mike Molesworth ’s research takes a critical approach to consumption and marketing, especially aspects of new technologies. He uses interpretivist techniques, including netnography.
• Fatos Ozkan Erciyas is interested in marketplace accessibility, inclusion and exclusion in marketing, and spaces and places of consumption, experiences of vulnerable/marginalized consumer groups.
• Mike Saren is interested in supervising projects in heritage and identity, consumer culture and relationships and marketing technology using qualitative approaches. 
• Emma Surman ‘s research is in the areas of ethics and sustainability of consumption, sociology of consumption, and decolonisation using qualitative and creative methodologies.
• Rohit Varman uses interpretive methodologies. His current inter-disciplinary research focuses on corporate violence, exploitation, modern slavery, and resistance to corporatization and marketization.

Doctoral researchers in Marketing are registered for a full time 3-year PhD or a part-time 6-year PhD. In the first year of the programme (first two years for those registered part-time) students are required to take 60 credits of core Research Methods modules from the MA Social Research programme. They are also recommended to take Advanced Training Modules from the MA Social Research Programme as appropriate to their research and training needs. Depending on their needs and accredited prior learning and subject to supervisory approval doctoral researchers can substitute 20 credits of the introductory MA Social research modules for Advanced Training Modules. By the end of their first year doctoral students will have completed an 8,000 word research proposal that they will present at the first annual review.  This forms the basis for supervised research over the remaining two years of the programme and the production of an 80,000 word thesis.

Applicants are urged to study the up-to-date profiles of individual staff members' research via their personal web pages. Each student will have two academic supervisors who will work with the students in their areas of expertise.  It is essential that students applying to the department recognise the expertise of their potential supervisor. It is possible to contact a potential supervisor to discuss the possibility of working with them and this communication would involve identifying the proposed research area and methods and identifying the link with the proposed supervisor’s work.  Current priority areas include:

Support and training

Birmingham Business School provides dedicated facilities, resources and support to postgraduate students and early career researchers which includes The Midlands Graduate School and Doctoral Training Centres and Programmes.  Find out more .

• Research at the Department of Marketing

Career prospects

The University of Birmingham has recently been ranked 9th in the UK and 55th in the world for post-qualification employability in a global survey of universities commissioned by the International Herald Tribune .

Recent PhD graduates from Birmingham Business School are working in central banks, Government departments, a variety of financial institutions, accountancy firms, supranational organisations and multinational corporations. Many of our PhD graduates also go on to forge successful academic careers in other top Universities.

Doctoral Research career assistance

The University of Birmingham has invested heavily in careers and employability support. The Careers Team have been praised for enhanced developments within their team and for adopting a model of integrated employability and internship support; something that has been rolled out and implemented across all Schools and Colleges at the University.

Doctoral researchers at Birmingham Business School benefit from its own well qualified dedicated Careers Team to support students with employment opportunities, work placements, internships and how to succeed at interview. In addition, a range of career management, personal development and employer events are run each year by the Careers in Business Team to help you make the most of the opportunities available.

The University also has dedicated careers advisors for international students  who run workshops and networking opportunities with potential employers. These are especially popular with international postgraduate researchers.

• Online chat events

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• Entry year 2024
• Duration Full time 36 Months

Would you like to join one of the largest groups of marketing academics in the UK? Become a part of the most research-intensive business school in the UK, according to the latest Research Excellence Framework , where we have a lively research ethos and seek doctoral students who can build on our success.

Over the years, our expertise has grown into two areas: consumer research and market dynamics. Our research interests are particularly focused within specialist areas including Sustainable Innovation, Marketing and Digital Strategy, Markets, Design-Led Thinking, Consumption Insights, Digital Consumption, Social Justice, and Health Inequality. Furthermore, we have several active groups of researchers interested in business marketing and business networks in the context of supply chain interactions, innovation, market development, and the development of the firm in international markets. Our department is also linked to the Centre for Consumption Insights , which is a platform for our staff to engage in specialist research that centres on the transformative aspects of consumer research and consumption-related phenomena of pertinence to culture and society. Topics of interest here include consumer vulnerability, diet and health, the environment and family.

As a member of this PhD programme, you will have access to state-of-the-art databases, dedicated office space, scientific computing facilities, and IT support. We offer a research training seminar series, workshops and conferences to create the ideal environment for innovative thinking.

Many of our staff work closely with marketing practitioners. This allows us to make sure our research is relevant to commercial and public-sector organisations, as well as to the academic community. You will receive support from a specialist supervisor as you research and write your thesis.

In addition to your thesis, an oral examination will form an integral part of the assessment of your doctoral research.

Part-time PhD study over five years is available through the Theory and Practice of Management PhD .

Your department

• Marketing Lancaster University Management School
• Make an enquiry form
• Telephone +44 (0)1524 592938

Programme Structure

Below is an overview of the modules you will study throughout your PhD. You will also study a range of optional research training seminars to enhance your skills.

• Induction Workshop which includes Ethics and Plagiarism training and assessment
• Foundations of Management Research
• Central Themes in Management
• Research Skills – Data Collection & Analysis
• Delivering Impactful Research
• Structured Writing Retreats
• Communicating with Different Research Audiences

Entry requirements

Academic requirements.

A relevant UK Master's degree with the a minimum of 65% overall and 65% in the dissertation, or a non-UK Master's degree, graded at the equivalent level.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional Requirements

As part of your application you also need to provide a viable research proposal of up to 5000 words which has potential to make a significant contribution to prior literature. Guidance can be found on our writing a research proposal webpage.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 7.0, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications .

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes .

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email [email protected]

Fees and funding

The tuition fee for students with home fee status is set in line with the standard fee stipend provided by the UK Research Councils. The fee stipend for 2024/25 has not yet been set. For reference, the fee stipend for 2023/24 was full-time £4,712.

The international fee for new entrants in 2024/25 is full-time £20,790.

General fees and funding information

There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

College fees

Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee  which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

For students starting in 2023 and 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.

Computer equipment and internet access

To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated  IT support helpdesk  is available in the event of any problems.

The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

For most taught postgraduate applications there is a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.

For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.

The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your  fee status .

If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, the tuition fees for subsequent years of your programme are likely to increase each year. Read more about  fees in subsequent years .

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities .

We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries .

Similar courses

• Marketing MSc
• Marketing Management (Advanced) MRes
• Marketing Management (Advanced) MSc

Find a PhD Topic

Discover the research interests of our academics to find a synergy with your desired area of research.

Studentships and Funding

Find out more about our range of options to help you fund your postgraduate studies.

Job market candidates

Our Marketing job market candidates are listed below. Please visit PhD Job Market Candidates for a full list of LUMS candidates.

For further details, please contact the Doctoral Office .

Marketing job market candidates

Gilang Kartika

Jiahui Zhao

Pentland Centre

Alumni Profiles

Scott Jones

PhD Marketing, 2022

Tobias Finke

PhD Marketing, 2019

Erik Jacobi

PhD Marketing, 2016

Linked icons

• Get a prospectus

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2024/2025 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information .

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies .

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Faculty of Business, Law and Politics

Marketing research degrees

Postgraduate - Research

Looking for a funded PhD?

Check out our current PhD scholarship opportunities now

About our programmes

The Hull University Business School provides an inspirational environment for researchers on PhD pathways. Our dynamic team of research-oriented academics have expertise in a number of key areas within marketing, including electronic and mobile marketing, and social media; services marketing including service evaluation; ethical, social, non-profit and political marketing; SMEs and business to business (B2B) marketing; brand management and internal branding; corporate social responsibility; relationship marketing; advertising and social media.

Our PhD is a four-year full-time degree which requires a student to complete the equivalent of 540 credits of research, including both research specialist modules and research thesis preparation.

PhD students have the opportunity to add to the sum of knowledge in their chosen field by producing an original piece of research. Our PhD candidates are closely supported and given opportunities to travel and attend conferences, and on campus facilities are excellent. PhD candidates have exclusive access to the Postgraduate Lounge in the newly refurbished Brynmor Jones Library, and all our postgraduate students can make use of facilities in the University's Graduate School. The Business School, meanwhile, has a dedicated work room with cutting-edge facilities.

Apply for research programmes in the Business School

• PhD Accounting
• PhD Economics
• PhD Finance
• PhD Human Resource Management
• PhD Business and Management
• PhD Management
• PhD Marketing
• PhD Project Management
• PhD Systems Science

Open for admission in 2024/25

* The length of programme registration will be longer as it includes the maximum writing-up phase.

Start in January, May or September

Get in touch

Visiting PGRs: Please contact a supervisor in the subject area you are interested in or email [email protected] .

Our dynamic team of research-oriented individuals have expertise in a number of key areas within marketing. With a strong focus on applied research that impacts both academic and practitioner areas, our guiding vision is to conduct research that advances knowledge and thinking in the marketing discipline.

Key themes within the  Marketing  research group include;

• Electronic and mobile marketing, and social media
• Services marketing including service evaluation
• Ethical, social, non-profit and political marketing
• SMEs and B2B marketing
• Brand management and internal branding
• Corporate social responsibility
• Relationship marketing
• Advertising & social media

Our experts welcome applications for postgraduate research across a broad range of topics. Please click on the links below for help with being matched up with a potential supervisor.

• Social marketing, brand communities and cross-cultural aspects of marketing - Dr Stephan Dahl
• Cross-cultural advertising strategies, marketing communications, online marketing, mobile shopping, new media, consumer behaviour - Dr Wen-Ling Liu
• CSR, services marketing and product management, financial services - Dr David Harness
• New product development, financial product innovation, service quality, service failure and customer rage, customer loyalty, customer relationship management - Dr Raphaël Akamavi

Related courses

• Accounting and Finance postgraduate research degrees
• Business and Management postgraduate research degrees
• Economics postgraduate research degrees

The Postgraduate Training Scheme

It is now widely recognised by employers, professional bodies and research funding agencies that specialist expertise alone is not sufficient preparation either for research or a subsequent career. With this in mind, the University of Hull requires all its postgraduate research students to follow a research training programme relating both to their particular field of study and to generic skills; for example, information technology and communication skills.

“It’s been really enjoyable studying alongside people from many different cultures. Hull is a beautiful and affordable city in which to live.” Famara Badijie, MSc Financial Management

Fees and funding

Full time: £4,712 per year

Part time: £2,356 per year

International

Full time: £17,300 per year

These fees are for all research degree programmes on this page. For courses lasting more than one year, annual increases apply. For more information, please visit the fees and funding page. 

Postgraduate research programme structures

• Full-time: 3 years of research, with up to 12 months writing up if required
• Part-time: 5 years of research, with up to 20 months of writing up if required
• Full-time: one year of research, with up to 12 months writing up if required
• Part-time: 2 years of research, with up to 24 months of writing up if required

Writing-up and thesis submission

A standard full-time PhD programme comprised three years of research plus up to 12 months of writing-up. Part-time is five years plus up to 20 months writing-up if needed. Full-time standard Masters programmes are comprised one year of research plus up to 12 months of writing-up if needed; and part time Masters programmes have two years of research with up to two years of writing-up.

For full-time students, the writing-up phase typically takes about three months but may be extended to one year without further paperwork. For part-time students, writing-up typically takes one year, but may be extended to two years without further paperwork. The maximum writing-up period is included in your overall programme length, which means that international PGRs will not need to apply for an additional visa to cover the writing-up phase.

If you need to move into the writing-up period of your research degree, you must enrol for this phase and you will be liable to pay a continuation fee.

The fees for the writing-up period for 2023/24 are:

• Writing-up fee £345
• Rebate for submission within first 3 months of the research period end date 100%
• Rebate for submission between 4- 6 months of the research period end date 50%
• Rebate for submission between 7-9 months of the research period end date 25%
• Continuation Fee £170

Thesis submission timelines

It is expected that you will submit your thesis within the timeframes outlined below:

Masters degrees

• Submission by one year and 3 months full-time.
• Submission by 2 years and 6 months part-time.

Doctoral degrees

• Submission by 3 years and 3 months full-time.
• Submission by 5 years and 6 months for part-time.

Doctoral Loan

UK students who haven’t secured a scholarship can take out a Doctoral Loan to help with tuition fees and living costs. They provide up to £29,390 for full-time and part-time PhDs in all subject areas.

EU students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 must have settled or pre-settled status under the  EU Settlement Scheme  to get student finance. Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Additional costs

There are some extra costs that you may have to pay, or choose to pay, depending on your programme of study and the decisions you make. The list below has some examples, and any extra costs will vary:

• Student visas (international students).
• Books (you’ll have access to many books through the University library, but you may want to buy your own copies).
• Optional conference/field/archive/library trips (Faculties support some travel and conference attendance financially. Details vary. Please check with the Department/School to which you are applying).
• Laptop (you’ll have access to laptops and PCs on campus, but you may want to buy your own).
• Printing and photocopying (There is a printing allowance in place for all students, currently £20 a year. Some Faculties grant PGR students access to printing and photocopying as staff. Please check with the Department/School to which you are applying).
• Professional-body membership.
• Graduation (gown hire and photography).

Remember, you’ll still need to take into account your living costs. This could include accommodation, travel and food – to name just a few.

For information about bursaries and how to fund your studies see our  money page , or take a look at our PhD  scholarships page  for specific funded PhD opportunities.

Watch: find out more about postgraduate study at the University of Hull.

The University’s Postgraduate Training Scheme (PGTS) provides a range of generic and discipline-specific modules to support research students through their programme. 

The library has an exclusive lounge for postgraduate research students and a dedicated Skills Team to provide a wide range of study and research skills help.

The Doctoral College provides support to postgraduate research students. Offering skills development opportunities and dedicated facilities, the school is here to help you achieve your potential.

Research at Hull tackles big challenges and makes an impact on lives globally, every day. Our current research portfolio spans everything from health to habitats, food to flooding and supply chain to slavery.

Entry requirements

You should normally have, or expect to obtain, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or international equivalent ).

International students

If you require a student visa to study or if your first language is not English  you will be required to provide acceptable evidence of your English language proficiency level.

• For 2024 entry, this course requires IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in each competency.
• For 2025 entry, this course requires IELTS 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in each competency.

See other English language proficiency qualifications accepted by this University.

If your English currently does not reach the University's required standard for this programme, you may be interested in  one of our English language courses.

Visit your country page  to find out more about our entry requirements.

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• Durham University
• Student Gateway
• Staff Gateway

PhD Scholarships for international and home candidates for 2024-25 entry

Durham University Business School offers PhD studentships for exceptional postgraduate researchers with a passion for scientific discovery who wish to pursue a research career in academia, government, research organisations, or in business .    

About the PhD Studentships 

The fully funded PhD Studentships are specifically allocated to the School’s  Research Centres  . Applicants can view a list of topics that have been suggested by potential supervisors by clicking the links below, although we also encourage topics in other areas linked to these research centres.

About the PhD Programmes 

We invite applications for entry into our PhD Programmes (full-time and part-time) covering research undertaken in the areas of  Accounting , Economics , Finance and Management & Marketing .  

PhD students at Durham University Business School work within a high-quality, research active environment. Durham University is a World Top 100 university league tables and the School holds triple accreditation which places it in the top 1% of business schools globally.  

Our PhD students enjoy close supervision by internationally renowned staff that specialise in their research areas and have access to a wide range of advanced research training courses. Students also participate in top-quality research centre and departmental activities, such as seminar series, workshops, and conferences.  

Funding Details 

The studentships are available for outstanding students from all nationalities. They support a full stipend at UKRI rates (currently £18,622 per year) and full tuition fees for international/home candidates for the duration of the PhD Programme.  

How to Apply 

All details about the application process for PhD Programmes at Durham University Business School can be found here .  

Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact members of the Research Centres about their research topic and to seek their advice on developing the proposal they wish to submit. The full proposal (max. 2,000 words) is then submitted along with:   

(1) a University Postgraduate Application Form ;  

(2) A current c.v. – max 2 pages;   

(3) Transcripts of past qualifications;   

(4) Two references.  

Submit the documents by the deadline of 8 th April 2024 to:  

Department of Accounting: [email protected]    

Department of Economics: [email protected]    

Department of Finance: [email protected]    

Department of Management and Marketing: [email protected]    

Candidates wishing to apply for a PhD studentship must complete the University's Postgraduate Application Form and submit all other supporting documentation.  

Further background about applying for postgraduate research at Durham University can be found here .  

Online information session - Wednesday 6th March 2024

Prospective candidates are invited to an online information session about the studentship application process on Wednesday 6 th March 2024, 11:00-12:00 noon (GMT). The online information session will be held by the Associate Dean (Postgraduate Research Students). Please register here .  

Timeline 

Deadline for applications: 23:59 (London, UK) on 8 th April 2024  

Offer: May/June 2024  

Start Date: October 2024  

Contact  

For enquiries on how to make an application, please contact [email protected] .   

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PhD Marketing

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The main mission of our Marketing subject research group is to advance and disseminate knowledge in the important field of marketing. Our approach is interdisciplinary since the marketing discipline draws on knowledge from many other fields (e.g. psychology, sociology, anthropology). Our group works with PhD scholars in the following areas: cultural heritage and tourism, sustainable consumption, consumer research and consumer psychology, digital marketing, and financial services marketing. This list is not exhaustive, however, and we would encourage students with excellent records of achievement (particularly self-funded) to contact us. 

We are proud of our record in graduating PhD scholars who have contributed to important debates by producing research of a high international standard. Being part of a diverse School of Social Science gives our scholars access to supervision by experts in core marketing disciplines such as Psychology, Economics and Cultural Studies. This further enhances the quality of our scholars’ research and academic skills. As part of a University with campuses in Scotland, United Arab Emirates and Malaysia, we can also offer international opportunities, further enriching our scholars’ career prospects. 

Programme duration

Normally 3 years.

Entry requirements

• Fees and funding

Marketing Group research project 1

Considering the international response to climate change, consumer research is required upon which to base adaptation strategies, in addition to those aiming for mitigation.  This PhD will focus on consumption moderation by examining domain-specific processes used to adjust the utility gained from consumption (anticipated, experienced and remembered).  This work will contribute to sustainability, obesity and memory research.

Potential supervisors: 

• Michaela Dewar

Marketing Group research project 2

There is a growing concern that online game gambling present significant potential harm for some individuals and society. This study explores consumers’ online gaming addiction and influence of potential mediating and contextual factors on their post consumption by employing marketing and psychological theories (e.g., attributional and guilt) in leisure industry.

Potential supervisors:

• Babak Taheri

Marketing Group research project 3

First Scottish University Credit Union (First Scottish) is about to receive regulatory approval to offer services to students and graduates.  This PhD will utilise emergent Transformative Service (TS) Marketing Theory to explore to this context. It will evaluate how provision of financial services through First Scottish might improve individual and societal well-being, and will engage with ongoing policy initiatives to widen access and improve retention within Scottish HEIs.

• Kathryn Waite
• Robbie Mochrie

Marketing Group research project 4

The existing literature on the measurement and management of quality in B2C (and to a large extent in B2B) predominantly on the dyadic relationship between buyer and seller (or buyer/seller and intermediary). With increasing emphasis being placed on the use of social media to facilitate relationship development and maintenance and the emergence of the concept of Social CRM, more research is needed to understand how the wider network of relationships within which focal dyads are embedded (including networks of influencers) affect the measurement and management of relational quality.

• Paul Hopkinson

Academic degree

To apply to study a PhD in Marketing, please select ' PhD Management ' in the application form's drop-down menu.

All applications will be reviewed within the relevant department with a shortlisting decision made based on qualifications, the research proposal and the availability of a supervisory team.  Shortlisted applicants must have the equivalent of a 1st class honours undergraduate degree, or a Masters degree with an average mark of 65% or higher and a dissertation mark of 65% or higher.  Applicants who are unsure if their qualifications meet the minimum criteria should contact [email protected] .  Please note that possession of the minimum qualifications does not guarantee shortlisting for interview.

English Language requirements

If you have not already studied a degree programme that was taught and examined in the medium of English we require evidence of language proficiency. For IELTS: the minimum overall IELTS score is 6.5 with no score lower than 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.  

Further information can be found on the UK Government's Knowledge of English web pages.

Research proposal

The research proposal should contain as much as possible of the following:

• an introduction or outline of the proposed topic;
• a statement of objectives and/or specific research questions;
• a summary of some of the relevant literature which supports the research objective(s);
• an indication of the intended research methodology;
• an indication of the theoretical structure and/or conceptual outline;
• a provisional timetable of the major phases of the research process;
• results expected from the research e.g. practical value of the research or possible contributions to knowledge or policy or methodology.

At this stage we are not looking for a definitive document but merely an indication that you have thought through most of the above issues. Please note that work submitted may be subject to screening via plagiarism software.

If you have references available these should be submitted with your application.  If they are not currently available please ensure that you provide the names and contact details, including email addresses, of two academic referees on the application form.

Candidates may also submit a Curriculum Vitae.

Queries may be directed to [email protected]

• Your residency 'status' is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course. Find out more about tuition fees .
• Overseas includes applications from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in the UK. Read more about the application process for EU nationals .

Additional fees information

Self-funded.

We welcome self-funded PhD research candidates from around the world. The majority of academic supervisors are open to applications from self-funding students and potential candidates should match their application to the research expertise and interests of the Business Management department. If you are interested in research areas that are not advertised here then please look at our research web pages and contact staff working in your area of interest. We also welcome good quality self-funded research projects from industry. For self-funded research from industry, we may be able to cover a percentage of the fee via a scholarship. Queries may be directed to Dr. Babak Taheri [email protected]

Scholarships and bursaries

We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.

View our full range of research scholarships .

Additional scholarship information

The Business Management Department offers a number of scholarships every year. These opportunities are advertised on our Postgraduate Research Scholarships page the period from January to April.

Shortlisted candidates are then interviewed, and those awarded the scholarships would normally start in September or early October.

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Staff research interests in this department cuts across four main domains including, marketing strategy and performance; product development and innovation; buyer behaviour; and the management of supply (value) chains and market delivery systems.

Key information

• Duration 3 to 4 years full-time
• Start date September
• Location Canterbury, Medway

Projects cover a wide range of themes ranging from the marketing department’s influence on organisational performance, determinants of marketing innovation, brand and product development success, and pricing, advertising and distribution effectiveness, to marketing information/decision-support systems utilisation, value co-creation by open innovation, and consumer evaluation and processing of product communications.

The department has a long tradition in its sectoral focus on the food industry which has complemented its aim of promoting empirical, international and interdisciplinary research to enhance marketing theory and practice. Ongoing and future projects will continue to extend its sectoral foci to emerging market economies, high-technology and new (social and digital) media environments. In addition, the group’s empirical and policy-oriented work is supported by the strong links with industry and an international network of research partners.

You will be based either at the Canterbury or Medway campus, depending on where your first supervisor is based, for the duration of your PhD. Should you be based at Medway you will be expected to travel to Canterbury for compulsory modules and events run by the Graduate School. There is a regular University shuttle bus, which runs between Canterbury and Medway during term-time, this service is free for students.

Exchange partners

Kent Business School has excellent links with business schools globally, including in China, USA, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Italy. Our wide array of exchange partners give you the opportunity to gain international experience. Our partners are committed to enhancing their international outlook while providing excellent teaching. You will gain invaluable work experience, develop your understanding of a new culture and improve your language skills.

Our exchange partners include these top ranked institutions amongst others:

• University of Technology, Sydney
• Renmin University of China, School of Business
• University of Hong Kong
• Neoma Business School
• Freie Universitat Berlin
• University of Florence
• IE Madrid University
• Stockholm Business School.

About Kent Business School

Kent Business School has over 25 years’ experience delivering business education. Our portfolio of postgraduate programmes demonstrates the breadth and depth of our expertise. Academic research and links with global business inform our teaching, ensuring a curriculum that is relevant and current. We are a leading UK business school for the standard of our teaching and student satisfaction. We also hold a number of accreditations by professional bodies.

Studying at Kent Business School (KBS) gives you the opportunity to increase your employability with real-life case studies, a student council and a business society. We have strong links to local and national organisations providing opportunities for projects, internships and graduate placements. The School attracts many high-profile speakers from industry and has included visits and lectures from staff of the Bank of England, BAE Systems, Barclays, Lloyds Insurance, Cummins, Delphi and Kent County Council.

The School currently has 60 PhD students, who form a dynamic and close-knit research community.

Everything you need to know.

Entry requirements, study support.

Applicants should hold a 2.1 at undergraduate level and a Merit at Master’s level in a relevant discipline, from a UK or other approved university and/or equivalent. You must submit a research proposal of approximately 1,500 words on your intended topic.

In Kent Business School, entry to all research programmes is in September only. The deadline for PhD applications is 31 July. 

All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications. 

Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country  and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.

English language entry requirements

The University requires all non-native speakers of English to reach a minimum standard of proficiency in written and spoken English before beginning a postgraduate degree. Certain subjects require a higher level.

For detailed information see our  English language requirements  web pages. 

Need help with English?

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways .

Postgraduate research is a fantastic opportunity and significant investment in your future, enabling you to expand your knowledge, skills and career options – all while making a meaningful impact and contribution to an area you are passionate about.

At Kent, we also recognise the significant financial investment that comes with postgraduate study, and we offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate researchers, to help keep your mind on your studies, and off your finances.

Scholarships can be broad, or specific to your situation, background or even country – so please do use our scholarships finder to discover the options available to you.

We also have research partnership funding with research councils and government schemes in specific areas of interest that can help you take your research to the next level with additional financial support.

Find out more on our fees and funding page and discover what option is right for you.

Each research student is supported by a supervisory team (usually two members of academic staff) who give guidance about the nature of the research, the standard of work required, and about the relevant literature and sources that should be consulted.

Students meet with supervisors each month in person to agree upon a schedule of work, and bring written work for comment and discussion. The co-supervisor provides additional input and ensures continuity, and formal progression reviews are held at key points in your programme.

All Kent Business School PhD students receive:

• Access to office space with a laptop for the duration of their studies
• Funds for conference attendance and research expenses
• Research methods training
• Full access to the facilities of the Graduate and Researcher College

All first year PhD students participate in a mandatory research training programme, including:

• Relevant research methods
• Theory of management and in specialist management topics related to your research
• Skills-based courses in areas such as statistics, computing, electronic literature searching and languages

In addition, students participate in School research seminars and postgraduate training events organised through the Graduate and Researcher College . PhD students with scholarships or part-time teaching within Kent Business School also take modules from the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education.

KBS students benefit from training and development opportunities made available through our membership of NATCOR , the ESRC’s South East Doctoral Training Centre , and the European Doctoral Programmes Association (EDAMBA).

Researcher Development Programme

Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subject-specific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills.

Research activities at Kent Business School are broadly organised into 4 departments:

• Accounting and Finance
• Analytics, Operations and Systems
• Leadership and Management
• Marketing, Entrepreneurship and International Business

Our Marketing research cuts across four main domains including, marketing strategy and performance; product development and innovation; buyer behaviour; and the management of supply (value) chains and market delivery systems. Projects cover a wide range of themes ranging from the marketing department’s influence on organisational performance, determinants of marketing innovation, brand and product development success, and pricing, advertising and distribution effectiveness, to marketing information/decision-support systems utilisation, value co-creation by open innovation, and consumer evaluation and processing of product communications.

Staff research interests

Our world-class academics provide research students with excellent supervision. In the  Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021,  80% of our research was deemed ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. The school’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of high calibre research.

Kent Business School has over 30 eligible research degree supervisors. Postgraduate research can take place in any subject area where they have expertise.

Please note, it is possible for students to be supervised by a member of academic staff from any of Kent’s schools, providing their expertise matches your research interests. Use our ‘ find a supervisor ’ search to search by staff member or keyword.

Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website .

The KBS PhD programme is designed to provide a thorough training for research careers in academia or industry. Our students generally take up academic appointments in UK or international higher education institutions or work in policy or industry settings.

Professional recognition

Kent Business School is a member of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS); and the Kent MBA is an Association of MBAs (AMBA) accredited programme.

In addition, KBS has accredited programmes with the following professional bodies:

• The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
• The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)
• The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS)
• The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
• The Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
• The Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA)
• The Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP)
• The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• CFA Institute

KBS is a signatory of the United Nation's Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), which provides a global network for academic institutions to advance corporate sustainability and social responsibility.

The 2024/25 annual tuition fees for this course are:

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide .

For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact [email protected] .

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from  UKCISA  before applying.

General information

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

Additional costs

General additional costs.

Find out more about  general additional costs  that you may pay when studying at Kent. 

Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:

• University and external funds
• Scholarships specific to the academic school delivering this programme.

We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.

Ready to apply?

Learn more about the  application process  or begin your application by clicking on a link below.

You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.

Need help deciding?

Our friendly team is on hand to help you with any queries you have.

Find the right supervisor for your and your research project.

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Supporting your success

We are here to support your postgraduate journey.

Kent ranked top 50 in The Complete University Guide 2024 .

Support for funding so you can focus on your studies.

Research excellence.

Kent has risen 11 places in THE’s REF 2021 ranking, confirming us as a leading research university.

It’s easy to study on or off campus at Kent – discover what is right for you.

• Postgraduate study

PhD scholarships

We invest heavily in PhD study and the development of our postgraduate community.

University of Sheffield scholarships

These include:

• University of Sheffield Research Scholarships  (Closed)
• University of Sheffield Research Scholarships for Black or Black British (of African or Caribbean heritage), Asian or Asian British (of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian heritage) or multiple ethnic background including one of the ethnicity groups listed above (Closed) 
• Hossein Farmy Scholarships  (Closed)
• China Scholarship Council  (Closed)

Research Council (UKRI) scholarships

The UK Research Councils are a major source of financial support for research postgraduates.

List of Research Council scholarships

Department/project scholarships

Departments and Supervisors may have funding for specific projects throughout the year. When available these projects may be advertised in the  PhD projects directory  or via information provided on Departmental webpages

Other funding bodies

Many charities, foundations and trusts provide funding for postgraduate study, from small grants to full scholarships. Some are for specific subject areas while others have more general eligibility criteria. Please see our list of  additional funding  for more information. 

Related information

Eligibility for UK, EU and international students

Postgraduate doctoral loans (home fee-paying students)

Alumni Rewards

Search for PhD opportunities at Sheffield and be part of our world-leading research.

PhD Research Degree

The University of Southampton is one of the UK’s top 15 research universities. We are a member of the influential Russell Group – an association of 20 major UK research universities. The Southampton Business School’s PhD programme has been awarded +3 recognition for full-time students by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and has also received research studentships from ESRC and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for its doctoral programme.

Introducing your course

All students wishing to complete a PhD at the Southampton Business School must register for our PhD in Business Studies and Management. PhD applications will be considered in any research area of: accounting, financial markets and banking, entrepreneurship, innovation, strategy, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, accountability and governance, human resources management, organisational behaviour, information technology/systems, management science, operational research, supply chain management, risk management, digital and data driven marketing and health management.

Importance is placed on ensuring adequate academic supervision, hence we carefully examine your proposed area of research study in order to ensure that such supervision is readily available.

Programme Overview

In order to have an appreciation of the research expertise available and research undertaken at the Southampton Business School you may visit our six Departments and Research Centres.

Southampton Business School’s Departments

• Department of Accounting
• Department of Banking and Finance
• Department of Decision Analytics and Risk
• Department of Digital and Data Driven Marketing
• Department of HR Management and Organisational Behaviour
• Department of Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Interdisciplinary research across Departments is also undertaken through the following Research Centres

• Accounting, Accountability and Governance (CRAAG)
• Centre for Risk Research (CRR)
• Centre for Operational Research, Management Science and Information Systems (CORMSIS)
• Organisational Behaviour/Human Resources Research Group
• Centre for Inclusive and Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CISEI)
• Centre for Marketing Research

View the doctoral programme profile for this course

Programme Duration:  

• Full-time - Maximum 4 years (minimum 2 years)
• Part-time - Maximum 7 years (minimum 3 years)

The academic staff provide great assistance and suggestions to improve student life and study. In terms of food requirement, I am looking for halal food and Southampton as a university or city offer many halal foods inside the campus or outside.

Director of Programme

Dr Pingli Li BSc, MSc, PhD.

Dr Pingli Li is an Associate Professor of Accounting and the Director of PhD Programmes at Southampton Business School.

Entry Requirements

Typical entry requirements.

Applicants will normally be expected to have

• a UK bachelor's degree with upper second class honours or equivalent, in a relevant subject;
• a Master of Science degree (taught element) at Merit* level in a relevant subject (*typically between 60-69% or higher in the UK);
• satisfactory performance at interview.

International applications

If English is not your first language, you will need to demonstrate that you have reached a satisfactory standard in an approved English language test. The following minimum scores are accepted for direct entry:

• Band G, IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in all components. For more information, visit our English Language Proficiency page . 

Selection process

All tests must be no more than two years old at the time of enrolment.

The requirement for the IELTS may be exempted provided you have successfully completed a degree at a university in the UK or another English speaking country and your English is deemed as satisfactory by the prospective supervisors at the interview stage. Yet, such  degree should not be older than two years prior to the enrolment on the PhD programme.

This page contains specific entry requirements for this course. Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country.

Programme Structure

Typical course content.

Only one taught module must be taken (in year 1). Students must pass this module in order to proceed with their studies.

MANG7001 Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods

In addition, following the training needs assessment, students are likely to be recommended to attend other modules and/or training programmes in the Business School or in other Schools, including the Graduate School. The rest of the programme is research-oriented,with students conducting original research under the guidance of their supervisors.

As a research student you will be directly enrolled on the PhD programme and your progress will be formally reviewed three times throughout the PhD candidature.

Minimum registration periods are two and three years respectively for the full-time and part-time candidatures. In practice you should expect to spend at least one more year of study than these minimum periods. All PhD students are required to attend a designated training course in quantitative and qualitative research methods in the first year of their PhD candidature. Passing such a training course is one of the compulsory requirements prior to the confirmation of the PhD status in year two (or three for part-time students) of the candidature. Depending on the topic of the research project, supervisors may recommend and ask that additional research training is attended in the University or elsewhere.

The Southampton Business School encourage students to seek constant feedback on their research work through presentation of their work at regular departmental seminars, School bi-annual PhD conference and prestigious national and international conferences. Each year a standard research allowance is made available to all students to support their field work and attendance of conferences. An additional conference research fund is available throughout the year to cover the costs of very expensive conferences; allocation of the funding is made on a competitive basis provided specific merit criteria are met. Students are also encouraged to submit papers to top-ranked peer reviewed journals for publication. Should their papers be accepted for publication students are rewarded with additional research funding. 

Typical key stages for full-time PhD candidature

• By the end of month 3 of commencing the programme, research students should have completed their training needs analysis, begun participation in relevant research seminars offered by the Southampton Business School (SBS), and confirmed the full supervisory team
• Students will also need to have sat MANG7001 (the training course in quantitative and qualitative research methods), the only compulsory module in the PhD Programme, assessed 100% by coursework and a successfully pass is a pre-requisite for confirmation of the PhD candidature in Year 2 (pro-rata for part-time students)
• Students are expected to have passed the first formal progression review between months 8 and 10 of the PhD candidature (pro-rata for part-time students). The formal progression review involves a Viva with an independent assessor and the leading supervisor. Should this fail only one more attempt is allowed before the end of month 12 (pro-rata for part-time students)
• The assessment of the second attempt of the first progression review will lead to one of the following recommendations: 
• to progress to the next stage of candidature;
• to terminate the student's candidature.
• Students are required to complete 3 monthly activity reports on a regular basis. Failure to comply with such requirement results in the breach of the University regulations.
• Independent study and research, research seminars, attendance of conferences, presenting papers at relevant doctoral colloquiums and academic conferences, and regular supervision meetings continue throughout the second year.
• Data collection and analysis is expected to be undertaken to an adequate extent.
• Between 18–21 months of the candidature (pro-rata for part-time students) the candidate is required to submit a mini-thesis for the second formal progression review (also called ‘confirmation’ of the PhD status).
• A viva voce takes place in the second formal progression review with two independent assessors. Students must demonstrate they have the potential to undertake independent research and produce a doctoral level thesis within the timescale of the programme. Should the first attempt fail a second attempt is allowed before the end of month 24 of the PhD candidature (pro-rata for part-time students).
• In order for the PhD status to be confirmed, the following criteria must be met:
• that the research student has demonstrated the ability to manage the research project, to become proficient in the special field of research involved, and to achieve success at PhD level given adequate motivation and perseverance
• that the project being undertaken is of sufficient scope, originality and theoretical interest to constitute a genuine contribution to the subject in the form of the understanding of a problem, the advancement of knowledge or the generation of new ideas.
• The second formal progression review (confirmation) will also conduct the academic needs analysis. By the date of the second formal progression review, the candidate is required to have completed the Ethics 1 module (online) and pass MANG7001. 
• The second Confirmation panel may make one of three recommendations
• the PhD candidature is confirmed
• the research student is transferred to an MPhil programme
• the research student's candidature is terminated.
• In year 2 students are required to complete the three monthly activity reports on a regularly basis.
• Evidence of continued progress is provided by publications and presentations in a suitable venue (e.g. an international conference).
• Students are expected to complete all empirical work and write up of the thesis
• The target date for submission of the thesis is the end of year 3 (pro-rata for part-time students)
• Between months 30 and 33 of the PhD candidature (pro-rata for part-time students) there will be a formal progression review meeting which involves a Viva, based on the research student's written submission (first full draft of the PhD thesis). It will also include a review of the academic needs analysis.
• Should the first attempt of the third formal progression review fail, a second attempt is allowed between the end of month 36 (pro-rata for part-time students)
• The third progression review will lead to one of the following recommendations: 
• to progress to the final stage of candidature
• to transfer to MPhil candidature
• to terminate the student's candidature
• In year 3 students are required to complete the three monthly activity reports on a regularly basis.
• Final thesis must be submitted at the latest by the end of the 48th month of the PhD candidature (pro-rata for part-time students)
• Final examination of the thesis via Viva takes place. Potential outcomes will be:
• award of the PhD
• award of the PhD subject to minor corrections to the thesis
• major revision of the thesis with the award of the PhD subject to a further examination
• rejection of the thesis and no award of the PhD. In this case an MPhil may be awarded based on earlier performance. 

Supervisory arrangements

Your supervisor team will be made up of at least one main supervisor and a co-supervisor. At least one member of the supervisory team will have supervised other research students to successful completion. The main supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of your progress and specific academic guidance on the topic, direction of research and the structure of the thesis. The remaining members of your supervisory team, including your co-supervisor, are chosen in consultation with the main supervisor as having interests and expertise relevant to the topic of your research. Where appropriate they may be drawn from other schools.

Please also refer to academic profiles for identifying prospective supervisors whose areas of research interest match yours.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees.

Fees for postgraduate research degrees vary across the University. All fees are listed for UK, EU and international full-time and part-time students alphabetically by course name.

Scholarships, bursaries, sponsorships or grants may be available to support you through your course. Funding opportunities available to you are linked to your subject area and/or your country of origin. These can be from the University of Southampton or other sources.

Study locations

Business School - Highfield Campus, Building 2

Find out more

Studentships and doctoral training

Get a studentship to fund your doctorate.

UKRI studentships offer funding for doctoral research. They also offer you access to training, networking and development opportunities to help you build a research and innovation career.

Our expectations for research organisations, supervisors and students are set out in the statement of expectations for doctoral training .

You could get:

• a minimum stipend of £19,237 per year for your living costs, which is paid to you in regular instalments
• support for your tuition fees (minimum £4,786 per year)

The stipend is usually non-taxable and does not need to be paid back. Some research organisations may offer more if you study in London, or they or one of their collaborators might decide to top up the payment. This will be outlined in the studentship advert from the research organisation.

We normally pay the support for tuition fees directly to your research organisation.

The levels given here are for the academic year 2024 to 2025. UKRI’s approach to doctoral stipend and fee levels will be reviewed through the  new deal for postgraduate research .

Additional support for your doctoral studies

As a UKRI-funded doctoral student, you may be able to access additional funding to cover the cost of other related training and development opportunities.

This could include:

• conference attendance
• language training
• overseas research visits
• internships or placements with a non-academic partner

The availability of support will depend on the research organisation and the training grants they have on offer. You should contact the research organisation you are interested in applying to, to find out what you could get.

Extra support if you have a disability

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) on top of your studentship.

You should speak to your research organisation’s disability advisor to assess your needs. They can help put the right support in place, including a DSA application if necessary. You cannot claim DSA directly from UKRI.

DSA helps to cover the cost of any additional support that a person studying for a doctorate might need as a result of a disability, mental health problem or specific learning difficulty.

The allowance covers:

• non-medical personal assistance
• specialist equipment
• extra travel costs
• general expenses

Find out more about DSA in our framework .

If you are a research organisation you can download claim forms and guidance for DSA .

Who can apply

Any prospective doctoral student wishing to study at a UK research organisation, including prospective international students, can apply for a UKRI studentship.

All UKRI-funded doctoral students will be eligible for the full award, both the stipend to support living costs, and home-level fees at the UK research organisation rate.

How to find opportunities

Many UK research organisations offer some form of studentship funding from UKRI. These opportunities will depend on the subject you want to study and will normally be advertised by the research organisations.

Research organisations may have additional opportunities that do not involve UKRI. UKRI supports around 20% of all UK-based postgraduate researchers. You should speak to the research organisation you are interested in to find out what studentships are available.

You could also consider using a specialist website like   FindaPhD  to look for opportunities.

When to apply

Research organisations set their own deadlines for applications.

Many open for applications early in the academic year and close in January or February. This is not a hard and fast rule. It is important that you check the deadlines for the research organisation where you want to study.

How to apply

You cannot apply to UKRI for a studentship. You must contact the research organisation you are interested in studying with and use their application process.

For doctoral students who are already studying with a studentship, there are opportunities to get additional funding to support placements that are separate from your doctorate.  Find training and development opportunities .

Last updated: 14 February 2024

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

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• Education and learning
• Student finance

Postgraduate scholarships for international students

You can apply for a postgraduate scholarship from the UK government to cover things like course fees and the cost of living when you study in the UK.

International students from the EU aren’t eligible for these scholarships. If you’re from Malta or Cyprus you can still apply for Commonwealth Scholarships.

There are also undergraduate scholarships available if you’re from the Falkland Islands, St Helena or the Seychelles.

Apply for a scholarship to do a one-year taught masters

Check if your country is eligible for a Chevening Scholarship.

You can apply for a Chevening Scholarship if all of the following apply:

you have an undergraduate degree

you have at least 2 years’ eligible work experience

you meet the Chevening English language requirements

Check when you can apply for this scholarship.

If you’re from a Commonwealth country

If you’re from a developing Commonwealth country you can apply for funding for:

• a split-site PhD

If you’re from a developed Commonwealth country you can only apply for funding for a PhD or a split-site PhD.

Check the eligibility for the different Commonwealth Scholarship schemes.

If you’re from the USA

You can apply for a Marshall Scholarship to do a masters or a PhD if all the following apply:

• you graduated from a 4-year undergraduate course in the USA in the last 3 years
• you got a GPA of 3.7 or more in your degree
• you haven’t studied for a UK degree before

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