University of Edinburgh Business School

PhD

The normal period of study is 36 months for full-time students and 48 to 72 months for part-time students.

In year one, students are required to undertake a structured and intensive research training programme; part-time students can spread this over two years. Its purpose: to expose the student to core research skills such as qualitative and quantitative data analysis, research design and data collection. In addition, students are introduced to the philosophical underpinnings of research within the social sciences.

Normally our training courses will be waived only for students who have completed a comparably comprehensive ESRC-recognised research training regime or students conducting a distinctly Management Science project (and are therefore governed by the training norms of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council).

In subsequent years of study, students undertake, with the guidance of their academic supervisor, research in their chosen field of management. The programme is completed by submitting a final thesis for examination.

Please note, we do not offer degrees by distance learning. Full-time students must be resident in Edinburgh unless granted leave of absence. Part-time students should normally be resident in Edinburgh. If they are not, they must spend an initial period of not less than three months and a total period of not less than nine months during their studies in Edinburgh.