PhD Business Administration - Business Administration Degree

Program Overview

The PhD in Business Administration at Essex Business School empowers students to delve into cutting-edge research, generating new insights and theories on contemporary business challenges. Through personalized supervision, peer debates, and conference presentations, students develop advanced research skills and create a 50-80k word thesis or three research articles framed by an introduction and conclusion. The program prepares graduates for careers in academia, public and private sector organizations, and offers full-time and part-time options, as well as an integrated PhD program for students without a Master's degree.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This PhD in Business Administration offers an opportunity to delve into cutting-edge research directly applicable to businesses on a regional, national, and global scale. The program addresses the challenges faced by modern managers, including dwindling consumer confidence, talent retention difficulties, and the growing demand for social and environmental responsibility. The program aims to equip students with the skills to generate new insights and theories about the working world. The research conducted by students could potentially help leaders navigate these challenges and shape theory, policy, and practice in the fields of management studies and business analytics.

• Students are expected to communicate their understanding through a thesis or other means, generating new knowledge.
• The program provides opportunities to develop high-level skills, enhance professional development, and build new networks.

Modules:

• Essex Business School - Research (0 Credits): This compulsory module reinforces research methods and skills developed during previous studies.
It addresses philosophical issues underlying management and business research, explains how to select research strategies and designs, and offers a comprehensive view of data collection and analysis methods.

Assessment:

• Induction Program: Students begin their studies with an intensive induction program, including advanced research methods training and compulsory modules tailored to their individual research needs.
• Regular Meetings with Supervisors: Throughout the program, students have regular meetings with their supervisors, often writing up their ideas or reading notes to establish good writing practices.
• First Year: By the end of the first year, students should have a solid understanding of key debates in their field, defined their research questions, and outlined their original contribution to knowledge.
• Second Year: Students finalize the design of their research project, collect primary data or access and analyze large-scale datasets, and make progress on their second research paper.
• Final Year: Students continue analyzing their research data, refine their original contribution to knowledge, and collate their work into a 50-80k word thesis.
• Progress Board: Students participate in a progress board every six months, where they, their supervisors, and an independent chair mark their progress and set objectives for the next period.
• Peer Group Debates: Students are encouraged to participate in peer group debates and discussions.
• Conferences: Students may attend conferences in their final year to test out their research findings and thesis on an international stage.
• Thesis: Students can choose between a traditional thesis approach or a "three paper" thesis, where they produce three research articles framed by an introduction and conclusion.
• Viva Voce Examination: After submitting their thesis, students attend a Viva Voce examination with examiners from within and outside the University.

Teaching:

• Supervision: Students work with two supervisors who provide guidance and support to help them achieve their individual research goals, develop their research topic, and create a personalized training plan.
• Supervisory Board Meetings: Students have supervisory board meetings twice a year to discuss their progress and agree on plans for the next six months.
• Career Development: Supervisors can help students plan their career development, co-author publications with them, and develop transferable skills needed for the job market.

Careers:

• Graduates: Graduates have secured roles in academia at top international universities, as well as organizations in the public and private sectors.
• Examples: Recent examples include careers with Leeds University Business School, Cambridge Education, EY (Ernst and Young), and public sector roles around the world.
• University Student Development Careers Services: The University's Student Development Careers Services provide careers advice and help students make the most of their Essex experience.

Other:

• Research Environment: The business and management research environment at Essex Business School is 100% world-leading or internationally excellent (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
• Research Power: Essex Business School ranks 20th in the UK for research power in business and management (Times Higher Education research power measure, Research Excellence Framework 2021).
• International Outlook: Essex Business School has an international outlook, with doctoral students joining from all over the world.
• Strategy, Operations, and Entrepreneurship Group: The Strategy, Operations, and Entrepreneurship Group, based at the Southend Campus, is a group of international researchers with an entrepreneurial focus.
• Research Seminars: The group organizes regular research seminars, providing opportunities to hear cutting-edge research, see how it is applied in business settings, and network with scholars from the School and the wider academic community.
• Research Streams: The Group's research is multi-disciplinary and falls within two broad and interrelated streams – management science and entrepreneurship and SME management.
• Current Research Projects: Current research projects include exploring "Autism and the world of work" and "Accelerating women's enterprise."
• International Conferences: Students are encouraged to attend international conferences and present their work at the annual PhD conference.
• Full-Time and Part-Time Options: Students can choose to study on a full-time or part-time basis.
• Integrated PhD Program: An integrated (or 1+3) PhD Business Administration program is available for students without a Masters degree or with limited research training.
• Scholarships: Students may be eligible for scholarships.
• Facilities: The Southend Campus provides excellent facilities for research, including:
• The Forum building with a library and café
• A 24-hour learning hub with study spaces, PC access, and quiet places for conducting research
• Access to databases such as Bloomberg, Compustat, Passport GMID, Bankscope, and Datastream
• E-book finance and business packages to support part-time and distance learning
• Study skills support for postgraduate students

International fee £18,750 per year Fees will increase for each academic year of study.