Management
- PhD
Overview
Research is central to the activities of the University of Bristol Business School. The school comprises several groups of academic staff with a variety of interests and a focus on research that has practical relevance. The results of the most recent UK-wide research assessment, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, rated 88% of the research activity in business and management as 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent'.
The Business School encourages interdisciplinary research, drawing on a range of theories and methodologies. We welcome students from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. You will be joining a thriving PhD community. We run a programme of activities to enable PhD students to network with each other.
Candidates entering the PhD programme are normally required to take 60 credit points of taught training units in their first year. Students are also encouraged to undertake further training in agreement with their supervisor for the duration of their studies.
Funding and Scholarships
ESRC funding: deadline 9 December 2024.
For details on applying for ESRC funding, please visit the South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP) .
CSC Scholarship: deadline 2 December 2024
For details on applying for CSC funding, please visit the China Scholarship Council-University of Bristol PhD Scholarship.
University of Bristol Scholarship:12 noon UK time - 24 January 2025
For details on applying for UoB scholarships, please visit Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships.
Business School Bursaries: deadline 31 March 2025
For details on applying for Business School Bursaries, please visit University of Bristol Business School PGR funding.
Programme structure
Potential supervisors for PhD in Management can be found here.
Entry requirements
The applicant must have an upper second-class honours degree in a relevant subject or an equivalent qualification, and either have completed or be completing a master's qualification from a UK university (or equivalent).
The master's requirement does not apply to applications made to SWDTP-funded scholarships although commencement of the PhD remains conditional on the completion of the associated master's.
Applicants without a master's qualification may be considered on an exceptional basis. Aptitude test results such as GMAT and GRE can be submitted as evidence of PhD-level analytical and verbal abilities.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
Go to admissions statementIf English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level B.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- Home: full-time
- £4,850 per year
- Home: part-time
- £2,425 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £21,300 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding and scholarships
Students applying to research programmes in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law may apply for funding from a range of sources. Applicants can find details about applying to these scholarships and deadlines for applications on our Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences webpage.
Applicants can also find the latest funding information on the Business School website, via Business School PGR contacts (business-school-pgr@bristol.ac.uk) or through the Business School's social media channels (Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | X).
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
The primary purpose of this qualification is to prepare for a career in research. Another popular route for graduates is consultancy or enter policy-based institutions.
Research groups
Find out more about the University of Bristol Business School research groups.
Details of the current research and supervision interests of individual members of staff are available on the school website.
When writing the research statement to accompany your application, the primary requirement is to define and situate your research within an academic/disciplinary context. You should remember that people in the academic community are the main audience or readership for postgraduate research. This means that you will need to identify:
1. The research questions or problems that you intend to address;
2. The research context for your project/programme of work;
3. The methods you think you will use to pursue the key questions;
4. Two potential supervisors for your research - please refer to the staff profiles as listed by the school website.
In considering your application, significant weight will be given to the extent to which you can demonstrate a clearly thought out and specific interest in research.
Contact us
- Contact
Business School PGR Team
business-school-pgr@bristol.ac.uk