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The PhD in Business Administration prepares scholars for careers in academia, think tanks, and senior policy roles. After completing doctoral coursework in research methods and advanced theory, you will develop an original dissertation contributing new knowledge to your field. ALU faculty specialise in sustainable finance, digital transformation, emerging-market strategy, and organisational resilience. You will present at our annual research symposium and publish in peer-reviewed outlets with supervisory support.
Doctoral students join a research community with monthly colloquia, methods workshops, and writing retreats (virtual and Edinburgh). You may co-author with faculty before dissertation submission. Average time to candidacy: 18 months part-time.
Faculty spotlight
Professor Elena Vasquez chairs the Sustainable Finance Research Centre; Dr. Marcus Chen publishes on digital transformation in emerging markets.
Study online
Every programme can be completed fully online with zero tuition fees — study from anywhere in the world.
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHD701 | Advanced Research Methods Doctoral research design spanning experimental, survey, archival and field methods used in management science.
| 6 |
| PHD702 | Seminar in Management Theory Core theoretical traditions in strategy, organisational theory, OB and international business.
| 6 |
| PHD703 | Quantitative Methods for Business Research Econometric and multivariate methods for doctoral-level empirical work.
| 6 |
| PHD704 | Qualitative & Mixed Methods Case studies, ethnography, grounded theory and mixed-methods designs for organisational research.
| 6 |
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHD801 | Doctoral Candidacy Examination Written and oral candidacy assessment confirming readiness for independent dissertation research.
| 0 |
| PHD802 | Dissertation Research & Writing Original doctoral research under supervision culminating in a defensible thesis and publication plan.
| 36 |
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