Programme Structure

PhD Management and Marketing 

The PhD in Management/Marketing (with Integrated Studies) is a programme for exceptional postgraduate researchers with a passion for scientific discovery who aspire to become critical and independent thinkers and deliver academic work of the highest calibre to shape the future of Management and Marketing scholarship. 

Setting the foundations of your research 

Full-time students will complete the modules during their first year of studies. Part-time students have the opportunity to complete the modules over the first two years. All students are required to be in Durham for all elements of the modules that take place in the classroom. 

Learning and Teaching 

At the beginning of your studies you will attend a PhD programme induction to start building a network with your peers in the programme, connect with our academic faculty in the Department, and meet the wider community in the Business School. 

The first year in the PhD programme includes five compulsory modules which will be delivered and assessed with innovative and collaborative methods. In addition, students will select three elective modules in line with their specific academic interests and research projects. 

The modules take place in a blended format, including lecture-type delivery, but with a stronger focus on guided work in small groups, and on individual and group work that helps you develop a deeper understanding of academic research. 

The majority of these modules will run in a block format of full-day workshops in the classroom, complemented by tutor-supported small group learning, which often takes places online. These arrangements facilitate that both full-time and part-time students are fully integrated into our diverse and vibrant learning community. 

Two of the compulsory modules, the Team Research Project and the Individual Research Project, are specifically tailored to your professional development as a researcher. In these projects, we will challenge you to push the boundaries of current scholarship, make key decisions in the process of a research project independently, and communicate research findings in ways that enable you to be part of current academic debates.  The development of teamwork, project management and time management skills is are an essential part of your learning in these projects. 

Following the successful completion of the compulsory and elective modules in their first year in the PhD programme, students will embark on the research project for their Doctoral Thesis and work under the close supervision of normally two members of the academic faculty in the Department. 

Academic Support 

PhD Programme Lead and Team 

The PhD Programme Lead and PhD Team in the Department Office of Management and Marketing are your first point of contact for academic support, in particular in the form of advice on your course of study and progression through the programme. 

Academic Faculty 

Academic faculty who teach on the programme will advise you on the expected standards of research and theory development for each module (e.g., through formative and summative feedback) as well as on other academic developments relevant to your PhD studies. They will be available to support you during the modules and in their consultation hours on a one-to-one basis. 

Supervisory Team 

You will be supported by a supervisory team, normally consisting of one primary supervisor and one second supervisor from the academic faculty of the Department. The academic advisory function of PhD supervisors is critical and spans research-specific guidance, guidance and support in the knowledge dissemination process, and academic career mentoring.