Study your PhD or MPhil Doctoral Programme in London

If you are interested in this programme, you might want to:

• Learn more about the School by watching our welcome video
• Call 020 8516 7800 (speak to a course advisor for expert advice)
• Download a prospectus (we can post one if you prefer - phone 020 8516 7800)
• Download a factsheet
• View the entry requirements for this course
• Apply online, download an application form or learn more about how to apply
• View fees, start dates and other 'Key Facts'

Greenwich School of Management (GSoM) offers the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) awarded by the University of Wales delivered at GSoM in Greenwich, London.

Doctoral applicants should have a strong theoretical and experiential background to enable them to engage with the demands of original and detailed research.

Moreover, new doctoral applicants should have a particular interest that they wish to research into; this may change as their research progresses, but an initial interest, commensurable with the supervisory strengths of the school, is paramount. The doctoral programmes at GSoM are flexible, dynamic and inspiring and we welcome potential doctoral students for interview.

A Message from the Director of Doctoral Studies

The PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) from the University of Wales is the culmination of three to five years’ personal research and the production of an assessed thesis: a very challenging, but rewarding enterprise. Successful completion will open the door to that very exclusive league of scholars and provide you with valuable research skills and an in-depth body of knowledge of the area of your research. Indeed, you will be encouraged to seek publication of your ideas, arguments and findings in relevant peer-reviewed journals at the end of your programme.

The University of Wales doctoral programmes in the domain of Business Management and cognate areas are aimed at those students wishing to pursue careers in education, industry and the public sector. They are academically rigorous; indeed you will be continually assessed as your programme proceeds. They are also personally rewarding in terms of the personal fulfilment experienced in achieving your research objectives.

I believe that you will find this University of Wales programme in London inspiring and I look forward to discussing your admission.

Dr Peter Murray
Director of Doctoral Studies

Objectives of the PhD Degree

The PhD has long been recognised as the route to the high academic standard expected of an expert in a subject. Such a route involves the systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge which is at the forefront of an academic discipline or area of professional practice.

The programme seeks to enhance the ability of course members to develop new and creative approaches that extend or redefine existing knowledge or professional practice. Moreover, course members will develop an in-depth understanding of research methodology within a sound framework of research philosophy; instantiating this with their own research project under the guidance of their supervisors.

Through this educative process at the doctoral level, the programme aims to provide successful course members with the accolade of being a leading expert or practitioner in a particular field of business and management.

The Doctoral Supervisors

Upon enrolment course members are allocated supervisors possessing relevant expertise and interests. It is the supervisors' role to lead course members through their programme; lead in the sense of guide rather than direct. Such guidance is based upon the objectives of the research student and to this end, the supervisor will encourage the course member to be creative, focused and academically rigorous in their research and writing. If the student's line of research proves misguided or unfruitful then the supervisor may suggest a change of direction in pursuit of a different approach.

Course members normally meet with their supervisors every three weeks, but this is variable depending upon the stage course members have reached with their research. Some meetings are face-to-face in the Doctoral Supervision Room; others can be by email or telephone.

Supervisors will generally encourage course members to present papers at conferences and to give seminars. This will either be internal or at external conferences and seminars. Moreover, it is quite common for doctoral course members and their supervisors to collaborate with jointly authored papers towards or after the end of their programme.

Research Areas

It is vital to correlate a course member’s research interests with those of their supervisors. This will be taken into account when assessing applications for the doctoral programmes. The School’s supervisory research strength lies predominantly within four main areas:

• Marketing and Management Information systems: Sales and promotion management; international marketing; overseas advertising; strategic marketing communications; retail management; internet marketing; technology acquisition in developing countries; online advertising; use of IT to promote business efficiency; pattern algorithms development.
• Financial Management: Corporate finance; private equity and venture capital, accounting for environmental issues; inventory control.
• Human Resource Management: Human resource management for line management; conflict management; diversity management; training and development.
• Strategic Management: Change management; management of international business; innovation management; UK cartels; corporate migration; complexity theory; risk and health care; community health care.

GSoM may consider other areas of research interest from applicants, but applicants are advised to give due consideration to the above.

The Research Proposal

Before an applicant can be accepted in a doctoral programme they must submit a research proposal so that they can demonstrate their aptitude for a doctoral degree. Selection of applicants is greatly affected by the nature of this proposal, i.e. whether the research will be beneficial to both applicant and supervisors. Hence, the objective of this proposal is to identify a level of prior reflection and ability to express it coherently, and for the University to identify appropriate supervisors for the area of interest. Consequently, some knowledge of the area in question and research methodology is expected from the applicant. However, this proposal is not a fixed research contract and can be changed by negotiation, later in the programme.

The production of the research proposal does not guarantee a place on this doctoral programme; other factors are also taken into consideration, e.g. the area of the proposed research; the quality of the ideas presented; the presentation of those ideas at interview; the qualifications and experience of the applicant.

Students commencing the programme leading to award of a PhD begin with a master of philosophy programme (MPhil) and convert, by approval of the Research Committee, to the PhD programme after successfully completing the first year of taught modules and research activity.

Taught Modules

• Personal Development
  Course members will be required to develop a set of personal and academic skills to enable them to engage with the research requirement of a doctoral programme. Thus, this module aims to enlighten course members as to those skills and to identify specific personal skill requirements and their development. Thus, course members will reflect upon their own skill-set strengths and weaknesses in light of their chosen research.
  
  
• Philosophy of Research
  Doctoral research requires course members to position themselves in one or other research paradigms; a generic and warranted epistemic approach. This module encourages course members to become conversant with different paradigms and their justifications, and to understand what counts as a coherent argument within a particular paradigm. This process requires course members to understand the philosophical bases of different approaches to the concept of knowledge; epistemology, and the different research paradigms that reflect such philosophy. Through this process course members will begin to engage with, what will become their own research design.
  
  
• Research Design
  There are many different approaches to a research project, influenced by the adopted research paradigm. Thus, this module introduces course members to a wide range of possible research designs, enabling them to construct a justified choice of research methodology from those available. Given their adopted research philosophy, this will provide course members with a firm basis on which to design the research activity for their thesis.
  
  
• Data Collection and Analysis Methods
  In carrying out their research, course members need to be able demonstrate competence in a number of data collection techniques and analysis thereto; particularly computer based approaches. Thus, this module aims to provide course members with the knowledge, understanding and skill requirements of a wide range of such quantitative and qualitative techniques.
  
  
• Trends in Management Research
  Course members are required to locate their research in the context of business and management thought, and within one or more of its cognate disciplines. Consequently, this module consists of presentations by active researchers in the areas of the School’s research activity to raise course members’ awareness of current debates in these domains. Thus, the module aims to augment course members’ existing knowledge with a contemporary picture of the main trends and current debates in the area of business and management.
  
  
• Exploratory Project
  Generally, course members will have only a limited experience of high level business and management research. Hence, these modules have both a formative aspect: assisting course members to adopt the research approach and writing style appropriate to doctoral research and a summative aspect: representing what counts as a well written research project. In addition, the module provides course members with an opportunity to pursue a pilot study reflecting their ideas for their thesis and therefore gaining experience in the practicalities of high level research.
  
  

These taught research-training modules are taken in the first year of the MPhil stage of the programme.

Research

• Research Thesis (up to 100,000 words)

The length of the PhD theses is normally no more than 100,000 words and normally not less than 70,000 words excluding the bibliography and any approved appendices.

The thesis should demonstrate a contribution to the body of knowledge in the research domain. Thus, it should contain a fair proportion of originality in the ideas and analysis presented and/or empirical material involving primary or secondary research.

A sizeable proportion of the thesis should be considered publishable in peer-reviewed learned journals: establishing the author of the thesis as one who can speak with authority in his/her field.

Proceeding

MPhil to PhD
When a course member has completed the first year of the MPhil programme, s/he is required to present their research to date with a research plan to the Research Committee that will decide whether s/he can proceed to the PhD. The Research Committee may recommend that a proceeding course member should continue with the MPhil programme rather than the PhD programme. The MPhil is still a demanding research degree, but the length of the thesis is less than that of a doctorate (approximately 60,000 words). However, the procedure for assessment is the same as for the doctorates.

The Research Thesis

The research thesis module is assessed as follows:

• Annual Assessment: each year of the programme the research course member must present his/her research to a panel of academics and demonstrate that adequate progress has been made in the preceding year and to present a plan of action for the proceeding year. The panel may recommend that a course member changes to an MPhil degree programme; see above.
• The viva voce: this is the final assessment where the course member must defend the thesis to a University appointed examiner, but who is external to the University and a University appointed examiner who is internal to the University but who has not been involved with the course member’s research. For a DBA viva it is expected that one of the examiners possesses professional experience. The supervisors may be present but usually they are not permitted to participate in this oral examination.

Start Dates

The full time and part time PhD programmes have enrolment dates in February, April, June, August, October and December each year.

Programme Fee

PhD application deadlines 2011:

• 2nd January 2012
To begin studying April / June 2012
• 21st March 2012
To begin studying June/ August 2012
• 10th August 2012
To begin studying October / December 2012

Attendance Options

The PhD programme at Greenwich School of Management can be studied by attendance in the following modes:

• Full-time: 3 - 5 years
• Part-time: 5 - 9 years

Admission requirements for the PhD are as follows:

Either

• A UK university bachelor degree with at least an upper second class pass or an equivalent degree from an overseas university

• A UK university master’s degree or an equivalent degree from an overseas university

• A UK university master’s degree in business management or cognate area or an equivalent degree from an overseas university

• Applicants with other qualifications will also be considered based on their ability to meet the demands of advanced research required at the doctoral level.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language to the level of IELTS 6.5.

If you are unsure if you qualify or would like advice concerning your eligibility for your chosen programme please contact a Course Advisor at the School on +44 (0) 208 516 7800 or by email enquiry@greenwich-college.ac.uk.

The Greenwich School of Management Course Advisors are available for informal personal consultations to help you ensure you choose the right programme compatible with your career and educational goals. If you would like to arrange an appointment please contact our Course Advice Team.

How to make an application

To make an application you must send us the following information:

1. Your completed GSoM Application Form - Application forms are available in your prospectus pack or you can click here to complete the form online.
   
   If you need any help or advice before completing the application form please write to or telephone the School and speak to a counsellor who will advise you.
2. The GSoM International Student Declaration Form - If you require a Student Visa to study in the UK you will be required to complete this form. Click here to download a copy of the International Student Declaration Form.
3. Copies of your qualifications, degree certificates and transcripts as listed on your application form.
4. Syllabus for any Master's degree
5. Your CV / Resume detailing your educational and professional achievements.
6. An Academic Reference . - References must be on letterhead paper, signed and dated by your referee.
   
   PhD applicants will be required to submit a minimum of two references
7. A 2,000 word research proposal.
8. A photocopy of the relevant pages of your passport. - For example front cover, personal details page and any pages indicating relevant visas or migration stamps.
9. The Application Fee of £130. - This can be paid by cheque or postal order made payable to ‘Greenwich School of Management Ltd’. Credit / Debit Card, or by Bank Transfer (click here for the GSoM account details). The application fee is entirely refundable should you not be accepted.

Send the above to the Admissions Department at GSoM either by post or email:

Email: admissions@greenwich-college.ac.uk

Admissions
Greenwich School of Management
Royal Hill
Greenwich
London
SE10 8RD

To email your application, scan and attach your documentation and arrange the application fee payment as above. If you wish you can submit an application in person.

Registration

On receipt of your application form and enclosures the School will assess your application and:

1. Accept your application if you are qualified for the programme. (If you are not qualified the School may suggest an alternative programme that suits your needs and qualifications).
2. Forward to you an acceptance letter and statement of fees. These letters will inform you of the date that you should enrol and the duration and cost of the programme.

Enrolment

1. You should arrive at Greenwich School of Management on the date specified on your acceptance letter.
2. You will be expected to pay your tuition fees on or before enrolment.

Further Information

• Tuition fees are payable in advance (instalment plans are available by arrangement).
• Tuition fees are non-refundable.
• The registration fee is refundable should the School be unable to accept you.
• Overseas students are reminded that they must comply with Home Office regulations on immigration, particularly with respect to attendance.A medical certificate must support absences due to illness.
• Programme details may be subject to alteration.
Programmes will only take place if justified by demand.

• All fees are inclusive of Government taxes.
Students must adhere to the regulations relating to their programme.
• The Students’ Union Fee of £10 may be paid on enrolment.
• The admission requirements stated for the programmes represent the minimum entry standard. Greenwich School of Management and the University of Plymouth reserve the right to require entry standards above the minimum.
• The School reserves the right to refuse to accept or to enrol any student

About The University of Wales

The University of Wales was founded by Royal Charter in 1893 and is now one of the UK’s largest universities as the degree-awarding body for over 70 higher education institutions in the UK and overseas through its successful and highly regarded international validation operation.

As one of the institutions validated by The University of Wales, Greenwich School of Management are committed to delivering the highest quality postgraduate degrees whilst adhering to the strict standards regularly assessed and evaluated by the University Validation Board.

The University validation scheme helps foster links between countries all over the world as well as many of the higher education institutions in the UK through its academic collaborations and partnerships such as here at Greenwich School of Management in London. By working with institutions such as GSoM, that share the university’s academic vision, the University of Wales have generated an international network of alumni in positions of influence in a variety of academic disciplines. The number of students from all over the world, pursuing University of Wales degrees is more than 80,000, and their studies cover almost the full range of subjects.

As the UK’s second largest degree-awarding body, University of Wales validated programmes offer students an internationally recognised and established education of the highest standard.