Course Overview
An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of up to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research. Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck.
The MPhil/PhD Management is ideal for those who wish to pursue academic careers involving teaching and research in management, or to further careers in consultancy or policy work. You will be required to be highly motivated, well organised, prepared to learn your subject in depth, and able to engage constructively and critically with a range of academic research related to your topic to complete an independent research project.
Birkbeck has particular strengths in the study of innovation and entrepreneurship; marketing; labour economics and industrial relations; international business; corporate governance and corporate social responsibility; strategy as practice, organisation theory, information systems strategy, social networks, and trust within organisations; corporate finance and financial reporting; and the management and regulation of sport. Our research draws on the methods and theories of various social science disciplines - principally economics, psychology and sociology, but also geography and political science.
During the first year you are required to take four modules for credit: Research Philosophy, Qualitative Research Methods, Organization Theory and Quantitative Methods for Finance and Business. After these modules comes completion of your Research Prospectus, which includes a preliminary literature review and a plan for the rest of your thesis research. This is due in June of the first year for full-time students, or of the second year for part-time students.
Satisfactory completion of the modules and the Research Prospectus is necessary for continuing with the degree. Following this you will proceed with data collection, analysis and writing your PhD thesis. Read our guidance for prospective MPhil/PhD students in management.