PhD Research Opportunities

Overview

We welcome inquiries from students wishing to pursue research towards a business-related MPhil and PhD degree.

Our wide variety of research interests cover  subject areas of Accounting, Business, Data Analytics, Event Management, Finance, HR, Management, Marketing and Tourism.
 
Our PhD program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful career in research and academia. Under the guidance of expert faculty members, students engage in advanced study and research in their chosen field, fostering independent, critical, and analytical thinking.
 
The program's centerpiece is the PhD thesis, which provides an opportunity for students to make an original contribution to their area of specialization. Students are encouraged to disseminate their research through publication in conferences and journals. Upon completion, graduates are well-prepared for careers as university faculty or researchers in the private and public sectors, as well as specialized fields requiring advanced expertise. The PhD degree also creates opportunities for entrepreneurship and leadership positions across diverse industries.

What's involved?

MPhil and PhD courses are focused on the production of an extended piece of original, independent research, which makes a significant, and in the case of the PhD, original contribution to knowledge in the field. It is usually awarded on the basis of a written thesis and an oral viva examination. You can study full-time or part-time.

The MPhil degrees normally takes 2 years full-time and the full-time PhD normally takes 3 years.

Our PhD program offers a collaborative approach to research where students work closely with a supervisory team comprising experts in their field. From the early stages of scoping and design to the final written submission, our students receive guidance and support to develop their research skills and produce original and impactful research.

As part of our vibrant research community, students are encouraged to participate in research seminars, training events, and symposia organized by the department, faculty, and university. These events provide opportunities for networking, sharing research ideas, and learning about the latest developments in the field. Additionally, our students have the opportunity to attend conferences and workshops both in the UK and abroad, enabling them to expand their research perspectives and collaborate with researchers from different cultures and backgrounds.

Our research specialisms

List of potential supervisors

Potential Supervisor	Research Interests
Anna Sung	Data analytics; fintech; digital transformation; microlearning.
Brian Gibbs	Professional identity and qualitative research into how professionals cope with their changing roles.
Connie Hancock	Entrepreneurship education in HE setting; leadership and entrepreneurship.
David Acquaye	Project finance; stock market reaction to news (event study); joint ventures and capital structure.
David Perrin	Applied business, management and leadership for professionals; experiential learning and reflective practice at work; HE systems and approaches; organisational behaviour and ambidexterity; political and economic theory; public policy.
Debbie Scott	Experiential learning and reflective practice at work; study skills issues for distance; work-based learners; wellbeing, thriving and resilience at work.
Farid Ullah	Entrepreneurship; economic growth, sustainability and development; entrepreneurship in conflict and difficult areas; religion, ethnic and female entrepreneurship.
Gina Holmes	Applied business, management and leadership for professionals; experiential learning and reflective practice at work; organisational behaviour and ambidexterity; volunteers in the third sector and the psychological contract; wellbeing, thriving and resilience at work.
Henry Sidsaph	Sustainable development; alternative food networks and entrepreneurship.
James Derbyshire	Innovation and Uncertainty Management
Jon Talbot	Experiential learning and reflective practice at work; HE systems and approaches.
Kelvin Leong	Data analytics; fintech; data mining; digital transformation; microlearning.
Kurt Allman	Contemporary challenges in business strategy; creating and implementing strategy; business model use and application. Enterprising cultures and organisations, and leading complexity and change.
Lisa Rowe	Applied business, management and leadership for professionals; experiential learning and reflective practice at work; intergenerational behaviours and tensions at work; leadership coaching and mentoring; organisational behaviour and ambidexterity; liminal dimensions and identities; wellbeing, thriving and resilience at work.
Maeve Marmion	Tourism and ageing; tourism ethics; heritage management; ethics in marketing and qualitative research methodologies.
Morven McEachern	Food systems and place: sustainable/ethical production and consumption, including the impact of austerity and poverty.
Michal Izak	Human Relations, Organisation Studies and Work, Employment and Society.
Neil Moore	Applied business, management and leadership for professionals, experiential learning and reflective practice at work, intergenerational behaviours and tensions at work, leadership coaching and mentoring, organisational behaviour and ambidexterity, liminal dimensions and identities, wellbeing, thriving and resilience at work, sport management.
Paul Folan	Applied business, management and leadership for professionals, Performance management and measurement systems, product lifecycle and supply chain management.
Pippa Weston	Applied business, management & leadership for professionals; experiential learning and reflective practice at work; organisational behaviour and ambidexterity, wellbeing, thriving and resilience at work.
Tim Brown	Charity fundraising; charitable events; events management and operations; event logistics; experiential learning in events; event marketing; economic impact of events; socio-cultural impacts of events.
Trevor Omoruyi	Performance management; leadership, motivation theories; service marketing; relationship marketing; retail management; higher education marketing; service dominant logic.

Entry requirements

To be eligible for admission you should have, or expect to obtain, an upper second or first-class honours degree, or lower second-class degree with a Master’s degree, with at least one qualification in a discipline congruent with their intended area of research. You can find more information about these criteria here.

Fees and funding

More information about fees and funding for the MPhil and PhD is available online.

How to apply for an MPhil or PhD

You can apply for entry in October, February or May. Please contact us at least 6 months before the time you hope to begin your studies.

1. Identify a topic and make an inquiry

   Contact us to see if we may be able to supervise a topic in the area of research that interests you.
   Professor Kelvin Leong: k.leong@chester.ac.uk.

2. Submit your research proposal

   Before you apply, we would like to see a research proposal. It should identify your main research question(s) with reference to appropriate literature, identifying a potential intervention in scholarship; outline a proposed methodology (where appropriate); include an extended bibliography of relevant primary and secondary sources as appropriate. We may ask you to develop or revise your proposal, in conversation with a potential supervisor.

3. Apply online

   If your topic is one we can supervise, and your research proposal looks viable, we may advise you to apply. Please submit your application at least 2 months before the point of admission you are aiming for. You can apply here.

Contacts

PhD Programme

Prof Kelvin Leong k.leong@chester.ac.uk