PhD International Business

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Research Opportunities

A PhD in International Business will take three years (full-time).

The research areas cover a wide range of multi-disciplinary subjects and although not exhaustive, the list below gives some examples:

  • International Business
  • Sustainable Business
  • Innovation
  • International Marketing

The PhD in International Business at Strathclyde Business School can only be undertaken through the Stephen Young Institute.

Please note: fully funded scholarships may be available for highly exceptional candidates. All initial enquiries should be emailed to the Stephen Young Institute (sy-institute@strath.ac.uk).

Strathclyde Business School

We offer a supportive academic environment in which to undertake your research degree.

Furthermore, as a postgraduate research student, you’ll be required to:

  • complete the Strathclyde Business School Faculty Research Methodology Programme, achieving a minimum of Certificate level.
  • participate in regular meetings with your supervisors

You'll have access to computing/hot-desking, printing, email and kitchen facilities. You're expected to be in the Department regularly. You'll also attend the Department's research seminar series and other occasional workshops.

Karen Chukwu.

My decision to pursue a PhD in International Business stems from my experience working as a lawyer with startups in Sub-Saharan Africa and my commitment to enhancing startup sustainability in the region. This aligns with my goal of contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8. Having studied my MBA at the University of Strathclyde, The University stood out as the ideal institution for my research due to its commitment to sustainability and its reputation for fostering a conducive and dynamic learning environment that drives impactful global research in innovation and business.

Karen Chukwu, PhD student

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Fees & funding

Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.

All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.

Annual revision of fees

Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that the majority of fees will increase annually. The University will take a range of factors into account, including, but not limited to, UK inflation, changes in delivery costs and changes in Scottish and/or UK Government funding. Changes in fees will be published on the University website in October each year for the following year of study and any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 10% per year.

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Scotland

£4,786

England, Wales & Northern Ireland

£4,786

Republic of Ireland

If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status. For more information and advice on tuition fee status, you can visit the UKCISA - International student advice and guidance - Scotland: fee status webpage. Find out more about the University of Strathclyde's fee assessments process.

International

£19,600

Funding

Find out how you can fund your postgraduate research.

You can also view our scholarships search for further funding opportunities.

Postgraduate research opportunities

Search for all funded and non-funded postgraduate research opportunities.

Additional costs
  • placements & field trips: students usually pay for their own fieldwork or research trips. Students can apply for funding to cover conference participation from the Stephen Young Institute
  • study abroad: if a student chooses to study overseas, the costs would be met by the student. This is not a requirement for our programme
  • international students may have associated visa and immigration costs. Please see student visa guidance for more information.
  • Graduation gown hire

Please note: the fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year. Find out more about fees.

My research is multidisciplinary, and the PhD in International Business at the University of Strathclyde offers the perfect opportunity to integrate insights from finance, international development, and social entrepreneurship. Through this, I aim to strengthen the financial independence of non-profit organizations and support their efforts in tackling critical challenges in developing economies.
Angeline Ondeng'e
PhD student, International Business
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Supervisors

Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of the qualification, supervisors may come from any relevant department or faculty. Potential supervisors will be matched to the candidate after submission of the initial research proposal to the Stephen Young Institute (sy-institute@strath.ac.uk). 

Triple-accredited business school

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Support & development

Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) in Research Methodology for Business & Management

As part of your PhD degree, you'll be enrolled on the Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methodology for Business and Management. 

This certificate is designed to support you by developing your skills as a researcher. Your researcher training will provide you with the intellectual foundations that you will need for your journey into either the higher-level learning needed for advanced postgraduate research degrees or to work in a range of research focussed roles within organisational settings.

Course highlights:

  • course can be studied as a blended or fully online programme depending on your circumstances
  • course is ideally suited to part-time students juggling studies with other work
  • strong practical focus including training in software and advanced quantitative and qualitative methods
  • rich and diverse learning environment where you will study with students from around the world and studying a range of postgraduate research degrees
  • opportunity to learn from academics who are leaders in their field and working at the cutting edge of business research

Most students complete the PgCert in their first year but you can take courses throughout your degree.

Careers

The University Careers Service can help you with everything from writing your CV to interview preparation.

Student support

From financial advice to our IT facilities, we have a wide range of support for all students here at Strathclyde. Get all the information you need at Strathlife.

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Entry requirements

For entry onto our postgraduate research programmes, we normally look for a first-class or upper second-class UK Honours degree, or overseas equivalent, in a relevant business or social science related subject. For PhD applications, we also normally expect a Masters degree, or overseas equivalent, although there are often exceptions. When reviewing your academic achievements, we're particularly interested in grades which relate to independent research (for example, a research project or dissertation). A strong score in these elements may allow us to consider entry with a lower degree classification.

Strathclyde Business School is committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive postgraduate research population. We make decisions on entry by assessing the whole person and not relying solely on academic achievements. On that basis, please ensure that your application (via your CV and covering letter) can evidence your resourcefulness, commitment and resilience as demonstrated by broader professional and life experiences. This evidence should be centred on your ability to undertake and complete a PhD and contribute to a positive PhD community.

You can prove your knowledge of English by:

  • Passing a Secure English Language Test from our list of accepted providers with an IELTS (or equivalent) score of 6.5, with no individual element below 5.5.
  • We will also consider evidence of prior study using English as the medium of instruction, if this study was in the last five years.
  • The University has an English Language Teaching unit that offers a pre-sessional course – both on campus and online - allowing applicants to upskill in the use of English language in preparation for undertaking a postgraduate research degree. More information on the course and how to apply is available on the Pre-sessional webpage. PGR applicants should add a Pre-sessional application to their main degree application on the Applicant Portal, selecting the Pre-sessional programmes for Postgraduate students. For more information, or if you have any questions, please contact elt@strath.ac.uk.

Before you apply

Writing your research proposal

When preparing your research proposal please use the following template:

1. Working title

2. Layman’s summary of proposed research [max. 250 words]

Give us a brief summary of your proposed research project written for members of the public, rather than researchers or professionals. Why is this research important? What global/societal issues does it solve? What impact could it have on business and management in the future.

3. Research aim and objectives (or question(s)) [max. 500 words]

What’s the question you want to answer? How will you attempt to answer this question?

4. Literature review [max. 500 words]

Provide a brief overview of relevant literature to indicate any debates the research aims to engage with; any gaps or problems that have been identified; or what models the project hopes to explore or test.

5. Methodology [max. 300 words]

Provide an outline of the proposed research methodology.

6. Timeline [max. 300 words]

A PhD is 36 months minimum study (full time). In 6 months increments, indicate what you think the main activities will be. This is important as we need to assess the achievability of your proposal. This should be presented in tabular format.

6. References

Please use Harvard referencing throughout.

Notes:
  • please use Times New Roman 12 pt font
  • 1.5 line spacing
  • 2.5cm margin all round
  • hard return between paragraphs

Getting a reference

Read our help on how to choose references and what the referees need to supply.

The application

During the application you’ll be asked for the following:

  • your full contact details
  • a copy of an up-to-date CV
  • academic transcripts for both your degrees which clearly show the modules studied and the grades gained for each module
  • proof of English language proficiency, less than two years old, if English isn't your first language
  • two references, one of which must be academic – the references should focus on your academic and research skills, as well as your suitability to undertake PhD level study
  • funding or scholarship information
  • research proposal, clearly demonstrating the potential contribution both in theory and practice; please use our guidance above and attach this with your application

By filling these details out as fully as possible, you'll avoid any delay to your application being processed by the University.

Accepting an offer

If your chosen supervisor is available to work with you, they'll confirm this and nominate a potential second supervisor. As soon as a second supervisor is confirmed, an offer of study will be sent to you through Pegasus, our online application system.

When you accept our offer, you'll receive a full offer in writing via the email address you provide.

UK or EU students

If you're applying as a UK or EU student, you'll then be issued with your registration documentation.

Start date: Oct 2024 - Sep 2025

International Business

PhD
full-time
Start date: Oct 2024 - Sep 2025

Start date: Oct 2025 - Sep 2026

International Business

PhD
full-time
Start date: Oct 2025 - Sep 2026

Start date: Oct 2024 - Sep 2025

International Business

PhD
part-time
Start date: Oct 2024 - Sep 2025

Start date: Oct 2025 - Sep 2026

International Business

PhD
part-time
Start date: Oct 2025 - Sep 2026

Start date: Oct 2026 - Sep 2027

International Business

PhD
full-time
Start date: Oct 2026 - Sep 2027

Start date: Oct 2026 - Sep 2027

International Business

PhD
part-time
Start date: Oct 2026 - Sep 2027

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Contact us

The Stephen Young Institute

Telephone: +44 (0)141 553 6132

Email: sy-institute@strath.ac.uk