Management

Overview

Our multidisciplinary Management PhD offers specialisation in key business areas, such as supply chain, international business, entrepreneurship, marketing and the world of organisations.

Introduction

If you have a master’s degree in a management related field, the University of Liverpool Management School offers the perfect environment to become a world-class specialist researcher in this area.

Our Management PhD gives you the opportunity to explore your own ideas while you receive thought-provoking advice from our academic staff.

We offer tailored training with modules designed to develop your research skills in management. The modules cover:

You’ll also receive additional training via workshops, seminars and conferences.

To ensure you are fully supported during your thesis, you’ll work with a primary supervisor who is a leading expert in their field, and a secondary supervisor, who is also an established expert or a promising early career researcher in your area of study.

This programme is delivered in-person at our emblematic Liverpool campus. UK, Republic of Ireland and international students can study this PhD on a full-time basis, while UK and Republic of Ireland students also have the option to study part-time.

Although you can start this PhD at the beginning of any month, we recommend doing so in October or January where possible. This coincides with the start dates of our training modules.

Watch our latest webinar with Director of Studies, Dr Leighann Spencer .

Download our Management School PhD and MRes programmes brochure for more details of our available postgraduate research and MRes courses.

• Research foundations
• Quantitative methods in business and management
• Qualitative methods in business and management
• Advanced quantitative research methods
• Advanced qualitative research methods
• Advanced topics in your subject of specialisation, ie Marketing; Operations and Supply Chain Management; Strategy, International Business and Entrepreneurship; Work, Organisation and Management.

Research topics

Our Management PhD covers a broad range of potential topics for investigation across all aspects of business management.

We welcome research proposals in topics including:

• B2B marketing
• Consumer behaviour and digital identity
• Consumer culture
• Marketing strategy and analytics
• Vulnerable consumers and responsible marketing.
• Transport and logistics
• Agri-food supply chains
• Sustainable operations and supply chain management
• Agile operations
• Supply chain technologies, analytics and risk.
• Sustainable strategy and its governance
• International business and management of people, knowledge and technology across borders
• Innovation, collaboration and emerging digital technologies
• Strategic intellectual property management across global innovation contexts
• Entrepreneurship and social inclusion.
• Work, health and wellbeing
• Leadership
• Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
• Identity
• Grand challenges in work, organisation and management.

Research culture

One of an elite group of institutions worldwide to hold the gold standard ‘triple-crown’ accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS, the Management School is a research powerhouse.

Home to six specialist research centres , you’ll be joining a school where you can actively participate in current research activities . There’s also the chance to attend seminars where prominent international speakers present their latest ideas and research.

International experts from our Marketing ; Operations and Supply Chain Management , Strategy, International Business and Entrepreneurship ; and Work, Organisation and Management groups lead pioneering research and shape academic thought by producing real-world impacts in business practice, policymaking and society.

Watch our latest Management PhD webinar

(Research Excellence Framework, 2021)

How to apply

• 1. Identify potential supervisors You’re welcome to suggest potential supervisors in your application, although this is not compulsory. If you would like to do so, please choose the subject area that best aligns with your research proposal and check our lists of experts to review their research areas and visit their individual profiles: Find Marketing supervisors Find Operations and Supply Chain Management supervisors Find Strategy, International Business and Entrepreneurship supervisors Find Work Organisation and Management supervisors . We’ll take into consideration your suggested supervisors when we review your application, but please bear in mind that we’ll make the final decision after assessing who the best match for your intended research project is.

1. Identify potential supervisors

• Find Marketing supervisors
• Find Operations and Supply Chain Management supervisors
• Find Strategy, International Business and Entrepreneurship supervisors
• Find Work Organisation and Management supervisors .
• 2. Prepare your application documents You may need the following documents to complete your online application: A research proposal (this should cover the research you’d like to undertake) University transcripts and degree certificates to date Passport details (international applicants only) English language certificates (international applicants only) A personal statement A curriculum vitae (CV) Names and contact details of two referees Contact details for your preferred primary supervisor(s) – optional. By applying to this course, you confirm the information and documents provided are true, complete, accurate and your own work . If you use Generative AI software to complete your application, you must also acknowledge it. This applies to your initial application and any subsequent communications from you to the University. If you omit, misrepresent or give false information (eg qualifications commenced but not completed, qualifications resulting in a fail grade, exclusions, etc), the University reserves the right reject your application, withdraw any offer made to you and prevent you from applying in the future.

2. Prepare your application documents

• A research proposal (this should cover the research you’d like to undertake)
• University transcripts and degree certificates to date
• Passport details (international applicants only)
• English language certificates (international applicants only)
• A personal statement
• A curriculum vitae (CV)
• Names and contact details of two referees
• Contact details for your preferred primary supervisor(s) – optional.
• 3. Apply Finally, register and apply online. You'll receive an email acknowledgment once you've submitted your application. We'll be in touch with further details about what happens next.

Fees and funding

Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.

UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)

Full-time place, per year - £5,238 Part-time place, per year - £2,619

International fees

Full-time place, per year - £25,350 Part-time place, per year - £12,650

Fees stated are for 2026/27 and may be subject to change for academic year 2027/28. The University may administer inflationary rises to international fees in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

Additional costs

We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.

Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this degree, as well as general student living costs .

Funding your PhD

If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan worth up to £30,301 to help with course fees and living costs.

There’s also a variety of alternative sources of funding . These include funded research opportunities and financial support from UK research councils, charities and trusts. Your supervisor may be able to help you secure funding.

We've set the country or region your qualifications are from as United Kingdom . Change it here.

Scholarships and bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition fees and living expenses.

Duncan Norman Research Scholarship

If you’re awarded this prestigious scholarship, you’ll receive significant funding to support your postgraduate research. This includes full payment of your PhD fees and a cash bursary of £23,000 per year while you study. One award is available in each academic year.

John Lennon Memorial Scholarship

If you’re a UK student, either born in or with strong family connections to Merseyside, you could be eligible to apply for financial support worth up to £12,000 per year for up to three years of full-time postgraduate research (or up to five years part-time pro-rata).

Sport Liverpool Performance Programme

Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.

Facilities and resources

The Management School’s facilities for PhD students include two computer suites and dedicated hot-desk spaces, allowing for plenty of interaction with leading researchers and other students.

As a PhD student in the Management School, you’ll enjoy free access to professional software relevant to your area of specialisation. A range of globally recognised journals and databases for management research are also available via the University Library .

Careers and employability

Completing this PhD gives you the opportunity to transition into a variety of career destinations in academia, policymaking and business practice.

Alongside a deep understanding of key theories in management, you’ll develop strong analytical capabilities in data interpretation, business modelling and policy evaluation, to help you address real-world challenges.

In addition to gaining a substantial level of specialisation, you’ll graduate with a wide range of skills, which are highly sought after by employers and transferable to careers in business consultancy and policymaking. These skills include dissecting problems, gathering and analysing data, writing papers and presenting information.

As a Management PhD graduate, you may wish to follow many of our previous PhD students into a career in academia, working at leading research-oriented universities in the UK or overseas.

During the programme, you will receive ample advice and feedback to prepare you for the academic job market via seminars, mock interviews and presentations.

Beyond academia, you’ll be prepared for a wide range of professional opportunities in:

You’ll be ready to apply for a variety of roles within your area of focus, including:

• Consulting services
• Government departments and regulatory bodies
• International organisations and non-governmental organisations, eg UN, OECD
• Think tanks and policy institutes.
• Strategic roles, eg Business Development Specialist, Corporate Development
• Business analysts or consultant
• Policy analyst or advisor
• Quantitative/qualitative analyst or researcher
• Data scientist

Career support from day one to graduation and beyond

Once you graduate after completing your PhD, you’ll gain free access to Prosper to help you unlock your potential and kickstart your postdoctoral research career.

Prosper provides structured career development and support, designed specifically for postdocs, in close collaboration with employer partners and principal investigators.

Opportunities include coaching, workshops, webinars and a buddy scheme designed to help you realise the next step in your career journey.

You can also access online resources including the Prosper portal so you can manage your personal and professional development at your own pace.

As a postgraduate researcher at the University of Liverpool, you have access to an exciting portfolio of development opportunities, designed to support your ongoing success and help you realise your ambitions.

These development opportunities, available through The Academy’s PGR Development Hub , are suitable for all subject specialisms. You might be just commencing your research or in the final stages of completing your PhD.

An initial Development Needs Analysis will encourage you to reflect on your abilities. This exploration of your personal, professional and career development needs will form the foundation of a bespoke development plan you’ll agree with your supervisor.

The aim is to immerse yourself in new experiences, engage in development opportunities designed exclusively for postgraduate researchers, and reflect on your progress.

Our campus Career Studio is a space for students and graduates to drop into and talk to a career coach. Career coaches are highly trained to help no matter what stage you are at in planning for your future career.

You can access tailored guidance and support to find and apply for full-time and part-time roles, placements, internships and graduate schemes. You will also find the help you need if you have a start-up idea or want to create a business plan. You can explore the world of work, prepare for job interviews, and access careers events and workshops.

The Career Studio is open Monday to Friday from 10am-5pm, simply drop in at a time that works for you.

Meet our PhD researchers

These are the trailblazers, the leaders, the true originals. Our postgraduate researchers are shaping their future, and the future of the world we live in, advancing knowledge with each discovery.

Ebru Calin

Ebru is a PhD student using a queer phenomenological framework to research the lived experiences of professionals of faith in the workplace.

Malika Ben Kahla

Malika is researching how women working in academia navigate through the workplace, exploring their career experiences and the decisions they make.

Diana Madibekova

Diana is investigating the role of multinational businesses in tackling global social challenges, with particular focus on their contribution to promoting world peace.

Naeema Neefa

Naeema’s PhD research is focused on skin lighting consumption among Indian consumers, including its association with skin colour discrimination and stigma.

Entry requirements

Discover the qualifications you'll need to apply for this course.

You’ll need a UK master’s degree, or international equivalent, in a business and management discipline, preferably at merit or above. To discuss the entry requirements for this programme please contact the Management School’s Postgraduate Research Team .

You’ll need a UK master’s degree, or international equivalent, in a business and management discipline, preferably at merit or above.

To discuss the entry requirements for this programme please contact the Management School’s Postgraduate Research Team .

English language requirements

You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless you’re from a majority English speaking country .

We accept a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications .

International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.

Qualification | Details

IELTS | 7.0 overall, with no component below 6.5

TOEFL iBT | If you took a TOEFL test on or before 20 January 2026, you’ll need 100 overall, with minimum scores of listening 21, writing 21, reading 21 and speaking 23. If you took a TOEFL test from 21 January 2026 onwards, when a new scoring system was introduced, you’ll need 5 overall, with 4.5 or above in all components. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted.

Duolingo English Test | 130 overall, with no component below 120

Pearson PTE Academic | 69 overall, with no component below 61

LanguageCert Academic | 75 overall, with no skill below 70

PSI Skills for English | C1 Pass in all bands

Pre-sessional English

Do you need to complete a Pre-sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?

The length of Pre-sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.

If you don’t meet our English language requirements, we can use your most recent IELTS score, or the equivalent score in selected other English language tests , to determine the length of Pre-sessional English course you require.

Use the table below to check the course length you're likely to require for your current English language ability and see whether the course is available on campus or online.

Your most recent IELTS score | Pre-sessional English course length | On campus or online

6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0 | 6 weeks | On campus or online

6.0 overall, with writing at 6.0 and no component below 5.5 | 10 weeks | On campus or online

6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5 | 12 weeks | Online

5.5 overall, with no component below 5.5 | 20 weeks | On campus

5.5 overall, with no component below 5.0 | 30 weeks | On campus

5.0 overall, with no more than one component at 4.5 | 40 weeks | On campus

If you’ve completed an alternative English language test to IELTS, we may be able to use this to assess your English language ability and determine the Pre-sessional English course length you require.

Please see our guide to Pre-sessional English entry requirements for IELTS 7.0 overall, with no component below 6.5, for further details.

Contact us

Have a question about this research opportunity or studying a PhD with us? Please get in touch with us, using the contact details below, and we’ll be happy to assist you.

Research areas