Executive PhD

• Transform professional experience into research-informed thought leadership.
• Develop doctoral-level insight into complex business, organisational and transformation challenges.
• Build your profile as an Executive Scholar: practice-anchored, research-capable and academically credible.
• Contribute to scholarly debates while remaining connected to your professional field.
• Study in a flexible online format designed for experienced professionals with full-time careers.
• Benefit from individual supervision and an international doctoral learning environment.

A doctoral journey from executive experience to scholarly contribution

The Executive PhD is designed for experienced professionals, managers, consultants, entrepreneurs, educators and organisational leaders who want to develop doctoral-level research while remaining connected to their professional field.

The programme develops candidates into Executive Scholars:  research-capable professionals who can engage with academic debates, produce original scholarly contributions and communicate their insights credibly.

The doctoral journey is structured around four competence fields:

1. Field Competence : positioning research within Management & Creative Transformation.
2. Executive Scholar Identity : using professional experience as a research resource with reflexivity and academic independence.
3. Scholarly Contribution Competence : identifying gaps, mobilising theory and formulating original contributions.
4. Research Production Competence : designing, writing, integrating and defending a dissertation.

Candidates are supported through individual supervision, structured online seminars, peer exchange and annual residential learning formats.

Admission, intakes and application

The Executive PhD is designed for experienced professionals who want to develop doctoral-level research while remaining connected to their professional field. Applicants are expected to hold a Master’s degree, MBA or equivalent qualification from a recognised academic institution and to have at least five years of management, professional, entrepreneurial, educational or equivalent experience.

Applicants are expected to have:

• A Master’s degree, MBA or equivalent qualification
• At least five years of relevant professional experience
• A strong interest in doctoral-level research in management, organisation, business, education or transformation-related fields
• A good standard of written and spoken English

Four intakes per year

Start your Executive PhD in January, April, July or October. This flexible intake structure allows experienced professionals to begin their doctoral journey at several points during the year.

Format and workload

The Executive PhD is delivered primarily online and designed for experienced professionals with full-time careers. Candidates follow structured online seminars, work individually on their research and participate in annual residential learning formats. The expected workload is approximately 10–12 hours per week.

Documents for your application

• CV
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates
• Motivation statement
• Initial research idea or doctoral interest statement
• Proof of professional experience
• English-language evidence, where required

Application process

After submitting their documents, eligible applicants are invited to an admission interview to discuss their professional background, motivation and initial research interests.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees will be communicated on the programme website and by the admissions team.