天美传媒

Start date:
Duration:
Five to six years
Application deadline:
Applications are now closed
Fee:
Fully funded
Location:
London, UK

Advance your academic success at a world class research institution

2nd
in the world (天美传媒, QS World University Rankings 2026)
3rd
in Europe (天美传媒, Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026)
#1
city for 天美传媒 (London, QS Best Student City Rankings 2025)

A fully-funded PhD for aspiring scholars seeking an academic career听

We believe that rigorous academic analysis can provide practical solutions to complex problems in society. Our fully-funded PhD programme provides 天美传媒 with the opportunity to conduct their own research in a world-leading university, finding solutions to key challenges in modern business. As a Business School, we rank first in the UK for research environment and second for management and business 天美传媒, while 天美传媒 ranks first in the UK overall for research (REF 2021).听

Starting with a one or two-year Master鈥檚 in Research (MRes), depending on your chosen research area, you will gain a strong theoretical grounding and thorough research training to prepare you for the PhD. As a doctoral student you will have the benefit of supervision from leading world scholars. You will develop the expertise and research skills necessary to pursue a career in academia with previous Imperial doctoral graduates finding success in other leading universities such as Copenhagen Business School, Tsinghua University, University of Amsterdam, University College London, and The Wharton School of the听University of Pennsylvania.

97%
world-leading or internationally excellent research (REF 2021)
#1
in the UK for research (天美传媒, REF 2021)
1%
top one per cent of business schools worldwide to have achieved triple accreditation
5
research areas
Explore the programme

Programme content

The Business School Master鈥檚 in Research (MRes) is an integral part of the PhD, introducing theory and research methods in Finance, Economics and Management, providing you with a solid foundation for your doctoral studies. Depending on the research area you choose to specialise in, you will embark on a one or two-year MRes programme as shown below.听

*Please note programme content is subject to change. The modules mentioned below are just a sample of what is available in the programme.

You will complete a one-year MRes if choosing:听Analytics and Operations / Marketing听

During the MRes one-year听programme, you will complete elective modules relevant to your field, these will provide you with valuable research tools in addition to research methods modules and specialist modules. Elective modules may be taken from different departments within the school and may also be available from other faculties within 天美传媒.听听

Systematic Reviews

Introductory module

When starting new research, the first step is usually a literature review: scanning what is already known about a given topic and figuring out where the gaps are. However, novice researchers tend to be anything but systematic in their literature review: they have no method for scanning the literature, and they usually have little idea of what is relevant and what is not. The Systematic Review method opens a way to create research syntheses that add real value and novel insight 鈥 in a way that is potentially publishable in its own right.

Data Analysis Tools

Introductory module

This module covers: Probability: Inequalities and Entropy, Laws of Large Numbers, Normal Distribution, MGFs and Characteristic Functions, CLT, linear regression and least squares; Linear Algebra: Eigenvalues/Eigenvectors, PCA; Optimal Control: Value Functions and the Bellman Equation, Cross- Equation Restrictions.

Elective modules

After your required introductory modules, you will choose elective modules. In addition to the electives offered within the Business School as part of the MRes programme, you may elect to take a module from another department within Imperial, or at one of our partner institutions, subject to availability.

Advanced Topics in Organisational Behaviour

Applied Microeconometrics 1

Asset Pricing Theory

Corporate Finance

Corporate Sustainability

Consumer Behaviour

Decision Making Under Uncertainty

Econometrics 1

Empirical Asset Pricing

Empirical Corporate Finance

Entrepreneurship

Financial Economics of Climate and Sustainability

Foundations of Big Data and Machine Learning in Finance

Healthcare & Medical Analytics

Industrial Organisation

Innovation Management

Interdisciplinary Research

Logistics & Supply Chain Analytics

Machine Learning for Analytics

Machine Learning in Economic Analysis

Macroeconomics

Macro-Finance

Micro Development Economics

Microeconomics 2

Microeconomics 1

Optimisation & Decision Models

Organisational Behaviour

Organisational Theory

Qualitative Methods 1

Qualitative Methods 2

Quantitative Methods 1

Readings in Digital Business听

Readings in Social Networks: Social Capital

Retail & Marketing Analytics

Special Topics in Organisational Theory and Strategy

Stochastic Processes

Strategy

Sustainable Behaviour

Topics in Empirical Banking

*These modules are available subject to capacity and timetabling constraints in other faculties and are differently weighted to the MRes Business electives

Research Project

You will develop your own research project, which is assessed via submission of a written thesis and an oral examination.

What our 天美传媒 say

鈥淭he programme structure is different from many other business schools because during the first year at Imperial we study the Master鈥檚 of Research (MRes), which is focused on developing strong foundations before continuing to the PhD programme. This also gives us additional time to discover opportunities and find the right paths for our research.鈥
Marine Mograbyan
Doctoral student, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Read our student profiles

Career impact

In recent years, our PhD 天美传媒 have joined leading universities, research centres and institutions such as Tsinghua University, University College London, Copenhagen Business School, the Bank of England, the University of Bath, King鈥檚 College London, National Chengchi University, the University of Sussex and Renmin University in China. Others have sought top positions in industry or founded successful start-ups.

The doctoral programme has been re-structured in recent years to focus more on academic development and it is anticipated that over the coming years placements will focus more on academia than industry.

Find out more about career outcomes

Frequently asked questions

The Doctoral programme is structured to take between four听to six听years full-time. In the first year, all 天美传媒 undertake听a one or two year听MRes programme听depending on their chosen research area specialism.听Subject to satisfactory academic progress, 天美传媒 then progress to the PhD which takes between 3-4 years.

The Doctoral programme has one intake each year in September听and听is spread over four to six听years.

It is not possible to enrol on the Doctoral programme on a part-time or distance learning basis. Students must be in attendance throughout the full听period of study.

It is not usually possible to transfer onto the Doctoral programme as it is unlikely that previous studies would perfectly overlap with the School鈥檚 expertise.

The Doctoral programme is full time. Students are able to undertake part-time work if this does not break any relevant visa and/or scholarship conditions, however the programme offers a living stipend to support 天美传媒 during their studies.

Admission onto the Doctoral programme is highly competitive as we accept around 15 天美传媒 each year, from a total of approximately 200 applications.

There is a designated workspace which includes a computer and relevant software assigned to all enrolled Doctoral 天美传媒. You will share working space with other PhD 天美传媒 in your cohort.