Postgraduate research
Professional Doctorate in Management
Become the scholar-practitioner who shapes the future of management through original research
Course overview
The Professional Doctorate in Management, DProf (Management), is a research-intensive doctoral programme for experienced professionals, delivered through a flexible distance-learning format. It is designed for those who want to engage deeply with advanced management scholarship and make an original contribution to management knowledge and professional practice.
In a world shaped by technological change, geopolitical uncertainty, sustainability challenges and evolving forms of leadership, organisations increasingly need leaders who can think critically, engage with evidence and generate new insights rather than simply apply existing ideas. This programme is designed for professionals who are intellectually curious, motivated by complex questions, and ready to operate at the highest level of scholarly enquiry.
You will join a community of postgraduate researchers committed to rigorous thinking, intellectual challenge and meaningful knowledge creation. The programme is designed to support critical engagement with contemporary management debates and to help you develop as a researcher and contributor to the future of management.
For professionals seeking more than another qualification, the DProf offers the opportunity to challenge assumptions, engage with influential ideas and produce research that meets the highest doctoral standards.
Course structure
The DProf (Management) is structured around two years of taught doctoral study followed by an independent research project. During the taught stage, you will engage with advanced management scholarship, doctoral-level research methods and the development of your own research proposal. This provides the intellectual, methodological and practical foundation for the thesis stage.
After the two taught years, you will move on to the thesis stage of the programme, during which you will undertake an independent research project under the guidance of a supervisory team, leading to the submission of an original doctoral thesis (50,000 words).
The normal period of registration is 4-6 years. The maximum period of registration permitted before thesis submission is 7 years. Active research (including all experimental work, field work, and data collection) must be completed by the end of the 6th year. On completion of active research students may request approval to register for a writing-up period of up to 12 months.
What you will study
Module titles for this programme include:
- Foundations of Doctoral Study
- Management Futures: Advanced Perspectives in Management
- Applied Leadership and Change
- Quantitative Methods and Analysis
- Qualitative Methods and Analysis
- Thesis Proposal and Literature Review
Supervision and research areas
We will allocate you a supervisor on commencing the course. We will then allocate a second supervisor based on the research proposal you develop over the first two years of your taught study.
To find out more about the research in our school, please visit the School of Business website.
Entry requirements
Masters degree (ideally at distinction) in a relevant subject, and at least 5 years organisational experience at a senior level.
How to apply
Please contact Programme Director, Dr Katharine Venter via email to express your interest in applying for this course.
You will also be required to provide the following documentation:- Your completed Mandatory Supplementary Information form.
- Up to date CV (no more than 4 pages - see guidance within the supplementary information form).
- Personal statement explaining your interest in the research, your experience, why it is worth doing and why we should consider you.
- Copies of your Degree Certificates and Marks Transcripts of study already completed and if possible a transcript to-date of any study currently being undertaken. If your documents are not in English please include an official translation.
- Evidence of English language proficiency if applicable.
- Enter contact details for two academic (not personal) referees who can comment on your suitability for the research degree programme in the space provided or upload letters of reference on signed headed paper if already available.
- In the funding section please state how you intend to fund your study.
When to apply
Applications can be submitted at any time, and we encourage you to apply as early as possible to allow sufficient time for your application to be considered. The deadline for applications for September 2027 entry is 31 July 2027.
Fees and funding
UK Fees: £36,000
Overseas fees: £40,680
A continuation fee of £500 per year is payable in years 5 and 6, where applicable.
