Doctoral study at the Business School

The decision to commit to doctoral studies is a significant one. At the Business School, the minimum length of a PhD is three years. If you are considering embarking on this journey, you need to be interested in a specific topic or area, know that you enjoy working independently and as part of a bigger intellectual community, and be self-motivated and disciplined. The rewards, however, are many.

You will have the opportunity to challenge yourself like never before, be encouraged to indulge your curiosity, improve your critical understanding, increase your confidence, become an excellent communicator, and ultimately achieve a difficult goal.

Here at the Business School you will become a member of a strong cohort of academics and senior students, dedicated to helping you develop as a researcher, professional and individual. The quality of the PhD programme is dictated not just by its outstanding scholarship, but also by its pastoral care of students who also enjoy social events, workshops, retreats and conferences.

The PhD is directed by an appointed supervisor, cosupervisor and possibly an advisory committee. It can be completed within three to four years of full-time study or on a part-time basis.

The degree provides a qualification for students wishing to pursue an academic or research career and is offered in all departments of the University of Auckland Business School.

Including publications in your PhD thesis

While many PhDs consist of a single thesis of up to 100,000 words, upon approval from the Board of Graduate Studies you may wish to include publications as part of your thesis. This option often allows for more practical and collaborative research, and may provide publication opportunities beyond the traditional PhD.

For PhD candidates at the Business School, this work may comprise research papers and/or case studies for which you were lead author, accompanied by a contextual framework and concluding discussion. The range and focus of this material shall generally correspond with the introductory and concluding chapters of a thesis.

Learn more about including publications in your thesis.

Search for potential supervisors at the Business School who research in your area of interest.

The University provides an evolving range of services and resources to support the development of our doctoral candidates, starting with the Doctoral Induction. This half-day session introduces you to the doctoral programme, provides you with essential information to help you make a good start in your studies and is an excellent opportunity to network with other new doctoral candidates from across the University.

We help you refine your skills, boost your research and increase your employability by providing a host of useful resources and unique development opportunities. During your studies, you might attend face-to-face workshops run by our experienced staff or external experts, or access flexible online learning that is ready to go whenever – and wherever – you happen to be.

Learn about further doctoral development opportunities.

Research publication awards are available to encourage doctoral students to submit and publish a paper in a refereed journal. PhD conference funding is also available to assist students to present at reputable conferences. University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships are awarded to high achieving domestic and international students.