PhD in Business
See study programmeThe doctoral program is a continuation of the business studies at the Nord University Business School. The program contains of course work that must amount to at least 40 credits. The main emphasis of the study, however, is the independent research work that forms the basis for the doctoral dissertation.
The doctoral program must first and foremost qualify for research and development activities, but also for other work in society that requires insight into scientific working methods and results. Through the educational programme, students gain high-quality in-depth academic understanding, skills, and knowledge in their chosen business management field. This also enables research students to relate the subject to the larger context. In addition, as PhD student you will gain knowledge of current methods used in the discipline and will be able to master at least one of these methods at advanced and applied levels.
The dissertation must be an independent, scientific work that meets international standards in the field and contributes to the development of new professional knowledge. The dissertation is usually written in the form of 3 - 5 articles, these should be able to be published as part of the subject's scientific literature.
Knowledge
Upon completion, the candidate should:
- have an academic specialisation within the field of business
- be able to locate this field within a larger framework
- have specialised insight into the scientific methods used in, and knowledge of, their field of study
- be able to contribute to development of the field in the form of new theories, methods, interpretations and the like.
Skills
Upon completion, the candidate should be able to:
- formulate and solve problems at an advanced scientific level
- utilise relevant scientific theories and methods in their field
- critically evaluate and form an opinion about the use of relevant theories and methods in the field
- conduct indpendent research work at an advanced scientific level.
General competence
Upon completion, the candidate should:
- be able to indentify, carry out and disseminate research and development tasks with academic integrity, in accordance with founding principles of the institution of academia.
- be able to reflect upon and form an opinion about integral ethical challenges in relation to research and development task
- be able to utilise their research and development expertise within all areas that require insight into business-related scientific methods and results
- be able to communicate problem, analyses and results to their peers, as well as to the general public, including participating in debates at conferences and in the public arena.
The admission requirements are described in the Regulations for the doctor of philosophy degree (PhD) at Nord University with supplementary provisions for the PhD in Business at Nord University Business School (HHN).
For admission to a PhD programme, applicants must normally have an academic master’s degree of 120/300 ECTS credits; cf. Sections 3 and 4 of the Regulations concerning requirements for master’s degrees and the descriptions in the second cycle of the qualifications framework. Applicants must normally have an average weighted grade of B or higher for their master’s degree.
After special assessment, Nord University may approve other equivalent education as a basis for admission; cf. Section 3-5 (2) of the Act relating to universities and university colleges.
Satisfactory results are required on language tests (TOEFL or IELTS). Exceptions are granted for candidates with a master's degree from a Nordic institution. Test results should be available when applying for a PhD position and before starting work on a project description (proposal).
Dialogue meetings are conducted between students and the programme director every year.