Phd in Business

At Nottingham University Business School Malaysia, PhD students benefit from a truly global research experience. Each student is assigned three supervisors aligned with their research area, who may be based at the Malaysia, UK, or China campuses, offering diverse academic perspectives and international collaboration. Students also have full access to the Graduate School’s support resources, including the NUBS Financial Trading Room and financial databases, which enhance research capabilities and practical knowledge. The School’s global footprint across three continents provides unique opportunities for cross-campus engagement, enabling students to critically analyse global business issues and draw on a wide array of research tools, expertise, and facilities. The areas to choose from include: 

• All streams: Developing Management Research, Research Design and Philosophy
• Business and Management stream: Introduction to Research Design and Data Analysis
• Finance and Risk stream: Contemporary Topics in Finance, Topics in Advanced Econometrics
• Industrial Economics stream: Advanced Macroeconomics or Advanced Microeconomic Theory (optional), Topics in Advanced Econometrics

Academic Requirements:

• A Master’s degree (or international equivalent) with a minimum average of 65% (taught and dissertation components)
  AND

• An upper second-class honours degree (2:1) or international equivalent in a relevant discipline

Additional Notes:

• Applicants must hold a degree from a recognised university.

• Applications from all academic backgrounds are welcome, provided relevant qualifications are met.

• Some programmes may require prior study in related fields.

• Interviews may be conducted if further evaluation is needed.

• Eligibility will be confirmed only after submission of a complete application.

English Language Requirements

• IELTS (Academic): 7.0 overall, with no less than 6.0 in each element

• TOEFL iBT: 100 overall

  • Minimum 19 in Writing and Listening

  • Minimum 20 in Reading

  • Minimum 22 in Speaking

• PTE (Academic): 76 overall, with no less than 65 in each component

• MUET: Band 5

Note:

• IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and PTE Academic results must be less than two years old

• MUET results are valid for five years from the release date

• IELTS One Skill Retake is accepted

• Online test versions (IELTS Academic Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, PTE Academic Online) are not accepted

Year 1

• Attend taught modules at:

  • Nottingham University Business School (NUBS) Malaysia

  • Graduate School

• Define research problem and select analytical frameworks

• Complete a first draft of Literature Review chapters

• Annual Review (June):

  • Submit an 8,000-word Literature Review chapter

  • Deliver a short presentation on:

    • Research progress

    • Achievements

    • Completion timeline

Year 2

• Begin and progress through empirical work

  • May start late Year 1 if research involves extended data collection or longitudinal studies

• Annual Review:

  • Submit a revised literature review

  • Submit a sample chapter (methods or empirical)

  • Present progress to review panel

Year 3

• Commence formal writing-up phase

• Complete empirical work

• Produce draft write-up of results

• Submit completed thesis

• Annual Review (June):

  • Submit a commentary addressing Year 2 feedback

  • Submit one or more empirical chapters

  • Present progress to review panel