PhD Business Management & Administration

Key academic requirements

For the USB’s PhD in Business Management and Administration only applicants of exceptional standing and ability, and with existing professional or relevant business or public management work experience, will be considered. The two main academic requirements for admission to the PhD degree are:

• A relevant master’s degree in an appropriate management related area. The major part of the master’s degree (weight within degree) must consist of a written thesis.
• A minimum period of registration (residency) of two years.

Discuss the admission requirements for the USB's PhD in Management - send an Information Request

The USB’s executive PhD departs from the traditional research route of the PhD in Management mainly in that the USB places emphasis on the development of employable knowledge in its Research Programme.

As such, the aim is to link the two areas of theory and practice in such a way that this results in “hybrid vigour”. The term “executive” denotes this emphasis of an interaction of knowledge that is particularly relevant to South African organisations, be they in the private or public sector, and from there to beyond our borders. This forms part of our social responsibility to strengthen our country to the benefit of all those involved.

Students are encouraged to conduct action research on challenging and real-world problems, and to develop personal and transferable skills, which can be used in a range of applied situations. The executive PhD may be described as a practice-based programme since knowledge is advanced partly by means of professional application of the discipline. It combines scientific rigor and managerial relevance, and consequently PhD students must be able to demonstrate that they have a theoretical as well as a practical appreciation and understanding of their research area.

The PhD (Doctor of Philosophy), also referred to as a doctorate, implies that the holder is in command of his/her field of study.

The PhD in Business Management and Administration is a comparatively recent field of study in relation to the classical sciences. In Europe, for example, very few PhD programmes in Management were created more than 40 years ago. Most commenced in the second half of the 1980s and the early 1990s.

As a PhD student you will be expected to pursue supervised research, culminating in a doctoral dissertation which constitutes the examinable product for which the PhD degree is eventually awarded. This dissertation must:

• Represent an original and significant contribution to the enrichment and advancement of knowledge in the chosen area
• Demonstrate originality of thought, a theoretical underpinning, relevance to the discipline and rigor in execution
• Create intellectual capital, which is the cornerstone of the knowledge society of the 21st century

Learn more by sending an Information Request to the USB

The University prides itself on the ever-widening global status that its Business School has earned in the management education arena. Over recent years the School has ensconced itself as a premier producer of managers and leaders for South Africa, the African continent and the world.

The University of Stellenbosch Business School has established itself as one of the top providers of MBA degrees, other Master’s degrees, PhD degrees and executive education in South Africa.

The University of Stellenbosch has also earned recognition among international schools of quality by focusing strongly on research and leadership development.

The  Business Schools' business and management programmes combine leadership expertise, universal applicability, specialisation opportunities, integrated thinking, a theoretical underpinning and real-world practice to provide tomorrow’s business leaders with a world-class qualification that will serve them well in any industry, anywhere in the world. All of USB’s programmes are internationally accredited.

One of the distinguishing features of the Business School's programmes, is the strong focus on the development of positive, authentic leadership competencies to create high-performance organisations.

The University of Stellenbosch Business School partners  with over 60 business schools in Asia, Australia, Europe, the UK and the Americas, allowing for personal enrichment possibilities for through student exchanges, overseas study tours, international competition participation and more.

It is no surprise that the USB has become a popular choice of local and international students.

Learn more about the business and management programmes available at the University of Stellenbosch Business School