PhD Business Analytics

Accurate data analysis can generate significant opportunities for business leaders, managers, policy makers and entrepreneurs. Modern economies increasingly demand analytically trained researchers in both academia and practice. Our PhD Business Analytics has been designed to meet this demand.

Data in modern societies has evolved. Static spreadsheets have been replaced with interactive, dynamic representations combining multiple sources and providing rich insights on markets, firms, competitors, consumers and networks. Our PhD Business Analytics equips you with both classical statistical techniques and modern computational methods to allow you to tackle cutting-edge research questions relevant to today's businesses, markets and societies using small, medium and big data sets.

Research areas may include:

• complex systems
• network analysis
• market behaviour
• organisation studies
• entrepreneurship
• innovation

You undertake a personal research project and benefit from tailored supervision to develop your desired expertise and skills. By enrolling in our PhD Business Analytics, you join the next generation of social scientists informing theory, policy and practice related to the interconnected society.

This programme is administered by Essex Business School, the largest department at the University of Essex. You join the School's Strategy, Operations and Entrepreneurship Group at our Southend Campus and benefit from rich expertise in analytical and quantitative research methodologies, using varied data sources to understand our modern, dynamic and interconnected society. We are the largest department at the University of Essex and our doctoral students join us from countries across the world.

We encourage you to present your work at our termly research afternoons to gain feedback from doctoral students and staff in the finance, accounting, entrepreneurship and management disciplines.

This course is available to study full-time, part-time or as an MPhil.

You may also be eligible for a scholarship.

Our expert staff

At Essex Business School, you benefit from world-class supervision and research training conducted by our senior academic staff. Our department boasts eight research centres across our two campuses, including the ESRC Business and Local Government Data Research Centre. The centre aims to become a national centre of expertise for data users across academic and non-academic sectors and supports businesses in their use of complex big data.

Dr Louise Nash and Director of Postgraduate Research at Essex Business School oversees and leads the provision of our graduate research programmes and ensures that we create an environment where our doctoral students can flourish as researchers in a thriving and mutually supportive PhD community.

Louise is a lecturer in Management and Marketing and completed her PhD Management at Essex. She has extensive management and marketing experience which has influenced her research interests – these focus on interpretative, qualitative studies of the lived experience of work, including: the spatial and temporal rhythms of everyday life; the culture, aesthetics and symbolism of organisational life; gender in the workplace and exploring and developing sensory and embodied methods for researching organisations.

You work with two supervisors during your studies. They provide guidance and support to help you achieve your individual research goals, develop your research topic and create a personalised training plan. You meet with your supervisors at least once a month and are usually required to submit work in advance for feedback. Twice a year, you have a supervisory board meeting to discuss your progress and agree your plans for the next six months.

As well as supporting you to complete your thesis, your supervisors can help you to plan your career development. Our academics often co-author publications with doctoral students and can help you to develop the transferable skills needed for the jobs market.

Take a look at our staff pages to find out more about our areas of supervision.

Specialist facilities

As well using University facilities such as the library and computing laboratories, you have access to:

• databases, such as Bloomberg and Compustat, Passport GMID, Bankscope and Datastream
• a wide range of e-books and finance and business packages to support part-time and distance learning (including Ebrary, NetLibrary, Oxford Scholarship Online, Palgrave Connect, and SpringerLink)
• in your final year, you benefit from your own office to allow successful completion of your thesis.

Your future

Essex Business School fosters the business leaders and researchers of the future. Our PhD graduates use their creativity, innovation and ethical awareness to meet the many challenges facing the international business world.

Many of our graduates enjoy careers in academia and organisations in the public and private sectors, including at some of the world's most well-known organisations and exciting SMEs, such as:

• Groupon
• KPMG Group
• Right Freight Pvt Ltc
• Copal Partners
• Capital Markets Intelligence, a financial publisher
• Credit Data Research, a business funder
• Many now also run their own growing businesses

PhD Business Analytics students can also take advantage of the services offered by the Careers Service, including careers advice; work experience; internships; placements; and voluntary opportunities.

UK entry requirements

You will need a good Masters degree, or equivalent , in a related quantitative subject such as economics, statistics or mathematics. A well developed research proposal is also essential.

You will normally be required to attend an interview/Skype interview for acceptance, and acceptance is subject to research expertise in the department.

English language requirements

Course structure

A research degree doesn't have a taught structure, giving you the chance to investigate your chosen topic in real depth and reach a profound understanding. In communicating that understanding, through a thesis or other means, you have a rare opportunity to generate knowledge. A research degree allows you to develop new high-level skills, enhance your professional development and build new networks. It can open doors to many careers.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Assessment

You begin your studies by meeting with your supervisors and undertaking an intensive induction programme. You attend advanced research methods training and undertake compulsory modules tailored to your individual research needs.

Throughout your PhD, you have regular meetings with your supervisors. You are often asked to write up your ideas or reading notes to help establish good writing practices. By the end of your first year of research, you should have a solid understanding of the key debates in your field and have defined your research questions, outlining your original contribution to knowledge. Our finance students are also expected to have made substantial progress on their first research paper. Those studying via the integrated PhD route (or 1+3) will have completed an additional year to obtain a Masters before beginning their research.

In your second year, you are likely to finalise the design of your own research project and either collect primary data, or access and analyse large scale datasets. You may also make progress on your second research paper. You receive regular feedback on your ideas and findings from your supervisors and are encouraged to develop your own research ideas independently during this year. If you are undertaking fieldwork in another location, your supervisors will still be in touch via email or Skype.

In your final year, you continue to analyse your own research data and further refine your original contribution to knowledge. You will collate your work into a approximately 50-80k words thesis. Our finance students are also expected to make substantial progress on their third research paper.

You may attend a number of conferences in your final year to test out your research findings and thesis on an international stage. Your attendance may be funded by Essex Business School. As well as advising on how to prepare your thesis for examination, your supervisors can advise on future career plans in academia or industry.

Dissertation

Creating a 50-80k word thesis is a significant task. To help you finalise your PhD and produce high quality doctoral research, we have a number of support mechanisms.

You undertake a progress board every six months, where you, your supervisors and an independent chair mark your progress and set objectives for the next period. You are also encouraged to take part in peer group debates and discussions.

Our full-time doctorates are 36 month programmes. At the end of this time, you may be allowed up to 12 months to finish writing up your PhD.

Once you have submitted your thesis, you will be asked to attend a Viva Voce examination with examiners from within and outside of the University. A viva voce examination usually takes place within three months of submission of thesis.