Management and Business: Fully Funded ESRC Wales Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) PhD Management and Business Pathway

The Management and Business pathway focusses the realm of social sciences on current challenges for businesses and the industrial landscape. There are significant opportunities for interdisciplinarity through its disciplinary expertise in accounting, finance, banking, marketing, strategy, logistics and operations management, organizational management, innovation, and tourism; all underpinned by the research strength and experience of faculty members at the Universities of Swansea, Cardiff and Bangor. This joint working allows students increased access to leading researchers and practitioners whilst also offering them a breadth of contacts and experiences, enabling them to network within a larger cohort and to see their research within an especially wide disciplinary context. The pathway also examines and develops knowledge relating to wider issues, e.g. (in)equality, wellbeing, climate change, and sustainability.  

Swansea University’s School of Management has significant strengths in digital innovation, human resources, and enterprise development policy. Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (e.g. Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Public Policy and Practice, Geopolitical Challenges, and Culture and Communities), Networks (Climate Action, AI & Digital Economy & Society) and Research Centres e.g. i-Lab (Innovation Lab), EPSRC CDT Enhancing Human Interactions and Collaborations with Data and Intelligence Driven Systems; All-Wales Intensive Learning Academy for Innovation in Health and Social Care) foster challenge-led research and impact. Within the School there are also significant opportunities to engage with practitioner-focussed initiatives such as the Circular Economy Innovation Communities (CEIC) and major health think tank, the Bevan Commission. Such outlets represent further structured links and offer potential for shared skills training. The School collaborates with other Faculties within the University to enable strong inter-and multi-disciplinary research to flourish. The pathway will build on the highly successful collaboration between Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea in the Previous Doctoral Training Partnership Wales (DTP-Wales). This pathway also collaborates on supervision/training with other WGSSS cluster pathways such as Economics, and Digital Economy and Society. 

At every stage, students are active participants in a wide range of reading and discussion groups, roundtable sessions, seminar series and data analysis workshops. Flexibility in delivery through online and offline bespoke training courses, currently includes research seminars, methods workshops, standard modules, intensives, as well as regular in-person/online research seminars. Wider skills training sessions are also available. You are strongly encouraged and supported to attend and present at relevant national and international conferences.

Funding Comment

The studentship funded by the ESRC covers tuition fees and an annual tax-free living stipend in line with UKRI minimum rates (currently £20,780 for 2025/26). Students also have access to a Research Training Support Grant.

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) on top of your studentship. Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)

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