PhD Studentships: various

The Open University Business and Law Schools are inviting applications to join our campus-based PhD Programme and our new PhD by Distance Learning Programme. The starting date for both programmes is 1^st October 2026.

If your application is successful, you will join the Faculty of Business and Law, where we conduct research of the highest international standard and embrace economic, public and social value consistent with the mission of The Open University. You will work with subject specialists to develop an original contribution to knowledge as well as your skills in research, communication, engagement and impact.

Studentships are available for 10 advertised projects below. Alternatively, we also welcome full- and part-time applications in other areas of business, management and law, including on a self-funded basis and externally-funded basis; please note that such projects are dependent on supervision expertise, availability and capacity.

The following advertised projects are available for either campus-based or distance learning:

• DAF01 – Accounting, Accountability and Governance
• DAF03 – Private Consultants and Notions of Accountabilities
• DAF04 – The Semantics of Capitalism
• DSM01 – Aligning Financial Ecosystems with Sustainable Innovation in Emerging Industries: Pathways, Barriers, and Institutional Dynamics
• DSM03 – Taking the Energy Transition Forward in Emerging and New Frontier Countries: Complementary Innovations in Off-Grid Systems, Multi-Purpose Energy Hubs, Battery Repurposing and the Enabling Institutional Reforms

 The following advertised projects are available for campus-based study only:

• DAF02 – Debt, Growth, and Inequality in Financialised Capitalism
• DPO01 – The Role of Digital Twin and Thread to Facilitate Whole Lifecycle Information Flow in a Circular Economy
• DSM02 – Artificial Intelligence vs. Human-Composed Music in Advertising: Exploring Consumer Responses, Brand Perceptions, and the Future of Creative Authenticity
• Law01 – Policing Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls

The following advertised project is available for distance learning only:

• Law02 – Project in Human Rights Law and/or Migration Law

Studentships details and training grant

PhD studentships are based on full-time study for three years either via our campus-based learning programme at our Milton Keynes campus or remotely via our distance learning programme.

Fully-funded studentships for full-time campus-based and UK-domiciled distance learning students cover tuition fees, and a stipend of circa £20,780 per annum for 36 months. Studentships for full-time distance learning students living overseas cover tuition fees only (please tick the 'fee bursary' option on the application form if you wish to be considered for such a studentship). Studentships are not available for part-time study. The only exception to these funding practices is the ‘Law01 – Policing Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls’ project; this project’s studentship is fully-funded through Research England, covering tuition fees, and a stipend of circa £20,780 per annum for 36 months, regardless of mode of study or location.

In addition, a generous research training support grant is allocated to all students accepted into the programme to cover research-related costs including fieldwork and conferences.

Entry requirements

Applicants should hold the minimum of an upper second-class honours degree, or a specialist Master’s degree in a subject relevant to the intended study with a strong research element. Applicants holding other qualifications must demonstrate suitability for postgraduate level research based on professional experience, publications, written reports or other appropriate evidence of previous research related to the proposed PhD application. In addition, applicants must provide the names of qualified persons from whom the University may seek references as to the applicants’ academic attainment and potential for undertaking research at this level. Applicants who do not hold any degree level qualifications will not be admitted and will not be eligible for consideration.

Application deadline and how to apply

To apply for entry in October 2026, you must send all the required documents to FBL-PHD@open.ac.uk by 12:00 (midday) (GMT) on 7^th January 2026. For full details of the application process and the documents required, please see our Business School website or our Law School website .

Pre-application workshop

You are welcome to attend our webinar, 'Preparing Your PhD Application', on Thursday 11th December at 14:00-15:30 (GMT).  This online 1.5-hour workshop with faculty academics will address questions on whether studying a PhD is right for you, what to consider when applying, what it’s like to do a PhD at The Open University, and how to best craft a research proposal that aligns with advertised project calls. If you are interested in attending this workshop, please register via Eventbrite .

Useful contacts

If you have any queries regarding proof of English language proficiency, immigration or the Research Degrees Regulations, please email Graduate-School@open.ac.uk or phone +44 (0)1908 653806. If you have any queries regarding the FBL research degrees programme, our advertised projects or the application process, please email FBL-PHD@open.ac.uk.

We look forward to receiving your application.