Supervision
A key part of your experience will be original research guided by your supervisor. However, postgraduate research should also be seen as an academic apprenticeship, helping you to develop a wider range of advanced research methods skills and knowledge of your discipline. Our aim is to produce not just excellent doctoral research dissertations, but also excellent researchers who are well rounded and fully equipped for careers in academia and research.
Research skills
The nature and scope of the training will depend on your academic qualifications, previous knowledge, and experience. However, as a general rule, postgraduate researchers are expected to spend a large part of their time in the first year developing their general research skills. All taught modules are assessed, either by exams or coursework. Seminars, workshops and the annual Leeds University Business School PhD conference are also an important component of this training programme.
PhD Pathways: Business and Management, Economics, or Accounting and Finance
When entering the PhD programme you will opt for one of our three core pathways in: Management and Business, Economics, or Accounting and Finance. All three pathways will include both a core element (taught modules attended by all first year postgraduate researchers) and more specific training relevant to each area. The overall amount of training will vary according to your specific needs and additional training can be negotiated as part of your Personal Development Plan.
Professional Researcher Skills
You will have the opportunity to develop a range of generic skills that underpin successful achievement in a wide range of future careers, such as communication (written, oral, visual), enterprise, knowledge transfer, teaching, working in multidisciplinary teams and academic engagement.
Postgraduate researchers are offered a core training package in essential generic skills for researchers. The training programme allows you to take additional elements as required to enhance your abilities. The various elements are provided by the central training providers (Staff and Departmental Development Unit, Researcher Training and Development, LEAP Training Hub, ISS, Library), the Business School or outside bodies.
Throughout your training, you will engage in critical self-reflection through your Personal Development Plan (PDP) and through contact with your supervisor.
View the content of the PhD training and development for Management and Business, Economics, or Accounting and Finance.
Advanced skills training
We actively champion the provision of advanced skills training for Postgraduate Researchers. You will benefit from our school's position as one of the co-ordinating universities for the Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative, an ESRC-funded network of research-based business schools in the north of England. The University of Leeds has established the Leeds Social Science Institute (LSSI), offering interdisciplinary training and development and specialist training and development opportunities. Postgraduate researchers can also access additional training and networking through the British Academy of Management and the Society for the Advancement of Management Studies – bodies delivering advanced training for early career researchers.
The Business School also runs a range of activities that bring members of the school together with key external stakeholders to help ensure the continuing relevance of our research to user communities. These activities include the FT Masterclass.
