PhD.
Program

IESE PhD. Areas of Study

Our PhD students first complete the Master in Research in Management, which lasts two years, or must already be in possession of a postgraduate degree in research methodologies for business and management sciences.

Thereafter, you progress to the doctoral phase, which consists of proposing and then defending your PhD thesis. This second phase usually lasts three years.

PhD in Management. Areas of Study

With IESE’s PhD in Management, you focus on your own specialized field of academic interest from the moment you set foot on campus.

Whatever your specialization, you will acquire solid empirical research skills through constant mentoring and deep interaction with faculty, and the chance to contribute to research projects led by IESE professors.

The areas of specialization offered by the IESE doctoral program are listed below:

Accounting and Control
Business Ethics
Entrepreneurship
Financial Management
Information Systems
Managerial Decision Sciences
Managing People in Organizations
Marketing
Production, Technology, and Operations Management
Strategic Management

PhD in Management: doctoral phase.

In the doctoral phase of the PhD in Management, you will begin researching and writing your dissertation in the specialized field of your choice.

During this phase, you will work on your research with help from your mentor and faculty advisers. In addition, you will present your research at international conferences and seminars. The program culminates in your thesis defense.

Dissertation proposal

You will present your thesis proposal during the first year of your PhD program. Once your proposal is approved, you can then register for the second year. The time limit for completing your doctorate is three years from initial enrollment to the defense of your dissertation.

Throughout the program, you will receive close and highly personalized guidance from your faculty mentor. They will help orientate you throughout the process and prepare you for your thesis defense.

IESE PhD. A unique learning experience

Conferences & Seminars

As a PhD student, you are encouraged and funded to present your research papers at international conferences.

These conferences include the Academy of Management Annual Meeting, and the Strategic Management Society Annual International Conference. Furthermore, we recommend you to follow seminars and workshops specifically designed for your research topics.

These international conferences and seminars are an opportunity to both enhance your research and build your own professional network.

International Doctor Distinction

If you complete a 3-month period abroad at an institution of higher education or research center of prestige, doing research or fieldwork or even course work, you might qualify to be awarded with the “International Doctor Distinction.”

Brown Bag Sessions

In a weekly Brown Bag Session, both professors and students internally present their research papers and projects; brainstorm on new topics, supervise or suggest, encourage and guide each other.
These sessions clearly improve the climate of collaboration between all the members of the research community.

External Courses and Summer Schools

We encourage students to search for specific courses that can be relevant to their research topic or that can provide them with accurate expertise in a related field at any other recognized institution.

Research Seminars

Students are expected to become familiar with the most relevant academic research in the different areas of management sciences. All year round, the different departments invite the most outstanding academics from business schools and universities all over the globe, to present their work here at IESE and to interact with students in the most inspiring and enriching sessions you can encounter within the field of research.

Student Mobility

We definitely encourage and support both geographical as well as interdisciplinary mobility within an integrated framework of cooperation between universities and business schools or other institutions beyond all borders or frontiers. Student Mobility

Language Courses

Students who want to take advantage of their stay here, can register for a Spanish language course.