PhD - Graduate School of Business

Programme Aims

The PhD programme at GSB aims to achieve the following goals:

• nurture business scholars who can apply business theory and practice towards promoting the wellbeing of the community and the environment.
• develop business scholars who demonstrate a high-level of creativity, analytical thinking and problem-solving skills in offering robust solutions.
• produce business scholars with advanced skills in research, writing and knowledge sharing on matters relating to business sustainability.
• produce business scholars who are capable of examining any business enterprise and discern its strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats; and use these findings to make appropriate business recommendations.

Research Area

PhD research areas at GSB are categorised into six areas:

• Global Strategy and Organizational Behaviour;
• Marketing;
• Sustainability Accounting and Governance;
• Innovation in Operations Management;
• Financial Research for Emerging Markets;
• Social Innovation and Sustainability

Expertise available in the following Centre: Graduate School of Business

Processes of the PhD Study:

Stage 1: Conceptual paper presentation
Stage 2: Proposal Defence (only for Quantitative Research)
Stage 3: Findings Defence (only for Qualitative Research)
Stage 4: Final Viva Voce

Applicants should possess the following:

• A Master’s degree from universities recognised by USM’s senate or an equivalent qualification with a minimum CGPA of 3.00/4.00; or
• A Master’s degree by research from universities recognised by USM’s senate or an equivalent qualification
• A two-page Research Proposal that includes:

1. Proposed area of interest
2. Potential contribution to theory
3. Background (with evidence of reading that supports potential contribution)
4. Research objectives
5. Significance of research
6. Expected economic, or social, or environmental impact of research

(Applicable for International Applicants Only)

The minimum score for each programme can be vary from the below list, candidates are required to check for each programme requirements.

• A minimum score of 60 for TOEFL (Internet-based); or
• A minimum of Band 8.5 for TOEFL Essentials (Online); or
• A minimum of Band 6 for IELTS; or
• A minimum score of 59 for PTE; or
• A minimum score for Cambridge English: Occupational English Test (OET) (Conventional/Online) min 250 /Advance (CAE)/Proficiency (CPE) /Preliminary (PET) /First (FCE)/Linguaskill Online min. score 169; or
• A minimum score of 109 for ELS; or
• A minimum of Band 4 for MUET

Exemption can be given to candidate if:

• English is the candidate’s mother tongue or National Language; or
• Candidate graduated from an Institution of Higher Learning in which the medium of instruction at Bachelor and/or Master degree level is English (statement of proof required)

• Full-time: Min 4 semesters / Max 10 semesters
• Part-time: Min 6 semesters /Max 15 semesters

* Graduate on Time (GOT): Graduate with a minimum of 42 months (7 semesters)

** Fees are subject to change