Management specialisation PhD programme
Doctoral studies for those who wish to explore in depth the connections between management, organisations, and human behaviour.
Volume
4 years (240 ECTS)
Language
English
Location
A. Lauteri 3, Tallinn, Estonia
Prerequisites
Master's degree or equivalent
Study form
Session-based
Diploma
PhD in Management
Price
€600/month (€7200/year); payable directly or through in-kind means (participation in teaching, involvement in external projects or spin-off companies etc).
Who is this specialisation for
The Management specialisation is targeting:
- International graduate students with an interest in an academic career;
- Seasoned professionals who seek to deepen their theoretical knowledge in the field of management and/or pursue scholarship.
General interests of the candidate should include:
- Self-developed research topics related to the publicly available capabilities and interests of EBS faculty
- Research or business topics proposed by the EBS Knowledge Teams
- Research based on research grants or projects awarded to EBS (i.e. ETAG, Horizon, Research collaboration)
Probable options for graduates on the labour market:
- pursue an academic career to enhance the recognition and reputation of EBS internationally
- pursue a corporate or entrepreneurial career
There are two different routes within the track. Upon admission to the programme, the candidate can either apply for a Junior Research Fellow position or study as an individual doctoral student. EBS also accepts visiting PhD students from similar focus areas.
At the beginning of the doctoral studies, an individual study plan is established in cooperation with the supervisor, based on the doctoral student’s individual goals.
Programme Structure and Duration
The programme duration is 4 years full-time (240 ECTS). The programme consists of two phases:
General Coursework (60 ECTS):
Focus on advanced seminars in core management areas such as strategy, organisational behaviour, and finance, alongside extensive training in advanced quantitative and qualitative methods. This phase includes the preparation and defence of a detailed Doctoral Project Proposal and Action Plan.
- Theories in Management, Economics and Entrepreneurship (9 ECTS)
- Research Philosophy, Ethics, and Design (6 ECTS)
- Writing, Reviewing, and Positioning Doctoral Research (3 ECTS)
- Research methods for management and entrepreneurship studies (12 ECTS)
- 30 ECTS of individual specialisation courses distributed into the following modules:
Modules supporting the development of the Doctoral Project Proposal
- Research design of the Doctoral Project (6 ECTS), including:
- Peer Review, Publishing, and Proposal Development in Doctoral Research (3 ECTS), including Idea Puzzle by Ricardo Morais
- Data Handling and Security (3 ECTS)
- Developing the theoretical framework of the Doctoral Project (3 ECTS)
- The specific content is individualised and agreed between the doctoral candidate and supervisor(s), depending on the theory domains relevant to the project
- Developing the methodological framework of the Doctoral Project (3 ECTS)
- The specific content is individualised and agreed between the doctoral candidate and supervisor(s), depending on the method domains relevant to the project
- Independent readings on the Doctoral Project topic (12 ECTS)
- Teaching experience (6 ECTS), including the course Foundations of Teaching (3 ECTS)
Doctoral Project (180 ECTS):
- Dedicated time for conducting research according to the approved Doctoral Project Proposal and Action Plan
- Independent study presenting an original, well-argued solution to a specific scientific problem, with results published in international professional publications
- Conducted under the supervision of supervisor(s) nominated by the Programme Committee
- Access to EBS research networks within international universities
Outcome
- Defence of the dissertation
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
Upon successful completion of the programme, the graduate will be able to:
- critically evaluate, synthesise, and contrast foundational and advanced theoretical paradigms and literature across major sub-fields of Management, such as Strategy, Organisational Behaviour, and Finance
- identify original and significant theoretical gaps and unanswered questions within established academic literature
- independently conceptualise, design, and execute a high-quality, ethical research project that contributes new knowledge to management science
- select, justify, and apply advanced qualitative, quantitative, or mixed research methodologies and analytical techniques
- critically evaluate the methodological and theoretical contributions of peer-reviewed research and defend their own research findings against academic scrutiny
- produce research outputs such as articles or monographs that meet the standards of top-tier international academic journals
- present complex research findings, theoretical arguments, and methodological choices clearly and persuasively to international academic audiences
- develop pedagogical skills to design and teach university-level courses and supervise student research
Admission Requirements
Candidates with a Master’s degree are eligible. EBS expects that the candidate has a basic understanding of academic research.
The candidate needs to present:
- Master’s or equivalent degree diploma and transcript (Master’s and Bachelor’s level)
- Master’s thesis
- Motivation letter
- Research idea proposal
Doctoral students enrolling as individual doctoral students have to pay a tuition fee. The tuition fee is €600/month (€7200/year), which provides PhD candidates with full and unlimited access to all EBS resources.
The tuition fee is payable either directly or through in-kind means (such as participation in teaching, involvement in external projects, involvement in spin-off companies etc.).
Admissions process and checklist:
- Non-EU: May 1st, 2026
- EU: August 1st, 2026
- Non-EU: June 4th, 2026
- EU: August 25th, 2026
- Bachelor’s and Master’s degree diplomas and academic transcripts.
- The Research Idea must be presented by May 1st (non-EU), or by August 1st.
- Holds sufficient proficiency in English at B2 level
For example: IELTS 6.0; TOEFL iBT score 85 or 45 (exams after 21 January 2026); Cambridge English Exam CEFR level B2; Duolingo English Test score 110; or previous studies fully conducted in English - Curriculum Vitae, including education, professional and research development activities.
- Application fee
The application fee is 120€. Application and relevant documents will be processed only after the application fee is received. The application fee invoice will be sent via DreamApply after the application has been received. The application fee is non-refundable.
Candidates from EU/EEA countries, as well as from Ukraine and Kazakhstan, are exempt from paying the application fee.
Ready to get started?
If you have any questions, please contact us: doctoral@ebs.ee
Submit your application via the DreamApply platform.
